Jeremiah 28:15

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.

Then said {H559} the prophet {H5030} Jeremiah {H3414} unto Hananiah {H2608} the prophet {H5030}, Hear {H8085} now, Hananiah {H2608}; The LORD {H3068} hath not sent {H7971} thee; but thou makest this people {H5971} to trust {H982} in a lie {H8267}.

Then the prophet Yirmeyahu said to Hananyah the prophet, "Listen here, Hananyah! ADONAI has not sent you! You are making these people trust in a lie!

Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD did not send you, but you have persuaded this people to trust in a lie.

Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah: Jehovah hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.

Jeremiah 28:15 captures a pivotal moment in the Old Testament, a direct confrontation between the true prophet of God, Jeremiah, and the false prophet, Hananiah. In this verse, Jeremiah unequivocally declares that Hananiah's comforting message of peace and swift deliverance from Babylonian captivity is not from the LORD, but rather a dangerous fabrication leading the people astray.

Context

This verse is set during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, around 593 BC, during the reign of King Zedekiah. The nation was under Babylonian dominion, and many had already been exiled. Jeremiah had been prophesying for years that Judah's submission to Babylon was God's will and that the exile would last seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11). To symbolize this, Jeremiah wore a wooden yoke on his neck (Jeremiah 27:2). Hananiah, on the other hand, publicly contradicted Jeremiah, prophesying that the yoke of Babylon would be broken within two years and that the exiled temple vessels and people would return. In a dramatic act before priests and all the people, Hananiah broke Jeremiah's wooden yoke (Jeremiah 28:10-11). Jeremiah's response in verse 15 is a forceful and divinely inspired rebuttal to Hananiah's deceptive prophecy.

Key Themes

  • True vs. False Prophecy: This confrontation highlights the ongoing biblical theme of discerning true prophets from false ones. Jeremiah's message, though unpopular, was from God, while Hananiah's popular message was a lie.
  • Divine Authority: Jeremiah's powerful statement, "The LORD hath not sent thee," underscores that genuine prophetic authority comes solely from God. Without divine commission, any claim to speak for God is illegitimate and dangerous.
  • The Danger of Deception: Hananiah's prophecy was not merely mistaken; it was a "lie" that caused the people to "trust in a lie." This false hope prevented them from accepting God's difficult truth and preparing for the realities of their situation, potentially leading to greater suffering.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "sent" is shalach (שָׁלַח), which implies divine commission and authority. When Jeremiah states, "The LORD hath not sent thee," he is directly challenging Hananiah's claim to be a messenger of God, asserting that Hananiah lacks this crucial divine authorization. The word translated "lie" is sheqer (שֶׁקֶר), which denotes falsehood, deceit, or emptiness. It is often used in a religious context to describe false gods, false oaths, or, as here, false prophecies. It emphasizes the deceptive and baseless nature of Hananiah's pronouncements, contrasting sharply with the reliability of God's truth.

Related Scriptures

  • The criteria for identifying false prophets are detailed in Deuteronomy 18:20-22, where a prophet whose word does not come true is identified as speaking presumptuously.
  • Jeremiah frequently warns against false prophets and their lies; see, for example, Jeremiah 14:14.
  • The immediate consequence for Hananiah is detailed in the very next verse, where God declares Hananiah will die within the year.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 28:15 offers a timeless warning for all generations. It calls believers to exercise discernment in an age filled with competing voices and claims of spiritual authority. We are reminded to test every message against the unchanging Word of God, not simply accepting what sounds comforting or popular (1 John 4:1). The verse emphasizes that true spiritual leadership is divinely appointed and rooted in God's truth, even when that truth is challenging. It encourages us to seek and trust God's authentic message, regardless of its difficulty, rather than falling prey to comforting falsehoods that ultimately lead to disappointment and spiritual harm.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 14:14

    Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

  • Jeremiah 14:15

    Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.

  • Jeremiah 27:15

    For I have not sent them, saith the LORD, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.

  • Jeremiah 23:21

    I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

  • Ezekiel 13:2

    Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD;

  • Ezekiel 13:3

    Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

  • Ezekiel 22:28

    And her prophets have daubed them with untempered [morter], seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.

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