27 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word unto Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

Thus saith the Lord to me; Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck,

And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah;

And command them to say unto their masters, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say unto your masters;

I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.

And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.

And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.

And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the Lord, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon:

10 For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.

11 But the nations that bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land, saith the Lord; and they shall till it, and dwell therein.

12 I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.

13 Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the Lord hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?

14 Therefore hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.

15 For I have not sent them, saith the Lord, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.

16 Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the Lord's house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.

17 Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city be laid waste?

18 But if they be prophets, and if the word of the Lord be with them, let them now make intercession to the Lord of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the Lord, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babylon.

19 For thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that remain in this city.

20 Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took not, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem;

21 Yea, thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the Lord, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem;

22 They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be until the day that I visit them, saith the Lord; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place.

28 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,

Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the Lord's house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon:

And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the Lord: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the Lord,

Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the Lord do so: the Lord perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the Lord's house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place.

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

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.

The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him.

10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah's neck, and brake it.

11 And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.

12 Then the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the prophet, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,

13 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.

14 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also.

15 Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The Lord hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.

16 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord.

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

27 1 Jeremiah at the commandment of the Lord sendeth bonds to the King of Judah and to the other Kings that were near, whereby they are monished to be subjects unto Nebuchadnezzar. 9 He warneth the people, and the Kings and rulers that they believe not false Prophets.

In the beginning of the reign of [a]Jehoiakim the son of Josiah King of Judah came this word unto Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

Thus saith the Lord to me, Make thee [b]bonds, and yokes, and put them upon thy neck,

And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah the king of Judah,

And command them to say unto their masters, Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel, Thus shall ye say unto your masters,

I have made the earth, the man, and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power, and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it pleased me.

But now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babel my [c]servant, and the beasts of the field have I also given him to serve him.

And all nations shall serve him, and his [d]son, and his son’s son until the very time of his land come also: then many nations and great kings shall [e]serve themselves of him.

And the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babel, the same nation will I visit saith the Lord, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have wholly given them into his hands.

Therefore hear not your prophets nor your soothsayers, nor your dreamers, nor your enchanters, nor your sorcerers which say unto you thus, Ye shall not serve the king of Babel.

10 For they prophesy a lie unto you to cause you to go far from your land, and that I should cast you out, and you should perish.

11 But the nation that put their necks under the yoke of the king of Babel, and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land, saith the Lord, and they shall occupy it, and dwell therein.

12 ¶ I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Babel, and serve him and his people, that ye may live.

13 Why will ye die, thou, and thy people by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the Lord hath spoken against the nation, that will not serve the king of Babel?

14 Therefore hear not the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babel: for they prophesy a lie unto you.

15 For I have not (A)sent them, saith the Lord, yet they prophesy a lie in my Name, that I might cast you out, and that ye might perish, both you, and the Prophets that prophesy unto you.

16 Also I spake to the Priests, and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hear not the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, (B)the vessels of the house of the Lord shall now shortly be [f]brought again from Babel: for they prophesy a lie unto you.

17 Hear them not, but serve the king of Babel, that ye may live: wherefore should this city be desolate?

18 But if they be Prophets, and if the word of the Lord be with them, let them [g]entreat the Lord of hosts, that the vessels, which are left in the House of the Lord, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babel.

19 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, concerning the (C)pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that remain in this city,

20 Which Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel took not, when he carried (D)away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah from Jerusalem to Babel, with all the nobles of Judah, and Jerusalem.

21 For thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the Lord, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem,

22 They shall be brought to Babel, and there they shall be until the day that I visit [h]them, saith the Lord: then will I bring them up, and restore them unto this place.

28 1 The false prophecy of Hananiah. 12 Jeremiah reproveth Hananiah, and prophesieth.

And that same year in the beginning of the [i]reign of Zedekiah King of Judah, in the [j]fourth year, and in the fifth month, Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of [k]Gibeon, spake to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the Priests, and of all the people, and said,

Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the King of Babel.

[l]Within two years space I will bring into this place all the vessels of the Lord’s House, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel took away from this place, and carried them into Babel.

And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim King of Judah, with all them that were carried away captive of Judah, and went into Babel, saith the Lord: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babel.

Then the Prophet Jeremiah said unto the [m]Prophet Hananiah in the presence of the Priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the House of the Lord.

Even the Prophet Jeremiah said, So be it: the [n]Lord so do, the Lord confirm thy words which thou hast prophesied, to restore the vessels of the Lord’s house, and all that is carried captive from Babel, into this place.

But hear thou now this word that I will speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people.

The Prophets that have been before me, and before thee in time past, [o]prophesied against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of plagues, and of pestilence.

And the Prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the Prophet shall come to pass, then shall the Prophet be known that the Lord hath truly sent him.

10 Then Hananiah the Prophet took the yoke from the Prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and [p]brake it.

11 And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel, from the neck of all nations within the space of two years: and the Prophet Jeremiah went his way.

12 ¶ Then the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the Prophet, (after that Hananiah the Prophet had broken the yoke from the neck of the Prophet Jeremiah) saying,

13 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.

14 For thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel, I have put a [q]yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel: for they shall serve him, and I have given him the [r]beasts of the field also.

15 Then said the Prophet Jeremiah, unto the Prophet Hananiah, Hear now Hananiah, the Lord hath not sent thee, but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.

16 Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will cast thee from of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast spoken rebelliously against the Lord.

17 So Hananiah the Prophet [s]died the same year in the seventh month.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 27:1 As touching the disposition of these prophecies, they that gathered them into a book, did not altogether observe the order of times, but did set some afore, which should be after, and contrary wise, which if the reader mark well it shall avoid many doubts, and make the reading much more easy.
  2. Jeremiah 27:2 By such signs the Prophets used sometimes to confirm their prophecies which notwithstanding they could not do of themselves, but in as much as they had a revelation for the same, Isa. 20:2, and therefore the false Prophets to get more credit, did use also such visible signs, but they had no revelation, 1 Kings 22:12.
  3. Jeremiah 27:6 Read Jer. 25:9.
  4. Jeremiah 27:7 Meaning, Evil-Merodach, and his son Belshazzar.
  5. Jeremiah 27:7 They shall bring him and his kingdom in subjection, as Jer. 25:14.
  6. Jeremiah 27:16 Which were taken when Jeconiah was led captive into Babel.
  7. Jeremiah 27:18 For it was not only the Prophet’s office to show the word of God, but also to pray for the sins of the people, Gen. 20:7, which these could not do because they had no express word: for God had pronounced the contrary.
  8. Jeremiah 27:22 That is, for the space of seventy years till I have caused the Medes and Persians to overcome the Chaldeans.
  9. Jeremiah 28:1 When Jeremiah began to bear these bonds and yokes.
  10. Jeremiah 28:1 After that the land hast rested, as Lev. 25:2.
  11. Jeremiah 28:1 This was a city in Benjamin belonging to the sons of Aaron, Josh. 21:17.
  12. Jeremiah 28:3 Hebrew, two years of days.
  13. Jeremiah 28:5 He was so esteemed though he was a false prophet.
  14. Jeremiah 28:6 That is, I would wish the same for God’s honor, and wealth of my people, but he hath appointed the contrary.
  15. Jeremiah 28:8 Meaning, that the Prophets that did either denounce war or peace, were tried either true or false by the success of their prophecies, albeit God maketh to come to pass sometimes that which the false prophet speaketh to try the faith of his, Deut. 13:3.
  16. Jeremiah 28:10 This declareth the impudence of the wicked hirelings, which have no zeal to the truth, but are led with ambition to get the favor of men, and therefore cannot abide any that might discredit them but burst forth into rages and contrary to their own conscience, pass not what lies they report or how wickedly they do, so that they may maintain their estimation.
  17. Jeremiah 28:14 That is, a hard and cruel servitude.
  18. Jeremiah 28:14 Signifying, that all should be his, as Dan. 2:38.
  19. Jeremiah 28:17 Seeing this thing was evident in the eyes of the people, and yet they returned not to the Lord, it is manifest, that miracles cannot move us, neither the word itself, except God touch the heart.