9248. 'You shall not take up a report of vanity' means not listening to false ideas. This is clear from the meaning of 'taking up a report' as hearing and doing, thus listening, for to express the idea of a report the original language uses a word that means hearing; and from the meaning of 'vanity' as falsity, in particular falsity in doctrine and religious practice, as becomes clear from the following places: In Ezekiel,
No more will there be any vision of vanity or flattering divination in the midst of the house of Israel. Ezekiel 12:24.
'A vision of vanity' stands for a false revelation. In the same prophet,
They have seen vanity and lying divination. 1
Because you speak vanity and see a lie, therefore behold, I am against you, that My hand may be against the prophets who see vanity and divine a lie. Ezekiel 13:6-9.
'The prophets', of whom it says here that they see vanity and divine a lie, means teachers, and in the abstract sense doctrinal teachings, 2534, 7269. Furthermore prophets are spoken of as seeing things, which also is why they were called 'seers' in ancient times, 1 Samuel 9:9; and they are spoken of as divining them too.
[2] When 'seeing' or 'vision' is attributed to the prophets, revelation in regard to doctrine is meant in the internal sense; and when 'divining' or 'divination' is attributed to them, revelation in regard to life is meant. And since 'vanity' means falsity in doctrine and 'a lie' falsity in life, the words 'they have seen vanity and lying divination' are used. In the same prophet,
What they see for you is vanity, and what they divine for you is a lie. Ezekiel 21:29.
In Zechariah,
The teraphim speak iniquity, and the diviners see a lie, and they speak dreams of vanity. 2
Zechariah 10:2.
In Jeremiah,
The prophets have seen vanity. Lamentations 2:14.
The fact that 'vanity' means falsity in doctrine and religious practice is also evident in Hosea,
They have become vanity; in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls. Hosea 12:11.
In Jeremiah,
My people have forgotten Me; they have burned incense to vanity. Jeremiah 18:15.
The like may be seen elsewhere, such as Isaiah 5:18; 30:28; 59:4; Psalms 12:2; 119:37-38; 144:7-8.
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