UST JER Chapter 28

◄ JER 28 ► ║ ═ ©

28 In the fifth month of the fourth year after Zedekiah began to rule as king of Judah, Hananiah the son of Azzur spoke to me. Hananiah, who claimed to be a prophet and was from the city of Gibeon spoke to me in the temple of Yahweh while the priests and all the people watched. He said, 2 “This is what Yahweh, the commander of the heavenly armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘I have ended the control that the king of Babylon has over you. 3 Before two years have ended, I will bring back to this place all the objects from the temple of Yahweh that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took from here and carried to Babylon. 4 I will also bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, along with all the people of Judah who went to Babylon as captives.’ This is what Yahweh declares. ‘I will do this because I will end the control that the king of Babylon has over you.’ ”

5 Then Jeremiah the prophet replied to Hananiah the prophet while the priests and all the people who stood in the temple of Yahweh watched. 6 Jeremiah the prophet said, “Yes, may it be so! I hope Yahweh does that! I hope Yahweh fulfills everything that you have prophesied, so that people bring back from Babylon the objects from the temple of Yahweh and bring back all the people who are captive there. 7 Nevertheless, listen to what I am saying in your presence and in the presence of all the people: 8 The prophets who preceded me and you, prophesied long ago that many nations and powerful kingdoms would experience wars, terrible suffering, and deadly diseases. 9 So when a prophet prophesies that things will go well, only when what that prophet says actually happens will people recognize that Yahweh truly sent him.

10 Then Hananiah the prophet grabbed the yoke bar from Jeremiah’s neck and broke it. The yoke bar represented the control that Babylon had over the nations. 11 Then Hananiah spoke while all the people watched. He said, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘Just as Hananiah has broken this yoke bar, within two full years I will end the control that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has over all the nations.’ ” After Hananiah said that, Jeremiah the prophet left.

12 After Hananiah the prophet broke the yoke bar that had been on Jeremiah the prophet’s neck, Yahweh gave this message to Jeremiah: 13 “Go and tell Hananiah that this is what Yahweh says: ‘You broke yoke bars made of wood, but I will replace them with yoke bars made of iron. 14 I, Yahweh, the commander of the heavenly armies, the God of Israel, say this: I have forced all these nations to serve Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, as though they had iron yoke bars on their necks, and they will serve him. And I have given him control over the wild animals as well.’ ”

15 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, “Please pay attention to me, Hananiah! Yahweh did not send you and you have certainly told lies to these people, and they have believed your lies. 16 So this is what Yahweh says: ‘I am about to make you die. You will die this year, because you have encouraged people to rebel against Yahweh.’ ”

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