Jeremiah 28:8

8 The prophets who were {before} me and {before} you from ancient [times] prophesied against many countries and against great kingdoms of war, and of disaster, and of plague.

Jeremiah 28:8 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 28:8

The prophets that have been before me, and before thee of old,
&c.] Such as Isaiah, Hoses, Joel, Amos, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and others: these prophesied both against many countries and against great kingdoms;
as Egypt, Babylon, Syria, Ethiopia, Moab as Isaiah particularly did: of war, and of evil, and of pestilence;
by evil some think is meant famine, because that usually goes along with the other mentioned, and there being but one letter in which the words for evil and famine differ; and now the prophets that prophesied of these were sent of God, were the true prophets of the Lord; and therefore this ought not to be objected to the prejudice of Jeremiah, that his prophecies were of this sort: yea, if they should not come to pass, yet a man is not to be counted a false prophet, because such things are threatened in case nations do not repent of their sins and reform, which they may do; and then the evils threatened are prevented, as in the case of the Ninevites.

Jeremiah 28:8 In-Context

6 and Jeremiah the prophet said, "Amen! May Yahweh do so; may Yahweh fulfill your words that you have prophesied, to bring back the vessels of the house of Yahweh and all the exiles from Babylon to this place.

7 Nevertheless listen please [to] this word that I [am] speaking in your {hearing} and in the {hearing} of all the people,

8 The prophets who were {before} me and {before} you from ancient [times] prophesied against many countries and against great kingdoms of war, and of disaster, and of plague.

9 The prophet who prophesies peace, at the coming of the word of the prophet, will become known [as] the prophet that Yahweh has {truly} sent."

10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "to the face of"
• [b] Literally "to the face of"