King James Bible
"For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed."
God speaks with full covenant authority to the exiles in Babylon, using His military title (LORD of hosts) and relational title (God of Israel) to assert His supreme credibility. This formal introduction contrasts His true word with the false messages that follow. False prophets among the exiles were promising quick deliverance from Babylon, contradicting Jeremiah's message of a 70-year captivity. God warns against these local religious leaders who claim divine authority but spread comforting lies. The phrase suggests these dreams are self-induced wishful thinking rather than divine revelation—people were either manufacturing or selectively interpreting dreams to support what they wanted to hear. This reveals how desperate hope can lead to self-deception when God's true word seems harsh.