Jeremiah 28
Hananiah's False Prophecy
1That same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was of Gibeon, spoke to me in the LORD’s house, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,
2“The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says, ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
3Within two full years I will bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon.
4I will bring again to this place 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.’”
5Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people who stood in the LORD’s house,
6even the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the LORD do so. May the LORD perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the LORD’s house, and all those who are captives, from Babylon to this place.
7Nevertheless listen now to this word that I speak in your ears, and in the ears of all the people:
8The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, of evil, and of pestilence.
9As for the prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet happens, then the prophet will be known, that the LORD has truly sent him.”
10Then Hananiah the prophet took the bar from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and broke it.
11Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “The LORD says: ‘Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from off the neck of all the nations within two full years.’” Then the prophet Jeremiah went his way.
12Then the LORD’s word came to Jeremiah, after Hananiah the prophet had broken the bar from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
13“Go, and tell Hananiah, saying, ‘The LORD says, “You have broken the bars of wood, but you have made in their place bars of iron.”
14For the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel says, “I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they will serve him. I have also given him the animals of the field.”’”
15Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie.
16Therefore the LORD says, ‘Behold, I will send you away from off the surface of the earth. This year you will die, because you have spoken rebellion against the LORD.’”
17So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
Jeremiah confronts the false prophet Hananiah, who publicly contradicts Jeremiah's message by prophesying that Babylon's yoke will be broken within two years and the temple vessels and exiles will return. When Hananiah dramatically breaks the wooden yoke from Jeremiah's neck, God responds through Jeremiah that the wooden yoke will be replaced with an iron one, making Babylon's dominion even stronger. Jeremiah pronounces God's judgment on Hananiah for speaking falsely in the Lord's name, predicting his death within the year—a prophecy fulfilled when Hananiah dies two months later.
Context
This chapter follows Jeremiah's symbolic wearing of a yoke in chapter 27 and demonstrates the ongoing conflict between true and false prophecy that runs throughout the book.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-4Hananiah's False ProphecyThe prophet Hananiah publicly declares that God will break Babylon's yoke and restore the temple vessels and exiles within two years.
- 5-9Jeremiah's Initial ResponseJeremiah expresses hope that Hananiah's words prove true but warns that prophets are typically tested by whether their peaceful prophecies come to pass.
- 10-11The Broken YokeHananiah dramatically breaks the wooden yoke from Jeremiah's neck, symbolically declaring God's promise to break Babylon's power over all nations.
- 12-14God's Counter-ResponseThe Lord tells Jeremiah that breaking the wooden yoke will only result in an iron yoke, making Babylon's dominion even stronger.
- 15-17Judgment on the False ProphetJeremiah pronounces God's death sentence on Hananiah for speaking lies in the Lord's name, which is fulfilled when Hananiah dies two months later.
Hananiah's False Prophecy
28:1–28:17The false prophet Hananiah contradicts Jeremiah by prophesying Babylon's defeat within two years and breaks Jeremiah's symbolic yoke. Jeremiah responds by distinguishing true prophecy from false optimism, emphasizing that authentic prophets typically prophesy judgment rather than easy peace.
person_contrast
Jeremiah's criterion that true prophets historically prophesy "war, famine, and pestilence" rather than peace (v.8) establishes the counterintuitive principle that authentic divine messengers typically bring difficult rather than comforting words.
Jeremiah 28:1
Jeremiah 1:3lexicalIt came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the…
Jeremiah 39:2lexicalIn the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city.
Jeremiah 49:34lexicalThe LORD’s word that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Jud…
Jeremiah 51:59lexicalThe word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah…
Zechariah 7:3lexicaland to speak to the priests of the house of the LORD of Armies and to the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth…
Jeremiah 28:3
2 Chronicles 36:7lexicalNebuchadnezzar also carried some of the vessels of the LORD’s house to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.
Jeremiah 51:34lexical“Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me. He has crushed me. He has made me an empty vessel. He has, like a m…
2 Chronicles 36:10lexicalAt the return of the year, King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the valuable vessels of the LORD’s…
Jeremiah 28:4
Jeremiah 24:1lexicalThe LORD showed me, and behold, two baskets of figs were set before the LORD’s temple, after Nebuchadnezzar king of Baby…
Jeremiah 30:8lexicalIt will come to pass in that day, says the LORD of Armies, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and will burst…
Jeremiah 27:8lexical“‘“‘It will happen that I will punish the nation and the kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Ba…
Jeremiah 27:11lexicalBut the nation that brings their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serves him, that nation I will let remai…
1 Chronicles 3:16lexicalThe sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, and Zedekiah his son.
Jeremiah 28:6
Jeremiah 29:1lexicalNow these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the residue of the elders of the…
Jeremiah 27:16lexicalAlso I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, the LORD says, “Don’t listen to the words of your prophets w…
Ezra 1:11lexicalAll the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand four hundred. Sheshbazzar brought all these up when the captive…
Ezekiel 12:3lexical“Therefore, you son of man, prepare your baggage for moving, and move by day in their sight. You shall move from your pl…
Jeremiah 37:19lexicalNow where are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you, nor against t…
Jeremiah 28:9
Ezekiel 13:16lexicalto wit, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her, and there is no…
Jeremiah 14:13lexicalThen I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets tell them, ‘You will not see the sword, neither will you have famine; b…
Jeremiah 28:11
Jeremiah 27:8lexical“‘“‘It will happen that I will punish the nation and the kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Ba…
Jeremiah 29:1lexicalNow these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the residue of the elders of the…
Jeremiah 46:13lexicalThe word that the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, how that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon should come and strike the…
Jeremiah 30:8lexicalIt will come to pass in that day, says the LORD of Armies, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and will burst…
Jeremiah 27:11lexicalBut the nation that brings their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serves him, that nation I will let remai…
Jeremiah 28:14
Jeremiah 27:8lexical“‘“‘It will happen that I will punish the nation and the kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Ba…
Deuteronomy 28:48lexicaltherefore you will serve your enemies whom the LORD sends against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in lack o…
Jeremiah 27:11lexicalBut the nation that brings their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serves him, that nation I will let remai…
Jeremiah 27:12lexicalI spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of…
Jeremiah 27:6lexicalNow I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant. I have also given the…
Interlinear
Word-by-word original language
Historical Context
Places and events in this chapter