The ancient and honorable man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail—an identification of the leaders as those who have led the people astray through false prophecy and corrupted counsel. This verse diagnoses the spiritual disease as originating at the top: bad leadership that pursues false gods and forges false alliances has infected the entire body politic. The responsibility of the elders for leading the people into judgment establishes the principle that leaders answer not only for their own sins but for the consequences of their misdirection of the people.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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