Jeremiah 23:13
New International Version
“Among the prophets of Samaria I saw this repulsive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.

New Living Translation
“I saw that the prophets of Samaria were terribly evil, for they prophesied in the name of Baal and led my people of Israel into sin.

English Standard Version
In the prophets of Samaria I saw an unsavory thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.

Berean Standard Bible
“Among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.

King James Bible
And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.

New King James Version
“And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria: They prophesied by Baal And caused My people Israel to err.

New American Standard Bible
“Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.

NASB 1995
“Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.

NASB 1977
“Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.

Legacy Standard Bible
“Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.

Amplified Bible
“And I have seen a foolish and an offensive thing in the prophets of Samaria: They prophesied by Baal and caused My people Israel to go astray.

Christian Standard Bible
Among the prophets of Samaria I saw something disgusting: They prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Among the prophets of Samaria I saw something disgusting: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.

American Standard Version
And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.

Contemporary English Version
The prophets in Samaria were repulsive to me, because they preached in the name of Baal and led my people astray.

English Revised Version
And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"[Say this] about the prophets of Samaria: I saw something disgusting. The prophets of Samaria prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.

Good News Translation
I have seen the sin of Samaria's prophets: they have spoken in the name of Baal and have led my people astray.

International Standard Version
"Among the prophets of Samaria I saw a disgusting thing, for they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.

Majority Standard Bible
“Among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.

NET Bible
The LORD says, "I saw the prophets of Samaria doing something that was disgusting. They prophesied in the name of the god Baal and led my people Israel astray.

New Heart English Bible
"I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.

World English Bible
“I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria. They prophesied by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“And I have seen folly in prophets of Samaria, "" They have prophesied by Ba‘al, "" And cause My people—Israel—to err.

Young's Literal Translation
And in prophets of Samaria I have seen folly, They have prophesied by Baal, And cause my people -- Israel -- to err.

Smith's Literal Translation
And I saw folly in the prophets of Shomeron; they prophesied in Baal, and they will cause my people Israel to wander.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria: they prophesied in Baal, and deceived my people Israel.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I have seen the foolishness of the prophets of Samaria. They have prophesied in Baal, and they have deceived my people Israel.

New American Bible
Among Samaria’s prophets I saw something unseemly: They prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.

New Revised Standard Version
In the prophets of Samaria I saw a disgusting thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And I have seen falsehood in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal and caused my people Israel to err.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And in the Prophets of Samaria I have seen falsehood. They prophesied by Baal and they have led my people Israel astray
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And I have seen unseemliness in the prophets of Samaria: They prophesied by Baal, And caused My people Israel to err.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And in the prophets of Samaria I have seen lawless deeds; they prophesied by Baal, and led my people Israel astray.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Lying Prophets
12“Therefore their path will become slick; they will be driven away into the darkness and fall into it. For I will bring disaster upon them in the year of their punishment,” declares the LORD. 13“Among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray. 14And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: They commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns his back on wickedness. They are all like Sodom to Me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.”…

Cross References
Ezekiel 13:3-9
This is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit yet have seen nothing. / Your prophets, O Israel, are like foxes among the ruins. / You did not go up to the gaps or restore the wall around the house of Israel so that it would stand in the battle on the Day of the LORD. ...

Hosea 9:7-9
The days of punishment have come; the days of retribution have arrived—let Israel know it. The prophet is called a fool, and the inspired man insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and hostility. / The prophet is Ephraim’s watchman, along with my God, yet the snare of the fowler lies on all his paths. Hostility is in the house of his God! / They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah; He will remember their guilt; He will punish their sins.

Micah 3:5-7
This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead My people astray, who proclaim peace while they chew with their teeth, but declare war against one who puts nothing in their mouths: / Therefore night will come over you without visions, and darkness without divination. The sun will set on these prophets, and the daylight will turn black over them. / Then the seers will be ashamed and the diviners will be disgraced. They will all cover their mouths because there is no answer from God.”

2 Peter 2:1-3
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. / Many will follow in their depravity, and because of them the way of truth will be defamed. / In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep.

Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. / By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? / Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ...

1 Kings 18:18-21
“I have not troubled Israel,” Elijah replied, “but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals. / Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.” / So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. ...

2 Kings 17:7-18
All this happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They had worshiped other gods / and walked in the customs of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites, as well as in the practices introduced by the kings of Israel. / The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city, they built high places in all their cities. ...

Isaiah 9:15-16
The head is the elder and honorable man, and the tail is the prophet who teaches lies. / For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up.

Lamentations 2:14
The visions of your prophets were empty and deceptive; they did not expose your guilt to ward off your captivity. The burdens they envisioned for you were empty and misleading.

Zephaniah 3:4
Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.

1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Jude 1:4
For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Revelation 2:14-16
But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality. / In the same way, some of you also hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. / Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of My mouth.

Deuteronomy 13:1-5
If a prophet or dreamer of dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you, / and if the sign or wonder he has spoken to you comes about, but he says, “Let us follow other gods (which you have not known) and let us worship them,” / you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. For the LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul. ...

2 Timothy 4:3-4
For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. / So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.


Treasury of Scripture

And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.

folly.

Hosea 9:7,8
The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred…

prophesied.

Jeremiah 2:8
The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.

1 Kings 18:18-21,25-28,40
And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim…

and.

2 Chronicles 33:9
So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.

Isaiah 9:16
For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

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Astray Baal Ba'al Cause Caused Causing Err Folly Israel Led Moreover Offensive Prophesied Prophets Repulsive Samaria Sama'ria Sense Unsavory Unseemliness Ways Wrong
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Astray Baal Ba'al Cause Caused Causing Err Folly Israel Led Moreover Offensive Prophesied Prophets Repulsive Samaria Sama'ria Sense Unsavory Unseemliness Ways Wrong
Jeremiah 23
1. He prophesies a restoration of the scattered flock.
5. Christ shall rule and save them.
9. Against false prophets;
33. and mockers of the true prophets.














Among the prophets of Samaria
This phrase refers to the prophets who were active in the northern kingdom of Israel, often called Samaria after its capital city. Historically, Samaria was known for its idolatry and deviation from the worship of Yahweh, which began under King Jeroboam I. The prophets in this region were notorious for leading the people astray, often blending the worship of Yahweh with pagan practices. The Hebrew root for "prophets" (נָבִיא, navi) implies one who is a spokesperson for God, yet these prophets were false, speaking not from divine inspiration but from their own deceitful hearts.

I saw an offensive thing
The Hebrew word translated as "offensive" (תִּפְלָה, tiflah) can also mean folly or disgrace. This indicates that what the prophets of Samaria were doing was not just wrong but deeply shameful and an affront to God. The use of "saw" (רָאָה, ra'ah) suggests that God is not distant or unaware; He is actively observing the actions of His people and their leaders. This phrase underscores the seriousness of the prophets' actions in God's eyes.

They prophesied by Baal
Baal was a Canaanite deity often associated with fertility and storms, and worship of Baal was a recurring issue for the Israelites. The phrase indicates that the prophets were not speaking by the Spirit of God but were instead influenced by pagan practices and beliefs. This syncretism was a direct violation of the first commandment, which forbids the worship of other gods. The Hebrew root for "prophesied" (נָבָא, nava) here is used ironically, as their messages were not from God but from a false deity.

and led My people Israel astray
The phrase "led...astray" (תָּעָה, ta'ah) implies causing someone to wander or go off course. The prophets' false teachings and idolatrous practices caused the people of Israel to deviate from the covenant path set by God. This highlights the responsibility of spiritual leaders to guide their followers in truth. The use of "My people" emphasizes God's personal relationship with Israel and His deep concern for their spiritual well-being. The historical context here is crucial, as the northern kingdom eventually fell to Assyria due to its persistent unfaithfulness, serving as a warning to Judah and future generations.

(13) I have seen folly . . .--Literally, as in Job 6:6, that which is unsavoury--i.e., insipid, and so, ethically, foolish. The guilt of the prophets of Samaria cannot be passed over, but it is noticed, as in Jeremiah 3:6-10, only in order to compare it with the darker evils of those of Judah and Jerusalem.

They prophesied in Baal.--i.e., in the name and as if by the power of Baal. Comp. 1Kings 18:19; 1Kings 22:6-7.

Verses 13, 14. - The prophets of Samaria were no doubt guilty enough, but their offences dwindled by the side of the "horrible" transgressions of those of the southern kingdom. The prophet apparently means, not only that the former, having fewer spiritual advantages, were less responsible than the latter, but also that they had not violated the moral code so conspicuously. Verse 13. - I have seen folly; rather, absurdity or unseemliness; literally, that which is unsavory (comp. Job 6:6). The word occurs with a similar reference to Jehovah in Job 1:22; Job 24:12. To "prophesy by Baal" was "absurd," "unseemly," because Baal was a "non-entity" (Isaiah's word for an idol). In Baal; rather, by, or by means of, Baal (see on Jeremiah 2:8).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Among the prophets
וּבִנְבִיאֵ֥י (ū·ḇin·ḇî·’ê)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5030: A spokesman, speaker, prophet

of Samaria
שֹׁמְר֖וֹן (šō·mə·rō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 8111: Samaria -- capital of northern kingdom of Israel

I saw
רָאִ֣יתִי (rā·’î·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7200: To see

an offensive thing:
תִפְלָ֑ה (ṯip̄·lāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8604: Unsavoriness, unseemliness

They prophesied
הִנַּבְּא֣וּ (hin·nab·bə·’ū)
Verb - Hitpael - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5012: To prophesy, speak, by inspiration

by Baal
בַבַּ֔עַל (ḇab·ba·‘al)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1168: Baal -- a heathen god

and led My people
עַמִּ֖י (‘am·mî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

astray.
וַיַּתְע֥וּ (way·yaṯ·‘ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 8582: To vacillate, reel, stray


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 23:13 I have seen folly in the prophets (Jer.)
Jeremiah 23:12
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