1And it happened in the same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur, the prophet of Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of Jehovah in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying, 2Thus says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3Within two full years I will bring back into this place all the vessels of Jehovah's house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried them to Babylon. 4And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah who went into Babylon, says Jehovah; 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 house of Jehovah, 6even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen. May Jehovah do so. May Jehovah establish your words which you have prophesied, to bring back the vessels of Jehovah's house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place. 7But hear now 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 lands and against great kingdoms; of war, and of evil, and of pestilence. 9As for the prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then the prophet shall be known, that Jehovah has truly sent him. 10Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah's neck and broke it. 11And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus says Jehovah, Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the time frame of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way. 12Then the Word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah, after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off of the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 13Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus says Jehovah: You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made in their place yokes of iron. 14For thus says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, 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. And I have given him the beasts of the field also. 15Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah: Jehovah has not sent you, but you make this people to trust in a lie. 16Therefore thus says Jehovah, Behold, I will drive you from off the face of the earth. You shall die this year, because you have taught rebellion against Jehovah. 17So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 PROPHECIES IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THOSE IN THE TWENTY-SEVENTH CHAPTER. HANANIAH BREAKS THE YOKES TO SIGNIFY THAT NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S YOKE SHALL BE BROKEN. JEREMIAH FORETELLS THAT YOKES OF IRON ARE TO SUCCEED THOSE OF WOOD, AND THAT HANANIAH SHALL DIE. (Jer. 28:1-17)
in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah--The Jews often divided any period into two halves, the beginning and the end. As Zedekiah reigned eleven years, the fourth year would be called the beginning of his reign, especially as during the first three years affairs were in such a disturbed state that he had little power or dignity, being a tributary; but in the fourth year he became strong in power.
Hananiah--Another of this name was one of the three godly youths who braved Nebuchadnezzar's wrath in the fear of God (
Dan 1:6-
Dan 1:7;
Dan 3:12). Probably a near relation, for Azariah is associated with him; as Azur with the Hananiah here. The godly and ungodly are often in the same family (
Ezek 18:14-
Ezek 18:20).
Gibeon--one of the cities of the priests, to which order he must have belonged.
2 broken the yoke--I have determined to break: referring to Jeremiah's prophecy (
Jer 27:12).
3 two full years--literally, "years of days." So "a month of days," that is, all its days complete (
Gen 29:14, Margin;
Gen 41:1). It was marvellous presumption to speak so definitely without having any divine revelation.
4 bring again . . . Jeconiah--not necessarily implying that Hananiah wished Zedekiah to be superseded by Jeconiah. The main point intended was that the restoration from Babylon should be complete. But, doubtless, the false prophet foretold Jeconiah's return (
2Kgs 24:12-15), to ingratiate himself with the populace, with whom Jeconiah was a favorite (see on
Jer 22:24).
5 the prophet Jeremiah--the epithet, "the prophet," is prefixed to "Jeremiah" throughout this chapter, to correspond to the same epithet before "Hananiah"; except in
Jer 28:12, where "the prophet" has been inserted in English Version. The rival claims of the true and the false prophet are thus put in the more prominent contrast.
6 Amen--Jeremiah prays for the people, though constrained to prophesy against them (
1Kgs 1:36). The event was the appointed test between contradictory predictions (
Deut 18:21-
Deut 18:22). "Would that what you say were true!" I prefer the safety of my country even to my own estimation. The prophets had no pleasure in announcing God's judgment, but did so as a matter of stern duty, not thereby divesting themselves of their natural feelings of sorrow for their country's woe. Compare
Exod 32:32;
Rom 9:3, as instances of how God's servants, intent only on the glory of God and the salvation of the country, forgot self and uttered wishes in a state of feeling transported out of themselves. So Jeremiah wished not to diminish aught from the word of God, though as a Jew he uttered the wish for his people [CALVIN].
8 prophets . . . before me--Hosea, Joel, Amos, and others.
evil--a few manuscripts, read "famine," which is more usually associated with the specification of war and pestilence (
Jer 15:2;
Jer 18:21;
Jer 27:8,
Jer 27:13). But evil here includes all the calamities flowing from war, not merely famine, but also desolation, &c. Evil, being the more difficult reading, is less likely to be the interpolated one than famine, which probably originated in copying the parallel passages.
9 peace--Hananiah had given no warning as to the need of conversion, but had foretold prosperity unconditionally. Jeremiah does not say that all are true prophets who foretell truths in any instance (which
Deut 13:1-
Deut 13:2, disproves); but asserts only the converse, namely, that whoever, as Hananiah, predicts what the event does not confirm, is a false prophet. There are two tests of prophets: (1) The event,
Deut 18:22. (2) The word of God,
Isa 8:20.
10 the yoke-- (
Jer 27:2). Impious audacity to break what God had appointed as a solemn pledge of the fulfilment of His word. Hence Jeremiah deigns no reply (
Jer 28:11;
Matt 7:6).
11 neck of all nations--opposed to
Jer 27:7.
13 Thou hast broken . . . wood . . . thou shalt make . . . iron--Not here, "Thou hast broken . . . wood," and "I will make . . . iron" (compare
Jer 28:16). The same false prophets who, by urging the Jews to rebel, had caused them to throw off the then comparatively easy yoke of Babylon, thereby brought on them a more severe yoke imposed by that city. "Yokes of iron," alluding to
Deut 28:48. It is better to take up a light cross in our way, than to pull a heavier on our own heads. We may escape destroying providences by submitting to humbling providences. So, spiritually, contrast the "easy yoke" of Christ with the "yoke of bondage" of the law (
Acts 15:10;
Gal 5:1).
14 I have put--Though Hananiah and those like him were secondary instruments in bringing the iron yoke on Judea, God was the great First Cause (
Jer 27:4-
Jer 27:7).
15 makest . . . trust in a lie-- (
Jer 29:31;
Ezek 13:22).
16 this year . . . die--The prediction was uttered in the fifth month (
Jer 28:1); Hananiah's death took place in the seventh month, that is, within two months after the prediction, answering with awful significance to the two years in which Hananiah had foretold that the yoke imposed by Babylon would end.
rebellion--opposition to God's plain direction, that all should submit to Babylon (
Jer 29:32).