The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 28 Jeremiah's struggle with the false prophet Hananiah

 The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 28

Jeremiah's struggle with the false prophet Hananiah

1 In the same year, at 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 from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord in the sight of the priests and all the people, saying:

2 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

3 After two full years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took from this place and carried to Babylon.

4 I will also bring back to this place Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the Lord, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

5 Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Hananiah the prophet in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord.

6 Jeremiah the prophet said, “Amen! May the Lord do so. May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied and bring back to this place the vessels of the house of the Lord and all the exiles from Babylon.

7 But now listen to this message I am giving you and all the people:

8 The prophets who preceded me and you long ago prophesied war, disaster and pestilence against many lands and great kingdoms.

9 The prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes true, then he shall be known by him whom the Lord has truly sent.

10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it.

11 And Hananiah spoke in the sight of all the people, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Thus I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations after two full years.’” And Jeremiah the prophet went his way.

12 But the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

13 “Go and speak to Hananiah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “You have broken wooden yokes, but in their place you shall make yokes of iron.”’”

14 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put an iron yoke on the neck of all these nations, to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they shall serve him; and I have even given him the beasts of the field.

15 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, “Hear now, Hananiah: The Lord has not sent you, but you have made this people trust in a lie.

16 Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I will cast you from the face of the earth; this year you shall die, because you have spoken rebellion against the Lord.”

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