Jeremiah 28 17

Jeremiah 28:17 kjv

So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.

Jeremiah 28:17 nkjv

So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.

Jeremiah 28:17 niv

In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.

Jeremiah 28:17 esv

In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died.

Jeremiah 28:17 nlt

Two months later the prophet Hananiah died.

Jeremiah 28 verses

Jeremiah 28 17 Meaning

This verse records the tragic death of Hananiah, a false prophet who opposed Jeremiah. His death is presented as divine judgment for his lying prophecy against the Lord's prophet and the people. It confirms God's severe displeasure with deceptive pronouncements made in His name.

Jeremiah 28 17 Context

This verse is found in Jeremiah chapter 28, which describes a dramatic confrontation in the temple precincts in Jerusalem. The historical context is the period leading up to and during the Babylonian exile. Jeremiah, the prophet, has been delivering messages of impending judgment from God due to Judah's sin. Hananiah, a contemporary prophet, publicly challenges Jeremiah's message of doom, predicting a swift return of the exiles and temple vessels captured by Nebuchadnezzar. Hananiah breaks the yoke Jeremiah was wearing, symbolizing his own message of liberation and breaking the Babylonian yoke. Jeremiah, though initially silenced, receives a word from the Lord to return and prophesy Hananiah's imminent death.

Jeremiah 28 17 Word Analysis

• “And”: Conjunction indicating sequence and consequence.
• “Hananiah”: Hebrew: חֲנַנְיָה (Ḥănanyâ). Meaning "Yahweh has been gracious" or "Yahweh shows favor." This is ironic given his actions.
• “the prophet”: Hebrew: הַנָּבִיא (hânnâḇî’). Refers to Hananiah's claimed role, a public and recognized position, often one delivering messages from God.
• “which”: Relative pronoun introducing a subordinate clause.
• “thou”: Second person singular pronoun, referring to Hananiah.
• “didst speak”: Past tense verb indicating his utterance.
• “unto”: Preposition indicating the recipient of his speech.
• “all”: Universal quantifier, emphasizing the reach of his message.
• “the”: Definite article.
• “people”: Hebrew: הָעָם (hā‘ām). The general populace of Judah.
• “in”: Preposition indicating location or participation.
• “this”: Demonstrative pronoun pointing to the immediate situation.
• “place”: Hebrew: הַמָּקוֹם (hammâqōm). Referring to Jerusalem, the place of God's presence and covenant.
• “And”: Conjunction.
• “I”: First person singular pronoun, Jeremiah speaking.
• “said”: Past tense verb indicating his communication.
• “Hear”: Imperative verb, urging attention and obedience.
• “now”: Adverb of time, calling for immediate hearkening.
• “ye”: Second person plural pronoun, addressing those listening to Jeremiah.
• “Thus”: Adverb indicating manner or way, meaning "in this way."
• “saith”: Third person singular present tense verb (Hebrew: אָמַר - 'āmar), stating God's declaration.
• “the”: Definite article.
• “LORD”: Hebrew: יְהוָה (Yhwh). The personal, covenantal name of God.
• “of”: Preposition showing possession or origin.
• “hosts”: Hebrew: צְבָאוֹת (ṣəḇā’ōṯ). Denotes the Almighty God as Commander of heavenly armies, emphasizing His supreme power and authority.
• “If”: Conditional conjunction introducing a hypothesis.
• “I”: First person singular pronoun, Jeremiah.
• “had”: Auxiliary verb forming the past perfect tense.
• “not”: Negation.
• “sent”: Past participle of send.
• “thee”: Second person singular pronoun, Jeremiah.
• “saying”: Present participle indicating what was communicated.
• “words”: Hebrew: דְּבָרִים (dəḇārîm). Utterances, messages, or commands.
• “of”: Preposition.
• “them”: Pronoun referring to others.
• “even”: Adverb meaning "namely" or "indeed," emphasizing what follows.
• “the”: Definite article.
• “prophets”: Plural of prophet.
• “of”: Preposition.
• “old”: Adjective referring to earlier times.
• “that”: Relative pronoun introducing a subordinate clause.
• “were”: Past tense of be.
• “before”: Preposition indicating time or place.
• “me”: First person singular pronoun, Jeremiah.
• “from”: Preposition indicating origin.
• “the”: Definite article.
• “beginning”: Hebrew: הַתְחִילָה (hathḥîlâ). Refers to the very start of prophetic activity.
• “they”: Third person plural pronoun.
• “prophesied”: Past tense verb indicating they spoke prophetically.
• “against”: Preposition indicating opposition.
• “many”: Quantifier.
• “countries”: Hebrew: אֲרָצוֹת (’ărāṣōṯ). Lands or nations.
• “and”: Conjunction.
• “against”: Preposition.
• “great”: Adjective indicating magnitude.
• “kingdoms”: Hebrew: מַמְלָכוֹת (mamlāḵōṯ). Empires or kingdoms.
• “saying”: Present participle.
• “The”: Definite article.
• “LORD”: Yhwh.
• “of”: Preposition.
• “hosts”: צְבָאוֹת.
• “His”: Possessive pronoun.
• “is”: Verb of being.
• “the”: Definite article.
• “name”: Hebrew: שֵׁם (šêm). His reputational identity.
• “and”: Conjunction.
• “the”: Definite article.
• “saying”: Present participle.
• “and”: Conjunction.
• “it”: Pronoun.
• “was”: Past tense verb.
• “done”: Past participle of do.
• “and”: Conjunction.
• “his”: Possessive pronoun.
• “neck”: Hebrew: צַוָּאר (ṣawwār). Referring to the yoke placed on it.
• “of”: Preposition.
• “iron”: Hebrew: בַּרְזֶל (barzəl). Symbolizing oppression and captivity.
• “ye”: Second person plural pronoun.
• “hath”: Auxiliary verb.
• “put”: Past participle of put.
• “upon”: Preposition.
• “the”: Definite article.
• “neck”: צַוָּאר.
• “of”: Preposition.
• “all”: Quantifier.
• “the”: Definite article.
• “people”: הָעָם.
• “in”: Preposition.
• “subjection”: Hebrew: שִׁעְבּוּד (šiʿəḇūḏ). Slavery or servitude.
• “That”: Conjunction introducing a clause of purpose or result.
• “is”: Verb of being.
• “the”: Definite article.
• “word”: דָּבָר (dāḇār). Message or pronouncement.
• “which”: Relative pronoun.
• “ye”: Second person plural pronoun.
• “are”: Verb of being.
• “to”: Preposition.
• “prophesy”: Hebrew: לְנַבּוֹת (lənaḇḇōṯ). To speak as a prophet.
• “against”: Preposition.
• “me”: First person singular pronoun, Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 28 17 Bonus Section

This event underscores a fundamental principle of prophecy in the Old Testament: that prophets must be sent by God (Jeremiah 23:21). Hananiah claimed to speak for God, but his message contradicted what God had revealed through Jeremiah, and critically, God directly stated through Jeremiah that Hananiah was not sent by Him, hence his death. This is not a casual penalty; it reflects the gravity of misrepresenting the Divine and impacting national destiny based on lies. The "yoke of iron" broken by Hananiah represented the Babylonian yoke of subjugation. By predicting its swift removal and the return of temple vessels, he was advocating a false hope that deferred repentance. God’s response, through Jeremiah, re-establishes the reality of the looming Babylonian power and the truth of His word against the deceptive assurances of Hananiah. The statement, "The LORD of hosts, it was him!" (Jeremiah 28:15, translation variation) emphasizes that God’s power is demonstrated through the fulfillment of His word, including judgments on false prophets, just as His power was in the initial deportation of temple vessels.

Jeremiah 28 17 Commentary

Jeremiah 28:17 marks the direct divine confirmation of Jeremiah's prophecy concerning Hananiah's fate. God clarifies that the severe judgment is precisely because Hananiah falsely prophesied in the name of the LORD. This distinguishes genuine prophecy, which aligns with God's established word and character, from false prophecy, which deceives people. God’s power is demonstrated through His foreknowledge and His justice executed through death. The contrast between Jeremiah's earlier, obedient prophecy against opposition (ch. 28:10-11) and Hananiah's self-willed, arrogant prophecy that led to his doom highlights the importance of submitting to God’s revealed will, even when difficult. This incident serves as a critical reminder that uttering words in God's name carries immense responsibility and divine accountability. It also illustrates the consequence of leading God's people astray through deceitful promises, mirroring later instances like Ananias and Sapphira.