202 TRANSLATION, NOTES, AND COMMENTSYahweh would have seemed distant to many Jews and it was more important
than ever to perceive Yahweh as a God for whom all boundaries were non-
existent (W. Herrmann 1983).
Taken in the larger context, the accent here on Yahweh being a God who
fills the distant heavens serves to reinforce what is said in w 18 and 21-22
about true prophets' having stood in the heavenly council and false prophets'
not having been there.
Saint Cyprian, the bishop of Carthage (A.D. 249-58), who himself went into
hiding during the third-century persecution of Decius, cited the present verses
when addressing lapsed Christians who had secured Zibelli (certificates) for
making sacrifices to gods of the Roman state. Quoting the LXX version of v 23,
Cyprian said:
[God] sees what is secret and hidden, He discerns what is concealed, and
no man can evade the eyes of the God who says: "I am a God at hand, and
not a God afar. If a man be hid in secret places, shall I not therefore see
him?"
(De Lapsis 27; English: Bevenot 1957: 35)6. Speaking of Dreams (23:25-32)
23 25 1 have heard what the prophets say who are prophesying a lie in my name:
'I have dreamed, I have dreamed.'^26 How long will there be in the mind of the
prophets prophesying the lie-yes, prophets of their deceitful mind,^27 those
who plan to make my people forget my name with their dreams, which they re-
count each person to his fellow, as their fathers forgot my name through Baal?
(^28) The prophet who has with him a dream, let him recount his dream; and the
one who has my word with him, let him speak my word faithfully.
What is the grain to the straw?
-oracle of Yahweh.
(^29) Is it not so-my word is like fire
-oracle of Yahweh-
and like a hammer shattering rock?
(^30) Therefore look I am against the prophets
-oracle of Yahweh-
who steal my words each person from his fellow.
(^31) Look I am against the prophets
-oracle of Yahweh-
who heed their own tongue and oracle an oracle.