Jeremiah 28
Expanded Bible
The False Prophet Hananiah
28 It was in that same year, in the fifth month of Zedekiah’s fourth year as king of Judah [C 593 bc], soon after he began to rule. The prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, from the town of Gibeon, spoke to me in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord ·in front [L before the eyes] of the priests and all the people. He said: 2 “The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says: ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 Before two years are over, I will ·bring back [restore] ·everything [L all the vessels] that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took to Babylon from the Lord’s ·Temple [L house]. 4 I will also ·bring back [restore] ·Jehoiachin [L Jeconiah] son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other ·captives [exiles] from Judah who went to Babylon,’ says the Lord. ‘So I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah ·in front [L before the eyes] of the priests and all the people who were standing in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 6 He said, “Amen! Let the Lord really do that! May the Lord ·make the message you prophesy come true [L confirm your word which you prophesied]. May he ·bring back here [L restore] ·everything [L the vessels] the Lord’s ·Temple [L house] and all the ·people who were taken as captives [exiles] to Babylon.
7 “But listen to ·what I am going to say to you and [L this word which I am speaking in your ears and the ears of] all the people. 8 There were prophets long before we became prophets, Hananiah. They prophesied that war, ·hunger [famine; or disaster; calamity], and ·terrible diseases [plague; pestilence] would come to many countries and great kingdoms. 9 But if a prophet prophesies that we will have peace and that message comes true, he can be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord [C prophets usually came announcing judgment not peace].”
10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke off Jeremiah’s neck and ·broke [shattered] it. 11 Hananiah said ·in front [L before the eyes] of all the people, “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He put that yoke on all the nations of the world, but I will break it before two years are over.’” After Hananiah had said that, Jeremiah ·left the Temple [L went on his way].
12 The Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off of the prophet Jeremiah’s neck. 13 The Lord said, “Go and tell Hananiah, ‘This is what the Lord says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but I will make a yoke of iron in its place! 14 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says: I will put a yoke of iron on the necks of all these nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will be slaves to him. I will even give Nebuchadnezzar ·control over the wild animals [L the beasts of the field].’ ”
15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord did not send you, and you have made the people of Judah ·trust [have confidence] in lies. 16 So this is what the Lord says: ‘Soon I will ·remove you from [L send you off the face of] the earth. You will die this year, because you taught ·the people to turn [rebellion] against the Lord [Deut. 18:20].’”
17 Hananiah died in the seventh month of that same year.
Jeremiah 28
New King James Version
Hananiah’s Falsehood and Doom
28 And (A)it happened in the same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the (B)fourth year and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of (C)Azur the prophet, who was from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying, 2 “Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: ‘I have broken (D)the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 (E)Within two full years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord’s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (F)took away from this place and carried to Babylon. 4 And I will bring back to this place [a]Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah who went to Babylon,’ says the Lord, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’ ”
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and in the presence of all the people who stood in the house of the Lord, 6 and the prophet Jeremiah said, (G)“Amen! The Lord do so; the Lord perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring back the vessels of the Lord’s house and all who were carried away captive, from Babylon to this place. 7 Nevertheless hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: 8 The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries and great kingdoms—of war and disaster and pestilence. 9 As for (H)the prophet who prophesies of (I)peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent.”
10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the (J)yoke off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck and broke it. 11 And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (K)from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years.’ ” And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.
12 Now the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 13 “Go and tell Hananiah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made in their place yokes of iron.” 14 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: (L)“I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him. (M)I have given him the beasts of the field also.” ’ ”
15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Hear now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, but (N)you make this people trust in a (O)lie. 16 Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will cast you from the face of the earth. This year you shall (P)die, because you have taught (Q)rebellion against the Lord.’ ”
17 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 28:4 Jehoiachin, 2 Kin. 24:12
Jeremiah 28
English Standard Version
Hananiah the False Prophet
28 In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of (A)Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, Hananiah the son of (B)Azzur, the prophet from (C)Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord, in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: (D)I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 (E)Within (F)two years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord's house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. 4 I will also bring back to this place (G)Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the Lord, (H)for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Hananiah the prophet in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord, 6 and the prophet Jeremiah said, (I)“Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord make the words that you have prophesied come true, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles. 7 Yet hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. 8 (J)The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. 9 (K)As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.”
10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the (L)yoke-bars from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke them. 11 And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, (M)“Thus says the Lord: (N)Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of (O)all the nations within two years.” But Jeremiah the prophet went his way.
12 Sometime after the prophet (P)Hananiah had broken the yoke-bars from off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 “Go, tell Hananiah, ‘Thus says the Lord: You have broken wooden bars, but you have made in their place bars of iron. 14 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put upon the neck of all these nations (Q)an iron yoke to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, (R)and they shall serve him, (S)for I have given to him even the beasts of the field.’” 15 And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, (T)the Lord has not sent you, (U)and you have made this people trust in a lie. 16 Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, (V)because you have uttered rebellion against the Lord.’”
17 In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
