And Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father's.

Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish answered and said to their brethren, Do you know that there are in these houses an ephod, household idols, a graven image, and a molten image? Now therefore, consider what you should do.

Those who make a graven image, all of them are vanity; and the things which they desire shall not help. And they are their own witnesses; they do not see nor know; that they may be ashamed.

To whom will you compare Me, and make Me equal; and compare Me, that we may be alike?

But they are, every one of them, dull-hearted and foolish; a piece of wood is a discipline in vanities.

Are there any among the vain idols of the nations who can make it rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Is it not You, O Jehovah our God. Therefore we will wait upon You; for You have made all these things.

For the sons of Israel shall remain many days without king or ruler, and without sacrifice, and without pillars, and without ephod or teraphim.

What does an image profit, that its maker should carve it; a molten image, and a teacher of falsehood, that the maker should trust in his work, to make mute idols?

I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy lies in My name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.

who think to cause My people to forget My name by their dreams which they tell, each one to his neighbor, as their fathers have forgotten My name for Baal.

Therefore, do not listen to your prophets, nor to your fortune tellers, nor to your dreamers, nor to your conjurers, nor to your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, You shall not serve the king of Babylon.

For thus says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your fortune-tellers in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you dream.

thus says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie to you in My name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall kill them before your eyes.

And a curse shall be taken up about them by all the captives of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, May Jehovah make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,

Your prophets have seen vain and foolish things for you, and they have not uncovered your iniquity, to bring back your captives; but they have seen false utterances and causes of banishment for you.

They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, Jehovah declares! But Jehovah has not sent them; yet they hope that their word may be confirmed.

Therefore thus says the Lord Jehovah: Because you have spoken vanity and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, declares the Lord Jehovah.

Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, Peace! when there is no peace; and one builds a wall, and plasters it with whitewash.

Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?

Thus I will break down the wall you have plastered with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. And you shall know that I am Jehovah.

that is, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace, declares the Lord Jehovah.

while they see false visions for you, while they divine a lie to you, to bring you upon the necks of the slain, the wicked whose day has come, whose iniquity shall end.

Therefore the night shall be to you without vision; and darkness without divining. And the sun shall go down on the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.

But by the Spirit of Jehovah I am full of power and justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

who build up Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity:

But you smear lies; you are all worthless physicians.

How then do you comfort me with vanity, since treachery remains in your answers?

They have also healed the ruin of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

For they have healed the ruin of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

Then I said, Ah, O Lord Jehovah! Behold, the prophets are saying to them, You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine; but I will give you sure peace in this place.

They speak to those who despise Me, promising, Jehovah has said, You shall have peace! And they say to everyone who walks after the stubbornness of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you!

And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah who went into Babylon, says Jehovah; for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen. May Jehovah do so. May Jehovah establish your words which you have prophesied, to bring back the vessels of Jehovah's house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place.

Where now are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you nor against this land?

But if you will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and my eye shall weep and cry and run down with tears, because Jehovah's flock is taken captive.

The cities of the south have been shut up, and no one is opening; Judah has been exiled, all of it has been completely carried away captive.

Israel is like scattered sheep, driven away by lions. First the king of Assyria devoured him, and last this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has crushed his bones.

I will also shatter the shepherd and his flock with you. And with you I will shatter the farmer and his yoke of oxen; and with you I will shatter governors and rulers.

I will collect and gather all of you, O Jacob; I will collect and gather the remnant of Israel. I will set them together like the sheep of the fold, like a flock in the middle of their pasture. They shall be in commotion because of the multitude of people.

who shall go out before them and go in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of Jehovah not be like sheep which have no shepherd.

Then he said, I have seen all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep having no shepherd. And Jehovah said, These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.

So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered.

As I live, says the Lord Jehovah, surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock;

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.