Jeremiah 28

1 When Zedekiah had been the King of Judah for more than three years, late in the (summer/hot season), Azzur’s son Hananiah, a prophet from Gibeon [city], spoke to me in the [courtyard of the] temple, while [all] the priests and other people were listening. He said,

And it came to pass in that year, in the beginning of the reign of Sedecias king of Juda, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, that Hananias the son of Azur, a prophet of Gabaon spoke to me, in the house of the Lord before the priests, and all the people, saying:

2 “This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], says: ‘I will cause the king of Babylon to stop ruling/controlling [MET] [all of you].

Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

3 (Within two years/Before two years have ended), I will cause to be brought bring back to this temple all the valuable things that King Nebuchadnezzar’s [soldiers] took from this temple and took to Babylon.

As yet two years of days, and I will cause all the vessels of the house of the Lord to be brought back into this place, which Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon.

4 And I will also cause King Jehoiachin to be brought back here, and all the [other] people who were captured and taken to Babylon. The king of Babylon has [forced you to do what he wants, like someone] puts a yoke [on the neck of an ox to force it to do what he] wants [MET] it to do. But I will cause that to end. [That will happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it.’”

And I will bring back to this place Jechonias the son of Joakim king of Juda, and all the captives of Juda, that are gone to Babylon, saith the Lord: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

5 I replied to Hananiah in front of [all] the priests and other people who were standing outside the temple.

And Jeremias the prophet said to Hananias the prophet in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the Lord:

6 I said, “(Amen/May that happen)! I desire/hope that what you have predicted will happen. I hope/desire that Yahweh will do everything that you have said! I hope/desire that he will cause [men from Babylon] to bring back from Babylon [all] the valuable things that were in this temple, and all the people who were taken [to Babylon].

And Jeremias the prophet said: Amen, the Lord do so: the Lord perform thy words, which thou hast prophesied: that the vessels may be brought again into the house of the Lord, and all the captives may return out of Babylon to this place.

7 But now listen to what I say to you while all these people are listening.

Nevertheless hear this word that I speak in thy ears, and in the ears of all the people:

8 Many years ago, those who were prophets before you and I [became prophets] spoke messages about many nations and great kingdoms. They predicted/prophesied that wars and disasters and plagues/diseases would occur in those nations.

The prophets that have been before me, and before thee from the beginning, and have prophesied concerning many countries, and concerning great kingdoms, of war, and of affliction, and of famine.

9 [So now you or] any other prophet who predicts that things will go well [for us must show that your message is correct. Only] if what you predict actually happens will we know that you were truly appointed by Yahweh.”

The prophet that prophesied peace when his word shall come to pass, the prophet shall be known, whom the Lord hath sent in truth.

10 Then Hananiah took the yoke off my neck and broke it.

And Hananias the prophet took the chain from the neck of Jeremias the prophet, and broke it.

11 Then he said this to all the people who were there: “This is what Yahweh says: ‘Just like Hananiah has broken this yoke, within two years I will cause King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to [stop forcing the people to do what he wants, which has been like] a heavy yoke on all their necks [MET].’” After Hananiah said that, I left the temple area.

And Hananias spoke in the presence of all the people, saying: Thus saith the Lord: Even so will I break the yoke of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon after two full years from off the neck of all the nations.

12 [Soon] after Hananiah had broken the yoke that was around my neck, Yahweh gave this message to me:

And Jeremias the prophet went his way. And the word of the Lord came to Jeremias, after that Hananias the prophet had broken the chain from off the neck of Jeremias the prophet, saying:

13 “Go and say this to Hananiah: ‘Yahweh says that you have broken a wooden yoke, but that he will replace it with an iron yoke.

Go, and tell Hananias: Thus saith the Lord: Thou hast broken chains of wood, and thou shalt make for them chains of iron.

14 I have forced the people of all these nations to [become slaves of] King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. That is [like] [MET] an iron yoke around their necks. I have put everything, even wild animals, under his control.’”

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, to serve Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, and they shall serve him: moreover also I have given him the beasts of the earth.

15 Then I [went to] Hananiah and said to him, “Hananiah, listen [to this]: Yahweh has not appointed you; instead, [you have told] lies to the people, and they have believed your lies.

And Jeremias the prophet said to Hananias the prophet: Hear now, Hananias: the Lord hath not sent thee, and thou hast made this people to trust in a lie.

16 Therefore, this is what Yahweh says: ‘You will [soon] die. Before the end of this year, you will die, because you have rebelled against Yahweh.’”

Therefore thus saith the Lord: Behold I will send thee away from off the face of the earth: this year shalt thou die: for thou hast spoken against the Lord.

17 Hananiah died two months later.

And Hananias the prophet died in that year, in the seventh month.