Jeremiah 28: When a Prophet Lies
Hananiah breaks the wooden yoke and promises a swift return, but God replaces it with iron and exposes a comforting lie that costs the prophet his life.
Jeremiah 28 (WEB)
1 That same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was of Gibeon, spoke to me in Yahweh’s house, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,
2 Thus speaks Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
3 Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of Yahweh’s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried to Babylon:
4 and I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, who went to Babylon, says Yahweh; for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people who stood in Yahweh’s house,
6 even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: Yahweh do so; Yahweh perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring again the vessels of Yahweh’s house, and all them of the captivity, from Babylon to this place.
7 Nevertheless hear you now this word that I speak in your ears, and in the ears of all the people:
8 The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.
9 The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet shall happen, then shall the prophet be known, that Yahweh has truly sent him.
10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the bar from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and broke it.
11 Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus says Yahweh: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon within two full years from off the neck of all the nations. The prophet Jeremiah went his way.
12 Then Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the bar from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
13 Go, and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus says Yahweh: You have broken the bars of wood; but you have made in their place bars of iron.
14 For thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel: I have put a yoke of iron on 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 animals of the field also.
15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah: Yahweh has not sent you; but you make this people to trust in a lie.
16 Therefore thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will send you away from off the surface of the earth: this year you shall die, because you have spoken rebellion against Yahweh.
17 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
Jeremiah 28 (KJV)
1 And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the Lord, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,
2 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
3 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:
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.
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the Lord,
6 Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the Lord do so: the Lord perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the Lord’s house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place.
7 Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people;
8 The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.
9 The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him.
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.
Jeremiah 28 (ASV)
1 And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of Jehovah, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,
2 Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
3 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:
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 to Babylon, saith Jehovah; for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of Jehovah,
6 even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: Jehovah do so; Jehovah perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of Jehovah’s house, and all them of the captivity, from Babylon unto this place.
7 Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people:
8 The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.
9 The prophet that prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that Jehovah hath truly sent him.
10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the bar from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and brake it.
11 And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon within two full years from off the neck of all the nations. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.
12 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,
13 Go, and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: Thou hast broken the bars of wood; but thou hast made in their stead bars of iron.
14 For thus saith Jehovah 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: Jehovah hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.
16 Therefore thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will send thee away from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast spoken rebellion against Jehovah.
17 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
Summary
In the temple, before the priests and all the people, the prophet Hananiah announces that Yahweh has broken the yoke of Babylon, promising that within two years the temple vessels and the exiled king Jeconiah will be brought home. Jeremiah answers with a heartfelt "Amen"—he too longs for it to be true—but reminds Hananiah that prophets are tested by whether their words come to pass, especially those who prophesy peace. Then Hananiah dramatically takes the wooden yoke from Jeremiah's neck and breaks it, declaring before the crowd that God will so break Babylon's yoke within two years. Jeremiah simply goes his way. Afterward the word of Yahweh comes to him: because Hananiah has broken bars of wood, God will make in their place bars of iron, fastening Babylon's dominion even more firmly. Jeremiah confronts Hananiah directly: Yahweh has not sent him, and he has made the people trust in a lie. As a sign, God declares that Hananiah will die that very year, and in the seventh month he does. The clash shows how dangerous it is to speak comfortable falsehoods in God's name, and how God vindicates his true word.
Main Characters
- Jeremiah — The true prophet who longs for restoration but refuses to soften God's word, and who pronounces God's verdict on Hananiah's lie.
- Hananiah — A prophet of Gibeon who publicly breaks the yoke and promises a two-year deliverance God never spoke, and who dies that same year.
- Yahweh (the LORD) — The God who turns the broken wooden yoke into iron and vindicates his true word by the death of the false prophet.
Key Verse
Jeremiah 28:9 (WEB)
The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet shall happen, then shall the prophet be known, that Yahweh has truly sent him.
Lessons Learned
- Not everyone who speaks in God's name speaks for God; truth is tested by its fruit and fulfillment.
- A message can be comforting and popular yet still be a destructive lie.
- Longing for good news must never override our commitment to the truth God has actually spoken.
- God vindicates his own word, even when the lie seems to win the moment in public.
- Prophets are tested by fulfillment. "When the word of the prophet shall happen, then shall the prophet be known" (Jeremiah 28:9, WEB). Time and truth expose every false claim.
- Breaking God's word only hardens it. Wooden bars become "bars of iron" (Jeremiah 28:13, WEB). Defying God's decree does not loosen it but binds it more firmly.
- Lies in God's name are deadly. Hananiah makes "this people to trust in a lie" (Jeremiah 28:15, WEB), and pays for it with his life. False comfort leads many astray.
- Hope must bow to truth. Jeremiah says "Amen" to the hope (Jeremiah 28:6, WEB) yet still tells the truth. Genuine faith desires good news without inventing it.
- What is appealing about Hananiah's message, and why would the crowd want to believe it?
- Why does Jeremiah respond first with "Amen" before correcting Hananiah?
- What is the significance of the wooden yoke being replaced with one of iron?
- How does this chapter help us discern true messengers from false ones today?
- When have you been tempted to believe a comforting message simply because you wanted it to be true?
- Hananiah promises swift deliverance: the vessels and the exiles back within two years (28:3-4). After judgment and loss, the people naturally crave such reassurance, which is exactly why a confident, hopeful lie can spread so easily.
- Jeremiah genuinely longs for restoration and says "Amen: Yahweh do so" (28:6). His response shows he is not a prophet of doom by temperament; he simply will not affirm what God has not said. Truth and compassion are not opposites.
- When Hananiah breaks the wood, God replaces it with iron (28:13-14). Rebellion against God's decree does not weaken it; it intensifies the discipline. The symbol warns that resisting God's word makes the burden heavier, not lighter.
- Jeremiah points to fulfillment and fidelity to God's revealed word (28:9). We test teaching by whether it aligns with all Scripture and bears true fruit over time. Encourage the group to weigh appealing messages against the whole counsel of God.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite honest reflection on times we embraced flattering words or wishful thinking over hard truth. As leader, model gentleness, and point to the One who is himself the Truth and never deceives us.