Jer 28:3 | KingComments | STEP | From it is clear that the first verse of the previous chapter also concerns the kingship of Zedekiah ( ). In the fourth year of Zedekiah, a false prophet, Hananiah, appears. This man comes from Gibeon, a place with a religious history. There the tabernacle stood in the last days of David and the first days of Solomon. This place has tradition. Hananiah dares to utter the false prophecy in the Name of the LORD of hosts that the LORD will soon break the yoke of the king of Babylon ( ). He does so “in the presence of the priests and all the people”. With his false prophecy he influences both the religious leaders and the common people. In doing so, he places a great responsibility on himself. What he says completely contradicts what Jeremiah, the prophet from Anathoth, spoke in the Name of the LORD. As a result, the people are faced with two opposing messages, both spoken in the Name of the LORD. What are they to believe? They do not believe the words of the LORD, but the message that pleases them most, the message of a speedy restoration. Possibly the occasion is the covenant Zedekiah made with other nations to defend themselves jointly against Babylon ( ). Human efforts to free themselves from a yoke appeal to them more than humbling themselves before the LORD. Hananiah is even bold enough to say that within two full years the LORD will bring all the vessels of the temple back to Jerusalem from Babylon ( ). He emphasizes the time element by mentioning that first. He also predicts the return of Jeconiah and all the exiles ( ). This too he does in the Name of the LORD. This shows that his preference and also that of the people is for Jeconiah over Zedekiah. Once again he pronounces it that the LORD will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

‏ Jeremiah 28:3

Hananiah Contradicts Jeremiah

From Jer 28:1 it is clear that the first verse of the previous chapter also concerns the kingship of Zedekiah (Jer 27:1). In the fourth year of Zedekiah, a false prophet, Hananiah, appears. This man comes from Gibeon, a place with a religious history. There the tabernacle stood in the last days of David and the first days of Solomon. This place has tradition.

Hananiah dares to utter the false prophecy in the Name of the LORD of hosts that the LORD will soon break the yoke of the king of Babylon (Jer 28:2). He does so “in the presence of the priests and all the people”. With his false prophecy he influences both the religious leaders and the common people. In doing so, he places a great responsibility on himself.

What he says completely contradicts what Jeremiah, the prophet from Anathoth, spoke in the Name of the LORD. As a result, the people are faced with two opposing messages, both spoken in the Name of the LORD. What are they to believe? They do not believe the words of the LORD, but the message that pleases them most, the message of a speedy restoration. Possibly the occasion is the covenant Zedekiah made with other nations to defend themselves jointly against Babylon (Jer 27:3). Human efforts to free themselves from a yoke appeal to them more than humbling themselves before the LORD.

Hananiah is even bold enough to say that within two full years the LORD will bring all the vessels of the temple back to Jerusalem from Babylon (Jer 28:3). He emphasizes the time element by mentioning that first. He also predicts the return of Jeconiah and all the exiles (Jer 28:4). This too he does in the Name of the LORD. This shows that his preference and also that of the people is for Jeconiah over Zedekiah. Once again he pronounces it that the LORD will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.