Jeremiah 28 7

Jeremiah 28:7 kjv

Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people;

Jeremiah 28:7 nkjv

Nevertheless hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people:

Jeremiah 28:7 niv

Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people:

Jeremiah 28:7 esv

Yet hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people.

Jeremiah 28:7 nlt

But listen now to the solemn words I speak to you in the presence of all these people.

Jeremiah 28 verses

Jeremiah 28 7 meaning

Jeremiah 28:7 marks a crucial juncture in the confrontation between Jeremiah and Hananiah. After an initial, brief, and perhaps diplomatic response to Hananiah's popular prophecy, Jeremiah shifts profoundly. This verse is Jeremiah's solemn demand for a careful, public hearing of the divine truth he is about to declare, a truth that directly challenges Hananiah's comforting, yet false, message. He calls on Hananiah, as well as all the assembled people, to listen intently to the true word of God, establishing a direct, high-stakes prophetic test.

Jeremiah 28 7 Context

Jeremiah 28:7 takes place during the tumultuous reign of King Zedekiah, specifically in his fourth year, around 594 BC. This period was charged with intense nationalistic hope following the first Babylonian deportation eight years prior, which saw King Jehoiachin and much of Judah's elite taken into exile. The remaining population clung to the belief that this subjugation was temporary and God would quickly restore them and the temple treasures. It is in this atmosphere of yearning for relief that Hananiah, a popular prophet, declared in the temple court that the Babylonian yoke would be broken within two years, aligning with popular sentiment and promising immediate peace and restoration. Jeremiah, who had been consistently prophesying a longer period of exile and submission to Babylon, initially responds to Hananiah by acknowledging the desirability of his message but follows with this pivotal verse, signaling that his message of true prophecy, though unpopular, must now be heard. This moment sets the stage for a dramatic public confrontation between a true prophet (Jeremiah) delivering God's challenging word and a false prophet (Hananiah) proclaiming a pleasing, but deceitful, message.

Jeremiah 28 7 Word analysis

• Nevertheless (אַךְ, 'akh):
  • This Hebrew conjunction serves as a strong adversative, signaling a definitive contrast or pivot point.
  • It separates Jeremiah's previous statement (v. 6), where he expressed a wish for Hananiah's prophecy to be true, from the divine word he is now compelled to speak.
  • Significance: It implies, "Despite what you've heard, or what I might wish, now listen to the actual truth." It initiates a solemn shift in tone and content.
• hear now (שִׁמְעוּ־נָא, shim'u-na):
  • shim'u (שִׁמְעוּ): The imperative plural form of the verb shama' (שָׁמַע), meaning "to hear, listen, obey, understand."
  • na (נָא): An interjection that adds emphasis or urgency, akin to "please," "I urge you," or "now!"
  • Significance: This is a direct, urgent command to active and serious listening, not merely passive hearing. The plural form indicates it is directed both at Hananiah and "all the people" present, demanding their immediate and undivided attention for a critically important pronouncement. It echoes biblical calls to heed divine instruction (cf. Shema Yisrael, Deut 6:4).
• this word (הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה, haddāḇār hazzeh):
  • haddāḇār (הַדָּבָר): The definite article "the" combined with dāḇār (דָּבָר), a multifaceted Hebrew noun meaning "word," "thing," "matter," "speech," or "event." In prophetic contexts, dāḇār almost always refers to a divinely authoritative message.
  • hazzeh (הַזֶּה): The demonstrative pronoun "this."
  • Significance: Jeremiah emphasizes the singularity and divine authority of "this specific word" he is about to speak. It implicitly stands in stark contrast to Hananiah's self-generated word, claiming ultimate authority for his message as directly from God. It points to a unique, immediate, and truthful revelation.
• that I speak (אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי דֹּבֵר, ’ăšer ’ānoḵī ḏōḇēr):
  • ’ăšer (אֲשֶׁר): "that," "which."
  • ’ānoḵī (אָנֹכִי): The emphatic first-person singular pronoun "I."
  • ḏōḇēr (דֹּבֵר): A participle of dabhar (דָּבַר), meaning "to speak, declare."
  • Significance: The emphatic "I" (אָנֹכִי) stresses Jeremiah's direct role as the divine messenger, commissioned by God. This underscores the authority and divine origin of the message about to be delivered, setting Jeremiah apart as a true prophet speaking God's word, as opposed to speaking from his own spirit or imagination.
• in your ears (בְּאָזְנֶיךָ, bĕ’āzneḵā):
  • bĕ (בְּ): "in."
  • ’āzneḵā (אָזְנֶיךָ): "your ears," with a singular suffix referring directly to Hananiah.
  • Significance: This is a highly personal and direct address to Hananiah. Jeremiah intends for his challenging truth to be heard unmistakably by the false prophet himself, creating a direct confrontation and demanding personal accountability from Hananiah. It signifies an explicit rebuttal.
• and in the ears of all the people (וּבְאָזְנֵי כָּל־הָעָם, ūḇĕ’āznê ḵāl-hā‘ām):
  • ū (וּ): "and."
  • bĕ’āznê (בְּאָזְנֵי): "in the ears of."
  • ḵāl (כָּל־): "all."
  • hā‘ām (הָעָם): "the people."
  • Significance: The message is to be heard publicly, by the entire assembled community. This emphasizes the communal responsibility to discern truth and falsehood in prophetic declarations. The public nature ensures transparency and serves as a vital test for validating the divine message for all present. It places the burden of discernment on the audience.

Words-group Analysis:

• Nevertheless, hear now: This pairing functions as a powerful, immediate call for attention, signifying a profound and urgent shift in the prophetic discourse. It prepares the audience for a message that may contradict prior expectations or comforting narratives.
• this word that I speak: This phrase asserts the distinct, divinely authorized nature of Jeremiah's imminent pronouncement. By stressing "this word" and his "I speak" (emphasizing his commission), Jeremiah contrasts it implicitly with Hananiah's uninspired utterance, framing it as God's specific revelation.
• in your ears and in the ears of all the people: This dual address highlights the dual purpose of Jeremiah's forthcoming message: a direct challenge and correction to Hananiah as a false prophet, and a public instruction and warning to the populace. It elevates the confrontation into an open, witnessed test of prophetic authenticity, crucial for the nation's spiritual guidance.

Jeremiah 28 7 Bonus section

The intense confrontation between Jeremiah and Hananiah in the temple courtyard, highlighted by this verse, exemplifies a perennial theological and spiritual challenge: distinguishing divine truth from popular deception, especially when the latter is appealing or aligns with desired outcomes. This prophetic face-off illustrates the critical need for discernment among God's people (1 John 4:1) and the courage required for a true prophet to deliver an unpopular divine message (Jer 15:10, 20:8). The Hebrew term dāḇār used here is not merely human speech but a profound concept carrying the weight of God's power, intent, and reality, acting as the very substance of creation and prophetic revelation (Gen 1:3; Ps 33:6; Heb 1:3). The public nature of this demand for "hearing" aligns with the expectation of Old Testament legal and prophetic tradition that divine messages, especially those affecting national destiny, would be publicly declared and witnessed.

Jeremiah 28 7 Commentary

Jeremiah 28:7 is the pivot of the public dispute, where Jeremiah asserts his role as God's true messenger. His "Nevertheless" (akh) signals a sharp departure from Hananiah's pleasant but deceptive message, and his solemn "hear now" (shim'u-na) commands the undivided attention of all present. By emphasizing "this word that I speak," Jeremiah highlights the divine authority and uniqueness of his forthcoming pronouncement, drawing a clear distinction from the false prophecies being propagated. Addressing "in your ears" (singular) targets Hananiah personally, making the challenge direct and undeniable, while also extending the call "to all the people" (plural) to ensure collective discernment and accountability. This verse sets the stage for God's truth to publicly confront and expose a popular falsehood, pressing both the false prophet and the receptive audience to grapple with genuine divine revelation.