Hananiah's False Prophecy

Jeremiah 35

The prophet Hananiah publicly breaks the yoke from Jeremiah's neck and declares that the Lord will shatter Babylon's power and bring back the exiles and the temple vessels within two years. Jeremiah answers that Hananiah has caused the people to trust in a lie, that the wooden yoke will be replaced with one of iron upon all the nations, and Hananiah dies that same year, as the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonAGAIN it came to pass in the fourth year of Sedekias king of Juda, in the fifth month, that Ananias son of Azor, the false prophet from Gabaon spoke to me in the house of the Lord, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,

BrentonAnd it came to pass in the fourth year of Sedekias king of Juda, in the fifth month, that Ananias the false prophet, the son of Azor, from Gabaon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord, in the sight of the priests and all the people, saying,

GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ τετάρτῳ ἔτει Σεδεκία βασιλέως Ἰούδα ἐν μηνὶ τῷ πέμπτῳ, εἶπέ μοι Ἀνανίας υἱὸς Ἀζὼρ ὁ ψευδοπροφήτης ἀπὸ Γαβαὼν ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου, κατʼ ὀφθαλμοὺς τῶν ἱερέων, καὶ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ, λέγων,

KJVAnd it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,

JPSAnd 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, spoke unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying:

ThomsonThus said the Lord: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon—

BrentonThus saith the Lord; I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

GreekΟὕτως εἶπε Κύριος, συνέτριψα τὸν ζυγὸν τοῦ βασιλέως Βαβυλῶνος.

KJVThus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

JPS’Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

Thomsonyet two years of days

BrentonYet two full years, and I will return into this place the vessels of the house of the Lord,

GreekἜτι δύο ἔτη ἡμερῶν, καὶ ἐγὼ ἀποστρέψω εἰς τὸν τόπον τοῦτον τὰ σκεύη οἴκου Κυρίου,

KJVWithin two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD’s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon:

JPSWithin two full years will I bring back into this place all the vessels of the LORD’S house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon;

Thomsonand I will bring back to this place the vessels of the house of the Lord, and Jechonias and the captives of Juda; for I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

Brentonand Jechonias, and the captivity of Juda: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

Greekκαὶ Ἰεχονίαν, καὶ τὴν ἀποικίαν Ἰούδα, ὅτι συντρίψω τὸν ζυγὸν βασιλέως Βαβυλῶνος.

KJVAnd I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the LORD: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

JPSand I will bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went to Babylon, saith the LORD; for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’

ThomsonThereupon Jeremias spoke to Ananias in the presence of all the people and in the presence of the priests who were standing in the house of the Lord.

BrentonThen Jeremias spoke to Ananias in the sight of all the people, and in the sight of the priests that stood in the house of the Lord,

GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν Ἱερεμίας πρὸς Ἀνανίαν κατʼ ὀφθαλμοὺς παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ κατʼ ὀφθαλμοὺς τῶν ἱερέων τῶν ἑστηκότων ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου,

KJVThen the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the LORD,

JPSThen the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the LORD,

ThomsonMay the Lord indeed do so, said Jeremias; may He establish the word which thou hast spoken, by bringing back the vessels of the house of the Lord and all the captives from Babylon to this place.

Brentonand Jeremias said, May the Lord indeed do thus; may he confirm thy word which thou dost prophesy, to return the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the captivity, out of Babylon to this place.

Greekκαὶ εἶπεν Ἱερεμίας, ἀληθῶς οὕτω ποιήσαι Κύριος, στήσαι τὸν λόγον σου ὃν σὺ προφητεύεις, τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι τὰ σκεύη οἴκου Κυρίου καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἀποικίαν ἐκ Βαβυλῶνος εἰς τὸν τόπον τοῦτον.

KJVEven the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the 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.

JPSeven the prophet Jeremiah said: ‘Amen! the LORD do so! the LORD perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring back the vessels of the LORD’S house, and all them that are carried away captive, from Babylon unto this place!

ThomsonNevertheless hear ye the word of the Lord, which I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people.

BrentonNevertheless hear ye the word of the Lord which I speak in your ears, and in the ears of all the people.

GreekΠλὴν ἀκούσατε τὸν λόγον Κυρίου, ὃν ἐγὼ λέγω εἰς τὰ ὦτα ὑμῶν καὶ εἰς τὰ ὦτα παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ.

KJVNevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people;

JPSNevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people:

ThomsonThere have been prophets of old before me, and before you, who have prophesied of war against many a land and against great kingdoms.

BrentonThe prophets that were before me and before you of old, also prophesied over much country, and against great kingdoms, concerning war.

GreekΟἱ προφῆται οἱ γεγονότες πρότεροί μου καὶ πρότεροι ὑμῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος, καὶ ἐπροφήτευσαν ἐπὶ γῆς πολλῆς, καὶ ἐπὶ βασιλείας μεγάλας εἰς πόλεμον.

KJVThe prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.

JPSThe 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.

ThomsonAs for the prophet who hath prophesied peace; when his word cometh to pass let the people acknowledge him as a prophet whom the Lord hath indeed sent to them.

BrentonAs for the prophet that has prophesied for peace, when the word has come to pass, they shall know the prophet whom the Lord has sent them in truth.

GreekὉ προφήτης ὁ προφητεύσας εἰς εἰρήνην, ἐλθόντος τοῦ λόγου, γνώσονται τὸν προφήτην ὃν ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοῖς Κύριος ἐν πίστει.

KJVThe prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him.

JPSThe prophet that prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him.’

ThomsonThen in the presence of all the people, Ananias took the yokes from the neck of Jeremias and broke them.

BrentonThen Ananias took the yokes from the neck of Jeremias in the sight of all the people, and broke them to pieces.

GreekΚαὶ ἔλαβεν Ἀνανίας ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ τοὺς κλοιοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ τραχήλου Ἱερεμίου, καὶ συνέτριψεν αὐτούς.

KJVThen Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and brake it.

JPSThen Hananiah the prophet took the bar from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and broke it.

ThomsonAnd Ananias spoke before all the people, saying, Thus said the Lord, So will I break the yoke of the king of Babylon from the necks of all the nations. So Jeremias went his way.

BrentonAnd Ananias spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus said the Lord; Thus will I break the yoke of the king of Babylon from the necks of all the nations. And Jeremias went his way.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν Ἀνανίας κατʼ ὀφθαλμοὺς παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ, λέγων, οὕτως εἶπε Κύριος, οὕτως συντρίψω τὸν ζυγὸν βασιλέως Βαβυλῶνος ἀπὸ τραχήλων πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν· καὶ ᾤχετο Ἱερεμίας εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ.

KJVAnd 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.

JPSAnd Hananiah spoke 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 off the neck of all the nations within two full years.’ And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.

ThomsonAnd there came a word of the Lord to Jeremias after Ananias had broken the yokes from his neck, saying,

BrentonAnd the word of the Lord came to Jeremias, after that Ananias had broken the yokes off his neck, saying,

GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο λόγος Κυρίου πρὸς Ἱερεμίαν, μετὰ τὸ συντρίψαι Ἀνανίαν τοὺς κλοιοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ τραχήλου αὐτοῦ, λέγων,

KJVThen the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the prophet, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,

JPSThen the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the bar from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying:

ThomsonGo and speak to Ananias and say, Thus said the Lord: Thou hast broken wooden yokes; but instead of them I will make yokes of iron.

BrentonGo and speak to Ananias, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but I will make instead of them yokes of iron.

GreekΒάδιζε, καὶ εἰπὸν πρὸς Ἀνανίαν, λέγων, οὕτως εἶπε Κύριος, κλοιοὺς ξυλίνους συνέτριψας, καὶ ποιήσω ἀντʼ αὐτῶν κλοιοὺς σιδηροῦς·

KJVGo and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron.

JPS’Go, and tell Hananiah, saying: Thus saith the LORD: Thou hast broken the bars of wood; but thou shalt make in their stead bars of iron.

ThomsonFor thus said the Lord, I have put an iron yoke on the neck of all the nations, that they may work for the king of Babylon.

BrentonFor thus said the Lord, I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all the nations, that they may serve the king of Babylon.

GreekὍτι οὕτως εἶπε Κύριος, ζυγὸν σιδηροῦν ἔθηκα ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν, ἐργάζεσθαι τῷ βασιλεῖ Βαβυλῶνος.

KJVFor thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a 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 beasts of the field also.

JPSFor thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put a 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 beasts of the field also.’ .

ThomsonThen Jeremias said to Ananias, The Lord hath not sent thee; and thou hast made this people trust in a lie.

BrentonAnd Jeremias said to Ananias, The Lord has not sent thee; and thou hast caused this people to trust in unrighteousness.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν Ἱερεμίας τῷ Ἀνανίᾳ, οὐκ ἀπέσταλκέ σε Κύριος, καὶ πεποιθέναι ἐποίησας τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον ἐπʼ ἀδίκῳ.

KJVThen said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.

JPSThen said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet: ‘Hear now, Hananiah; the LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.

ThomsonFor this cause thus saith the Lord, Behold I send thee from the face of the earth; this very year thou shalt die.

BrentonTherefore thus said the Lord: Behold, I will cast thee off from the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die.

GreekΔιατοῦτο οὕτως εἶπε Κύριος, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐξαποστέλλω σε ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς, τούτῳ τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ ἀποθανῇ.

KJVTherefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD.

JPS’Therefore thus saith the LORD: Behold, I will send thee away from off the face of the earth; this year thou shalt die, because thou hast spoken perversion against the LORD.’

ThomsonSo he died in the seventh month.

BrentonSo he died in the seventh month.

GreekΚαὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐν τῷ μηνὶ τῷ ἑβδόμῳ.

KJVSo Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.

JPSSo Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.