Jeremiah 28:1-17

"The Concordia Self Study Bible New International Version"

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1. In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign Zedekiah king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people:

2. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

3. Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles of the Lord's house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

4. I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin king of Judah and all other exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the Lord, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon."

5. Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to Hananiah before the priests and all of the people who were standing in the house of the Lord.

6. He said, "Amen! May the lord do so! May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the Lord's house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon.

7. Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people:

8. From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms.

9. But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.

10. Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it,

11. And said before all the people, "This is what the Lord says: In the same way will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations within two years." At this, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.

12. Shortly after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:

13. "Go and tell Hananiah, This is what the Lord says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you will get a yoke of iron. 

14.  This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke on the necks of all those nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals."

15. Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, "Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies.

16. Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you are going to die, because you have preached rebellion against the Lord."

17. In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.

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Study Notes

Jeremiah 28:1-17

"The True Prophet Jeremiah Confronts the False Prophet Hananiah"

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28:1 fourth year . . . of Zedekiah. 593 B.C. early in the reign, (Read 26:1; 27:1), prophet, The word used is used for all prophets, whether true (vs. 5,10-12,15) or false (vs. 1,5,10,12,15,17). Hananiah, Means "The Lord is gracious," an appropriate name for a prophet who believed strongly (though mistakenly) that the Lord would soon bring back the exiles of Judah and the temple articles (vs. 3-4, 11). Gibeon, (chap. 41:12,16; see also Joshua 9:3).

28:2 This is what the Lord . . . says. (v. 11). Though a false prophet, Hananiah claims to have the same authority as Jeremiah (vs. 13-14,16; 23:11; 27:2).

28.3 Hananiah's prediction directly contradicts the words of Jeremiah (chap. 27:16-22), two years, (vs. 11) Contrast Jeremiah's 70 years (chap. 25:11-12; 29:10).

28.4 bring back, Contradicting Jeremiah's prophecy (chap. 22:24-27), which was fulfilled (chap. 52:34). Jeholachin . . . went to Babylon, In 597 B.C. (chap. 27:2).

28:6 (see. I Kings 1:36). Amen. (see. I Kings 11:5 and note on) "may the Lord fulfill. The sign of a true prophecy (see. vs. 9).

28.7 Nevertheless. Though in sympathy with what Hananiah is predicting, Jeremiah reminds him that their true predecessors were basically prophets of doom. (see vs. 8).

28.8 war, disaster and plague. An appropriate modification of Jeremiah's usual triad (see note on 14:12).

28.9 peace. Originally the message of flase prophets (see. 6:14 and note).

28.10 "yoke off the neck of the prophet." (see. note on 27:2). "broke it". Perhaps symbolically to break the power of Jeremiah's earlier prophecies (see. 25:11-12; 12:7), which contradicted his own.

28:11 "two years" (see. note on vs. 3).

28:12 ". . .the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: Go tell Hananiah, This is what the Lord says:"

28:13 "yoke of iron." The wooden yoke of submission (see note on 27:2) would would be exchanged for the iron yoke of servitude (see vs. 14; 38:17-23).

28:14 "all these nations . . . will serve him." (see. 27:7). "control over the wild animals." (see. 27:6). 

28:15 "The Lord hath not sent you." A mark of the false prophet (see. 23:21 and note).

28:16 "remove." The Hebrew root underlying this word is the same as that underlying "sent" in (vs. 15). The Lord had not "sent" Hananiah to prophesy, and therefore he would soon be "sent away" to his death. "preached rebellion." Such activity on the part of false prophets was punishable by death. (see. Deut. 13:5; 18:20; Ezek. 11:13; Acts 5:1-11).

28:17 "In the seventh month . . . Hananiah . . .died." He who had falsely prophesied restoration "within two years" (vs. 3,11), himself died within two months. (see vs. 17).

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