Jeremiah

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,

1That same year, early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, the prophet Hananiah son of Azur, from the town of Gibeon, spoke to me in the LORD's temple. The priests and all the people were there listening.

2Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

2He said, "This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I have broken the power of the king of Babylon."

NoteA yoke is a heavy wooden bar laid across the necks of oxen to make them pull a plow. Here it is a picture of one nation being forced to serve another. Jeremiah had been wearing a real wooden yoke to show what God was doing.

3Within 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:

3"Within two years I will bring back to this place all the things from the LORD's temple that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away to Babylon."

4And 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.

4"And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, along with all the people of Judah who were taken away to Babylon, says the LORD. For I will break the power of the king of Babylon."

5Then 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,

5Then the prophet Jeremiah answered the prophet Hananiah. He spoke in front of the priests and all the people who were standing in the LORD's temple.

6Even 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.

6Jeremiah said, "Amen! May the LORD do it. May the LORD make your words come true. May he bring the temple things and all the captured people back here from Babylon."

7Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people;

7"But listen now to what I am about to say to you and to all these people."

8The 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.

8"The prophets who lived long before you and me spoke against many lands and great kingdoms. They warned of war, disaster, and deadly disease."

9The 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.

9"But when a prophet promises peace, you can only know the LORD truly sent him if his words come true."

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

10Then the prophet Hananiah took the wooden yoke off Jeremiah's neck and broke it.

Note"Brake" is the old form of "broke."

11And 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.

11In front of all the people Hananiah said, "This is what the LORD says: In this same way, within two years I will break the power of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of every nation." Then Jeremiah walked away.

12Then 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,

12Soon after Hananiah broke the yoke off Jeremiah's neck, the LORD spoke to Jeremiah.

13Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron.

13"Go and tell Hananiah, This is what the LORD says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you have made a yoke of iron."

14For 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.

14"This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I have put an iron yoke on the neck of all these nations, so they will serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. And they will serve him. I have even given him control of the wild animals."

15Then 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.

15Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, "Listen, Hananiah! The LORD did not send you. You have made these people trust a lie."

16Therefore 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.

16"So this is what the LORD says: I am going to remove you from the face of the earth. You will die this year, because you told the people to turn against the LORD."

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

17And the prophet Hananiah died that same year, in the seventh month.

NoteThe months are counted in the Hebrew calendar, so the fifth month in verse 1 and the seventh month here are about two months apart.