Jeremiah 28:4-14

4 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.'"
5 Then the prophet Yirmeyahu said to the prophet Hananyah in front of the cohanim and all the people standing in ADONAI's house -
6 the prophet Yirmeyahu said, "Amen! May ADONAI do it! May ADONAI fulfill the words you have prophesied and bring back from Bavel to this place the articles from ADONAI's house and all the people who were carried away captive!
7 Nevertheless, listen now to this word that I am speaking for you to hear and for all the people to hear.
8 The prophets who were here before me and before you prophesied in times past against many countries and against great kingdoms about war, disaster and plagues.
9 As for a prophet who prophesies peace - when the word of that prophet is fulfilled, it will be evident concerning that prophet that ADONAI indeed did send him."
10 At this point Hananyah the prophet took the crossbar off the prophet Yirmeyahu's neck and broke it.
11 Then Hananyah, in front of all the people, said, "Thus says ADONAI: 'In just this way will I break off the yoke of N'vukhadnetzar king of Bavel from the necks of all the nations within two years.'" The prophet Yirmeyahu left them;
12 but then this word of ADONAI came to Yirmeyahu, after Hananyah the prophet had broken off the crossbar from the neck of the prophet Yirmeyahu:
13 "Go and tell Hananyah that ADONAI:says, 'You have broken the crossbars of wood, but you will make in their place crossbars of iron.
14 For here is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: "I have put a yoke of iron on the necks of all these nations, so that they can serve N'vukhadnetzar king of Bavel; and they will serve him; and I have given him the wild animals too."'"

Jeremiah 28:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 28

Thus chapter relates a false prophecy of Hananiah, who broke off the yoke from Jeremiah; but in return the people are threatened with an iron yoke, and he with death; which came to pass. The time, place, and substance of his prophecy, are in Jer 28:1-4; Jeremiah's answer to it, Jer 28:5-9; Hananiah breaks Jeremiah's yoke, and explains the meaning of it to the people, Jer 28:10,11; Jeremiah prophesies that iron yokes should be given instead of wooden ones, Jer 28:12-14; and foretells the death of the false prophet, Jer 28:15-17.

Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.