Zechariah 10:2

Zec 10:2 For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because [there was] no shepherd.

Ver. 2. For the idols have spoken vanity] q.d. Therefore ask good things at God’s hands, as rain, food, and all necessary provision; because idols and soothsayers cannot help you to these things. If they promise you (as they will), believe them not; for they lie as fast as once Rabshakeh did for his master, when he promised the people a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, Isa 36:17. And they will finally serve you as Absalom’s mule served her master; whom she left at his greatest need, to hang between heaven and earth, as rejected of both. Lo such are all creaturecomforts, golden delusions, lying vanities, apples of Sodom, nec vera, nec vestra, neither true nor yours, the fashion of this world, saith Paul, 1Co 7:31; the fantasies of men’s brain, saith Luke, Act 25:23, the semblances and empty shows of good, without any reality or solid consistency, saith Solomon often. They are, saith our prophet here, a wicked deceit and fraudulence. An arrant lie, a false dream, a vain or empty comfort, that utterly deceiveth a man’s confidence, and maketh him, in the fulness of his conceited sufficience, to be in straits. These here for instance; viz. the Jews that had been carried captives as a flock without a guide, sheep without a shepherd, and yet had not (till after some while at least) renounced their idols, Jer 44:22 Eze 8:10

Therefore they went their way as a flock] Driven by the butcher to the slaughter house. Idolatry is a land desolating sin; as besides these Jews (the more ingenuous of them at this day confess that in all their punishments there is still an ounce of the golden calf made by them in the wilderness) the Greek Church was undone by it. The worshipping of images they defended with tooth and nail (as they say), and established it in the second Council of Nice; not long before the Turk took Nice, and made it the seat of his empire, in opposition to Constantinople, which at length he took also; and brought in Mahometanism, that foul impiety, which quickly overspread the whole East and South, like as Popish idolatry did the West and North. But this iniquity will be their ruin. Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen (επεσεν, επεσεν). She hath fallen culpably, she shall therefore fall penally. And why? She is become the habitation of devils, that is, of idols. See Rev 9:20 1Co 10:20.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Zec_10:2

The idols have spoken vanity

The worlds oracles

There are not many who think for themselves; and even those who are reckoned to do so, depend for the materials of thinking upon what they hear, or see, or touch.

In the things of God this must be so, much more than in others. Gods place is to speak, and ours to listen. He expects us to listen, for He has a right to speak. But it is irksome to be always in the attitude of listeners; at least, of listeners to God. We prefer guessing, or speculating, or reasoning. If we find that we must have recourse to some authority beyond ourselves, we betake ourselves to any pretender to wisdom,--and above all, to any one who professes to be the representative of the invisible God, and to speak in His name. Hence the Gentiles resorted to their oracles, and the apostate Jews to their witchcrafts, and to the household gods or teraphim. These are the idols referred to by Zechariah. They whom you consult as the depositories of Divine wisdom, who pretend to guide you, and to utter truth, have spoken vanity; they have cheated you with lies. Such was Israels history. They trusted in faithless oracles. They became the dupes of these to whom they had come for guidance in the day of perplexity. Their teraphim spoke vanity. This has been mans history too, as well as Israels. He has chosen another counsellor, instead, of God; it may be the Church, or reason, or public opinion. The worlds teraphim have not been few; nor has their authority been either weak or transient. There is public opinion, that mysterious oracle, whose shrine is nowhere, but the echo of whose voice is everywhere. There is the standard of established custom--schools of literature, and philosophy, or theology. There is what is called the spirit of the times. There is the idol of personal friendships, or of admired authors, or of revered teachers. Mark on what points these teraphim mislead us. They misrepresent the real end and aim of life, assuring us that the glory of the God who made us cannot be that end, inasmuch as that is something quite transcendental, something altogether, beyond our reach, or our reason, or our sympathies. Why are men thus misled and befooled? They have no confidence in God Himself; nor have they learned to say, Let God be tree, and every man a liar. They seek not the Holy Spirit, nor submit themselves to Him as their teacher. Men do not like the teaching that they get from God and His Word; it does not suit their tastes. Hence they choose the prophets of smooth things, the teraphim that utter lies and vanity. But how do these teraphim speak their vanities? They do not need to do so by uttering gross error. They mingle the true and the false together; so that the true is neutralised by the false, and the false is adorned and recommended by the true. And why do these oracles speak thus? They are fond of speaking, and they like to be listened to. It is a great thing to be consulted as an oracle, and to be quoted as an authority. They have no high and sure standard of their own, and hence they can only speak according to their own foolishness. It is as the angel of light that Satan is now the worlds oracle, or rather, the inspirer of its oracles. He has changed his voice as well as his garb and aspect. He has hidden his grossness, and modified his language to suit the change. There are those who cleverly substitute philosophy for faith, reason for revelation, mans wisdom for Gods; who prove to us that, though the Bible may contain the thoughts of God, it does not speak His words; who artfully would reason us into the belief that sin is not guilt, but only a disease; a mere moral epidemic; who maintain, with the philosophic Buddhist, that incarnation, not death, is the basis of Divine reconciliation; that the tendencies of creaturehood are all upward, not downward. As an angel of light, all his snares and sophistries partake, more or less, of light. He instructs his oracles to appeal to mans natural humanity; to our intuitions of virtue and uprightness. The illumination coming from the Sun of Righteousness is one thing, and that proceeding from Satan, as an angel of light, is quite another. Shun the idols that speak vanity. Listen to no voice, however pleasant, save that which is entirely in harmony with Gods. (H. Bonar, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Zec 10:2. For the idols have spoken vanity — What I have said will certainly be verified when, with sincere and pious minds, you apply to God in prayer for his blessing on you and your land; but the case was quite otherwise when your fathers asked for any thing of idols; the priests, who answered in the names of the idols, could only give vain answers, which were not fulfilled by the events according to their promises. And the diviners have seen a lie — Those who pretended to divine, or predict future things, have uttered falsehoods. They comfort in vain — Rather, they comfort vainly, or with vain words. This they certainly did, because they promised prosperity to the people though they continued in their sins. Therefore they went their way as a flock — They were carried into captivity, and brought into great distress, as sheep are driven away and scattered, when there is no one to guide or take care of them. Because there was no shepherd — No ecclesiastical or civil governors, that would faithfully do their duty.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CHAPTER 10:1-12

1. The apostasy of Israel in the last days (Zec 10:2-4)

2. The victory over the enemies (Zec 10:5-7)

3. Deliverance and restoration (Zec 10:8-12)

Zec 10:1-4. Idolatry was the great sin of both Judah and Israel. They practiced the occult things of heathendom and worshipped their false gods; they had teraphim used for divination. On account of this the wrath fell upon the former generations, and the Lord’s anger was kindled against their leaders, the shepherds, and they were dispersed. We have called attention before to Mat 12:43-45, the passage in which the Lord Jesus announces that the unbelieving part of the nation will return in the last days to the unclean spirit of idolatry, only in a worse form than before. Many of the unbelievers amongst the Jews in our days turn to the witchery of Christian Science; they adopt also that Satanic system known as Spiritism. But the apostates will go beyond that. They will finally accept the Devil’s master production, the man of sin, and worship him 2Th 2:1-17; Rev 13:1-18; Dan 9:27. Then the Lord will punish these goats. At the same time there is a remnant which will stand aside from these future idolatries; they will fear the Lord and not enter into a covenant with the beast (see annotations Dan 9:27. The second half of the third verse in this chapter belongs to this remnant: “The LORD of hosts visits His flock, the house of Judah, and makes it like His state-horse in the war.” He will use them and finally deliver them.

The fourth verse (Zec 10:4) is of much interest. “From him will be the cornerstone, from him the nail, from him the battle-bow, from him every ruler goeth forth at once” (corrected translation). The nail in the oriental house is a large pin, often very beautifully ornamented, and the most costly things are hanged thereupon. “And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house. And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father’s house” Isa 22:23-25. The Shemoth rabbah, a Jewish interpretation, says on this verse, “this is King David; as it is said, the stone which the builders rejected is become the chief cornerstone.” Some say it is spoken concerning the Lord, that He is the cornerstone and the nail. It refers to Him, no doubt, but what is spoken of Him finds also a fulfillment in restored Israel. Thus Israel is yet to be the cornerstone upon which everything rests in the earth, and the nail upon which hangs the glory.

Zec 10:5-7. The great final victory is announced in this section. They shall fight and conquer, for the LORD of hosts is with them as of old. They will be saved out of the time of Jacob’s trouble, “For I have mercy upon them; and they shall be as though I had not cast them off; for I am the LORD their God, and I will hear them.” Ephraim will be there, the restored ten tribes.

Zec 10:8-12. They will be delivered in that day, redeemed and restored. Let us notice that the eleventh verse (Zec 10:11) must be applied to the Lord. He is with them in the sea of affliction, as He was with them in Egypt and went before them in the pillar of cloud.

Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible (1913–1922) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10:2 Household gods might refer to ancestor statues used in rituals of necromancy (conjuring up the spirits of the dead); consultation with the dead was a widespread practice in the ancient world, but God’s law made it taboo for the Hebrews (see Lev 20:27; Deut 18:10-11).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He calleth to remembrance God’s punishments in times past, because they trusted not in him, but in their idols and sorcerers who ever deceived them.

That is, the Jews went into captivity.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

idols--literally, "the teraphim," the household gods, consulted in divination (see on Hos 3:4). Derived by GESENIUS from an Arabic root, "comfort," indicating them as the givers of comfort. Or an Ethiopian root, "relics." Herein Zechariah shows that the Jews by their own idolatry had stayed the grace of God heretofore, which otherwise would have given them all those blessings, temporal and spiritual, which they are now (Zac 10:1) urged to "ask" for.

diviners--who gave responses to consulters of the teraphim: opposed to Jehovah and His true prophets.

seen a lie--pretending to see what they saw not in giving responses.

comfort in vain--literally, "give vapor for comfort"; that is, give comforting promises to consulters which are sure to come to naught (Job 13:4; Job 16:2; Job 21:34).

therefore they went their way--that is, Israel and Judah were led away captive.

as a flock . . . no shepherd--As sheep wander and are a prey to every injury when without a shepherd, so the Jews had been while they were without Jehovah, the true shepherd; for the false prophets whom they trusted were no shepherds (Eze 34:5). So now they are scattered, while they know not Messiah their shepherd; typified in the state of the disciples, when they had forsaken Jesus and fled (Mat 26:56; compare Zac 13:7).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 2. The idols have spoken vanity] This is spoken of the Jews, and must refer to their idolatry practised before the captivity, for there were no idols after.

Therefore they went their way] They were like a flock that had no shepherd, shifting from place to place, and wandering about in the wilderness, seeking for pasture, wherever they might find it. Some think that the idols and diviners were those of the Seleucidae Greeks, who excited their masters with promises of success against the Maccabees. Others think that the Babylonish captivity is foretold; for a determined future event is frequently spoken of by the prophets as past.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Here the Prophet, as I have said, confirms the truth, that the blame justly belonged to the Jews that God did not deal more liberally with them; for he shows that they had fallen into superstitions, and had thus turned away the favor of God, which was already certain and nigh to them. Zechariah does not here condemn foreign nations given to superstitions; but, on the contrary, he reproves the Jews themselves for leaving the true God, and for retaking themselves to idols, to soothsayers, and diviners, and for having thus preferred to feed on their own delusions, rather than to open the door to the favor of God, who had freely promised that he would suffer them to want nothing. As then God had kindly invited the Jews to himself, as he had showed himself ready to do them good, was it not the basest ingratitude in them to turn away to idols and to attend to magical delusions? for they might have safely acquiesced in God’s word. They would not have been deprived of their hope, had they been firmly persuaded that God had spoken the truth to them. As then they had done so grievous a wrong to God, as to run after idols, and after the crafts and impostures of Satan, the Prophet here deservedly condemns them for this wickedness.

Images, he says, have spoken vanity, and diviners have seen falsehood, and have told dreams of vanity. He means, in short, that whatever means unbelieving men may try, they can attain nothing, and they will at length find that they have been miserably deceived by Satan. They have recourse to various expedients, for unbelief is full of bustle and fervor: “O! this will not succeed, I will try something else.” Thus the unbelieving wander, and resort to many and various expedients. But the Prophet teaches this general truth — that when men turn away from God, they have recourse to vain things; for there is no truth without God.

He afterwards adds, that on account of idols, as well as of diviners and magicians, consolation was given in vain; and this he confirms by the event, and says, that they had wandered as sheep, that they had been distressed, because there was no shepherd. The Prophet no doubt refers here to the time of exile, that the Jews might learn to be wise, at least by the teaching of experience; for they had known to their great loss, that without God there is no real and solid comfort: nor does he without reason upbraid them with the punishment which their fathers had suffered, for he saw that they were walking in their steps. Since then the Jews were imitating the depraved inquisitiveness of their fathers, the Prophet justly charges them, that they did not acknowledge what, by the event itself, was well known to all; for the common proverb is, that experience is the teacher of fools. Since they did not become wise even when smitten, their stupidity was more than proved. We now then perceive what the Prophet means.

But we must first notice, that when he bids them to ask rain of the Lord, he speaks of the kingdom of Christ, as all the Prophets are wont to do; for since the Redeemer, promised to the Jews, was to be the author of all blessings, whenever the Prophets speak of his coming, they also promise abundance of corn, and plentiful provisions, and peace, and everything necessary for the well-being of the present life. And Zechariah now follows the same course, when he declares that it was not owing to anything in God that he did not kindly supply the Jews with whatever they might have wished, but that the fault was with themselves; for they had by their unbelief, as it has been said, closed the door against his favor. We must yet ever remember what we stated yesterday — that whatever the Prophets have said concerning a blessed life, ought to be judged of according to the nature of the kingdom of Christ. It is a strained interpretation to say that rain is heavenly doctrine; and I do not say that Zechariah spoke allegorically, but he describes under this common figure the kingdom of Christ — even that God will fill his elect with all good things, so that they shall not thirst, nor labor under any want.

But at the same time we must bear in mind the exhortation of Christ —

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God; other things,” he says, “shall afterwards be added.” (Matthew 6:33.)

He then is strangely wrong who thinks that abundance of food was alone promised to the Jews; for God intended to lead them by degrees to things higher. The Prophet then no doubt includes here, under one kind, all things necessary for a happy life; for it is not the will of God to fill his faithful people in this world as though they were swine; but his design is to give them, by means of earthly things, a taste of the spiritual life. Hence the happiness of which Zechariah now speaks is really spiritual; for as godliness has the promises of the present as well as of the future life, (1 Timothy 4:8,) so the purpose of God was to consult the weakness of his ancient people, and to set forth the felicity of the spiritual life by means of earthly blessings.

It ought further to be carefully noticed, that the Jews are here exposed to derision, because they wandered after their own devices, when God was yet not far from them, and ready to aid them. Since God then showed himself inclined to kindness, it was a double wickedness in them that they chose to run after idols, magical arts, and the illusions of Satan, rather than to acquiesce in God’s word. And similar is the upbraiding we meet with in Jeremiah, when God complains that he was forsaken, while yet he was the fountain of living water, and that the people dug out for themselves cisterns, dry and full of holes. (Jeremiah 2:13.) But as this evil is very common, let us know that we are here warned to plant our foot firm on God’s word, where he promises that he will take care of us, provided we be satisfied with his favor; nor let us thoughtlessly run after our own imaginations; for however our own counsels may delight us, and though some success may sometimes appear, yet the end will ever show us that most true is what Zechariah teaches us here — that whatever we may attempt will be useless and injurious too, for God will take vengeance on our ingratitude.

We must now also observe, that since Zechariah adduces an example of God’s vengeance, by which the Jews had found that they had foolishly sought vain consolations, we ought to take heed, lest we forget those punishments with which God may have visited us in order to restore us to himself: let us remember what we ourselves have experienced, and what has happened to our fathers, even before we were born. Thus then ought the faithful to apply their minds so as to recount the judgments of God, that they may derive profit from his scourges. He afterwards adds —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(2) Idols.—Better, as in margin, teraphim. (See on Jdg_17:5.) Against the post-exilian origin of this passage, and of 13:2, it has been objected that idols and false prophets harmonise only with a time prior to the exile. It is true that after the captivity idolatry was not the sin to which the people were especially inclined, as they were in former times. Still, even if the prophet was not speaking of sins of the past, rather than those of his own day, it must be remembered that the marriage with heathen women, which is so often spoken of after the captivity, must have been, as was the case with Solomon, a continual source of danger in that respect. Moreover, idolatry, soothsaying, &c., were actually practised up to the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus. Thus we read of false prophets who opposed Nehemiah (Neh_6:10-14), and of “sorcerers” in Mal_3:5, and so, too, of false prophets in Act_5:36-37; Act_13:6, &c., and at the destruction of Jerusalem (Josephus, Bel. Jud. vi. 5, §§ 2, 3). And in the wars of the Maccabees we read (2Ma_12:40), “under the coats of every one that was slain they found things consecrated to the idols of the Jannites, which is forbidden the Jews by their law.”

And have told false dreams.—Better, and dreams tell that which is vain. The prophet had, doubtless, in mind the words of Jer_14:22 : “Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? Art not thou He, O Lord our God? therefore, we wait upon thee; for thou hast made all these things.” Zechariah refers here chiefly to those sins which had in former times caused their captivity. But such passages as Ezra 9; Neh_13:23; Neh_6:10; Neh_6:12; Neh_6:14, show that even after the restoration the people were in danger of falling into idolatry, and of being deceived by false prophets. (Comp. also Zec_13:2, and Note on Mal_3:5.)

Went their way.—Better, migrated—viz., into captivity.

Troubled.—Or, humbled.

No shepherd.—i.e., none to guide and lead them aright. This is the interpretation which the context seems to require, and is in accordance with the use of the expression in Eze_34:5; Eze_34:8, as it is also our Lord’s application of the idea (Mat_9:36; Mar_6:34); but some take “shepherd” here to mean native king. The paraphrase of the LXX., “because they had no healer” (meaning probably “because the True Shepherd of Israel had ceased to guide and protect them”) might possibly be defended.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. idols] Lit. teraphim. They were of human form, whether busts or full-length figures, and were apparently sometimes (1Sa_19:13), if not always (Gen_31:19), of life size. Compare, for the use of them in divination, as here, Eze_21:21.

they comfort in vain] when they promise rain and fruitful seasons. Comp. Jer_14:22.

therefore they went their way] therefore (because they have had recourse to idols and diviners) they (the Israelites) wander and stray about to their hurt, like sheep without a shepherd.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For the idols have spoken vanity,.... The vanities of the Gentiles cannot give rain; if they promise it, they speak vain things; God only can give it, and therefore it must, be asked of him, Jer 14:22. The word for idols is "teraphim", the same as in Gen 31:19 and here signifies worshippers of idols, as the Targum interprets it; and may be understood of the idolatrous Papists who worship idols of gold, silver, brass, and wood, Rev 9:20 and who speak lies in hypocrisy, great swelling words of vanity, and even blasphemy against God, his name, his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven, Ti1 4:1. Jarchi on Kg2 23:24, says, the teraphim are images that speak by sorcerers or sorceries; and to such evils the followers of the man of sin are addicted, Rev 9:21 and the Jews (l) have a notion that those images were so formed, that they were capable of speaking and talking with men; see Hos 3:4 they seem to confound them with the "talisman":

and the diviners have seen a lie; delivered it out, and others believed it, being given up to judicial blindness, because they received not the love of the truth, Th2 2:10. The Targum is,

"the diviners prophesy falsehood;''

or preach false doctrine, as the Romish clergy do, who are meant by the diviners:

and have told false dreams; about transubstantiation, purgatory, &c. which are visionary things; false doctrines are compared to dreams, Jer 23:25,

they comfort in vain; by works of supererogation, by selling pardons, and praying souls out of purgatory:

therefore they went their way as a flock; as a flock of sheep straying from the fold. The Targum is,

"they are scattered as sheep are scattered;''

that is, the Jews, being hardened against the Christian religion, by the idolatry, lies, and dreams of the Papists, wander about in their mistakes and errors concerning the Messiah; which is their case to this day, and will be until the man of sin is destroyed:

they were troubled, because there was no shepherd; or, "no king", as the Targum paraphrases it; that is, the King Messiah, according to them, is not yet come; which is their affliction and trouble, that they are as sheep without a shepherd: or, "they answered", that there "is no shepherd" (m); they replied to the diviners, the tellers of false dreams and idolaters, and affirmed that the Messiah is not come, and that the pope of Rome is not the shepherd and bishop of souls.

(l) Targum Jon. in Gen. xxxi. 19. R. Eliezer Pirke, c. 36. fol. 40. 1. (m) "testificati sunt nullum fuisse pastorem", Junius & Tremellius, Heb.; "responderunt", Piscator; "respondebunt quod non sit pastor", Burkius.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

For the teraphim have spoken vanity - Rather, “spake vanity.” He appeals to their former experience. Their father had sought of idols, not of God; therefore they went into captivity. The “teraphim” were used as instruments of divination. They are united with the “ephod,” as forbidden, over against the allowed, means of enquiry as to the future, in Hosea, “without an ephod and without teraphim” Hos 3:4; they were united in the mingled worship of Micah Jdg 17:5; Jdg 18:14, Jdg 18:17-18, Jdg 18:20; Josiah “put” them “away” together with the “workers with familiar spirits and the wizards” 2Ki 23:24, to which are added, “the idols.” It was probably, a superstition of Eastern origin. Rachel brought them with her from her father’s house, and Nebuchadnezzar used them for divination. Eze 21:21. Samuel speaks of them, apparently, as things which Saul himself condemned. “Rebellion is as the sin of divination, and stubbornness as iniquity or idolatry, and teraphim” 1Sa 15:23. For it was probably in those his better days, that “Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits and wizards out of the land” 1Sa 28:3. Samuel then seems to tell him, that the sins to which he clave were as evil as those which he had, in an outward zeal, like Jehu, condemned. Anyhow, the “teraphim” stand united with the “divination” which was expressly condemned by the law Deu 18:13-14. The use of the teraphim by Rachel Gen 31:19, Gen 31:34-35 and Michal 1Sa 19:13, 1Sa 19:16 (for whatever purpose) implies that it was some less offensive form of false worship, though they were probably the “strange gods” Gen 35:2, Gen 35:4 which Jacob bade his household to put away, or, anyhow, among them, since Laban calls them, “my gods” Gen 31:30, Gen 31:32.

Zechariah uses anew the words of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, “Hearken ye not to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers” Jer 27:9; and, “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” Jer 29:8; and Ezekiel, “While they see vanity unto thee, while they divine a lie unto thee” (Eze 21:29; add Eze 22:28). The words not only joined on the prophet’s warning with the past, but reminded them of the sentence which followed on their neglect. The echo of the words of the former prophets came to them, floating, as it were, over the ruins of the former temple.

Therefore they went their way as a flock - Which, having no shepherd, or only such as would mislead them, removed, but into captivity. “They were troubled.” The trouble lasted on, though the captivity ended at the appointed time. Nehemiah speaks of the exactions of former governors, “The former governors which were before me, laid heavy weights upon the people, and took from them in bread and wine, after forty shekels of silver; also their servants used dominion over the people; and I did not so, because of the fear of God” Neh 5:15.

Because there was no shepherd - As Ezekiel said of those times, “They were scattered, because there is no shepherd; and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered: My flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth; and none did search or seek after them” Eze 34:5-6.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vanity. Jason prevailed on many to imitate the Gentiles, 1 Machabees i. 12.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The idols; images which before the captivity they venerated, and at them consulted their idols about plenty er barrenness, and concerning future events, Jdg 10:14; Isa 19:3.

Have spoken vanity; their predictions were vain, nothing of certainty in them.

The diviners, soothsayers, and consulters with familiar spirits, have seen a lie; foretold good, when all issued in evil, no good came.

And have told false dreams; they pretended a revelation from heaven, but it was a dream of their own head, or a cheat put on them by the father of lies.

They comfort in vain; their lies for the present comfort the deceived, but the vanity of these comforts soon appears in the disappointment which followeth.

Therefore they; either they that consulted, or those who sent them, indeed almost all the Jews were thus foolish in consulting and believing these liars, and so, confounded at last, fell into all the misery, they thought to escape.

Went their way; they went int captivity into Babylon.

They were troubled, miserably oppressed and afflicted, because there was no shepherd; without guide or protection; without ecclesiastical or civil governors, that would faithfully do their duty; and this was one reason that they were so afflicted and captivated.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. The exhortation to appeal to Jehovah is supported by a reference to the inability of the idols to help those who put their trust in them (compare Hos_2:5 ff.; Amo_2:4).

Idols — Better, R.V., “teraphim.” See on Hos_3:4.

Have spoken vanity — In promising rain and fertility which they could not give.

Diviners — The men who claimed to be able, by the use of various illegitimate means, to determine the will of the deity. The mass of the people seemed to be unable to distinguish between the true prophet and the fraudulent diviner, and at times the latter appears to have been exceedingly popular (Isa_2:6; Isa_3:2).

Have seen a lie — In the visions in which they claimed to have received the divine revelation.

False dreams — Dreams were a second means of divine revelation (Num_12:6) which was imitated by the diviners; they gave instructions which they claimed had come to them from God in dreams.

They comfort in vain — Their words are powerless; they remain unfulfilled, and therefore do not help the people in their distress. That the prophet, when speaking of the helplessness of the idols, is thinking of past experiences of the nation is made plain by the rest of the verse, though R.V. uses present tenses.

Therefore — Because the people appealed to teraphim and diviners rather than to Jehovah.

They — The Israelites.

Went their way as a flock — Literally, pulled up their stakes. The metaphor is taken from the pulling up of the stakes of a tent or sheepfold. The reference appears to be to the exile. The verb form indicates that the act itself took place in the past but that its effects continue to the present (G.-K., 106g.).

Were troubled — R.V., “afflicted”; or, oppressed; by the hostile powers. The form of the verb is not the same as the preceding; it expresses continuity of action; they were oppressed continually.

Because there was no shepherd — The last word is equivalent to ruler (see p. 603). There was no ruler strong enough to guard and care for the people (Num_27:17; Hos_10:3; Hos_10:15; Hos_13:10-11; compare Jer_23:4), or to ward off the calamity. The use of the term shepherd prepares the way for the next oracle.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For. The prophet supports his exhortation to pray to Jehovah by showing the worthlessness of trust in idols. Idols; teraphim. What these were is not known for certain. They seem to have been images of human form and sometimes of life size, corresponding in some degree to the lares or penates of the Romans. (Gen_31:19 1Sa_19:13) They were supposed to be capable of bestowing temporal blessings and giving oracles. (Jud_1:17:5 18:5, 24 Eze_21:21) Have spoken vanity. Gave worthless, misleading responses. The mention of teraphim in this passage is thought to indicate a date anterior to the Captivity; but the prophet is speaking of past events, of the results of these base superstitions in former, not present, time. Three kinds of superstition are mentioned. Septuagint, oi apofyeggomenoi , "speaking" images. These are the first. Secondly come the soothsayers, the diviners, persons who pretended to predict the future. (Jer_27:9 Jer_29:8 Eze_21:21 Hab_2:18) Have told false dreams; Vulgate, somniatores locuti sunt frustra; LXX, ta enupnia qeudh elaloun , "spake false dreams." The Vulgate seems to be correct, "dreams, i.e. dreamers, spake deceit." This is the third class among the practisers of superstitious observances. They comfort in vain, when they promise temporal blessings. (Job_21:34) Therefore they went their way as a flock. Because they trusted in these vain superstitions, the Israelites had to leave their own place, were led into exile like a flock of sheep driven away for sale or slaughter. (Jer_1:17) They were troubled. They were and are still oppressed by the heathen. Because there was (is) no shepherd. Because they had no king to guard and lead them, they fell under the power of foreign rulers, who ill treated and oppressed them. (Eze_34:5 Neh_5:15)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vanity - Their predictions were vain. They went - They went into captivity. Troubled - Oppressed and afflicted. No shepherd - No ecclesiastical or civil governors, that would faithfully do their duty.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

For the teraphim, etc., and the soothsayers envisioned lies, and dreamers who misled your forefathers, saying, “I dreamt.” They would encourage [your forefathers] to rebel against the Holy One, blessed be He. They spoke futility, and they spoke vanity, saying “peace” - but there was no peace.

Therefore, they traveled. I, however, am a true prophet for them.

they were humbled “to humble yourself before Me.” An expression of humility.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.