28:1 And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the
a reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the b fourth
year, [and] in the fifth month, [that] Hananiah the son of
Azur the prophet, who [was] of c Gibeon, spoke to me in
the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and
of all the people, saying,
(a) When Jeremiah began to bear these bonds and yokes.
(b) After the land had rested, as in (Le 25:2).
(c) This was a city in Benjamin belonging to the sons of
Aaron, (Jos 21:17).
28:5 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the d prophet Hananiah
in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all
the people that stood in the house of the LORD,
(d) He was so esteemed though he was a false prophet.
28:6 Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the e 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.
(e) That is, I would wish the same for God's honour and
wealth of my people but he has appointed the contrary.
28:8 The prophets that have been before me and before thee of
old f prophesied both against many countries, and against
great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.
(f) Meaning, that the prophets that denounced war or peace
were tried either true or false by the success of their
prophecies, even though God makes to come to pass
sometimes that which the false prophet speaks to try
the faith of his, (De 13:3).
28:10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the
prophet Jeremiah's neck, and g broke it.
(g) This declares the impudency of the wicked hirelings
who have no zeal to the truth but are led with
ambition to get the favour 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.
28:14 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; I
have put a h 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 i beasts of the field also.
(h) That is, a hard and cruel servitude.
(i) Signifying that all would be his as in (Da 2:38).
28:17 So Hananiah the prophet k died the same year in the
seventh month.
(k) 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, unless God touch the heart.
