And when the prophet shall err, and speak a word: I the Lord have deceived that prophet: and I will stretch forth my hand upon him, and will cut him off from the midst of my people Israel.
וְהַנָּבִ֤יא כִֽי־יְפֻתֶּה֙ וְדִבֶּ֣ר דָּבָ֔ר אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ פִּתֵּ֔יתִי אֵ֖ת הַנָּבִ֣יא הַה֑וּא וְנָטִ֤יתִי אֶת־יָדִי֙ עָלָ֔יו וְהִ֨שְׁמַדְתִּ֔יו מִתּ֖וֹךְ עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The prophet will be led astray and will utter words, "I the Lord have led that prophet astray," meaning I have prevented him from being misled. I will remove him from among my people, for he was misled himself and was rooted in the deception of his heart, prophesying and proclaiming what was not revealed to him.
The prophet will be victorious and will declare the word, "I, the Lord, will prevail against that prophet; I will extend my hand against him and remove him from among the people of Israel." They will bear the consequences of their unrighteous actions. However, it is not characteristic of the Just Judge to lead the Prophet astray and punish the one led astray. Thus, God speaks not of the actual leading into error but of permitting this to occur; while He could promptly denounce the falsehoods, He chooses to withhold His judgment and allow the Prophet to succumb to deception, for it is done willingly, not by compulsion.
For this reason, He warns of equal consequences for both the inquirer and the responder, stating, "According to the unrighteousness of the one who asks and the unrighteousness of the one who answers: So shall it be according to the unrighteousness of the Prophet." Let not the house of Israel be polluted in this manner, nor let them be stained by their sins. They shall be regarded as My people, and I shall be their God, declares the Lord of Hosts; this implies that I will not bring this punishment upon them without purpose but will, through their ruin, bless My people and rescue them from iniquity. For I long for this people to be My own, and I seek to be their God, caring for them deeply.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS