Jeremiah 28:1-17

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“Hananiah the son of Azzur,” a prophet from the Benjamite city of Gibeon (identified with a site about six miles [c. 9.5 kilometers] north of Jerusalem) prophesied at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah. At the “house of YHWH” or in the temple precincts, he (the “false prophet” [LXX]) spoke to Jeremiah “before the eyes” or in the presence of the “priests and all the people” who were there. It was then the fourth year of Zedekiah’s rule, and the fifth month (mid-July to mid-August) of that year, or about seven years before the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign (commonly dated as having taken place in 586/587 BCE). (28:1 [35:1, LXX]) The words of Hananiah contradicted the prophesying of Jeremiah. He declared, “Thus says YHWH of hosts [the God with hosts of angels in his service], the God of Israel, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.” (28:2 [35:2, LXX]) “Within two years of days [or two complete years], I will bring back to this place [Jerusalem] all the vessels of the house [or temple] of YHWH that Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon took from this place and brought to Babylon.” (28:3 [35:3, LXX]) “And Jeconiah [Jehoiachin] the son of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon I will bring back to this place [Jerusalem], says YHWH, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.” (28:4 [35:4, LXX])

With apparent irony, Jeremiah responded to Hananiah the prophet “before the eyes” or in the presence of the “priests and before the eyes of all the people who were standing in the house of YHWH” or in the temple precincts [28:5 [35:5, LXX]; see the Notes section), and said, “Amen [so be it]! May YHWH do so. May YHWH make your words that you have prophesied come true, bringing back from Babylon to this place the vessels of the house [or temple] of YHWH and all the exiles.” (28:6 [35:6, LXX]) “But hear now this word [or message] that I speak in your ears [or your hearing] and in the ears of all the people” (the people who were there in the temple precincts). (28:7 [35:7, LXX])

Jeremiah pointed out that long before his time and that of his contemporaries prophets prophesied against “many lands and great kingdoms, of war and of evil [famine, according to many Hebrew manuscripts] and of pestilence.” Their prophetic words indicated the these lands and kingdoms would face wars of conquest and the accompanying calamities, including infectious disease. The Septuagint mentions only “war.” (28:8 [35:8, LXX])

Jeremiah explained that, when the “prophet prophesies of peace,” not military invasion and conquest, and his “word” or message comes true, that prophet becomes known as one whom YHWH had sent (“in faithfulness” [LXX] or for a certainty). (28:9 [35:9, LXX]) “Hananiah the prophet [before the eyes of all the people (LXX) or in the sight or presence of all the people there] then took the yoke bar [collars or bonds (LXX)] from off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it [them (LXX)].” (28:10 [35:10, LXX]) “And before the eyes of all the people” or in their sight or presence, Hananiah said, “Thus says YHWH, Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon within two years of days [or twocomplete years] from off the neck of all the nations” (the ones that were then subject to him). Thereafter “Jeremiah the prophet went on his way.” (28:11 [35:11, LXX])

“After Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke bar [collars or bonds (LXX)] from off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet,” the “word” or message from YHWH revealed what would happen to Hananiah (28:12 [35:12, LXX]) “Go [Jeremiah] and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus says YHWH, Wooden yoke bars [collars or bonds (LXX)] you have broken and you will make [I (the Lord) will make (LXX)] bars [collars or bonds (LXX)] of iron instead.” This suggested that the servitude to King Nebuchadnezzar would be even harsher than it had been. (28:13 [35:13, LXX]) “For thus says YHWH of hosts [the God with hosts of angels in his service], the God of Israel, An iron yoke I have put upon the neck of all these nations [against whom punitive judgment had been expressed].” That yoke meant that they would be in servitude to the king of Babylon. They would have to serve (or be subject to) him, and even the “beasts of the field” would be given to him. The fact that YHWH would give Nebuchadnezzar the wild animals indicated that the monarch’s absolute control would be over everything in his domain. (28:1 [35:14, LXX]; see the Notes section.) Jeremiah the prophet reproved the prophet Hananiah, telling him that YHWH had not sent him and that he had been guilty of making the people trust in a falsehood. (28:15 [35:15, LXX]) He then announced YHWH’s judgment. “Therefore, thus says YHWH, Look, I will remove you from the face of the ground,” making you cease to reside on the land. “This year you will die, for you have spoken rebellion against YHWH.” (28:16 [35:16, LXX]) That very year, “in the seventh month” (mid-September to mid-October), Hananiah the prophet died. (28:17 [35:17, LXX])

Notes

In verse 5 of chapter 35, the Septuagint refers to the people first and then the priests as the ones “standing in the house of the Lord.”

The Septuagint begins verse 14 of chapter 35 with the words, “For thus said the Lord.” It contains no reference to beasts or wild animals.