Jeremiah 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,

1This happened in the same year, early in the time Zedekiah was king of Judah. It was the fourth year of his rule, in the fifth month. A man named Hananiah son of Azur spoke to me. He was a prophet from the town of Gibeon. A prophet is someone who tells people what God says. He spoke in the LORD's house, with the priests and all the people listening. He said:

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

2The LORD of the armies of heaven, the God of Israel, says this. I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

NoteA yoke is a heavy wooden bar laid on the necks of oxen so they must pull a load. When one king ruled over another country, people called it a yoke. Jeremiah had been wearing a real wooden yoke as a picture of this.

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:

3In two more years I will bring back everything from the LORD's house. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, took those dishes and tools away to Babylon. I will bring them all back here.

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.

4I will also bring back Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah. And I will bring back all the people of Judah who were taken away to Babylon. This is what the LORD says. For I will break the yoke 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 Jeremiah the prophet answered Hananiah the prophet. The priests and all the people standing in the LORD's house were listening.

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! That means, may it be so. May the LORD do just what you said. May he bring back the things from his house. May he bring all the captured people home from Babylon."

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

7"But please listen now to what I am about to say. You must hear it, and all the people must hear it too."

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"Long ago there were prophets before you and before me. They warned many lands and great kingdoms. They said war and trouble and deadly sickness were coming."

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"Now think about a prophet who says peace is coming. We find out the LORD really sent him only when his words come true."

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

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

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.

11Hananiah spoke in front of all the people. He said, "The LORD says this. In just this way I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. I will take it off the necks of all the nations in two more years." 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,

12Hananiah had broken the yoke off Jeremiah's neck. Soon after that, the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet. He said:

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, 'The LORD says this. You broke a yoke made of wood. But now you have made a yoke of iron in its place.'"

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"The LORD of the armies of heaven, the God of Israel, says this. I have put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations. They must serve Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I have even given him 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 Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, "Listen, Hananiah! The LORD did not send you. You have made these people trust in 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 the LORD says this. I am going to take you away from the earth. You will die this year. You told the people to turn against the LORD."

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

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