Bible Strands
Jeremiah 28:11
And in the presence of all the people Hananiah proclaimed, “This is what the LORD says: ‘In this way, within two years I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations.’” At this, Jeremiah the prophet went on his way.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Hananiah addresses the entire assembly immediately after breaking Jeremiah’s wooden yoke, announcing that the LORD will remove Babylon’s dominion within two years. Jeremiah then turns and leaves without responding to the proclamation.
The words — The phrase כֹּה אָמַר (koh amar, "thus he says") operates as a formal prophetic marker claiming direct divine authorization for the statement. The verb וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer, "and he said") records the public delivery of this claim in the presence of all the people.
The thread — This public assertion of imminent deliverance parallels the unauthorized prophetic declarations later identified as falsehoods in 2 Chronicles 18:22 and 1 Kings 22:11. The immediate narrative correction in Jeremiah 28:12 confirms that the spoken word does not automatically establish divine intent.
Why it lands — The text requires readers to verify bold claims of divine action against prior revelation rather than accepting dramatic public announcements. It demands that authority be measured by consistency with established prophecy, not by the speaker’s confidence or the crowd’s presence.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- 2 Chronicles 18:22 So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.”
- Proverbs 14:7 Stay away from a foolish man; you will gain no knowledge from his speech.
- 1 Kings 22:11 Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.’”
- Jeremiah 14:14 “The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.
- Jeremiah 27:2 This is what the LORD said to me: “Make for yourself a yoke out of leather straps and put it on your neck.
- Jeremiah 29:9 For they are falsely prophesying to you in My name; I have not sent them, declares the LORD.”
- 1 Kings 13:18 Then the prophet replied, “I too am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” The old prophet was lying to him,
- 1 Kings 22:6 So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
- 2 Chronicles 18:10 Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.’”
- Jeremiah 23:17 They keep saying to those who despise Me, ‘The LORD says that you will have peace,’ and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart, ‘No harm will come to you.’