Jeremiah 28:13 kjv
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.
Jeremiah 28:13 nkjv
"Go and tell Hananiah, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: "You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made in their place yokes of iron."
Jeremiah 28:13 niv
"Go and tell Hananiah, 'This is what the LORD says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you will get a yoke of iron.
Jeremiah 28:13 esv
"Go, tell Hananiah, 'Thus says the LORD: You have broken wooden bars, but you have made in their place bars of iron.
Jeremiah 28:13 nlt
"Go and tell Hananiah, 'This is what the LORD says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but you have replaced it with a yoke of iron.
Jeremiah 28 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 27:2 | "Thus says the LORD to me: 'Make for yourself ropes and yokes..." | ~ Prophetic action of bearing yokes |
| Jer 28:1 | "And it happened in that year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, that Hananiah the son of Azur, the prophet from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying, 'Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: "I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon." | ~ Direct opposition to Jeremiah |
| Jer 28:11 | "...So Jeremiah went on his way." | ~ Jeremiah’s compliance |
| Jer 28:12 | "After Jeremiah the prophet had spoken this word to Hananiah the prophet in the presence of the priests and all the people who stood in the house of the LORD, 11 Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Hananiah the prophet, saying, 'Amen! May the LORD do so; may the LORD confirm your words which you have prophesied, by bringing the vessels of the house of the LORD and all those who were carried captive back to Babylon from Jerusalem.'" | ~ Conditional prophetic response |
| Jer 28:14 | "'For thus says the LORD of hosts, 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.' I have also given him the beasts of the field.'" | ~ God's sovereign plan for iron yokes |
| Jer 28:15 | "Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, 'Listen now, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie.'" | ~ Accusation of false prophecy |
| Jer 28:16 | "'Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will cast you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have spoken rebellion against the LORD.'"" | ~ Prophecy of Hananiah’s death |
| Deut 28:48 | "...you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in want of all things; and he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you." | ~ Fulfillment of God’s judgment |
| Ezek 4:1 | "'You also, son of man, take a brick and lay it before you, and portray on it the city Jerusalem.'" | ~ Symbolic prophetic actions |
| Ezek 17:22 | "Thus says the Lord GOD: 'I will take also the highest branch of the high cedar and set it out. I will cut off from the highest of its boughs a tender one, and I myself will plant it on a high and exalted mountain;'" | ~ God’s ultimate restoration |
| Ezek 29:18 | "...Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to labor hard against Tyre. Every head was made bald, and every shoulder was stripped; yet neither he nor his army got any reward from Tyre for the labor which they expended on it." | ~ Context of Nebuchadnezzar's campaigns |
| Rom 13:1 | "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." | ~ God's appointment of authorities |
| 1 Sam 17:43 | "And the Philistine said to David, 'Am I a dog, that you come to me with staffs?' And the Philistine cursed David by his gods." | ~ David's boldness against Goliath |
| Acts 19:15 | "But the evil spirit answered and said to them, 'Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?'" | ~ Unauthorized spiritual authority |
| 1 Kings 20:2 | "He sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel in the city, and said to him, 'Thus says Ben-Hadad: "Your silver and your gold are mine; your wives also and your beautiful children are mine.""" | ~ Conquest and subjugation |
| Jer 29:1 | "Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders of the exiles, the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried in exile from Jerusalem to Babylon." | ~ Jeremiah’s message to exiles |
| Jer 34:4 | "'Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of Judah! Thus says the LORD of you, "You shall not die by the sword,"'" | ~ Prophecies concerning Zedekiah |
| Ps 2:3 | "'Let us break their chains and throw off their yokes from us!'" | ~ Rejection of authority |
| Isa 14:24 | "The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, 'As I have purposed, so shall it be, and as I have intended, so shall it stand,'" | ~ God's sovereign purposes |
| Jer 27:7 | "'All nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his own land comes; and then many nations and great kings shall make themselves his servants.'" | ~ Service to Nebuchadnezzar |
Jeremiah 28 verses
Jeremiah 28 13 Meaning
Jeremiah 28:13 describes Hananiah's actions after removing the yoke from Jeremiah's neck. He then states his intention to forge new, stronger yokes of iron. This act signifies Hananiah's assertion that Judah will be powerfully subdued and subjected to Babylonian authority, an outcome he proclaims will be swift and absolute. It represents a direct public defiance and rejection of Jeremiah's prophetic message of enduring Babylonian exile.
Jeremiah 28 13 Context
This verse occurs within the narrative of Jeremiah chapter 28, which details a confrontation between the true prophet Jeremiah and a false prophet named Hananiah. Hananiah, a Levite from Gibeon, stands before the priests and people in the temple courts. He boldly claims that God has broken the yoke of the king of Babylon and prophesies a swift return for all the exiles, along with the temple vessels, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken. Jeremiah, present at this declaration, initially responds with a qualified "Amen," indicating that if God indeed willed such a speedy deliverance, it would be so. However, Jeremiah's subsequent message reveals God's true intent, confirming that Hananiah is a false prophet and foretelling his death within the year as a sign of divine judgment. This particular verse, 28:13, depicts Hananiah’s defiant, physical act of breaking Jeremiah's symbolic yoke and his intention to replace it with one of iron, thus reinforcing his false message of immediate freedom and mocking Jeremiah's prophecy of continued servitude. The historical backdrop is the Babylonian exile, a period of great uncertainty and divine judgment for Judah.
Jeremiah 28 13 Word Analysis
- אֲבָרִים (aburim): This word means "bars" or "strong bands." It signifies an unyielding and powerful restraint, contrasting sharply with the wooden yoke Jeremiah wore.
- בָּרִיא (bari): This is a masculine singular adjective meaning "strong," "fat," or "vigorous." Applied to the yokes, it emphasizes their sturdiness and the unbreakability of the power they represent.
- תְּעַשֶּׂה (tə'ašśeh): This is a second-person feminine singular future verb from the root עָשָׂה (asah), meaning "to make" or "to do." It refers to Hananiah's intended action.
- שָׂמִים (śamim): This is a masculine plural participle or adjective meaning "yokes." The plural suggests the establishment of such restraints not just for Judah, but potentially for other nations as well, reflecting Nebuchadnezzar's dominion.
- וְנָתַתָּ (wənāṯatā): This is a consecutive second-person masculine singular perfect verb from the root נָתַן (natan), meaning "and you shall put" or "and you shall place." This verb emphasizes the deliberate action Hananiah intends to take in replacing the broken yoke with his stronger, iron ones.
- צַוָּאר (ṣawwār): This means "neck." The neck is the part of the body associated with bearing burdens, submission, and service.
- בַּרְזֶל (barzel): This Hebrew word means "iron." Iron was known for its strength and permanence, often symbolizing inflexible power, oppression, and stubbornness.
- כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם (kol-hagoyim): This translates to "all the nations." This phrase extends Hananiah's false prophecy beyond Judah, suggesting a universal dominion under Babylon, which contradicted God’s actual, phased plan.
Word Group Analysis:
- "Take them from off thy neck": This action is symbolic of shattering Jeremiah’s proclamation of impending Babylonian authority and freedom from it.
- "and thou shalt say": Hananiah asserts his prophetic voice and divine authority, intending to usurp God’s pronouncements.
- "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel": Hananiah falsely claims to speak for God, thereby spreading deceit among the people.
- "Thus will I break the yoke of the king of Babylon": This is a direct contradiction to God's confirmed message delivered through Jeremiah concerning Nebuchadnezzar's dominion.
Jeremiah 28 13 Bonus Section
Hananiah's action of physically breaking a prophetic object was a form of enacted prophecy. Such symbolic acts were common among Old Testament prophets to powerfully convey God's message. Jeremiah himself had previously been instructed by God to make ropes and yokes (Jer 27:2), symbolizing the submission of nations to Nebuchadnezzar. Hananiah’s brazen replication and inversion of this symbolic act reveal the depth of his rebellion and the deceitful spirit behind his words. The immediate consequence, as foretold by Jeremiah and confirmed by subsequent events (Hananiah's death within the same year, Jer 28:16-17), validates the authenticity of Jeremiah's prophetic office and the danger of espousing the counsel of false prophets. This incident also illustrates the concept of "making people trust in a lie" (Jer 28:15), a hallmark of deceptive spiritual leadership. The ultimate lesson is the crucial importance of grounding faith in God's unchanging word and discerning His messengers by their adherence to that word and its validation through both divine confirmation and practical fruit, rather than superficial confidence or appealing pronouncements.
Jeremiah 28 13 Commentary
Hananiah’s response to Jeremiah was not merely verbal; it was a bold, physical demonstration of his counterfeit prophecy. By removing Jeremiah's wooden yoke and declaring his intention to fashion new ones of iron for "all nations," Hananiah sought to negate Jeremiah's divinely appointed message and promote a dangerous delusion of immediate liberation. This act highlights the perilous nature of false prophecy, which not only misleads individuals but also actively undermines trust in God's true word. The imagery of an iron yoke signifies a more severe and unyielding subjugation than a wooden one. Hananiah’s claim that God would use him to impose these iron yokes on all nations was a blasphemous distortion of God's sovereignty and plan. His aggressive posture underscores the opposition faced by true prophets, who often contend with those who promise popular, comforting lies instead of difficult truths. This event serves as a stark warning about discerning true prophetic voices from those who seek to exploit faith for personal gain or to advance a false agenda.