Jeremiah 28

Jeremiah 28:1-9

We have here, (1.) Hananiah’s false prophecy, in opposition to what Jeremiah had said, who breaks the yoke which was over Jeremiah’s neck, as a sign of the feeling the yoke of the king of Babylon, ver. 2—a. 10, 11. (2). Jeremiah declares his wife it were true, but assures them it was false, ver. 5—9, and reads the deem of the people, ver. 12, 14, and of the prophet, ver. 15, 17: which received a speedy accomplishment.

1. AND it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which seat of Gibeon, (pake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests, and of all the people, saying, 2. Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3. Within + two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD’s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon. 4. And I will bring again to this place, Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the 2 captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, faith the LORD; see I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. 5. Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that

stood in the house of the LORD. 6. Even the prophet Jeremiah said, ‘Amen: the LORD do so, the LORD perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the LORD’s house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon unto this place. 7. Nevertheless, hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people, 8. The prophets that have been before me, and before thee of old, prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence. 9. The prophet which prophesied of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him.

The date of this prophecy is the fourth of Zedekiah, called the beginning of his reign, or the former part, it continuing seven years longer; he because in this year he paid a visit to the king of Babylon, and received, as some fugget, a forth in-vestiture of his dominions, with considerable additions of territory, chap. li. 50, or, as others, the fourth from the Sabbatical year; though the first sense seems most natural.

We have here the struggle between a false and true prophet.

1. Hananiah, the son of Azur, a false prophet, in the Lord’s house, in the presence of the priests and people, undertook to contradict all that Jeremiah had spoken, and, along the solemn preface of Thus faith the Lord, the God of Israel, as if he spoke by inspiration from him, confidently asserts, both that the Babylonish yoke should be broken, the vessels of the sanctuary restored, and the captive king Jeconiah, with all the prisoners, return from Babylon to Judea; and fixen the iron, unthin two full years. Note, The smooth tongues of lying prophets never speak reproof, but flattery. By this ye shall know them.

2. Jeremiah heard him, and immediately replies. Warn in his country’s interest, he wished nothing more ardently than its prosperity, and therefore asks his deem, the Lord do so, the Lord perform the words which thou hast spoken; as, if the Lord so pleased, he could be content to be counted a false prophet for the sake of his brethren; to unjust were all their calumnies against him, as if he desired the ruin of the nation. Though some suppose he spoke these words ironically, fully sure, as the next words shew, of the determined destruction coming upon them; and therefore appeals to the event to prove the falsehood of Hananiah’s assertion. He reminds him, before the people, how the prophets who were before their days spoke, all of whom, to a man, had denounced God’s judgments against that and the neighbouring lands; such as Isaiah, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Micah, Nahum, v. 8. it was therefore rather a presumption in Jeremiah’s favour, who corresponded with them herein, that he had drank at the same fountain of inspiration; whereas the prophet, which prophesieth of peace, as Hananiah had done, and unconditionally, without any calls to repentance, was much to be suspected, that he sought to pluck men; and at least the event of the prediction should be waited for ere his claim to a divine mission should be admitted.

3. Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and brake it. 11. And Hananiah’s brake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus faith the LORD, Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way. 12. Then the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the prophet (after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah) saying, 13. Go, and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus faith the LORD, Thou hast broken the yoke of wood, but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron. 14. For thus faith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all their nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they shall serve him; and I have given him the beads of the field also. 15. Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah, The LORD hath not sent thee, but thou makest this people to trust in a lie. 16. Therefore thus faith the LORD, Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught + rebellion against the LORD. 17. So Hananiah the prophet died the same year, in the seventh month.

Jeremiah 28:10-17

Enraged with such a reply,

1. Hananiah forces the yoke which Jeremiah wore, in token of the subjection of the nations by Nebuchadnezzar, and, plucking it from his neck, broke it in the presence of all the people, impiously

IV

imploidy and daringly adding this explication, which he pre-faces with, thus faith the Lord; is will I broad the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within two full years. Note, (1.) Fallehood advanced with solemnity and confidence, often gains regard. (2.) Many dare affirm that to be God’s truth, which shortly will be found a lie to their own damnation.

2. Jeremiah went his way, disdaining to contend with him; or abhorning his profanents; or withdrawing himself from the rage he saw kindling; or patiently fitting down under these reproaches; or to wait an answer from God.

3. He is first back with a fearful message. Probably the same day, perhaps the same hour, whilst the people were yet assembled before the temple, and Hananiah triumphing, as if the day was his own; but short is the triumphing of the wicked. So far should the nations be from breaking the yoke of the king of Babylon, as Hananiah had broken the yoke of wood, that it should grow more rigorous and severe, a yoke of iron; all efforts to shake it off would be fruitless, and all the foregoing prophecies, chap. xxviii. 6. be to a little fulfilled. Such is the nation’s doom. But Hananiah hath a burden peculiarly his own, the punishment of his atrocious crimes. He had pretended a commotion from God, and with his name given sanction to his own lies; he had led the people with a delusive hope, to ruffle on their defraudism; and above all, had taught rebellion against God, encouraging them to reject the warnings of the true prophets, and despite the divine admonitions, for which crimes he is doomed to death by the immediate judgment of God, within the course of that very year, which was within two months fulfilled; for he died in the seventh month, and this was the fifth: and in his doom the people might have read the certainty of their own, and the truth of all Jeremiah had spoken, but their foolish hearts were darkened. Note, (1.) God will not suffer his prophets to be inflicted with impunity. (2.) More may expect heavier judgment, than they who are hinderers of the word of God, and seek to prejudice men’s minds against the faithful ministers of it. (3.) That sudden death is terrible indeed, which comes from God in a way of judgment.