Hananiah

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. He spoke in the LORD's house, with the priests and all the people listening. He said:

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,

NoteJudah was the land where God's people lived. A prophet was a person who told others what God said. The LORD's house was the temple, the big building where people worshiped God. Priests were the men who worked in the temple and helped people pray.

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

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

Note"The LORD of hosts" is a name for God. It means he has armies of angels and great power. A yoke is a heavy wooden bar. Farmers laid it on the necks of oxen to make them pull. Here the yoke means being ruled by Babylon. Babylon was a strong country far away. Its army had beaten Judah in war.

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.

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:

NoteNebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon. His soldiers had taken the gold bowls and cups from God's house. They carried them all the way back to 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.

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.

NoteJeconiah was king of Judah before Zedekiah was. Babylon's army took him away, and many other people too. They had to live far from home and could not come back.

5Then Jeremiah the prophet answered Hananiah the prophet. The priests and all the people standing in the LORD's house were listening.

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,

6Jeremiah said, "Amen! 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."

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.

NoteAmen means may it be so.

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

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

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."

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.

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."

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.

NoteAnyone could say happy news and claim God sent him. Jeremiah says you have to wait and see. If the words come true, God really sent him.

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

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

NoteJeremiah had been wearing a real wooden yoke on his neck. He wore it so people could see what he meant. It showed that Judah would have to serve Babylon.

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.

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.

NoteNations means the other countries around Judah.

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

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

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.

NoteA wooden yoke can be snapped in two. An iron yoke cannot be broken at all.

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."

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.

Note"The beasts of the field" means the wild animals. Even they would belong to the king of Babylon.

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."

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"So the LORD says this. I am going to take you away from the earth. You will die this year, because you spoke rebellion against the LORD."

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.

NoteRebellion means turning away from someone and going against them.

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

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

NoteTheir months were counted from spring. The seventh month came only two months after the fifth month. So this happened very soon after Hananiah spoke.