Isaiah 30:10

New Century Version

They tell the seers, "Don't see any more visions!" They say to the prophets, "Don't tell us the truth! Say things that will make us feel good; see only good things for us.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
They say to the seers, “Do not see,”and to the prophets,“Do not prophesy the truth to us.Tell us flattering things.Prophesy illusions.

Hebrew Names Version
who tell the seers, "Don't see;" and to the prophets, "Don't prophesy to us right things, speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits,

King James Version
Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

English Standard Version
who say to the seers, "Do not see," and to the prophets, "Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions,

New American Standard Bible
Who say to the seers, "You must not see visions"; And to the prophets, "You must not prophesy the truth to us. Speak to us pleasant words, Prophesy illusions.

Amplified Bible
Who say to the seers, "You must not see visions from God"; And to the prophets, "You must not prophesy to us what is right! Speak to us pleasant things and smooth words, Prophesy [deceitful] illusions [that we will enjoy].

World English Bible
who tell the seers, "Don't see;" and to the prophets, "Don't prophesy to us right things, speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits,

Geneva Bible (1587)
Which say vnto the Seers, See not: and to the Prophets, Prophecie not vnto vs right things: but speake flattering things vnto vs: prophecie errours.

Legacy Standard Bible
Who say to the seers, "You must not see,"And to those who have visions, "You must not behold visions for us of what is right,Speak to us pleasant words,Behold visions of illusions.

Berean Standard Bible
They say to the seers, "No more visions," and to the prophets, "Do not prophesy to us the truth. Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions.

Contemporary English Version
and have said to his messengers and prophets: Don't tell us what God has shown you and don't preach the truth. Just say what we want to hear, even if it's false.

Complete Jewish Bible
They say to the seers, "Do not see!" to those who have visions, "Do not tell us the visions you have as they really are; but flatter us, fabricate illusions!

Darby Translation
who say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things; speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits;

Easy-to-Read Version
They tell the prophets, "Don't see dreams about things we should do. Don't tell us the truth. Say nice things to us and make us feel good. See only good things for us.

George Lamsa Translation
Who have said to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not to us reproof; speak to us deception, prophesy lies;

Good News Translation
They tell the prophets to keep quiet. They say, "Don't talk to us about what's right. Tell us what we want to hear. Let us keep our illusions.

Lexham English Bible
who say to those who do see, "You must not see!" and to the seers, "You must not see truth for us; speak smooth things to us, see illusions,

Literal Translation
who say to the seers, Do not see; and to visioners, Do not have a vision for right things to us; speak smooth things to us; have a vision of trifles.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
They darre saye to the prophetes: Intromitte youre selues with nothinge, and vnto ye Soythsayers: tell us of nothinge for to come, but speake frendly wordes vnto vs, and preach vs false thinges.

American Standard Version
that say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits,

Bible in Basic English
Who say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Do not give us word of what is true, but say false things to give us pleasure:

JPS Old Testament (1917)
That say to the seers: 'See not,' and to the prophets: 'Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy delusions;

King James Version (1611)
Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophecie not vnto vs right things: speake vnto vs smooth things, prophecie deceits.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For they say vnto the seers, see not, and to them that be cleare of iudgement, loke not out right thinges for vs: but speake fayre wordes vnto vs, loke out errours.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
who say to the prophets, Report not to us; and to them that see visions, Speak them not to us, but speak and report to us another error;

English Revised Version
which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whiche seien to profetis, Nyle ye prophesie; and to biholderis, Nyle ye biholde to vs tho thingis that ben riytful; speke ye thingis plesynge to vs, se ye errouris to vs.

Update Bible Version
that say to the seers, Don't see; and to the prophets, Don't prophesy to us right things, speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits,

Webster's Bible Translation
Who say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not to us right things, speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

New English Translation
They say to the visionaries, "See no more visions!" and to the seers, "Don't relate messages to us about what is right! Tell us nice things, relate deceptive messages.

New King James Version
Who say to the seers, "Do not see," And to the prophets, "Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits.

New Living Translation
They tell the seers, "Stop seeing visions!" They tell the prophets, "Don't tell us what is right. Tell us nice things. Tell us lies.

New Life Bible
They say to the men who tell what will happen in the future, "Do not see special dreams." They say to those who speak for God, "You must not tell to us what is right. Speak pleasing things to us, tell us what we like to hear.

New Revised Standard
who say to the seers, "Do not see"; and to the prophets, "Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Who have said to the seers, Ye must not see! To the prophets, Ye must not prophesy to us reproofs! Speak to us smooth things, Prophesy delusions:

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who say to the seers: See not: and to them that behold: Behold not for us those things that are right: speak unto us pleasant things, see errors for us.

Revised Standard Version
who say to the seers, "See not"; and to the prophets, "Prophesy not to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions,

Young's Literal Translation
Who have said to seers, `Ye do not see,' And to prophets, `Ye do not prophesy to us Straightforward things, Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Who say to the seers, "You must not see visions"; And to the prophets, "You must not prophesy to us what is right, Speak to us pleasant words, Prophesy illusions.

Contextual Overview

⁸ Now write this on a sign for the people, write this on a scroll, so that for the days to come this will be a witness forever. ⁹ These people are like children who lie and refuse to obey; they refuse to listen to the Lord 's teachings. ¹⁰ They tell the seers, "Don't see any more visions!" They say to the prophets, "Don't tell us the truth! Say things that will make us feel good; see only good things for us. ¹¹ Stop blocking our path. Get out of our way. Stop telling us about God, the Holy One of Israel." ¹² So this is what the Holy One of Israel says: "You people have refused to accept this message and have depended on cruelty and lies to help you. ¹³ You are guilty of these things. So you will be like a high wall with cracks in it that falls suddenly and breaks into small pieces. ¹⁴ You will be like a clay jar that breaks, smashed into many pieces. Those pieces will be too small to take coals from the fire or to get water from a well." ¹⁵ This is what the Lord God , the Holy One of Israel, says: "If you come back to me and trust me, you will be saved. If you will be calm and trust me, you will be strong." But you don't want to do that. ¹⁶ You say, "No, we need horses to run away on." So you will run away on horses. You say, "We will ride away on fast horses." So those who chase you will be fast. ¹⁷ One enemy will make threats, and a thousand of your men will run away. Five enemies will make threats, and all of you will run from them. You will be left alone like a flagpole on a hilltop, like a banner on a hill.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

say: 1 Kings 21:20, 2 Chronicles 16:10, 2 Chronicles 18:7-27, 2 Chronicles 24:19-21, 2 Chronicles 25:16, Jeremiah 5:31, Jeremiah 11:21, Jeremiah 26:11, Jeremiah 26:20-23, Jeremiah 29:27, Jeremiah 38:4, Amos 2:12, Amos 7:13, Micah 2:6, Acts 4:17, Acts 5:28, 1 Thessalonians 2:15, 1 Thessalonians 2:16, Revelation 11:7

speak: 1 Kings 22:8-13, 1 Kings 22:27, Jeremiah 6:13, Jeremiah 6:14, Jeremiah 8:10, Jeremiah 8:11, Jeremiah 23:17, Jeremiah 23:26-29, Ezekiel 13:7-10, Ezekiel 13:18-22, Micah 2:11, John 7:7, John 8:45, Romans 16:18, Galatians 4:16

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 9:9 - a Seer 1 Kings 12:28 - It is too much 1 Kings 22:13 - Behold now 2 Chronicles 18:12 - Behold 2 Chronicles 33:18 - the seers Job 41:3 - General Proverbs 15:14 - the mouth Proverbs 17:4 - General Isaiah 28:9 - shall he teach Isaiah 28:15 - we have made Isaiah 29:10 - the seers Jeremiah 4:10 - Ye shall have Jeremiah 7:8 - ye trust Jeremiah 8:5 - they hold Jeremiah 14:14 - I sent Jeremiah 23:31 - use Jeremiah 36:29 - Why Ezekiel 13:10 - others Ezekiel 22:28 - prophets Daniel 9:6 - have we Amos 2:11 - and Amos 7:12 - O thou Amos 7:16 - Prophesy Luke 6:26 - so Acts 5:40 - they commanded 1 Thessalonians 2:5 - used 2 Timothy 3:7 - learning 1 John 4:5 - and

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Which say to the seers, See not,.... The same with the prophets in the next clause, which explains this:

and to the Prophets, prophesy not unto us right things; things agreeable to the mind and will of God, and which ought to be done; not that they, in so many words, said this, but this was the language of their hearts and actions. The Targum is,

"who say to the prophets, prophesy not, and to the teachers, teach us not the doctrine of the law:''

speak unto us smooth things; that peace and prosperity should attend them, though they went on in their sinful courses:

prophesy deceits; for to prophesy peace to them, when destruction was at hand, was to deceive them; and yet they chose rather to be told the one than the other.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Which say to the seers - The prophets (see the note at Isaiah 1:1).

See not - They desire not that they should communicate to them the will of Yahweh.

Prophesy not unto us right things - It is not probable that they “openly” demanded of the prophets that they should declare falsehood and deceit, but their conduct was as if they had required that. The sense is, they bore with impatience the theatenings and commands of the true prophets; they were offended at their plainness and their reproofs of their vices; and they preferred the false prophets, who fell in with their prejudices, and who did not denounce the judgment of God for their crimes.

Speak unto us smooth things - That is, those things which are in accordance with our feelings, prejudices, and desires; which assure us of prosperity and success, and which will not disturb us with the apprehension of punishment. This was spoken particularly of their desire to make a league with Egypt, an enterprise for which the true prophets threatened them with the divine displeasure, but which probably the false prophets encouraged.

Prophesy deceits - Not that they would openly and avowedly demand to be deceived, but they demanded that which the prophet says would be deceits. No man “professedly” desires to be deceived; but many a man is willing to put himself under that kind of teaching which is deceit, and which he might know to be falsehood if he would examine it.