Jeremiah
Chapter 28
Jeremiah and Hananiah
The prophet Hananiah spoke to me early during King Zedekiah of Judah’s reign, in the fifth month of the fourth year. Hananiah, son of Azzur from Gibeon, declared in the Lord’s house in front of the priests and the people:
“This is what the Lord the God of Hosts and the God of Israel says: I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.
Within two years, I will return to this place all the objects King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took away from the Lord’s house and carried to Babylon.
I will likewise bring back Jeconiah, son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all who were taken from Judah and deported to Babylon. For I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon—word of the Lord.”
Then Jeremiah responded to Hananiah in front of the priests and everyone else:
“So be it! May the Lord fulfill the words you have spoken and bring back from Babylon to this place the objects taken from the house of the Lord and all the exiles.
Yet hear now what I say in your hearing and the hearing of all the people.
The prophets who came before you and me continually prophesied war, disaster, and plague to many nations and great kingdoms.
So the prophet who prophesies peace will not be recognized as truly sent by the Lord until his predictions are fulfilled.”
Then, Hananiah broke the yoke from Jeremiah’s neck.
Hananiah proclaimed in the presence of all the people: “TThen Jeremiah, the prophet, went on his way.he Lord says this: In the same manner, within two years, will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar from the necks of all the nations.”
Some time later, a word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:
“Go and tell this to Hananiah: This is what the Lord says: You have broken a wooden yoke but, in its place, you will get an iron yoke.
For this is what the Lord, the God of Hosts and the God of Israel, says: I am placing a yoke of iron on the neck of all the nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.”
Then Jeremiah said to Hananiah: Listen! Hananiah, you have not been sent by the Lord, yet you have deceived these people by giving them false hope with your lies.
That is why the Lord says about you: I am removing you from the face of the earth. You will die this very year because you have counseled rebellion against the Lord.
And in the seventh month of that year, Hananiah died.
Commentaries
Jeremiah and Hananiah.
The confrontation between a true prophet and a false one. Jeremiah explains to the people the criteria for discerning whether a prophet is genuine (8-9). Ananias shortens the seventy years of exile prophesied by Jeremiah to two (Jr 25:11-12; 29:10). Jeremiah wishes for Ananias’ prediction to come true, but the reality is different, and although it is harsh, it must be accepted. Jeremiah faces public humiliation when Ananias, in a fit of rage, breaks his wooden yoke and leaves silently (11-12). Inspired by God, he returns to discredit Ananias and predicts his death, which happens only two months later, confirming the accuracy of his prophecy.