The Lord asks the question, How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own hearts?
It is clear that their message does not come from the Lord, but from their self-deceived hearts. The question, How long?
can be understood in two possible ways. The Lord could either be asking how long the prophets will continue with their lies as it becomes more and more obvious that their message is false.1 Alternatively, the Lord could be asking if the prophets will ever turn from the evil that is in their hearts and speak the truth. The implied answer to that question is no
.2 Both understandings of the question lead to the same place. The deceit is so deeply embedded in the hearts of these prophets that they will keep on proclaiming their message of peace, even in the face of the Lord’s judgment.
26 Jusqu'à quand ces prophètes veulent-ils prophétiser le mensonge, Prophétiser la tromperie de leur cœur?