23. Am I a God who is near,says the Lord,and not a God far off?
24. Can a man hide himself in secret placesso that I do not see him?says the Lord.Do I not fill heaven and earth?says the Lord.
25. I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, “I had a dream, I had a dream!”
26. How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart,
27. who plan to cause My people to forget My name by their dreams, which they tell to their neighbor, as their fathers have forgotten My name for Baal.
28. The prophet who has a dream, let him tell his dream. And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? says the Lord.
29. Is not My word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
30. See, therefore I am against the prophets, says the Lord, who steal My words, each from his neighbor.
31. See, I am against the prophets, says the Lord, who use their tongues and say, “The Lord says.”
32. See, I am against those who prophesy false dreams, says the Lord, and recount them and cause My people to err by their lies and reckless boasting. Yet I sent them not nor commanded them. Therefore they shall not profit this people at all, says the Lord.
33. When this people or the prophet or a priest asks you, saying, “What is the oracle of the Lord?” you shall then say to them, “What oracle? I will forsake you, says the Lord.”
34. As for the prophet and the priest and the people who say, “The oracle of the Lord,” I will punish that man and his house.
35. Thus each of you will say to his neighbor and to his brother, “What has the Lord answered?” and, “What has the Lord spoken?”
36. And the oracle of the Lord you shall mention no more, for every man’s word will be his oracle. For you have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of Hosts our God.
37. Thus you will say to that prophet, “What has the Lord answered you?” and, “What has the Lord spoken?”
38. But if you say, “The oracle of the Lord”; therefore thus says the Lord: Because you say this word, “The oracle of the Lord,” I have also sent to you, saying, You shall not say, “The oracle of the Lord.”
39. Therefore, surely, I, even I, will utterly forget you and cast you and the city that I gave you and your fathers out of My presence.