Translations
F.O.G.MPrimary
F.O.G Message—who say to the seers, “Stop looking!” and to the prophets, “Don’t tell us the hard truth—give us smooth words, prophesy flattering illusions!”
F.O.GSecondary
The F.O.G—who say to the seers, “Do not see!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy straight truths to us—speak smooth things, prophesy pleasant illusions!”
KJV
King James VersionWhich say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
BSB
Berean Standard BibleThey say to the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us the truth! Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions.
Footnotes
The contrast between *nekhohot* (נְכֹחוֹת, “straight/right things”) and *halaqot* (חֲלָקוֹת, “smooth/slippery things”) is one of Isaiah’s sharpest wordplays. *Halaq* (smooth) is the same root used of the slippery path of the wicked in the Psalms (73:18; 35:6)—the people are not merely requesting comfort but demanding prophets who will oil the road to their own destruction. The companion word *mahatalot* (מַהֲתַלּוֹת) means deceptions or mockeries. FOG renders this “pleasant illusions”; FOG Message uses “flattering illusions”—both capture the combination of seductive surface and hollow interior.
