Jeremiah 28

Hananiah’s False Prophecy

1Now in the same year, 1in the beginning of the reign of 2Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, 3Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was from 4Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying, 2“5Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3Within two years I am going to bring back to this place 6all the vessels of the Lord’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. 4I am 7also going to bring back to this place 8Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the 9exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will break the 10yoke of the king of Babylon.’”

5Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and in the presence of all the people who were standing in the 11house of the Lord, 6and the prophet Jeremiah said, “12Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord 13confirm your words which you have prophesied to bring back the vessels of the Lord’s house and all the exiles, from Babylon to this place. 7Yet 14hear now this word which I am about to speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people! 8The prophets who were before me and before you from ancient times 15prophesied against many lands and against great kingdoms, of war and of calamity and of pestilence. 9The prophet who prophesies of peace, 16when the word of the prophet comes to pass, then that prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent.”

10Then Hananiah the prophet took the 17yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it. 11Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “18Thus says the Lord, ‘Even so will I break within two full years the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations.’” Then the prophet Jeremiah went his way.

12The 19word of the Lord came to Jeremiah after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 13“Go and speak to Hananiah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, “You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made instead of them 20yokes of iron.” 14For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “I have put a 21yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they will 22serve him. And 23I have also given him the beasts of the field.”’” 15Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and 24you have made this people trust in a lie. 16Therefore thus says the Lord, ‘25Behold, I am about to 26remove you from the face of the earth. This year you are going to 27die, because you have 2829counseled rebellion against the Lord.’”

17So Hananiah the prophet died in the same year in the seventh month.