28:2 28:2

Jeremiah 28:3

28:4 28:4

Bible Versions

Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD'S house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon:
Within two full {H3117} years {H8141} will I bring again {H7725} into this place {H4725} all the vessels {H3627} of the LORD'S {H3068} house {H1004}, that Nebuchadnezzar {H5019} king {H4428} of Babylon {H894} took away {H3947} from this place {H4725}, and carried {H935} them to Babylon {H894}:
Within two years I will restore to this place all the articles from ADONAI's house that N'vukhadnetzar king of Bavel removed from this place and carried to Bavel.
Within two years I will restore to this place all the articles of the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and carried to Babylon.
Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of Jehovah’s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried to Babylon:

Jeremiah 28:3 presents a pivotal moment in the prophetic ministry of Jeremiah, specifically quoting the false prophet Hananiah. In this verse, Hananiah boldly declares a swift end to Judah's Babylonian captivity and the immediate restoration of the sacred temple vessels.

Context

This verse is part of a dramatic confrontation between Jeremiah, God's true prophet, and Hananiah, a false prophet who sought to undermine Jeremiah's message of impending judgment and extended exile. Jeremiah had been prophesying that Judah would serve Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, for many years, symbolizing this with a wooden yoke (see Jeremiah 27:2). Hananiah's prophecy in Jeremiah 28:2-4 directly contradicts Jeremiah's words, offering a comforting but false message of immediate relief. The "vessels of the LORD'S house" refer to the sacred items taken from the temple during Nebuchadnezzar's earlier sieges of Jerusalem, particularly in 597 BC, when King Jehoiachin and many prominent citizens were exiled to Babylon (see 2 Kings 24:13).

Key Themes

  • False Prophecy: Hananiah's declaration is a classic example of a false prophecy. It offers popular, comforting news, directly opposing God's revealed will through His true prophet, Jeremiah. Such prophecies often appeal to immediate desires rather than God's long-term purposes.
  • Specific Timeline: Hananiah's claim of "within two full years" provides a very specific and short timeframe for the fulfillment of his prophecy. This specificity was designed to give immediate hope and to quickly discredit Jeremiah's message of a longer, seventy-year exile (Jeremiah 29:10).
  • Material vs. Spiritual Focus: Hananiah focuses on the restoration of physical temple vessels, which, while important, distracts from the deeper spiritual issues of Judah's sin and need for repentance that led to the exile in the first place.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "within two full years" in Hebrew is shnatayim yamim (שְׁנָתַיִם יָמִים), literally "two years of days." The addition of "days" emphasizes the completion and exactness of the two-year period, making Hananiah's false prophecy seem even more certain and imminent. This precision highlights the test of a prophet: if their specific prediction does not come to pass, they are a false prophet (see Deuteronomy 18:22).

Practical Application

This verse serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of discerning truth, especially in matters of faith. We are called to test all prophecies and teachings against God's revealed Word and the character of God. Hananiah's prophecy was appealing because it offered immediate relief, but it was ultimately deceptive. True faith often requires patience and endurance through difficult times, trusting in God's timing and His ultimate plan, which may not always align with our immediate desires. It also warns against those who speak comforting words without divine authority, often for their own gain or popularity.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 2 Kings 24:13

    And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.

  • Daniel 1:2

    And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

  • 2 Chronicles 36:10

    And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the LORD, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.

  • Genesis 47:28

    And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.

  • Jeremiah 27:16

    Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD'S house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.

  • Jeremiah 27:22

    They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be until the day that I visit them, saith the LORD; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place.

  • Genesis 47:9

    And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage [are] an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.
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