Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 28

Introduction

Jeremiah 27-29. Certain linguistic peculiarities ( e.g. the incorrect spelling, Nebuchadnezzar) suggest that these three chapters may have circulated as a separate pamphlet, e.g. in Babylon. They deal with the rebuke of false hopes concerning a speedy return from exile.

Jeremiah 30-31. The Future of Israel and Judah.— These two chapters of prophecy, dealing with the future restoration of Israel and Judah, appear to be a later editorial insertion in the narrative scheme of Jeremiah 26-45, placed here perhaps because Jeremiah 32 and Jeremiah 33 contain narratives and prophecies dealing with the same subject ( cf. also Jeremiah 29:10 ff.). In Jeremiah 30 and Jeremiah 31, there are numerous points of contact with Deutero-Isaiah, a fact which, with other features, has suggested to many scholars an exilic or post-exilic date for much that these chapters contain. The contrast with the general “ pessimism” of earlier chapters is very noticeable. On the other hand, the internal evidence for Jeremiah 31:2-6, Jeremiah 31:15-22, Jeremiah 31:31-34 entitles us to regard these sections as Jeremianic.

Jeremiah 40-44. The next five chapters continue the biography of Jeremiah, including connected events, after the capture of Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 46-51. The Foreign Prophecies.— These form the third principal division of the Book of Jeremiah. As already seen ( Jeremiah 1:5; Jeremiah 1:10, Jeremiah 25:15), Jeremiah’ s prophetic horizon naturally included the surrounding nations; how far the prophecies that follow are his can be decided only by detailed criticism in each case. They refer, though in somewhat different order, to the several nations enumerated in Jeremiah 25:19-26 (which may be regarded as an introduction to them), except that an oracle on Damascus here replaces the reference to Tyre, Sidon, and the Mediterranean. (The LXX, which places this group of prophecies after Jeremiah 25:13, follows a third order.) It is generally admitted that the long prophecy on Babylon (Jeremiah 50 f.) is not by Jeremiah (see prefatory note). As to Jeremiah 46-49, there is considerable difference of opinion, ranging from Duhm’ s rejection of the whole, through Giesebrecht’ s acceptance of Jeremiah 47 (except towards end), with the nucleus of Jeremiah 46:2-12, Jeremiah 49:7-11, up to Cornill’ s acceptance of most of Jeremiah 46-49 (so also Peake). It is in any case natural to suppose that there are genuine prophecies by Jeremiah which underlie these chapters, though they have been worked over, or incorporated with other non-Jeremianic prophecies ( e.g. Jeremiah 48) by later writers. For details, the larger commentaries must be consulted.

Jeremiah 26-45. These chapters, usually ascribed in the main to Baruch, chiefly narrate selected incidents in the life of Jeremiah, often with connected prophecies; they form a second main section of the book, in contrast with 1– 25, which consist chiefly of prophecies, with little narrative.

Verses 1-17

Jeremiah 28. The Prophecy and Fate of Hananiah.— Whilst Jeremiah still wears the symbolic yoke ( Jeremiah 27:2), his testimony concerning it is opposed by another prophet, Hananiah of Gibeon (5 m. NW. of Jerusalem), who declares that the yoke shall be broken, the Temple vessels, the king, and the exiles brought back, within two years ( Jeremiah 28:1-4). Jeremiah wishes it might be true, but points out the predominant “ pessimism” of prophecy hitherto, which throws the onus of proof on the event itself, in case of an exceptional prophecy of “ peace” ( Jeremiah 28:5-9; cf. Deuteronomy 18:21 f.). Hananiah reasserts his prophecy, confirming it by breaking the yoke on the neck of Jeremiah, who makes no reply ( Jeremiah 28:10 f.). But, subsequently, Jeremiah receives a Divine word telling Hananiah that a yoke of iron shall replace the yoke of wood, that he is a false prophet, and shall die within the year, as actually takes place ( Jeremiah 28:12-17). Note the dependence of the prophetic consciousness on psychological factors beyond the prophet’ s conscious control; on general grounds, Jeremiah does not believe Hananiah, but only after an interval does some new psychological experience authorise Jeremiah to embody his disbelief in an oracle of Yahweh. Cf. the similar interval of waiting for the “ word” in Jeremiah 42:7.

Jeremiah 28:13 . thou shalt: read, with LXX, “ I will.”