Mishneh Torah, Foundations of the Torah 10:4 with Translations

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English (5)

[The above principles do not apply to] prophecies of retribution which a prophet will utter - e.g., "So and so will die," "This or that year will be a year of famine or a year of war," and the like. If his words do not come true, this does not nullify the validity of his prophecy, nor do we say [in condemnation of him]: "Behold, he spoke and his words were not fulfilled."
[This is because] the Holy One, Blessed be He, is slow to anger, abundant in kindness, and forgiving of evil. Thus, it is possible that they will repent and [their sin] will be forgiven, as in the case of the people of Nineveh, or that [retribution] will be held in abeyance, as in the case of Hezekiah.
[This does not apply regarding prophecies for the good.] If [a prophet] promised that good would come and such and such will occur, and the good about which he prophesied did not materialize, he is surely a false prophet. Any good which God decrees - even if [the decree] is provisional - will never be nullified. {We find [God] nullifying a positive prophecy only during the destruction of the first Temple. He had promised the righteous that they would not die together with the wicked; however, He nullified this prophecy, as explained in the tractate of Shabbat.}
We can conclude from this that a prophet should be tested on the basis of his positive prophecies. This was what Jeremiah meant by his reply to Chananiah ben Azur, when he was prophesying doom and Chananiah was promising a [glorious future]. He told Chananiah: "If my words are not fulfilled, this will not lead to the conclusion that I am a false prophet. If your promises are not fulfilled, however, it will be proven that you are a false prophet," as implied by [Jeremiah 28:7,9]: "Hear, now, this word... As for the prophet who prophesies for peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, it will be known that God has truly sent this prophet."

Trans. by Eliyahu Touger, Moznaim Publishing

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Mishneh Torah, trans. by Eliyahu Touger. Jerusalem, Moznaim Pub. c1986-c2007

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Concerning a prophet's prediction of calamities, such one would die, or such year would be visited by famine, or war, or matters similar to these, even though his words be not established, it is not considered contradictory to his prophecy. It shall not be said: "Behold, he spoke and it did not come to pass!" For, the Holy One, blessed is He! is long-suffering and abundant in goodness, and repenteth Him of the evil, and it is possible that they repented and were forgiven, as did the inhabitants of Nineveh,²Jonah, 3. 5-8 G. or that their fate was postponed, as was with Hezekiah.³Isa. 38; 11 Kings, 20.6 G. But if he assured that good would come to pass, saying that it would be thus and such, but the good he promised did not come to pass, it is certain that he is a false prophet, for every good thing God decides upon, even though it be contingent, He doth not repent. And, we find no instance when He repented from a good thing save only at the destruction of the First Temple, when he assured the righteous that they would not die together with the wicked and retracted it, as it appears in Tractat Shabbat⁴Shabbat, 55a. Because the wickedness was great, and the righteous did not sufficiently rebuke the evildoers. See Shabbat, 119b. G.. Herefrom we learn that a prophet is tested solely by his prophecy concerning good tidings, which is in harmony with what Jeremiah said in his reply to Hananiah son of Azzur, when Jeremiah was prophesying evil tidings and Hananiah good, saying unto him: "If my words will not be established, it would yet not be evidence that I am a false prophet; but if thy words be not established it will be proclaimed that thou art a false prophet". For it is said: "Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people: The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied against many countries, and against many kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence; the prophet that prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him" (Jer. 28.7–9).

Simon Glazer, 1927

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Mishnah Torah, Yod ha-hazakah, trans. by Simon Glazer, 1927

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As to calamities predicted by a prophet, if, for example, he foretells the death of a certain individual or declares that in a particular year there will be famine or war, and so forth, the non-fulfilment of his forecast does not disprove his prophetic character. We are not to say, "See, he spoke, and his prediction has not come to pass". For God is long-suffering and abounding in kindness, and repents of the evil (He threatened). It may also be that those who were threatened repented and were forgiven, as happened to the men of Nineveh. Possibly too, the execution of the sentence is only deferred, as in the case of Hezekiah. But if the prophet, in the name of God, assures good fortune, declaring that a definite event would come to pass, and the benefit promised has not been realised, he is unquestionably a false prophet; for no blessing decreed by the Almighty, even if promised conditionally, is ever revoked. We do not find that God ever revoked aught good that He had promised; except at the destruction of the First Temple, when he promised the righteous that they would not perish with the wicked and changed his purpose. The explanation is given in the Talmudical Treatise Sabbath.^** Sabbath 55. “The righteous suffered with the wicked for their failure to reprove the latter”. Hence we learn that only when he predicts good fortune can the prophet be tested. Jeremiah expressed this in his reply to Hananiah, son of Azur, when the former prophesied evil while the latter prophesied good. Jeremiah said to Hananiah: "If my words are not confirmed by events, that will not prove that I am a false prophet. But should your predictions not be fulfilled you will be proved a false prophet; as it is said, "Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak,…. the prophet that prophesied of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him" (Jer. 28:7-9).

Moses Hyamson, 1937-1949

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The Mishneh Torah by Maimonides. trans. by Moses Hyamson, 1937-1949

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With regard to any calamity which the prophet may foretell, as, for instance, if he were to predict that such and such a person will die, or that in such and such a year there will be a famine or war, or such like; and if it happen that his words do not come to pass, this must not be considered as a denial to his prophecy, and we must not say: behold! he has spoken, and yet it never came to pass; for the Holy One, blessed be He! is slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil; and therefore, it is possible that they (the sinners) have repented, and obtained pardon, as was the case with the people of Ninevah; or it may be, that He has given them a respite, as was the case with Hezekiah. But if the prophet predicts good, saying that such a good event will happen; and yet the good, which he foretold, did not come to pass, then it is evident that he is a false prophet; inasmuch as every thing good which God decrees, though it be on a certain condition, is not retracted by Him; so that we do not find that He ever retracted any good promise, except at the destruction of the first temple, when He assured the righteous, that they should not be destroyed with the wicked; and yet retracted His word. Hence we learn, that the prophet can only be tried by the good which he foretells; and this is that which Jeremiah said in his answer to Hananiah the son of Azur, when Jeremiah was prophesying evil, and Hananiah good. Then he said to Hananiah: If MY words be not fulfilled, this will be no proof that I am a false prophet; but if THY words be not fulfilled, it will be known that thou art a false prophet; thus it is said: Nevertheless hear thou now this word, etc....The prophet who prophesieth OF PEACE, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known that the Lord hath truly sent him, (Jer. 28. 7, 9).

Elias Soloweyczik; London, 1863

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Yad-Hachazakah, edited by Elias Soloweyczik; London, 1863

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Words of adversity that a prophet speaks - for example, if he says that x will die or x year will be [one of] famine or war or similar to these things - if his words do not materialize, there is not a disavowal of his prophecy through this. And we do not say, behold he spoke and it did not come [true], since the Holy One, blessed be He is slow to anger and very kind, and He [may have] relented; or it is possible that [the ones slated for adversity] repented and He forgave them, like the people of Nineveh; or that He suspended it (temporarily), like with Hizkiyahu. But if he promises about the good and says that such and such will be, and the good that he says does not come [true], it is known that he is a false prophet - as anything good thing that God decrees, even on condition, does not [get repealed]. And we only find that He [repealed] a good thing with the destruction of the First [Temple], when He promised that the righteous ones would not die with the wicked and He [repealed] His words. And this is explained in Tractate Shabbat. Behold, you have learned that a prophet is only tested with words for the good - this is what Yirmiyahu said in his answer to Channaniah son of Azur, when Yirmiyah propesied for the bad and Channaniah for the good. He said to Channaniah, "If my words don't stand, there is no proof in it that I am a false prophet, but if your words don't stand, it will be known that you are a false prophet," as it states (Jermiah 28:7-9), "However, listen now to this thing, etc. The prophet that speaks peace, when the word of the prophet comes [true, it] will verify that he is a prophet that the Lord has truly sent."

Sefaria Community Translation

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Sefaria Community Translation

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German (1)

4) Wenn der Prophet Strafen voraus verkündet, so z. B. wenn er sagt: Jener wird sterben, oder: in jenem Jahre wird Hungersnot oder Krieg sein, oder dergleichen Strafen, und dieselben nicht eintreffen, so ist dies dennoch kein Widerspruch seiner Prophezeiung und man darf nicht behaupten »Siehe er hat vorausgesagt, und es trifft nicht ein«; indem der Heilige, gelobt sei Er, langmütig und gnadenvoll ist, und wegen des Unglücks sich bedenkt. Daher ist es auch möglich, dass jene in sich gegangen und Er ihnen auch verziehen, wie den Bewohnern von Ninive, oder die Strafe noch zurückhält, wie bei dem Jona oder Chiskia (Jona 4:2; Joel 2:13) Wenn er aber Glück verkündet hätte und dasselbe nicht einträfe, so wäre er allerdings ein falscher Prophet, indem, wenn Gott Gutes bestimmt, sei es auch nur bedingungsweise, Er es dennoch nie zurücknimmt. Wir finden nur einen einzigen Fall, wo Gott das verhießene Gute zurückgenommen, bei der Zerstörung des erstens Tempels nämlich, wo er verhieß, dass die Frommen nicht mit den Frevlern untergehen sollten, und dies dennoch nicht so geschah. (Im Traktat Schabbat 55 wird ausführlich davon gesprochen).Also ist daraus zu ersehen, dass man den Propheten bloß in seinen Verkündigungen vom Guten prüfen dürfe. Dieses bezweckt auch Jeremias mit feiner Antwort an Chanania, Sohn Asurs, zur Zeit nämlich, da jener Unglück, dieser Glück verkündete: »Wenn meine Voraussagung nicht eintreffen sollte, so ist es noch kein Beweis, dass ich ein falscher Prophet sei, aber wenn die deinige trügt, so wirst du als falscher Prophet berüchtigt.« Dies sagen die Verse: »Doch höre dieses Wort u. s. w. Jener Prophet, der Heil verkündet, und dessen Verkündungen eintrifft, der wird als Prophet, und als von Gott wirklich gesandt anerkannt... (Jer. 28:7-9).

Leon Mandelstamm. St. Petersburg, 1851

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Jad Haghasakkah, trans. by L. Mandelstamm. St. Petersburg, 1851. Corrected and edited by Igor Itkin - German [de]

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Portuguese (1)

As palavras de falsidade que o profeta diz, como por exemplo, ele dizer que tal pessoa morrerá, ou que em tal ano haverá fome ou guerra, e semelhantes, se suas palavras não se cumprirem, isso não é uma prova contra sua profecia. E não se deve dizer que ele falou e não aconteceu. Pois o Santo Bendito seja Ele é paciente e cheio de bondade, e se arrepende do mal, e é possível que o povo tenha se arrependido e sido perdoado, como os habitantes de Nínive. Ou, talvez, tenha sido suspenso para eles, como aconteceu com Hizkiyah. Mas se ele prometeu algo de bom e disse que tal coisa acontecerá e não aconteceu, isso é uma prova clara de que ele é um falso profeta. Pois toda boa palavra que Deus declara, mesmo que seja condicional, não retorna atrás. E não encontramos que Ele tenha voltado atrás em uma palavra de bondade, exceto no caso da destruição do Primeiro Templo, quando Ele havia prometido aos justos que não morreriam junto com os ímpios, mas Ele voltou atrás. E isso está explícito no Tratado de Shabat. Portanto, aprendemos que somente nas palavras de bondade o profeta será testado. Como Jeremias disse em sua resposta a Chananiah ben Azur, quando Jeremias profetizava o mal e Chananiah o bem. Ele disse a Chananiah: 'Se as minhas palavras não se cumprirem, isso não é uma prova de que sou um falso profeta, mas se as tuas palavras não se cumprirem, saberemos que você é um falso profeta', como está escrito (Yirmeyah 28:7): 'Mas ouça agora essa palavra'. O profeta que falar de paz, quando a palavra do profeta chegar, saberemos que o profeta que a proferiu foi enviado por Deus em verdade.

Publicado em 5784, Saymon Pires da Silva [pt]

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Publicado em 5784, Saymon Pires da Silva [pt]

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