1 ARST These things occurred when Zedekiah was beginning his rule as king of Judah. It happened on the fourth year and fifth month of his rule, that Azzur’ s son Hananiah, a prophet from the city of Gibeon, spoke to Jeremiah in the courtyard of the temple, while all the priests and other people were listening. He said, BSB BSB: In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, near the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and all the people:
2 ARST “This is what the Yahweh, commander of the angel armies, whom Israel worships, says:‘I will cause the king of Babylon to stop ruling you. BSB BSB: “This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
3 ARST Within two years, I will cause to be brought back to this temple all the valuable things that King Nebuchadnezzar’ s soldiers took from this temple and took to Babylon. BSB BSB: Within two years I will restore to this place all the articles of the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and carried to Babylon.
4 ARST And I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin, who was the son of the Jehoiakim, the King of Judah, and all the other people who were captured and taken to Babylon. The king of Babylon has forced you to do what he wants, like someone puts a yoke on the neck of an ox to force it to do what he wants it to do. But I will cause that to end. That will happen because I, Yahweh, have said it.’” BSB BSB: And I will restore to this place Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the LORD, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”
5 ARST Jeremiah replied to Hananiah in front of all the priests and other people whom were standing outside the temple. BSB BSB: Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the LORD.
6 ARST He said,“I want that to be true! I desire that what you have predicted will happen just as you said! I hope that he will cause men from Babylon to bring back all the valuable things that were in this temple, and all the people who were taken to Babylon. BSB BSB: “Amen!” Jeremiah said. “May the LORD do so! May the LORD fulfill the words you have prophesied, and may He restore the articles of His house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon.
7 ARST But now listen to what I say to you while all these people are listening. BSB BSB: Nevertheless, listen now to this message I am speaking in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people.
8 ARST Many years ago, those who were prophets before you and I became prophets spoke messages about many nations and great kingdoms. They predicted that wars and disasters and plagues would occur in those nations. BSB BSB: The prophets of old who preceded you and me prophesied war, disaster, and plague against many lands and great kingdoms.
9 ARST So now you or any other prophet who predicts that things will go well for us must show that your message is correct. Only if what you predict actually happens will we know that you were truly appointed by Yahweh.” BSB BSB: As for the prophet who prophesies peace, only if the word of the prophet comes true will the prophet be recognized as one the LORD has truly sent.”
10 ARST Then Hananiah took the yoke off my neck and broke it. BSB BSB: Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it.
11 ARST Then he said this to all the people who were there:“This is what Yahweh says:‘Just like Hananiah has broken this yoke, within two years I will cause King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to stop forcing the people to do what he wants, which has been like a heavy yoke on all their necks.’” After Hananiah said that, Jeremiah left the temple area. BSB BSB: 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.
12 ARST Soon after Hananiah had broken the yoke that was around the neck of Jeremiah, Yahweh gave this message to me: BSB BSB: But shortly after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke off his neck, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:
13 ARST “Go and say this to Hananiah:‘Yahweh, Commander of the angel armies, whom Israel worships, says that you have broken a wooden yoke, but that he will replace it with an iron yoke. BSB BSB: “Go and tell Hananiah that this is what the LORD says: ‘You have broken a yoke of wood, but in its place you have fashioned a yoke of iron.’
14 ARST I have forced the people of all these nations to become slaves of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. That is like an iron yoke around their necks. I have put everything, even wild animals, under his control.’” BSB BSB: For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I have even given him control of the beasts of the field.’”
15 ARST Then Jeremiah went to Hananiah and said to him,“Hananiah, listen to this: Yahweh has not appointed you; instead, you have told lies to the people, and they have believed your lies. BSB BSB: Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD did not send you, but you have persuaded this people to trust in a lie.
16 ARST Therefore, this is what Yahweh says:‘You will soon die. Before the end of this year, you will die, because you have encouraged people to act against Yahweh.’” BSB BSB: Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. You will die this year because you have preached rebellion against the LORD.’”
17 ARST Hananiah died two months later. BSB BSB: And in the seventh month of that very year, the prophet Hananiah died.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.