Albert Barnes Commentary Jeremiah 28
Albert Barnes Commentary
Jeremiah 28
Albert Barnes Commentary
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, in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of Jehovah, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying," — Jeremiah 28:1 (ASV)
In the beginning ... Zedekiah - Probably a gloss put into the margin to explain “the same year,” from where it has crept into the text.
Gibeon - A city of priests (Joshua 21:17). Hananiah was probably a priest as well as a prophet. He chose either a Sabbath or a new moon, that he might confront Jeremiah not only in the presence of the priests, but also of all the people. He used (Jeremiah 28:2) the solemn formula which claims direct inspiration.
"Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of Jehovah`s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried to Babylon:" — Jeremiah 28:3 (ASV)
Within two full years - literally, in two more years, even days. Hananiah probably was induced to fix this date by the expectation that the confederacy then underway would defeat Nebuchadnezzar.
"and I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went to Babylon, saith Jehovah; for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon." — Jeremiah 28:4 (ASV)
Jeconiah - Zedekiah not being popular, the people would have preferred the young king, who had not reigned long enough to make enemies. Probably also Zedekiah had started for Babylon (Jeremiah 51:59).
"even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: Jehovah do so; Jehovah perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of Jehovah`s house, and all them of the captivity, from Babylon unto this place. Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people: The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence. The prophet that prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that Jehovah hath truly sent him." — Jeremiah 28:6-9 (ASV)
Jeremiah’s own wishes concurred with Hananiah’s prediction, but he asserts that this prediction was at variance with the language of the older prophets (Jeremiah 28:9).
Then shall the prophet... — or, “shall be known as the prophet whom the Lord hath truly sent.”
"Then Hananiah the prophet took the bar from off the prophet Jeremiah`s neck, and brake it." — Jeremiah 28:10 (ASV)
The multitude would see in Hananiah’s act a symbol of deliverance.
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