ירמיהו, פרק כ״ג, פסוק ל״ב

God takes a firm stand against religious deception, bringing judgment upon those who invent false visions and expressing deep frustration with the public that blindly follows them. He declares His readiness to bring disaster upon false leaders who maliciously present their own imaginary dreams as true divine messages [מצודת דוד]. These individuals do not just speak once; they persistently share their dreams over and over, treating them as absolute reality, which ultimately leads the people completely astray [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון].

To mislead the public, these prophets rely on specific tools of deception. The primary approach among commentators is that they use a sense of recklessness and lightheartedness to seduce the people into believing them [רד״ק, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מצודת דוד]. However, another perspective suggests their methods involve creating a state of shock and confusion [רש״י]. A deeper look at their behavior reveals two distinct types of false prophets. Some lie intentionally, fully aware of their own deceit. Others simply deceive themselves; they rush to believe the illusions of their own hearts, completely unaware of their errors [מלבי״ם].

Ultimately, God makes it clear that He never sent or commanded these individuals. Because they do not come from Him, they possess no true signs or wonders and offer absolutely no benefit to the nation. This clarification is not merely a statement of fact, but a profound expression of wonder and frustration directed at the gullible public. Given the complete uselessness of these false leaders, it is truly baffling how the people continue to support them and view them as legitimate prophets [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון].