TRV
Translation
King James Version
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,
Complete Jewish Bible
but then this word of ADONAI came to Yirmeyahu, after Hananyah the prophet had broken off the crossbar from the neck of the prophet Yirmeyahu:
Berean Standard Bible
But shortly after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke off his neck, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:
American Standard Version
Then the word of Jehovah came unto Jeremiah, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the bar from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
World English Bible Messianic
Then the LORD’s word came to Jeremiah, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the bar from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
Geneva Bible (1599)
Then the word of the Lord came vnto Ieremiah the Prophet, (after that Hananiah the Prophet had broken the yoke from the necke of the Prophet Ieremiah) saying,
Young's Literal Translation
And there is a word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah after the breaking, by Hananiah the prophet, of the yoke from off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
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In the KJVVerse 19,631 of 31,102
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Commentary on Jeremiah 28 verses 10–17
10 ¶ Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah's neck, and brake it.
11 And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith 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 saith the LORD; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron.
14 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts 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 saith 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.
We have here an instance,
I. Of the insolence of the false prophet. To complete the affront he designed Jeremiah, he took the yoke from off his neck which he carried as a memorial of what he had prophesied concerning the enslaving of the nations to Nebuchadnezzar, and he broke it, that he might give a sign of the accomplishment of this prophecy, as Jeremiah had given of his, and might seem to have conquered him, and to have defeated the intention of his prophecy. See how the lying spirit, in the mouth of this false prophet, mimics the language of the Spirit of truth: Thus saith the Lord, So will I break the yoke of the king of Babylon, not only from the neck of this nation, but from the neck of all nations, within two full years. Whether by the force of a heated imagination Hananiah had persuaded himself to believe this, or whether he knew it to be false, and only persuaded them to believe it, does not appear; but it is plain that he speaks with abundance of assurance. It is no new thing for lies to be fathered upon the God of truth.
II. Of the patience of the true prophet. Jeremiah quietly went his way, and when he was reviled he reviled not again, and would not contend with one that was in the height of his fury and in the midst of the priests and people that were violently set against him. The reason why he went his way was not because he had nothing to answer, but because he was willing to stay till God was pleased to furnish him with a direct and immediate answer, which as yet he had not received. He expected that God would send a special message to Hananiah, and he would say nothing till he had received that. I, as a deaf man, heard not, for thou wilt hear, and thou shalt answer, Lord, for me. It may sometimes be our wisdom rather to retreat than to contend. Currenti cede furori - Give place unto wrath.
III. Of the justice of God in giving judgment between Jeremiah and his adversary. Jeremiah went his way, as a man in whose mouth there was no rebuke, but God soon put a word into his mouth; for he will appear for those who silently commit their cause to him. 1. The word of God, in the mouth of Jeremiah, is ratified and confirmed. Let not Jeremiah himself distrust the truth of what he had delivered in God's name because it met with such a daring opposition and contradiction. If what we have spoken be the truth of God, we must not unsay it because men gainsay it; for great is the truth and will prevail. It will stand, therefore let us stand to it, and not fear that men's unbelief or blasphemy will make it of no effect. Hananiah has broken the yokes of wood, but Jeremiah must make for them yokes of iron, which cannot be broken (Jer 28:13), for (says God) "I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, which shall lie heavier, and bind harder, upon them (Jer 28:14), that they may serve the king of Babylon, and not be able to shake off the yoke however they may struggle, for they shall serve him whether they will or no;" and who is he that can contend with God's counsel? What was said before is repeated again: I have given him the beasts of the field also, as if there were something significant in that. Men had by their wickedness made themselves like the beasts that perish, and therefore deserved to be ruled by an arbitrary power, as beasts are ruled, and such a power Nebuchadnezzar ruled with; for whom he would he slew and whom he would he kept alive. 2. Hananiah is sentenced to die for contradicting it, and Jeremiah, when he has received commission from God, boldly tells him so to his face, though before he received that commission he went away and said nothing. (1.) The crimes of which Hananiah stands convicted are cheating the people and affronting God: Thou makest this people to trust in a lie, encouraging them to hope that they shall have peace, which will make their destruction the more terrible to them when it comes; yet this was not the worst: Thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord; thou hast taught them to despise all the good counsel given them in God's name by the true prophets, and hast rendered it ineffectual. Those have a great deal to answer for who, by telling sinners that they shall have peace though they go on, harden their hearts in a contempt of the reproofs and admonitions of the word, and the means and methods God takes to bring them to repentance. (2.) The judgment given against him is, "I will cast thee off from the face of the earth, as unworthy to live upon it; thou shalt be buried in it. This year thou shalt die, and die as a rebel against the Lord, to whom death will come with a sting and a curse." This sentence was executed, Jer 28:17. Hananiah died the same year, within two months; for his prophecy is dated the fifth month (Jer 28:1) and his death the seventh. Good men may perhaps be suddenly taken off by death in the midst of their days, and in mercy to them, as Josiah was; but this being foretold as the punishment of his sin, and coming to pass accordingly, it may safely be construed as a testimony from Heaven against him and a confirmation of Jeremiah's mission. And, if the people's hearts had not been wretchedly hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, it would have prevented their being further hardened by the deceitfulness of their prophets.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–17. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 5 onwards) And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah: Listen, Hananiah: The Lord did not send you, and yet you have made this people trust in a lie. Therefore, thus says the Lord: Behold, I will send (or cast) you away from the face of the earth, you will die this year. And what follows: Because you have spoken against the Lord. And Hananiah the prophet died in that year, in the seventh month, which is not mentioned in the Septuagint. For as much as they have set him forth above: He died in the seventh month. And this Ananias is not spoken of in the Septuagint as a prophet, though the Holy Scripture of the Hebrews calls him a prophet, even though Jeremiah accuses him, saying: Hear, Ananias, the Lord has not sent you, yet thou have prophesied. For how could he call him a prophet, whom he denied to be sent by the Lord? But the truth and order of the history is preserved, as we have said, not according to what it was, but according to what it was thought to be at that time. You deceived, he says, the people with a lie, so that they would not submit to the judgments of God. Therefore, you know that you will die this year. When we die, we are released from the prisons of the body, according to that testimony, which heretics interpret wrongly: Bring my soul out of prison (Ps. 141:8): so how is death now imposed as a punishment on false prophets? But in this place it should be noted that Jeremiah, after suffering injury from a false prophet, and before receiving a direct message from the Lord, remains silent; later, however, sent by the Lord, he boldly accuses the liar and announces his impending death. And that he who usually translates the seventh month is said to rest under this number, perhaps they falsely claim that he died in the seventh month so that he may be freed from the evils of the body, according to what they quote from the writing. Death is rest for a man. But we know that the bodies of believers are temples of God, if indeed the Holy Spirit dwells in them (Sirach 22:11).
JeromeAD 420
Against Jovinianus 2.37
About four hundred years have passed since the preaching of Christ burst on the world, and during that time in which his robe has been torn by countless heresies, almost the whole body of error has been derived from the Chaldaean, Syriac and Greek languages. Basilides, the master of licentiousness and the grossest sensuality, after the lapse of so many years and like a second Euphorbus, was changed by transmigration into Jovinian, so that the Latin tongue might have a heresy of its own. Was there no other province in the whole world to receive the gospel of pleasure and into which the serpent might insinuate itself, except that which was founded by the teaching of Peter, on the rock Christ? Idol temples had fallen before the standard of the cross and the severity of the gospel. Now, on the contrary, lust and gluttony endeavor to overthrow the solid structure of the cross. And so God says by Isaiah, “O my people, they which bless you cause you to err, and trouble the paths of your feet.” Also by Jeremiah, “Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and save every one his life,” and do not believe the false prophets who say, “Peace, peace, and there is no peace,” who are always repeating, “The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.” “Your prophets have foreseen false and foolish things for you. They have not exposed your iniquity in order to call you to repentance. They devour God’s people like bread. They have not called on God. Jeremiah announced the captivity and was stoned by the people. Hananiah, the son of Azzur, broke the bars of wood for the present but was preparing bars of iron for the future. False prophets always promise pleasant things and please for a time. Truth is bitter, and those preaching it are filled with bitterness. For with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth the Lord’s Passover is kept, and it is eaten with bitter herbs.
JeromeAD 420
SIX BOOKS ON JEREMIAH 5:60.2-4
The Septuagint does not translate “two years,” nor does it call Hananiah a “prophet,” lest it appear to name someone a prophet who was in fact no prophet, as if not many persons in sacred Scripture were named in accordance with the opinion of the time in which they lived or according to the truth of the matter. But Joseph is called the father of the Lord. And Mary, who knew that she had conceived by the Holy Spirit (responding to the angel, “How can this be, since I have never known a man?”), asked her son, “Son, why have you treated us this way? Your father and I have been looking for you desperately.” The prudence, humility and patience of Jeremiah must also be considered. When the pseudo-prophet damaged and broke the yoke around Jeremiah’s neck, which he was not able to do with iron, Jeremiah remained silent and concealed his pain. For what he should say was not yet revealed to him by the Lord, so that sacred Scripture would demonstrate tacitly that a prophet never speaks only on his own decision but also by the will of the Lord, most especially regarding future events, which are known to God alone. Jeremiah departed, it says, and went on his way as though he were well, thus fulfilling the prophecy: “I have become like a person who hears nothing and has no rebukes in his mouth.”
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 28:12 marks a pivotal moment in the dramatic confrontation between the true prophet Jeremiah and the false prophet Hananiah, signaling the immediate and authoritative divine response to Hananiah's audacious act. This verse records the precise moment when the Lord's word came to Jeremiah, directly following Hananiah's public breaking of the symbolic wooden yoke from Jeremiah's neck. It underscores God's unwavering commitment to His prophetic truth, setting the stage for a profound demonstration of His sovereign will and the stark contrast between divine revelation and human deception.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Jeremiah 28:12 is strategically placed at a critical juncture within the larger narrative of Jeremiah chapter 28, which meticulously details the intense prophetic showdown between Jeremiah and Hananiah. Prior to this verse, Jeremiah had been divinely commissioned to wear a wooden yoke as a tangible, visual prophecy of Judah's impending servitude to Babylon for seventy years, a message reiterated in Jeremiah 27:2-7. Hananiah, a popular prophet, directly contradicted Jeremiah's unpopular message, prophesying an imminent end to Babylonian dominion and the swift return of the temple vessels within two years, as seen in Jeremiah 28:2-4. In a dramatic public spectacle, Hananiah seized the yoke from Jeremiah's neck and shattered it, declaring that God would similarly break the yoke of Babylon from all nations, a scene vividly described in Jeremiah 28:10-11. Jeremiah's initial response to this public challenge was to depart, but this verse explicitly states that God did not leave Hananiah's challenge unanswered. The subsequent verses, Jeremiah 28:13-17, reveal God's definitive counter-prophecy, replacing the broken wooden yoke with an unbreakable iron one and pronouncing severe judgment, including death, upon Hananiah for speaking rebellion against the Lord.
Historical & Cultural Context: The events of Jeremiah 28 unfold in Jerusalem around 594-593 BC, a period of profound political and spiritual upheaval for the Kingdom of Judah. This was after the first Babylonian deportation in 597 BC, which had seen King Jehoiachin and many prominent citizens exiled to Babylon. King Zedekiah, a vassal king, now ruled in Jerusalem, navigating the precarious reality of Babylonian suzerainty. In this volatile environment, prophets held immense cultural and religious authority, often serving as advisors to kings and interpreters of divine will for the populace. There was a pervasive longing for messages of liberation and restoration, making prophets like Hananiah, who offered comforting predictions of imminent deliverance, immensely popular. Jeremiah's message of submission to Babylon was deeply unpopular and often perceived as unpatriotic, even treasonous. The act of wearing a yoke was a universally understood and potent visual symbol in an agrarian society, representing servitude, labor, and submission to authority. Hananiah's public breaking of the yoke was therefore not merely a symbolic gesture but a direct, theatrical challenge to Jeremiah's divine authority and message, meticulously designed to rally the people against Jeremiah's unpopular prophecy and rekindle hope for immediate deliverance from Babylonian oppression.
Key Themes: This pivotal verse significantly contributes to several overarching themes prevalent in the book of Jeremiah and biblical prophecy as a whole. Firstly, it powerfully underscores the theme of Divine Authority vs. False Prophecy. The immediate and decisive divine response to Hananiah's act highlights that God's word is not subject to human manipulation, contradiction, or popular opinion. It serves to sharply distinguish between genuine revelation from the Lord and human-concocted messages, even when cloaked in religious language and delivered by someone claiming the title of "prophet." Secondly, it reinforces God's Unchanging Decree and Sovereignty. Hananiah's audacious attempt to annul God's prophecy through a symbolic act proved utterly futile; God's plans and judgments, once declared, are immutable and will be executed regardless of human resistance or wishful thinking. This demonstrates God's absolute control over nations and historical events, as seen in His decree concerning Nebuchadnezzar's dominion. Thirdly, the verse introduces the dire Consequences of Deception and Rebellion against God's Word. Hananiah's actions were not merely a theological disagreement but an act of rebellion against the Lord's established will as communicated through His true prophet. The subsequent judgment on Hananiah, detailed in Jeremiah 28:15-17, serves as a stark warning against misleading God's people and speaking falsely in His name, a principle echoed in Deuteronomy 18:20-22.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 28:12 employs several potent literary devices to heighten the drama and theological significance of the confrontation. Symbolism is paramount, with the "yoke" serving as a central and evolving symbol. Initially, the wooden yoke symbolizes the divinely ordained servitude of Judah to Babylon, a burden God has imposed for their persistent sin. Hananiah's breaking of it is an act of symbolic rebellion, representing a false promise of immediate liberation. The subsequent divine response of replacing it with an "iron yoke" (Jeremiah 28:13-14) amplifies this symbolism, indicating a heavier, unbreakable burden due to disobedience. There is also a clear Contrast established between the true prophet Jeremiah and the false prophet Hananiah, highlighted by their opposing messages and the ultimate divine validation of one over the other. The recurring phrase "the word of the LORD came" signifies Divine Intervention and Direct Speech, emphasizing that God Himself is entering the narrative to resolve the prophetic dispute, thereby validating Jeremiah's authority and definitively discrediting Hananiah. This direct intervention also creates a powerful sense of Dramatic Irony, as Hananiah's act, intended to negate Jeremiah's prophecy and secure popular favor, ultimately triggers a more severe and undeniable confirmation of God's original decree and brings about his own demise.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 28:12 profoundly illustrates God's unwavering commitment to His revealed word and His absolute sovereignty over human affairs, even in the face of direct challenge and popular opposition. It teaches us that divine truth cannot be broken, negated, or manipulated by human will, wishful thinking, or popular sentiment. The immediate and decisive divine response to Hananiah's act underscores that God does not tolerate false prophecy or rebellion against His appointed messengers and their authentic messages. This event serves as a powerful biblical case study for discerning true from false prophecy, emphasizing that genuine prophecy aligns with God's unchanging character, His established word, and ultimately comes to pass. It also highlights the pervasive danger of seeking comforting lies over difficult truths, a temptation that plagued ancient Judah and continues to challenge believers in every generation. God's swift judgment on Hananiah is a stark reminder that speaking falsely in the Lord's name carries severe consequences, as it misleads God's people, undermines His authority, and brings divine displeasure.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 28:12 calls contemporary believers to a profound level of spiritual discernment and unwavering integrity. In an age saturated with information, competing narratives, and diverse spiritual claims, it is more crucial than ever to test all teachings, prophecies, and claims against the unchanging, authoritative truth of God's Word. We must cultivate a deep and abiding familiarity with Scripture, allowing it to be the ultimate plumb line for truth, rather than relying on popular opinion, charismatic personalities, emotional appeals, or messages that merely affirm our desires. This verse challenges us to embrace difficult truths, even when they are unpopular, demand personal sacrifice, or contradict prevailing cultural norms, trusting implicitly in God's ultimate wisdom and sovereign plan. It urges us to be acutely wary of those who promise easy solutions, immediate prosperity, or liberation from all burdens without calling for repentance, obedience, and alignment with God's revealed will. For those in positions of spiritual leadership, it serves as a sobering reminder of the immense responsibility to speak only what God has truly spoken, understanding the severe consequences of misleading His flock. For all believers, it is a call to stand firm on the truth, even when it means standing alone or enduring hardship, knowing that God's word, unlike fleeting human words, will never be broken or fail.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was Jeremiah wearing a literal yoke, and what did it symbolize?
Answer: Jeremiah was wearing a literal wooden yoke as a powerful, tangible visual aid to his prophetic message, a common practice among ancient prophets to embody their pronouncements. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, a yoke was a universally recognized symbol of servitude, arduous labor, and submission to authority. By wearing it, Jeremiah was enacting God's solemn decree that Judah and surrounding nations would be subjected to the rule of Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar for a period of seventy years, a message clearly articulated in Jeremiah 27:6-8. It symbolized the heavy burden of foreign domination and divine judgment that Judah would experience due to their persistent sin and rebellion against the Lord. Hananiah's act of publicly breaking this yoke was a direct, theatrical rejection of God's message, promising a false, immediate liberation that contradicted divine truth.
What happened to Hananiah after he broke the yoke?
Answer: After Hananiah broke the wooden yoke, God responded decisively and swiftly. Through Jeremiah, the Lord declared that Hananiah's act of breaking the wooden yoke would be replaced by an even heavier, unbreakable iron yoke, symbolizing a more severe and unyielding servitude to Babylon, as detailed in Jeremiah 28:13-14. Furthermore, because Hananiah had spoken rebellion against the Lord and misled the people with a false message of peace and deliverance, God pronounced a severe personal judgment upon him: he would die within the year. Indeed, Hananiah died in the seventh month of that very year, serving as a clear and undeniable testament to the truth of Jeremiah's prophecy and the dire consequences of false prophecy and rebellion against the Lord, as recorded in Jeremiah 28:15-17.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 28:12, with its profound emphasis on the "word of the LORD" and the symbolic "yoke," finds its ultimate and most complete Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the quintessential "Word of the LORD" made flesh, the perfect, final, and authoritative revelation of God to humanity, as profoundly articulated in John 1:1 and John 1:14. Unlike Hananiah's deceptive and ultimately broken words, Christ's words are eternally true, immutable, and cannot be broken or contradicted; they are "spirit and life" and the very words of eternal life (John 6:63, John 6:68). The dramatic confrontation between Jeremiah and Hananiah foreshadows the ultimate conflict between Christ's liberating truth and the deceptive messages and burdensome legalisms of the world. While the yoke in Jeremiah's time symbolized a crushing burden of judgment and servitude due to sin, Christ offers a radically different, redemptive yoke: "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:29-30). He fulfills the need for a true prophet, delivering God's perfect message of salvation and redemption, and replaces the crushing burden of sin and legalism with a liberating relationship of grace. Through His ultimate sacrifice on the cross, Christ breaks the spiritual yoke of sin and death, offering true freedom that no false prophet could ever provide (Galatians 5:1). His death was the ultimate act of bearing a yoke – the immense burden of humanity's sin – so that all who believe might be set free from condemnation and enter into His glorious rest.