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Thursday, July 31st, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Complete Jewish Bible

Isaiah 9:15

For those leading this people lead them astray, and those led by them are destroyed.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Backsliders;   Isaiah;   Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Minister, Christian;   Thompson Chain Reference - False;   Leaders;   Prophets;   Religious;   Wicked, the;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Head;   Prophets, False;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Lie, Lying;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Bulrush;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Head;   Isaiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Moreh,;   Rezin;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Counsellor;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Tail;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Head;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Head;   Honorable;   Isaiah;   Lie;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The head is the elder, the honored one;the tail is the prophet, the one teaching lies.
Hebrew Names Version
The elder and the honorable man, he is the head; and the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.
King James Version
The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
English Standard Version
the elder and honored man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail;
New American Standard Bible
The head is the elder and esteemed man, And the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail.
New Century Version
The elders and important men were the head, and the prophets who speak lies were the tail.
Amplified Bible
The elderly and honorable man, he is the head; And the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.
World English Bible
The elder and the honorable man, he is the head; and the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The ancient and the honorable man, he is the head: and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the taile.
Legacy Standard Bible
The head is the elder and the highly respected man,And the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail.
Berean Standard Bible
The head is the elder and the honorable man and the tail is the prophet who teaches lies.
Contemporary English Version
Their rulers and leaders were the head, and the lying prophets were the tail.
Darby Translation
the ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
Easy-to-Read Version
(The head means the elders and important leaders. The tail means the prophets who told lies.)
George Lamsa Translation
The elder and honorable, he is the head; and the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.
Good News Translation
The old and honorable men are the head—and the tail is the prophets whose teachings are lies!
Lexham English Bible
Elders and the respectable are the head, and prophets who teach lies are the tail.
Literal Translation
The elder and the exalted of face; he is the head. And the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
By the heade, is vnderstonde the Senatoure and honorable man, and by ye tale, the prophet that preacheth lyes.
American Standard Version
The elder and the honorable man, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
Bible in Basic English
The man who is honoured and responsible is the head, and the prophet who gives false teaching is the tail.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
For they that lead this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.
King James Version (1611)
The ancient and honourable, hee is the head: and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the taile.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
By the head, is vnderstande the senatour and honourable man, and by the tayle, the prophete that preached lyes.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
the old man, and them that respect persons, this is the head; and the prophet teaching unlawful things, he is the tail.
English Revised Version
The ancient and the honourable man, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
An elde man and onourable, he is the heed, and a profete techynge a leesyng, he is the tail.
Update Bible Version
The elder and the honorable man, he is the head; and the prophet that teaches lies, he is the tail.
Webster's Bible Translation
The ancient and honorable, he [is] the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he [is] the tail.
New English Translation
The leaders and the highly respected people are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail.
New King James Version
The elder and honorable, he is the head; The prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.
New Living Translation
The leaders of Israel are the head, and the lying prophets are the tail.
New Life Bible
The leaders and men of honor are the head, and the tail is the false preachers who teach lies.
New Revised Standard
elders and dignitaries are the head, and prophets who teach lies are the tail;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The eider and favourite, he, is the head, - And the prophet teaching falsehood, he, is the tail;
Douay-Rheims Bible
The aged and honourable, he is the head: and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
Revised Standard Version
the elder and honored man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail;
Young's Literal Translation
Elder, and accepted of face, he [is] the head, Prophet, teacher of falsehood, he [is] the tail.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The head is the elder and honorable man, And the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail.

Contextual Overview

8 All the people know it, Efrayim and the inhabitants of Shomron. But they say in pride, in the arrogance of their hearts, 9 "The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with cut stone; the sycamore-fig trees have been chopped down, but we will replace them with cedars." 10 So Adonai has raised up Retzin's foes against him and spurred on his enemies — 11 Aram from the east, P'lishtim from the west; and they devour Isra'el with an open mouth. Even after all this, his anger remains, his upraised hand still threatens. 12 Yet the people do not turn to the one striking them, they don't seek Adonai -Tzva'ot. 13 Therefore Adonai will cut off Isra'el's head and tail, [tall] palm frond and [lowly] reed in a single day. 14 The old and the honored are the head, while prophets teaching lies are the tail. 15 For those leading this people lead them astray, and those led by them are destroyed. 16 Therefore Adonai takes no joy in their young men and has no compassion on their orphans and widows; for everyone is ungodly and does evil, every mouth speaks foolishly. Even after all this, his anger remains, his upraised hand still threatens. 17 For wickedness burns like fire, it devours briars and thorns; it sets the forest underbrush ablaze, with clouds of smoke whirling upward.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ancient: Isaiah 3:5, Isaiah 5:13, 1 Samuel 9:6

the prophet: Isaiah 28:17, Isaiah 29:10, 1 Kings 13:18, 1 Kings 22:22-24, Jeremiah 5:31, Jeremiah 14:14, Jeremiah 14:15, Jeremiah 23:9, Jeremiah 23:14, Jeremiah 23:15, Jeremiah 23:25-27, Jeremiah 27:9, Jeremiah 27:10, Jeremiah 27:14, Jeremiah 27:15, Jeremiah 28:15, Jeremiah 28:16, Jeremiah 29:21, Jeremiah 29:22, Ezekiel 13:1-16, Ezekiel 13:19, Ezekiel 13:22, Hosea 9:8, Malachi 2:9, Matthew 7:15, Matthew 24:24, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, Galatians 1:8, Galatians 1:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, 2 Timothy 4:2, 2 Timothy 4:3, 2 Peter 2:1-3, 1 John 4:1, Revelation 19:20

Reciprocal: Leviticus 13:29 - General Deuteronomy 13:1 - a prophet Deuteronomy 13:5 - prophet Deuteronomy 28:13 - the head Joshua 10:19 - smite Nehemiah 6:14 - on the prophetess Proverbs 12:22 - Lying Proverbs 19:9 - and Isaiah 3:2 - the ancient Isaiah 3:12 - lead thee Isaiah 19:15 - General Jeremiah 20:6 - thy friends Jeremiah 27:16 - for Jeremiah 32:32 - they Lamentations 2:14 - prophets Amos 2:4 - and their Micah 2:11 - a man Micah 3:5 - concerning Zephaniah 3:4 - light Zechariah 11:17 - idol Matthew 23:13 - woe 2 Corinthians 11:15 - whose Ephesians 4:25 - putting 1 Timothy 4:2 - lies Revelation 9:19 - in their tails Revelation 12:3 - ten Revelation 21:8 - and all Revelation 22:15 - whosoever

Cross-References

Genesis 9:8
(v) God spoke to Noach and his sons with him; he said,
Genesis 9:10
and with every living creature that is with you — the birds, the livestock and every wild animal with you, all going out of the ark, every animal on earth.
Exodus 28:12
and put the two stones on the shoulder-pieces of the vest as stones calling to mind the sons of Isra'el. Aharon is to carry their names before Adonai on his two shoulders as a reminder.
Deuteronomy 7:9
(Maftir) From this you can know that Adonai your God is indeed God, the faithful God, who keeps his covenant and extends grace to those who love him and observe his mitzvot, to a thousand generations.
1 Kings 8:23
and said, " Adonai , God of Isra'el, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below. You keep covenant with your servants and show them grace, provided they live in your presence with all their heart.
Nehemiah 9:32
"‘Now therefore, our God, great, mighty, fearsome God, who keeps both covenant and grace: let not all this suffering seem little to you that has come on us, our kings, our leaders, our cohanim, our prophets, our ancestors, and on all your people, from the times of the kings of Ashur until this very day.
Psalms 106:45
For their sakes he kept in mind his covenant and in his limitless grace relented,
Jeremiah 14:21
For your name's sake, do not spurn us; do not dishonor your glorious throne. Remember your covenant with us; do not break it.
Ezekiel 16:60
Nevertheless, I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl and will establish an everlasting covenant with you.
Luke 1:72
"This has happened so that he might show the mercy promised to our fathers — that he would remember his holy covenant,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The ancient and honourable, he [is] the head,.... The elder in office, not in age; and who, on account of his office, dignity, and riches, is honoured by men, is of a venerable countenance himself, and is reverenced when seen and looked upon by others, and received by persons with pleasure and cheerfulness; as the phrase used signifies. The Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, "who admire", or "have" men's "persons in admiration"; which is the character Jude gives of false teachers, Judges 1:16 who are next described:

and the prophet that teacheth lies, he [is] the tail; so called from their low extract, being often of a mean original and descent; or rather from the meanness of their spirits, their flattery of princes and great men, to whom they tell lies, and prophesy smooth and false things, for the sake of a little sordid gain, in allusion to dogs that wag their tails at their masters; or from the poison of their doctrines, some creatures having poison in their tails, and do much mischief with them. See Revelation 9:19.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The ancient - The elder; the old man.

And honorable - Hebrew, ‘The man of elevated countenance.’ The man of rank and office.

The prophet that teacheth lies - The false prophet. Of those there were many; and probably at this time many in Samaria.


 
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