He accuses them of making up that the Lord has sent them to let the people go, and that they deceive the people thus. We read a similar charge in 2 Kings 18:20, where the Assyrian army commander exhorts the Israelites not to believe the mere words
of King Hezekiah; and in Jeremiah 43:2 where the Judeans tell Jeremiah that he is a liar. In all three cases it is denied that they speak on behalf of the Lord.
9 Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.”