Jeremiah 28 1

Jeremiah 28:1 kjv

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,

Jeremiah 28:1 nkjv

And it happened in the same year, at 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, who was from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,

Jeremiah 28:1 niv

In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and all the people:

Jeremiah 28:1 esv

In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying,

Jeremiah 28:1 nlt

One day in late summer of that same year ? the fourth year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah ? Hananiah son of Azzur, a prophet from Gibeon, addressed me publicly in the Temple while all the priests and people listened. He said,

Jeremiah 28 verses

Jeremiah 28 1 meaning

This verse precisely dates and introduces the pivotal public confrontation between Jeremiah, the prophet of divine judgment, and Hananiah, a false prophet of false hope. It sets the stage for a direct challenge to Jeremiah's message of submission to Babylon by highlighting Hananiah's immediate prophetic pronouncement made within the sacred and public setting of the Jerusalem Temple, witnessed by priests and all the people.

Jeremiah 28 1 Context

Jeremiah 28:1 marks the dramatic opening of a direct, personal, and public confrontation. It immediately follows Jeremiah chapter 27, where Jeremiah had been commanded by the LORD to wear an ox-yoke and declare to Judah and surrounding nations that they must submit to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. His message was unambiguous: serving Babylon was God's will, and rebellion would lead to destruction. Judah, under Zedekiah, was in a precarious state, struggling between nationalistic calls for independence and the overwhelming might of the Babylonian empire, which had already deported King Jehoiachin and prominent citizens in 597 BCE. The "fourth year, fifth month" of Zedekiah's reign (approximately 594 BCE) likely coincided with the arrival of envoys from neighboring states (mentioned in Jer 27:3), possibly to plot a rebellion against Babylon. In this politically charged atmosphere, the people eagerly desired a message of liberation and hope, making them susceptible to the appealing pronouncements of false prophets like Hananiah, who offered precisely what the nationalistic sentiment craved, directly challenging the unpopular truth spoken by Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 28 1 Word analysis

• "In that same year": Refers to the temporal setting established in Jeremiah 27, specifically "the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah," emphasizing a continuity of events and a critical historical period.
• "at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah": This phrase contextualizes the event within the early years of the last Judean king before the final fall of Jerusalem. Although it's the fourth year, "beginning" emphasizes the sensitive period of his rule, marked by attempts to stabilize or change Judah's political situation after the 597 BCE exile.
• "Zedekiah king of Judah" (צִדְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה - Tsidqiyyahu Melekh Yehudah): Zedekiah, originally Mattaniah, was installed as a vassal king by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kgs 24:17). His name means "My righteousness is Yahweh," an ironic title given his unrighteous reign and eventual rebellion against God's will expressed through Jeremiah.
• "in the fourth year, in the fifth month": This precise dating, around 594 BCE, indicates a specific, verifiable point in history. The fifth month (Av) would later become significant as the month when the First Temple was destroyed by Babylon (2 Kgs 25:8-9; Jer 52:12), making Hananiah's hopeful prophecy tragically ironic.
• "Hananiah son of Azur" (חֲנַנְיָה בֶּן עַזּוּר - Ḥănanyah ben ‘Azzur): "Hananiah" means "Yahweh has been gracious" or "Yahweh has shown favor," a name conveying blessing, yet ironically belonging to one who prophesied a lie against God's direct command. "Azur" is a family identifier, suggesting his lineage was known.
• "a prophet from Gibeon" (נָבִיא מִגִּבְעוֹן - Navi mi-Giv‘on): "Navi" is the Hebrew term for one who speaks on behalf of God. Gibeon, a major Canaanite city absorbed into Israel, was known for a major high place and later a Levitical city (Josh 9; 1 Kgs 3:4). Hananiah's origin from a recognized town, rather than an unknown, would lend him credibility in the eyes of the people.
• "spoke to me": Indicates the direct, personal address and confrontation between Hananiah and Jeremiah, the authentic prophet. This highlights the narrative from Jeremiah's perspective.
• "in the house of the LORD" (בְּבֵית יְהוָה - B’veit Yahweh): Refers to the Temple in Jerusalem. This holy, public space was the customary location for divine pronouncements and instruction (Jer 7:1-2), amplifying the significance and perceived authority of Hananiah's declaration and the severity of his falsehood.
• "in the presence of the priests and all the people": Emphasizes the public nature of the confrontation. The "priests" were spiritual authorities and Temple functionaries, while "all the people" (‘am) refers to the general assembly of Judahites. Their presence underscores the impact of Hananiah's popular message and the official gravity of the impending prophetic test.

Words-group analysis

• "In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month": This meticulously precise dating serves to establish the historical accuracy and verifiable nature of the prophetic accounts. It positions the events during a volatile period of Judah's history, setting a scene ripe for political intrigue and the seeking of divine guidance, whether true or false. This detail roots the subsequent prophetic dispute firmly in historical reality.
• "Hananiah son of Azur, a prophet from Gibeon": This detailed introduction bestows apparent credibility upon Hananiah. His personal name suggests "Yahweh's grace," his lineage connects him to a known family, and his hometown of Gibeon suggests a reputable origin, presenting him as a seemingly legitimate speaker of God's word to the unsuspecting populace.
• "spoke to me in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and all the people": This phrase highlights the critical public, religious, and formal setting for the confrontation. Delivering a prophetic word "in the house of the LORD" among both "priests" (religious custodians) and "all the people" (the wider community) granted Hananiah's message significant authority and audience, raising the stakes for his challenge against Jeremiah's true word from Yahweh.

Jeremiah 28 1 Bonus section

• The meticulous dating "fourth year, fifth month" would have resonated with the original audience, who were intimately aware of the political events surrounding the Babylonian invasions and exiles. This specificity distinguished Jeremiah's account from vague pronouncements of false prophets.
• The placement of Hananiah's prophecy within the "house of the LORD" implies an abuse of a sacred space for a message contrary to the very God worshipped there. This sacrilege magnified the offense against Yahweh.
• Hananiah's name, "Yahweh has been gracious," stood in stark ironic contrast to the ungracious message he presented which actively opposed the divine will. His name would have subtly amplified the deceptive nature of his false prophecy to those who believed his message to be from Yahweh.
• This verse sets up an existential battle over the source of truth, directly challenging the listeners to discern between what they want to hear and what God has truly said. This discernment remains a timeless challenge for believers.

Jeremiah 28 1 Commentary

Jeremiah 28:1 acts as a stark opening statement, marking the precise historical moment when the truth of God, as proclaimed by Jeremiah, comes into direct public conflict with a comforting but ultimately false prophecy. By meticulously dating the event to Zedekiah's early reign and setting the scene within the Jerusalem Temple, witnessed by priests and populace, the verse immediately establishes the high stakes and the dramatic context of what unfolds. It's a vivid snapshot of the spiritual struggle facing Judah, caught between a demanding, unpopular truth from God's genuine prophet and a palatable lie delivered by a prophet whose message suited nationalistic aspirations but sealed the nation's doom. The credibility seemingly granted to Hananiah by his background and the sacred venue ironically underscores the severity of his deceit and the profound danger of rejecting the true prophetic word.