Jeremiah 28:4

KJV

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.

KJV (with Strong's)

And I will bring again {H7725} to this place {H4725} Jeconiah {H3204} the son {H1121} of Jehoiakim {H3079} king {H4428} of Judah {H3063}, with all the captives {H1546} of Judah {H3063}, that went {H935} into Babylon {H894}, saith {H5002} the LORD {H3068}: for I will break {H7665} the yoke {H5923} of the king {H4428} of Babylon {H894}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Also I will bring back here Y'khanyah the son of Y'hoyakim, king of Y'hudah, along with all those from Y'hudah who were taken captive to Bavel,' says ADONAI, 'for I will break the yoke of the king of Bavel.'"

Berean Standard Bible

And I will restore to this place Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the LORD, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”

American Standard Version

and I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went to Babylon, saith Jehovah; for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 28:4 records the audacious and deceptive prophecy of Hananiah, who, in direct opposition to Jeremiah's divinely inspired message, falsely declared that the Lord would swiftly restore King Jeconiah and all the Judean exiles from Babylon. Hananiah claimed that God would break the oppressive "yoke" of the Babylonian king within two years, offering a message of immediate relief that appealed to the people's desires but contradicted God's true plan of prolonged judgment and eventual restoration.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Jeremiah 28 is a pivotal chapter in the book of Jeremiah, serving as a dramatic confrontation between Jeremiah, the true prophet of the Lord, and Hananiah, a false prophet from Gibeon. This verse immediately follows Hananiah's initial declaration in [Jeremiah 28:2-3](/jeremiah/28-2 "Jeremiah 28:2-3 - Hananiah's False Prophecy"), where he claims that within two years, God will return the temple vessels and King Jeconiah. Verse 4 reiterates and expands on this promise, specifically mentioning the return of Jeconiah and all the captives, and the breaking of Babylon's power. This direct challenge sets the stage for Jeremiah's initial, cautious response, followed by a definitive prophetic word from the Lord that exposes Hananiah's deception and pronounces judgment upon him in [Jeremiah 28:15-17](/jeremiah/28-15 "Jeremiah 28:15-17 - Hananiah's Demise"). The entire chapter highlights the critical distinction between God's difficult truth and comforting lies.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The setting for Jeremiah 28 is Jerusalem around 594 BC, during the reign of King Zedekiah. Judah was a vassal state under the powerful Babylonian Empire. Just a few years prior, in 597 BC, Nebuchadnezzar had besieged Jerusalem, leading to the first major deportation of Judeans to Babylon. Among these exiles was King Jeconiah (also known as Jehoiachin or Coniah), along with many of the kingdom's elite, craftsmen, and treasures, as recorded in [2 Kings 24:10-16](/2_kings/24-10 "2 Kings 24:10-16 - Jeconiah's Exile"). This event deeply impacted the morale and national identity of Judah. The "yoke of the king of Babylon" was a potent symbol of their subjugation, both politically and economically. Jeremiah had been consistently prophesying a long exile (70 years) as divine judgment for Judah's persistent idolatry and disobedience, urging submission to Babylon as God's instrument ([Jeremiah 27:6-11](/jeremiah/27-6 "Jeremiah 27:6-11 - Jeremiah's Prophecy of Submission")). In this volatile environment, prophets who promised immediate deliverance were popular, making Hananiah's message particularly appealing to a people longing for freedom and the restoration of their former glory.

* **Key Themes:** The central theme of [Jeremiah 28](/jeremiah/28 "Jeremiah 28 - The Confrontation with Hananiah") and this verse is the stark contrast between **true and false prophecy**. Hananiah's declaration in [Jeremiah 28:4](/jeremiah/28-4 "Jeremiah 28:4 - Hananiah's False Promise") directly opposes God's revealed will through Jeremiah, underscoring the danger of speaking "peace, peace, when there is no peace" ([Jeremiah 6:14](/jeremiah/6-14 "Jeremiah 6:14 - False Prophets and Superficial Peace")). This conflict also illuminates the theme of **divine sovereignty in judgment and restoration**. While Hananiah claims God will "break the yoke," God's actual plan involved a period of disciplinary exile, demonstrating His absolute control over nations and their destinies, even through foreign powers. Furthermore, the verse touches upon the **nature of hope**. Hananiah offers a superficial, immediate hope that caters to human desires, whereas God's true promise, though involving a period of suffering, was foundational and truly restorative, as articulated in [Jeremiah 29:10-11](/jeremiah/29-10 "Jeremiah 29:10-11 - God's Plans for Hope and a Future"). The "yoke" itself symbolizes the **burden of foreign domination** and the need for God's people to understand His purposes even in affliction.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Jeconiah (Hebrew, _Yᵉkonyâh'_):** This name, meaning "Jah will establish," carries profound irony in the context of exile. Jeconiah (also known as Jehoiachin or Coniah) was the young king of Judah deported to Babylon in 597 BC. Hananiah's prophecy of his return implies the re-establishment of the Davidic throne and the nation's independence, a direct contradiction to God's decree of prolonged judgment. The name itself, "Jah will establish," points to God's ultimate sovereignty, which Hananiah misattributes to an immediate, false restoration.
* **captives (Hebrew, _gâlûwth'_):** Derived from a root meaning "to go into exile," this term concretely refers to the exiles collectively, those "carried away." Hananiah's promise to "bring again... all the captives of Judah" speaks to the deep longing of the people for reunification and an end to their forced displacement. It highlights the physical and emotional burden of their captivity, which Hananiah exploits with his false message of imminent release.
* **break (Hebrew, _shâbar'_):** This primitive root means "to burst, crush, destroy." When Hananiah declares, "I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon," he is promising a violent and decisive end to Babylonian oppression. This word emphasizes the perceived power and burden of the "yoke" and Hananiah's claim of God's immediate, forceful intervention. It stands in stark contrast to Jeremiah's message of patient endurance under the yoke as God's will.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah":** This clause begins Hananiah's false prophecy, directly stating his claim that God would reverse the exile of the deposed King Jeconiah. The specificity of "this place" (Jerusalem) and the identification of Jeconiah underscore the concrete nature of the promised restoration, appealing to the people's desire for their legitimate king's return and the re-establishment of national sovereignty.
* **"with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the LORD":** Hananiah extends the promise of return to the entire exiled community, not just the king, thereby broadening the appeal of his message. The crucial, deceptive element here is the phrase "saith the LORD," by which Hananiah attempts to lend divine authority to his own words, directly mimicking the authentic prophetic formula used by true prophets like Jeremiah. This false attribution is central to the conflict of the chapter.
* **"for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon":** This final clause provides the reason and means for the promised restoration. The "yoke" symbolizes the heavy burden of Babylonian domination and servitude. Hananiah claims God would decisively shatter this oppression, offering a message of immediate liberation that directly contradicted Jeremiah's prophecy of a prolonged period of submission and exile.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 28:4 is rich in **Irony**, as Hananiah boldly pronounces "saith the LORD" while delivering a message that is fundamentally contrary to God's actual will. This dramatic irony highlights the deceptive nature of false prophecy, where the outward form of truth (the prophetic formula) masks an underlying falsehood. The "yoke of the king of Babylon" serves as a powerful **Symbolism**, representing the oppressive foreign domination and the heavy burden of servitude that Judah endured. This symbol is particularly potent given Jeremiah's own prophetic act of wearing a literal wooden yoke in [Jeremiah 27:2](/jeremiah/27-2 "Jeremiah 27:2 - Jeremiah's Symbolic Yoke") to illustrate God's command for submission. The verse also employs **Contrast**, setting Hananiah's message of immediate "breaking" of the yoke against Jeremiah's consistent prophecy of enduring it for a set period, thereby emphasizing the divergent paths of true and false hope.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 28:4 stands as a profound theological statement on the nature of divine truth and the critical importance of discernment. Hananiah's prophecy, though comforting and politically expedient, was a dangerous lie because it misrepresented God's character and plan. God's judgment through exile was not arbitrary but a necessary discipline for Judah's covenant unfaithfulness, intended to lead to repentance and a deeper relationship with Him. True hope, therefore, is not found in immediate gratification or pleasant falsehoods, but in patiently trusting God's sovereign purposes, even when they involve suffering or delayed fulfillment. This passage reminds us that God's ways are often higher than our ways, and His timing is perfect, even if it doesn't align with our desires for quick fixes.

* [Deuteronomy 18:20-22](/deuteronomy/18-20 "Deuteronomy 18:20-22 - Testing a Prophet")
* [1 John 4:1](/1_john/4-1 "1 John 4:1 - Test the Spirits")
* [Jeremiah 29:10-11](/jeremiah/29-10 "Jeremiah 29:10-11 - God's Plans for Hope and a Future")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 28:4 serves as a timeless warning for believers to cultivate spiritual discernment in a world filled with competing voices and promises. It challenges us to critically evaluate messages, even those presented with religious authority, against the clear revelation of God's Word. In our own lives, we often face situations where we desire immediate relief from burdens or quick solutions to complex problems. This passage calls us to resist the allure of "easy answers" that bypass God's deeper work of character formation, discipline, or long-term purposes. True spiritual maturity involves embracing God's often difficult truth, trusting His timing, and understanding that His plans, though they may involve periods of waiting or suffering, are ultimately for our good and His glory. We are called to seek genuine hope rooted in God's faithfulness, not in superficial promises that cater to our immediate desires.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do I discern between a message that is comforting but false, and one that is difficult but true?**
* **In what areas of my life am I tempted to seek immediate relief rather than trusting God's longer-term process or timing?**
* **What "yokes" or burdens do I wish God would "break" immediately, and how can I better align my desires with His sovereign will?**

### FAQ
**Who was Jeconiah and why was his return significant in Hananiah's prophecy?**

Answer: Jeconiah, also known as Jehoiachin or Coniah, was the young king of Judah who reigned for only three months before being deported to Babylon in 597 BC by King Nebuchadnezzar, along with many of Judah's elite and temple treasures ([2 Kings 24:10-16](/2_kings/24-10 "2 Kings 24:10-16 - Jeconiah's Exile")). His exile marked a significant turning point in Judah's history, symbolizing the loss of their sovereignty and the beginning of the Babylonian captivity. Hananiah's prophecy of Jeconiah's swift return to "this place" (Jerusalem) was highly significant because it promised the restoration of the Davidic monarchy and national independence, directly contradicting Jeremiah's prophecy of a prolonged 70-year exile ([Jeremiah 29:10](/jeremiah/29-10 "Jeremiah 29:10 - Seventy Years of Exile")). For the people, Jeconiah's return would have signaled the immediate end of their subjugation and the reversal of God's judgment, making Hananiah's false message incredibly appealing.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Hananiah's false prophecy in [Jeremiah 28:4](/jeremiah/28-4 "Jeremiah 28:4 - Hananiah's False Promise") promised a physical return from a literal yoke of oppression, its ultimate fulfillment and spiritual significance are found in Christ. The "yoke" that humanity truly needs broken is not merely political servitude, but the far heavier burden of sin and death ([Romans 6:23](/romans/6-23 "Romans 6:23 - The Wages of Sin")). Jesus Christ, the true Son of David and the rightful King, did not return from a physical exile in Babylon, but came from heaven to earth to "bring again" humanity to God, breaking the spiritual yoke that bound us. He declared, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" ([Matthew 11:28-30](/matthew/11-28 "Matthew 11:28-30 - Jesus' Invitation to Rest")). Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Christ decisively "broke" the power of sin and death ([Colossians 2:13-15](/colossians/2-13 "Colossians 2:13-15 - Triumph Over Principalities")), offering true liberation and the promise of eternal restoration. Unlike Hananiah's false hope, Christ's promise of return is certain and will culminate in the ultimate "bringing again" of His people to a new heavens and new earth, where righteousness dwells and there will be no more curse or captivity ([Revelation 21:1-4](/revelation/21-1 "Revelation 21:1-4 - A New Heaven and New Earth")).

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.

Cross-References

Jeremiah 22:24

[As] I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence;

2 Kings 25:27

And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth [day] of the month, [that] Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison;

2 Kings 25:30

And his allowance [was] a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.

Jeremiah 24:1

¶ The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs [were] set before the temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.

Jeremiah 28:2

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

Jeremiah 22:26

And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die.

Jeremiah 22:28

[Is] this man Coniah a despised broken idol? [is he] a vessel wherein [is] no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not?