28
Hananiah’s False Prophecy
1 In the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year and the fifth month, the [false] prophet Hananiah the son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon [one of the priests’ cities], spoke [without godly authority] to me in the house of the Loʀᴅ in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying:
2 “Thus says the Loʀᴅ of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
3 Within two years I am going to bring back to this place all the articles of the Loʀᴅ’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon.
4 And I will also bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, along with all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ says the Loʀᴅ, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’ ” [Jer 22:10, 24-27; 52:34]
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who stood in the house of the Loʀᴅ,
6 and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the Loʀᴅ do so; may the Loʀᴅ confirm and fulfill your words which you have prophesied to bring back the articles of the Loʀᴅ’s house and all the captives, from Babylon to this place.
7 Nevertheless, listen now to this word which I am about to speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people!
8 The prophets who were before me and before you from ancient times prophesied against many lands and against great kingdoms, of war and of disaster and of virulent disease.
9 But as for the prophet who [on the contrary] prophesies of peace, when that prophet’s word comes to pass, [only] then will it be known that the Loʀᴅ has truly sent him.”
10 Then Hananiah the [false] prophet took the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and smashed it.
11 Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Thus says the Loʀᴅ, ‘Even so within two full years I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations.’ ” Then the prophet Jeremiah went his way.
12 The word of the Loʀᴅ came to Jeremiah [some time] after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
13 “Go and tell Hananiah, ‘The Loʀᴅ says this, “You have broken yokes of wood, but you have made in their place bars of iron.”
14 For thus says the Loʀᴅ of hosts, the God of Israel, “I have put the iron yoke [of servitude] on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they will serve him. And I have even given him the beasts of the field.” ’ ” [Jer 27:6, 7]
15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen now, Hananiah, the Loʀᴅ has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie.
16 Therefore thus says the Loʀᴅ, ‘Behold, I am about to send you away from the face of the earth. This year you will die, because you have spoken and counseled rebellion against the Loʀᴅ.’ ”
17 So Hananiah the [false] prophet died [two months later], the same year, in the seventh month.