^23:27How long will they go on plotting⁷⁸ to make my people forget who I am⁷⁹ through the dreams they tell one another? That is just as bad as what their ancestors⁸⁰ did when they forgot who I am by worshiping the god Baal.⁸¹

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Footnotes

78 The relation of the words to one another in v. 26 and the beginning of v. 27 has created difficulties for translators and commentators. The proper solution is reflected in the . Verses 26–27 read somewhat literally, “How long is there in the hearts of the prophets who are prophesying the lie and [in the hearts of] the prophets of the delusions of their [own] heart the plotting to cause my people to forget my name …” Most commentaries complain that the text is corrupt, that there is no subject for “is there.” However, the long construct qualification “in the hearts of” has led to the lack of observation that the proper subject is “the plotting to make my people forget.” There are no exact parallels but Jer 14:22; Neh 5:5 follow the same structure. The “How long” precedes the other means of asking a question for the purpose of emphasis (cf. 210 הֲ 1.b and compare for example the usage in 2 Sam 7:7). There has also been a failure to see that “the prophets of the delusion of …” is a parallel construct noun after “heart of.” Stripping the syntax down to its barest minimum and translating literally, the sentence would read “How long will the plotting … continue in the hearts of the prophets who … and [in hearts of] the prophets of …” The sentence has been restructured in the translation to conform to contemporary English style but attempt has been made to maintain the same subordinations.
79 Heb “my name.” In the OT, the “name” reflected the person’s character (cf. Gen 27:36; 1 Sam 25:25) or his reputation (Gen 11:4; 2 Sam 8:13). To speak in someone’s name was to act as his representative or carry his authority (1 Sam 25:9; 1 Kgs 21:8). To call someone’s name over something was to claim it for one’s own (2 Sam 12:28). Hence, here to forget the name is equivalent to forgetting who he was in his essential character (cf. Exod 3:13–15; 6:3; 34:5–7). By preaching lies they had obliterated part of his essential character and caused people to forget who he really was.
80 Heb “fathers” (also in v. 39).
81 Heb “through Baal.” This is an elliptical expression for the worship of Baal. See 11:17; 12:16; 19:5 for other references to their relation to Baal. There is a deliberate paralleling in the syntax here between “through their dreams” and “through Baal.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Baal?

NIVNew International Version (2011)

They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their ancestors forgot my name through Baal worship.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Through their dreams that they tell one another, they plan to cause my people to forget my name as their ancestors forgot my name through Baal worship.

NLTNew Living Translation

By telling these false dreams, they are trying to get my people to forget me, just as their ancestors did by worshiping the idols of Baal.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

who plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell each one to his neighbor, just as their ancestors forgot my name through Baal?

KJV 1900King James Version

Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.

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