Jeremiah 28:10

¶ Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah's neck, and brake it.

Then Hananiah {H2608} the prophet {H5030} took {H3947} the yoke {H4133} from off the prophet {H5030} Jeremiah's {H3414} neck {H6677}, and brake {H7665} it.

At this point Hananyah the prophet took the crossbar off the prophet Yirmeyahu's neck and broke it.

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

Then Hananiah the prophet took the bar from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and brake it.

Commentary

Jeremiah 28:10 KJV describes a pivotal moment in the dramatic confrontation between the prophet Jeremiah and the false prophet Hananiah. This verse illustrates Hananiah's bold, physical act of defiance against God's true message, as delivered by Jeremiah.

Context

In the preceding chapters, Jeremiah had been commanded by God to wear a wooden yoke around his neck as a powerful visual prophecy, symbolizing Judah's impending servitude to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (see Jeremiah 27:2). This was a message of divine judgment and a call for submission to God's ordained path, even if it meant temporary hardship.

However, Hananiah, a popular prophet of the time, contradicted Jeremiah's message, proclaiming a swift end to Babylonian dominion and the return of the temple vessels and exiles within two years (Jeremiah 28:2-4). In this verse, Hananiah physically takes the symbolic yoke from Jeremiah's neck and breaks it in front of the priests and all the people, publicly asserting the immediate reversal of God's declared judgment.

Key Themes

  • Conflict of Prophetic Authority: This verse highlights the direct clash between God's true message, delivered through Jeremiah, and a popular but false message from Hananiah. It sets the stage for discerning genuine prophecy from deceptive assurances.
  • Symbolism of the Yoke: The act of breaking the yoke was a dramatic, symbolic gesture. For Hananiah, it represented the immediate breaking of Babylon's power and Judah's freedom. For Jeremiah, it represented a dangerous rejection of God's will and a false hope that would lead to greater disaster.
  • Testing of Prophecy: This public confrontation served as a real-time test of who spoke for God. Hananiah's act, while comforting to the people, was a direct challenge to the Lord's word, and its truthfulness would soon be revealed by events.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "yoke" is motah (מֹטָה), which commonly refers to a wooden bar used to harness animals for work or to carry burdens. In a metaphorical sense, it powerfully conveys servitude, oppression, or divine discipline. The verb "brake" is shabar (שָׁבַר), meaning to break, shatter, or destroy. Hananiah's action was a forceful, definitive public repudiation of Jeremiah's message, designed to convey immediate and complete liberation.

Reflection and Application

Jeremiah 28:10 offers profound lessons for believers today:

  • Discerning Truth: We are constantly faced with voices offering easy solutions or comforting predictions that may contradict God's revealed Word. This account serves as a timeless warning against those who prophesy "peace, peace" when there is no true peace, urging us to test all prophecies and teachings against Scripture (see 1 John 4:1).
  • Trusting God's Sovereignty: God's plan, even when it involves hardship, waiting, or difficult truths, is ultimately righteous and true. Hananiah's broken yoke offered a quick fix, but God's plan, though seemingly harsh, was designed for Judah's ultimate good and purification.
  • The Cost of Falsehood: Hananiah's actions led to his own demise, as Jeremiah later prophesied that he would die within the year for speaking rebellion against the Lord (Jeremiah 28:15). Indeed, Hananiah died two months later (Jeremiah 28:17), confirming Jeremiah's prophecy and the truth of God's word.

This verse reminds us of the serious nature of prophetic ministry and the importance of clinging to God's unvarnished truth, even when it is unpopular or challenging.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 27:2

    Thus saith the LORD to me; Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck,

  • Jeremiah 28:4

    And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the LORD: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

  • 1 Kings 22:11

    And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.

  • 1 Kings 22:24

    But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?

  • 1 Kings 22:25

    And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

  • Malachi 3:13

    ¶ Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken [so much] against thee?

  • Jeremiah 28:2

    Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
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