Jeremiah 28:8 kjv
The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.
Jeremiah 28:8 nkjv
The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries and great kingdoms?of war and disaster and pestilence.
Jeremiah 28:8 niv
From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms.
Jeremiah 28:8 esv
The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms.
Jeremiah 28:8 nlt
The ancient prophets who preceded you and me spoke against many nations, always warning of war, disaster, and disease.
Jeremiah 28 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 28:8 | The early prophets prophesied concerning many countries and over great kingdoms, of war and of disaster and pestilence. | Parallelism to past prophetic pronouncements (historical) |
| Deuteronomy 18:22 | "And when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or prove true, that is the word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You shall do nothing like it." | Standard for true prophecy vs. false prophecy |
| Ezekiel 13:6 | "They see false visions and lying divinations. They say, 'Declares the LORD,' but the LORD did not send them, and they hope for the fulfillment of their word." | Accusation against false prophets |
| 1 Kings 22:23 | "And now behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit into the mouths of all these your prophets. The LORD has declared disaster for you." | Divine judgment on lying prophets |
| Isaiah 9:15 | "The senior and honored man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail." | Distortion of true prophecy |
| Jeremiah 14:14 | "Then the LORD said to me: 'The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them: I did not command them; I did not speak to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, worthless divinations, and the conceit of their own hearts.'" | Reinforces the theme of false prophecy |
| 1 Samuel 3:20 | "And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was a faithful prophet of the LORD." | Established a benchmark for faithfulness in prophecy |
| Acts 2:17 | "'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy...'" | New Testament view of prophecy |
| 1 Corinthians 14:3 | "but the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort." | Correct use of prophecy |
| Romans 15:4 | "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." | Scripture as a source of instruction and hope |
| Amos 3:7 | "Surely the Lord GOD does nothing unless he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets." | Prophecy as divine revelation |
| Haggai 1:12 | "Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him." | Obedience to prophets commissioned by God |
| Zechariah 1:1 | "In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah son of Iddo the prophet..." | The nature of prophetic calls |
| Galatians 1:8 | "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed." | Adherence to established truth over new claims |
| 2 Peter 1:20 | "knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation." | Divine origin of prophecy |
| Jeremiah 23:25 | "I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed.'" | Claims of dreams as divine confirmation of lies |
| 1 John 4:1 | "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." | Discernment of spirits and prophets |
| Deuteronomy 13:3 | "then you shall listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. And the LORD your God will test you, to know whether or not you are loving the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul." | Testing the validity of prophetic claims |
| Leviticus 26:16 | "I will do this also to you: I will appoint over you terror, consumption, and fever that shall make the eyes languish and the soul pine away. And you shall sow your seed in vain, and your enemies shall eat it." | Divine judgment for disobedience |
| Jeremiah 27:15 | "For I have not sent them, declares the LORD, and they are prophesying falsely in my name. Therefore I will drive them out, and they will perish by sword or by famine, and their children with them." | Consequences for false prophecy |
Jeremiah 28 verses
Jeremiah 28 8 Meaning
The verse speaks of prophets of old and their messages. It states that many prophets, in the past, spoke out against disobedience and the consequences that would follow. These pronouncements were often grim, predicting judgment due to the people's sinful ways. The prophet Hananiah is contradicting Jeremiah by claiming his message of peace, not doom, is the true word from the Lord.
Jeremiah 28 8 Context
This verse appears in Jeremiah chapter 28, within the larger context of Jeremiah's ministry during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, specifically under King Zedekiah. Babylon, under Nebuchadnezzar, was ascendant, and many Judeans had already been exiled. Jeremiah was prophesying that continued resistance to Babylon would lead to further destruction and exile. Hananiah, a contemporary false prophet, is directly confronting Jeremiah in the temple courts. Hananiah proclaims a message of imminent liberation from Babylonian rule, predicting the return of sacred vessels and the swift downfall of Nebuchadnezzar. This contrasts sharply with Jeremiah's consistently grim message of submission and enduring exile as divine judgment. The historical backdrop is critical, as nationalistic fervor and a desire for immediate relief made Hananiah's optimistic message appealing to many.
Jeremiah 28 8 Word Analysis
- וְהַנְּבִיאִים (vəhan·nə·ḇî·îm) - "and the prophets": The conjunction "and" (וְ - və) links this statement to a general observation about prophets. The noun "prophets" (נְּבִיאִים - nə·ḇî·îm) is the plural form, indicating not just Jeremiah but the general class of those who spoke for God.
- לְפָנַי (lə·p̄ā·nay) - "before me" / "in my time" / "in my presence": The preposition "to/for" (לְ - lə) indicates direction or relation. The noun "prophets" (נְּבִיאִים - nə·ḇî·îm) has an attached possessive pronoun, "my" (ַנַּי - na·yay), meaning "my prophets" or in the context of Hananiah speaking, possibly implying "the prophets who were associated with me" or referring to prophets that came before him, a common way of establishing one's credentials by referencing past, recognized prophets. It implies those in times preceding Jeremiah.
- כָּל־ (kāl) - "all": An all-encompassing quantifier.
- הַנְּבִיאִים (han·nə·ḇî·îm) - "the prophets": Repeated, emphasizing the entirety of the prophetic body being referenced.
- הָיוּ (hā·yû) - "were": The imperfect form of the verb "to be," indicating a past ongoing state or condition.
- עַל־ (ʿal) - "upon" / "over": A preposition indicating location or dominion.
- כָּל־ (kāl) - "all": Another quantifier for "countries" and "kingdoms."
- הָאֲרָץ (hā·’ā·rōṣ) - "the earth" / "the land": Refers to the territory, the nations of the world, or the specific land of Israel.
- לְשָׁלֹם (lə·šā·lōm) - "for peace" / "for welfare" / "for prosperity": The preposition "to/for" (לְ - lə) followed by the noun "peace" (שָׁלֹם - šā·lōm). This signifies a message of well-being, security, and positive outcomes.
- וּלְכָל־ (ū·lə·ḵāl) - "and for all": Connects the previous statement about peace with the subsequent pronouncements.
- בֶּצַע (be·ṣa‘) - "strength" / "mischief" / "damage": This is a complex word. In this context, combined with "peace" and then followed by "war and disaster," it might carry the nuance of either an outcome of unchecked prosperity ("damage" or "gain") or an internal aspect of the prosperity. Some interpret it as "strength" that leads to their downfall when coupled with the false assurance of peace. It could also hint at disruptive forces. Considering the contrast, it might be suggesting that the peace promised would have underlying elements that ultimately prove detrimental, or simply that other prophecies carried different messages of consequence. Given the flow, it likely relates to the adverse outcomes.
- לַמָּבוֹר (lam·mā·ḇōr) - "to confusion" / "to ruin" / "to disaster": The preposition "to" (לְ - lə) combined with the noun "disaster" or "calamity" (מָבוֹר - mā·ḇōr). This signifies a state of distress, destruction, or widespread misfortune.
- כִּי (kî) - "when" / "because" / "for": A conjunction introducing a clause, here functioning temporally, implying "when."
- אֹמְרוֹ (ōm·rōw) - "he says" / "it was said": The imperfect verb "to say" (אָמַר - ’ā·mar) with a pronoun "he/it" (וֹ - ōw). This is attributed to the prophets being described.
- דְּבַר־ (də·ḇar) - "word" / "matter": The noun "word" or "thing" (דָּבָר - dā·ḇār).
- יְהוָה (Yə·hō·wāh) - "LORD": The Tetragrammaton, the personal covenant name of God.
- מִפִּיו (mip·pîw) - "from his mouth": The preposition "from" (מִן - min) attached to the noun "mouth" (פֶּה - peh) with the possessive pronoun "his" (וֹ - ōw). This emphasizes that the pronouncement originated directly from the prophet.
Word Groups Analysis
- "The prophets were... upon all the earth... for peace": This establishes a pattern of prophecy focused on positive outcomes, including prosperity and stability for nations.
- "and for all ... to confusion": This phrase implies that alongside prophecies of peace, there were also prophecies of the opposite – disaster, war, and ruin. The inclusion of "confusion" or "disaster" (מָבוֹר) as a counterpart to peace indicates the spectrum of prophetic pronouncements, which could include severe warnings.
- "when he says the word of the LORD from his mouth": This highlights the perceived direct source of prophecy as divine, a claim that both true and false prophets would make. Hananiah uses this by referencing past prophets as a justification for his own "peace" message, implying these past pronouncements (of doom) were also words from God.
Jeremiah 28 8 Bonus Section
The reference to "peace" (שָׁלֹם - shalom) is significant. While it can mean a mere absence of conflict, in the Hebrew understanding, shalom encompasses a much fuller concept of well-being, wholeness, completeness, and divine favor. Hananiah was appealing to the deep-seated desire of the people for this ultimate shalom. The mention of "disaster" (מָבוֹר) serves to acknowledge that God's prophetic pronouncements were not monolithic; they addressed sin with judgment. However, the key difference lies in the applicability and source. Jeremiah's prophecies were current, conditional, and accurately reflected God's justice in response to the people's persistent rebellion, whereas Hananiah’s words, contrary to this current revelation, sought to evoke comfort without repentance. The incident serves as a powerful case study in discernment of prophecy, where popular appeal and seemingly divine pronouncements must be tested against the established word of God and its current application.
Jeremiah 28 8 Commentary
Hananiah uses this verse to attempt to legitimize his optimistic prophecy by citing the historical precedent of prophets speaking words from God, even if those words included pronouncements of peace. He contrasts his message of an immediate end to the Babylonian yoke and the return of temple vessels with Jeremiah's pronouncements of prolonged exile and impending disaster. He attempts to silence Jeremiah by implying that since Jeremiah's prophecies are doom-laden and Hananiah's are peaceful, Hananiah must be the true prophet, drawing on a supposed historical norm where prophets indeed spoke of both peace and judgment. However, Hananiah misapplies this principle; Jeremiah's warnings were a direct consequence of Judah's sin and God's covenantal judgments, while Hananiah's peace message was a baseless denial of the present reality and divine discipline. True prophets spoke according to God's current word, not general trends. Hananiah's message, as we see from other passages, was self-serving and driven by popular desire, not divine truth.