Hananiah’s False Prophecy

28 In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah,(A) in the fifth month of the fourth year, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur from Gibeon(B) said to me in the temple of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people, “This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.(C) Within two years I will restore to this place all the articles of the Lord’s temple(D) that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took from here and transported to Babylon. And I will restore to this place Jeconiah[a] son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah(E) who went to Babylon’—this is the Lord’s declaration—‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”

Jeremiah’s Response to Hananiah

The prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the temple of the Lord. The prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen!(F) May the Lord do that. May the Lord make the words you have prophesied come true and may he restore the articles of the Lord’s temple and all the exiles from Babylon to this place! Only listen to this message I am speaking in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, disaster,[b] and plague against many lands and great kingdoms. As for the prophet who prophesies peace—only when the word of the prophet comes true will the prophet be recognized as one the Lord has truly sent.”(G)

Hananiah Breaks Jeremiah’s Yoke

10 The prophet Hananiah then took the yoke bar from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it.(H) 11 In the presence of all the people Hananiah proclaimed, “This is what the Lord says: ‘In this way, within two years I will break the yoke of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon from the neck of all the nations.’” The prophet Jeremiah then went on his way.

The Lord’s Word against Hananiah

12 After the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke bar from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 “Go say to Hananiah, ‘This is what the Lord says: You broke a wooden yoke bar, but in its place you will make an iron yoke bar. 14 For this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I have put an iron yoke on the neck of all these nations that they might serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon,(I) and they will serve him.(J) I have even put the wild animals under him.’”(K)

15 The prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord did not send you, but you have led these people to trust in a lie.(L) 16 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to send you off the face of the earth. You will die this year because you have preached rebellion against the Lord.’”(M) 17 And the prophet Hananiah died that year in the seventh month.

Footnotes

  1. 28:4 = Jehoiachin
  2. 28:8 Some Hb mss, Vg read famine

The False Prophet Hananiah

28 In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah(A) king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon,(B) said to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people: “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will break the yoke(C) of the king of Babylon. Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles(D) of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon. I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin[a](E) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”(F)

Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord. 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.(G) Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague(H) against many countries and great kingdoms. But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.(I)

10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke(J) off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it, 11 and he said(K) before all the people, “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will 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 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(L) on the necks of all these nations to make them serve(M) Nebuchadnezzar(N) king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.(O)’”

15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent(P) you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies.(Q) 16 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth.(R) This very year you are going to die,(S) because you have preached rebellion(T) against the Lord.’”

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

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 28:4 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin