Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 28:5
Then 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,
5. the prophet Jeremiahtheepithet, “the prophet,” is prefixed to “Jeremiah”throughout this chapter, to correspond to the same epithet before”Hananiah”; except in Jer28:12, where “the prophet” has been inserted inEnglish Version. The rival claims of the true and the falseprophet are thus put in the more prominent contrast.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah,…. The false prophet, as he is called by the Targum, Syriac, and Arabic versions:
in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the Lord; waiting and worshipping in the temple; and said boldly and before them all, in answer to Hananiah’s prophecy, what follows.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Jeremiah’s reply. – First Jeremiah admits that the fulfilment of this prediction would be desirable (Jer 28:6), but then reminds his opponent that all the prophets of the Lord up till this time have prophesied of war and calamity (Jer 28:7 and Jer 28:8). So that if a prophet, in opposition to these witnesses of God, predicts nothing but peace and safety, then nothing short of the fulfilment of his prediction can make good his claim to be a true prophet (Jer 28:9). – Jeremiah’s answer is to this effect: Jer 28:6. “ Amen (i.e., yea), may Jahveh so do! may Jahveh perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of Jahveh’s house and all the captives from Babylon into this place. Jer 28:7. Only hear now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people. Jer 28:8. The prophets that were before me and before thee from of old, they prophesied concerning many lands and great kingdoms, of war, and of trouble, and of pestilence. Jer 28:9. The prophet that prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet cometh to pass, shall be known as the prophet that Jahveh hath truly sent. – As to , yea, see on Jer 11:5. The scope of this assent is straightway defined in “may Jahveh so do.” But in order that the hearers may not misunderstand his assent, Jeremiah proceeds to show that hitherto only threatening predictions have carried with them the presumption of their being true prophecies, inasmuch as it is these alone that have been in harmony with the predictions of all previous prophets. (Jer 28:8) is explained by the fact that “the prophets” with the accompany relative clause is made to precede absolute-wise. In the same absolute manner the clause “the prophet…peace” is disposed so that after the verb the word is repeated. For many MSS have ; manifestly an adaptation to passages like Jer 14:12; Jer 21:9; Jer 24:10; Jer 27:8, Jer 27:13; Jer 29:17., where sword, famine, and pestilence are mentioned together as three modes of visitation by God; whereas only the general word seems in place here, when mentioned alongside of “war.” For this very reason Hitz. rejects as being the least difficult reading, while Ew. takes it under his protection on account of the parallel passages, not considering that the train of thought is different there. – The truth expressed in Jer 28:9 is based on the Mosaic law concerning prophecy, Deu 18:21., where the fulfilment of the prediction is given as the test of true, God-inspired prophecy.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Vs. 5-11: A CONFRONTATION OF THE TRUE AND THE FALSE
1. Jeremiah does not doubt that Hananiah means to challenge the validity of his prophetic authority, (vs. 5-6).
a. But, self-defense was not one of the things to which God had called His servant; Jehovah was his defense!
b. Thus, Jeremiah stood before the vast assembly, in the house of the Lord, and answered, “AMEN” (comp. Jer 11:3-5) to what Hananiah had spoken.
1) He would be greatly pleased if Jehovah WOULD perform all that Hananiah had spoken.
2) The prosperity of Judah was certainly more important to him than his own reputation!
2. Nevertheless, Jeremiah has a further word to offer, (comp. 1Ki 22:28).
a. The former prophets have ALL spoken of judgment that was to be poured out upon many nations; the validity of their words has been proved by the events that followed, (1Ki 14:14-16; Isa 5:5-7).
b. They have also spoken of judgment upon Judah and her confederates at the hands of Babylon; with these Jeremiah is in agreement.
c. If a prophet now speaks of “peace” concerning these SAME PEOPLE, his words may be regarded as true ONLY WHEN THEY ARE FULFILLED, (vs. 9); the words of God’s true servant will always be fulfilled.
3. The obvious meekness of Jeremiah’s reply so emboldened the lying prophet that he lifted the yoke from Jeremiah’s neck and broke it in the presence of all the people, (vs. 10; comp. Jer 36:23-26; 1Ki 22:11-28).
4. Claiming once more to speak in the name of Jehovah, Hananiah repeated his prophecy that within two years Jehovah would break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar from off the neck of ALL NATIONS!
a. Satan and his ministers often promise “peace, joy and comfort” when God calls for judgment.
b. But, their end will be sad, (14-18; Jer 27:10).
5. Possibly wondering if God had changed His mind, and even abandoned him as His spokesman, Jeremiah walked away from the confrontation in silence.
a. To remain silent after one has spoken the truth is often the most effective rebuke of falsehood.
b. To wait in silence before the Lord is the surest way to hear His re-assuring voice in times of trial and perplexity.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
I have shortly reminded you of the design of the Prophet; for it was to be feared that the people would not hear him, or at least that they would not well receive him, as he had threatened them and handled them roughly and severely. We know that men ever seek to be flattered; hence adulations are ever delightfully received. Such is the pride of men, that they cannot bear to be called to an account for what they have done; and they become also indignant, when they see their crimes and vices brought to light; besides, they are so delicate and tender, that they avoid as much as they can all adverse rumors; and if any fear assails them, they instantly resist.
Now Jeremiah had been furnished with a twofold message, to expose the vices of the people, to shew that the Jews were unworthy to inherit the land, as they were covenant-breakers and despisers of God and of his Law; and then, as they had been so often refractory and perverse, he had another message, that they would not be suffered to escape unpunished, as they had in so many ways, and for so long a time continued to provoke God’s wrath; all this was very displeasing to the people. It was therefore Jeremiah’s object to turn aside the false suspicion under which he labored, and he testified that he desired nothing more than the well-being of the people; “Amen,” he said, “may it thus happen, I wish I were a false prophet; I would willingly retract, and that with shame, all that I have hitherto predicted, so great is my care and anxiety for the safety of the public; for I would prefer the welfare of the whole people to my own reputation.” But he afterwards added, as we shall see, that the promise of Hananiah was wholly vain, and that nothing would save the people from the calamity that was very near at hand.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
2. The response of Jeremiah (Jer. 28:5-9)
TRANSLATION
(5) Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto Hananiah the prophet in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the LORD, (6) and Jeremiah the prophet said, Amen! Thus may the LORD do! May the Lord establish your words which you have prophesied, to return the vessels of the house of the LORD and all the captives from Babylon unto this place. (7) But hear please this word which I am about to speak in your presence and in the presence of all the people. (8) The prophets who were before me and before you from ancient times prophesied against many lands and great kingdoms of war and famine and pestilence. (9) The prophet who prophesies of peace can be recognized as a prophet truly sent of the LORD only when the word of that prophet comes to pass.
COMMENTS
It is not hard to imagine the reaction of the crowd to the forthright and positive predictions of Hananiah. Thunderous applause and joyous shouts of agreement clearly indicated where the sentiments of the crowd lay. But eventually the audience hushed. Everyone strained forward to hear what Jeremiah would say in response to this direct attack from a fellow prophet. Jeremiah rises to the occasion. Like an iron pillar he courageously and calmly gave reply to his antagonist.
Jeremiahs initial response must have shocked the audience and temporarily disarmed his opponent. Amen, he said. May the LORD establish your words. May your prophecy be fulfilled. These words are not sarcastically spoken. Jeremiah truly desired in his own heart that the captivity would speedily come to an end. He dearly loved his people. He had prayed on behalf of his nation on more than one occasion. Nothing would please him more than to hear that Babylon had fallen and the exiles were coming home. But while in his heart he wishes Hananiah was right, in his mind he knows that Hananiah is dreaming the impossible dream.
Jeremiahs personal response is followed by his official response (Jer. 28:7-9) He calls upon his opponent to hear the true word of the Lord. He alludes first to the precedent of past prophecy. True prophets of God in the past prophesied against many countries and against great kingdoms of war and of evil and pestilence. In other words the tenor of preceding prophecies has been judgmental. Now of course Jeremiah did not mean that the pre-exilic prophets were completely negativethat they had no positive word of hope. It is a misuse of this verse to argue from it, as some of the older liberal scholars did, that all notes of hope found in the pre-exilic prophets must be later interpolations from after the time of Jeremiah. The earlier prophets did foresee a Messianic age; but the people to whom they spoke were unfit to enter into that golden age without first experiencing a terrible judgment. The point that Jeremiah is making is that his own condemnatory-type prophecy is part of the main stream of Israelite prophecy. Jeremiah implies that Hananiahs unconditional peace prophecy has probabilities strongly against it. It is interesting that Jeremiah speaks of many countries and great kingdoms. He obviously felt that the horizons of Israelite prophecy were not limited to Israel and Judah. In the preserved writings of all the prophets who preceded Jeremiah (except Hosea) oracles against foreign nations stand side by side with oracles against Israel and Judah. The present verse gives early and authoritative testimony to the genuineness of these so-called foreign nation oracles which have often been questioned by modern liberal scholars.
After establishing a presumptive case against the prediction of Hananiah in Jer. 28:8, Jeremiah proceeds in Jer. 28:9 to indicate the criteria by which such a prophecy can be judged true or false. If contrary to the analogy of previous prophecy a prophet speaks unconditionally of peace, then that prophecy can only be authenticated by the actual fulfillment. In effect Jeremiah is suggesting that everybody simply wait and see if Hananiahs prediction will be fulfilled. The word peace is not used here in the sense of salvation but of national peace and in particular deliverance from exile. God had made very clear in the law of Moses that return from exile was conditional. Only after return to the LORD and heart-felt obedience to His word would God bring His people home (Deu. 30:1-5).
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
JEREMIAH’S MILD AND PEACEABLE ANSWER, Jer 28:5-11.
5, 6. Jeremiah said The answer of Jeremiah does high honour to his judgment and his heart. He speaks with meekness and moderation, and yet without abating in the smallest measure the rigour of his appeal to God and his immutable law. Amen, etc. This clause expresses the sympathy of the prophet. Could all this be true, who, as Jeremiah, would rejoice? He preferred the welfare of his country to his own honour. As Moses prayed to be “blotted out of the book” of God, or as Paul could wish himself “accursed from Christ” for the sake of Israel, so Jeremiah would joyfully offer up himself on the altar of his people and country.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
It is hardly possible to conceive, what were the feelings of Jeremiah upon this occasion. He could not indeed, but know in himself, that what Hananiah had said, must be false; but yet from the natural unbelief that is by nature in every man’s heart, he might for the moment, be tempted to doubt, whether the Lord had not indeed sent Hananiah. Besides the heart of Jeremiah as well as the hearts of all the people, naturally leaned to a wish, that what Hananiah had prophesied might prove true. So that under these circumstances, Jeremiah no doubt felt himself most dreadfully exercised. And as the false prophet Hananiah had very artfully referred the decision of his prophecy to two full years; of consequence, if the matter rested upon the event, before it could be determined, the minds of the people would not be enabled to discover, on which side the truth was, until the period had fully run out. Ministers of Jesus in the present hour, as well as the faithful Prophets of old, know what it is to be so exercised.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 28:5 Then 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,
Ver. 5. Then the prophet Jeremiah said. ] Without gall or guile. Like the waters of Siloah at the foot of Sion, Isa 8:6 which runs softly; he made but small noise, though he heard great words and full of falsehood.
In the presence of the priests, and in the presence of the people.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Jer 28:5-9
5Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and in the presence of all the people who were standing in the house of the LORD, 6and the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen! May the LORD do so; may the LORD confirm your words which you have prophesied to bring back the vessels of the LORD’S house and all the exiles, from Babylon to this place. 7Yet hear now this word which I am about to speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people! 8The prophets who were before me and before you from ancient times prophesied against many lands and against great kingdoms, of war and of calamity and of pestilence. 9The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, then that prophet will be known as one whom the LORD has truly sent.
Jer 28:6 Amen Jeremiah wished Hananiah’s message was true, but it was not! For amen see Special Topic: Amen .
Jer 28:8 This shows that the prophets read/knew the prophets before them. Previous revelation is a great blessing. Much of the biblical imagery and idioms is used again and again. The theological message of Jer 28:8-9 is that the context of the message (i.e., war or peace) cannot be used to determine if the message is from a true prophet. Only accurate fulfillment (or repentance and God changing His mind) can do that!
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Jeremiah. Spelled here, and in this chapter only (except Jer 27:1. Ezr 1:1. Dan 9:2), in an abbreviated form, “Yirmeyah” instead of “Yirmeyahu”, as elsewhere. This may be to bring the true prophet into stronger contrast with the false “Hananeyah”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Jer 28:5-11
Jer 28:5-11
JEREMIAH’S RESPONSE TO THE FALSE PROPHECY
Then 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 Jehovah, 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. Then Hananiah the prophet took the bar from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and brake it. And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon within two full years from off the neck of all the nations. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.
Jeremiah said, Amen: Jehovah do so…
(Jer 28:6). This was not sarcasm, because Jeremiah truly desired that such wonderful things as the false prophet had spoken might indeed be done by the Lord, only if it were possible. It was the same kind of plea that Jesus made, when he said, If it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.
However, this was in no sense whatever a statement that Jeremiah, even for a single moment, believed the lying words of the evil prophet. Green missed this truth altogether. He said, “Jeremiah revealed here his belief in the sincerity of Hananiah, and that Jeremiah himself was possibly wrong.” Such a view cannot be reconciled with what Jeremiah immediately said.
Nevertheless, hear now this word that I speak in your ears…
(Jer 28:7). The real answer to Hananiah’s false prophecy was that it made liars out of every prophet God had ever sent, including Jeremiah, all of whom had prophesied the ruin and captivity of Judah. Jeremiah also pointed out that the prophets of peace could be verified as true only by the conformity of subsequent events with the things they had prophesied. With that announcement, Jeremiah terminated the argument.
Deu 18:22 had laid down the test for prophets that only those prophets were true whose predictive prophecies were proved true by subsequent events; and Jeremiah referred to this, but as the false prophets had allowed a margin of two whole years for the fulfillment of his prediction, the truth of Hananiah’s falsity was not at once evident.
We should observe the meekness and mildness of Jeremiah’s response. He engaged in no loud and boisterous repetitions. He did not, upon his own unsupported authority, at once declare Hananiah to be the false prophet which he knew him to be. He simply waited for God to provide the answer, and turned away and left the scene. Although Jeremiah had given his personal assent to the glorious words of the false prophet, “He well knew that the truth was otherwise.”
Hananiah took the bar. and brake it …..
(Jer 28:10). It might have appeared to Hananiah and the crowd in the house of the Lord that Jeremiah had been silenced. Jeremiah did not at once deny Hananiah’s evil prophecy. Why? No answer had then appeared from Jehovah; and Jeremiah did not give an answer that God had not yet spoken.
“Encouraged by Jeremiah’s patience and in the absence of any answer from God that his prophecy was a lie, Hananiah resorted to violence, tore the yoke from the prophet’s neck, and broke it, probably to the great delight of the crowd who considered the action as a symbol of deliverance.”
And the prophet Jeremiah went his way…
(Jer 28:11). There are men with whom it is always useless to argue, and Jeremiah instantly recognized in Hananiah just such a person. He had falsely claimed to have God’s Word; Jeremiah had already pointed out that his prophecy was contrary to what all previous prophets had prophesied; and, since God had at that point in time not refuted Hananiah with any dramatic additional revelation, there was nothing else for Jeremiah to do, except to leave; and that he at once did.
2. The response of Jeremiah (Jer 28:5-9)
It is not hard to imagine the reaction of the crowd to the forthright and positive predictions of Hananiah. Thunderous applause and joyous shouts of agreement clearly indicated where the sentiments of the crowd lay. But eventually the audience hushed. Everyone strained forward to hear what Jeremiah would say in response to this direct attack from a fellow prophet. Jeremiah rises to the occasion. Like an iron pillar he courageously and calmly gave reply to his antagonist.
Jeremiahs initial response must have shocked the audience and temporarily disarmed his opponent. Amen, he said. May the LORD establish your words. May your prophecy be fulfilled. These words are not sarcastically spoken. Jeremiah truly desired in his own heart that the captivity would speedily come to an end. He dearly loved his people. He had prayed on behalf of his nation on more than one occasion. Nothing would please him more than to hear that Babylon had fallen and the exiles were coming home. But while in his heart he wishes Hananiah was right, in his mind he knows that Hananiah is dreaming the impossible dream.
Jeremiahs personal response is followed by his official response (Jer 28:7-9) He calls upon his opponent to hear the true word of the Lord. He alludes first to the precedent of past prophecy. True prophets of God in the past prophesied against many countries and against great kingdoms of war and of evil and pestilence. In other words the tenor of preceding prophecies has been judgmental. Now of course Jeremiah did not mean that the pre-exilic prophets were completely negative-that they had no positive word of hope. It is a misuse of this verse to argue from it, as some of the older liberal scholars did, that all notes of hope found in the pre-exilic prophets must be later interpolations from after the time of Jeremiah. The earlier prophets did foresee a Messianic age; but the people to whom they spoke were unfit to enter into that golden age without first experiencing a terrible judgment. The point that Jeremiah is making is that his own condemnatory-type prophecy is part of the main stream of Israelite prophecy. Jeremiah implies that Hananiahs unconditional peace prophecy has probabilities strongly against it. It is interesting that Jeremiah speaks of many countries and great kingdoms. He obviously felt that the horizons of Israelite prophecy were not limited to Israel and Judah. In the preserved writings of all the prophets who preceded Jeremiah (except Hosea) oracles against foreign nations stand side by side with oracles against Israel and Judah. The present verse gives early and authoritative testimony to the genuineness of these so-called foreign nation oracles which have often been questioned by modern liberal scholars.
After establishing a presumptive case against the prediction of Hananiah in Jer 28:8, Jeremiah proceeds in Jer 28:9 to indicate the criteria by which such a prophecy can be judged true or false. If contrary to the analogy of previous prophecy a prophet speaks unconditionally of peace, then that prophecy can only be authenticated by the actual fulfillment. In effect Jeremiah is suggesting that everybody simply wait and see if Hananiahs prediction will be fulfilled. The word peace is not used here in the sense of salvation but of national peace and in particular deliverance from exile. God had made very clear in the law of Moses that return from exile was conditional. Only after return to the LORD and heart-felt obedience to His word would God bring His people home (Deu 30:1-5).
3. The reaction of Hananiah (Jer 28:10-11)
Hananiah, instead of any rejoinder to Jeremiah, resorts to an act of violence which will impress the multitude. Apparently he could not answer the prophets quiet and convincing argument. Violence grows in inverse proportion to the number of reasonable arguments which can be offered to bolster ones position. The air was tense already. Those assembled in the Temple listened eagerly as the two prophets exchanged their verbal blows. Probably no one there including Jeremiah was quite prepared for the dramatic action which followed, Without any warning Hananiah tore the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah (one wonders how much physical violence this would have involved), and shattered it before them all (Jer 28:10). As he smashes the yoke Hananiah dogmatically and dramatically declared that the yoke of Babylon would be broken within two full years. This is just a repetition of what Hananiah had previously said except that this time he adds the climax from off the neck of all nations.
Jeremiah submitted to the indignity of the moment. He simply went his way (Jer 28:11). No explosion of anger. No hastily spoken word of rebuttal. He simply went his way. Perhaps it was obvious that Hananiah had swayed the audience with his dramatic action and words. To attempt to answer Hananiah further at that time might have placed his life in danger. Perhaps under the circumstances he felt it useless to repeat the admonition which he had earlier made.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
the house: Jer 28:1, Jer 7:2, Jer 19:14, Jer 26:2
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE FALSE PROPHET AND THE TRUE
The prophet Jeremiah the prophet Hananiah.
Jer 28:5
I. The prophecy of Hananiah of the speedy return of the exiles and the break-up of the power of the king of Babylon was evidently dictated by a desire to win popularity with the people.He spoke in the name of Jehovah, and may even have supposed that his message was Divinely given, but his soul was filled with human voices and reasonings, which made him unable to distinguish the still small voice of inspiration. Jeremiah was quite as anxious as he was that his country should be spared further suffering. He uttered a fervent Amen to Hananiahs predictions. Nothing could have given him deeper pleasure than their realisation; but, standing as he did in the counsels of God, he knew it could not be.
So is it still. Men who follow simply their own thoughts, or are deeply dyed with the spirit of society around, are apt to prophesy smooth things to such as live selfish and worldly lives. There is no such place as the outer darkness, no such experience as the second death. So they speak. But we know it cannot be. Earnestly as we might wish for it, and say Amen, we know that it cannot be immaterial how men live, and that wickedness is destined to bring infinite anguish and pain. Ah! how terrible will their position be at last, who cried Peace, Peace, when there was none, and encouraged rebellion against the Lord. Let them be warned by the fate of this false prophet!
Hananiah was, without doubt, very popular. It was not easy for Jeremiah to stand alone, as we find him doing.
II. What a picture is presented, as these two prophets oppose each other in the presence of priests and people in the house of God!By his amen to the words of Hananiah, the true prophet avowed his passionate desire that his hopes might be realised, but he knew certainly that they could not be. Hananiah closed the conference by breaking the yoke which Jeremiah carried on his neck, but the prophet of God made no reply, he simply went his way. It is good not to hold altercations with men who have set their hearts on opposing the truth. Better yield quietly and go your way. Better say nothing than speak in temper. Hold your peace, even from good, until you know precisely what is the message from the Lord.
The word of the Lord did come to him afterwards: that iron would be substituted for wood, that the land would be given up to the beasts of the field, that Hananiah should die. And God vindicated his words by the false prophets sudden decease. The man who can commit himself to Him that judgeth righteously cannot fail of vindication.
Illustration
A false prophet, a miserable comforter disputes with him, brings good news and appeals to an oracle, a voice which he had perhaps heard more lately than Jeremiah. Jeremiah, without getting warm about it, says I shall be heartily glad if it be so: but take care that you have understood it correctly. His opponent is encouraged and goes further, he breaks off the prophetic yoke from Jeremiahs neck. Jeremiah, with the same indifference which he has shown from the beginning, goes his way. I dare not speak of anything, says Paul, which Christ hath not wrought by me (Rom 15:18).
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Jer 28:5. Jeremiah made his reply to Hananiah in the presence and hearing of the priests and people. What he had to say would he a matter of record having been witnessed by a number of persons and in a public place.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 28:5-9. The Prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the Lord do so! Thereby expressing his hearty concern for the good of his nation, and wishing that God would repent him of the evil wherewith he had threatened them by his ministry; for such an affection had he for them, and so truly desirous was he of their welfare, that he would have been content to lie under the imputation of being a false prophet so that their ruin might have been prevented. Nevertheless, hear thou now this word As if he had said, The word which I am about to speak concerns thee, and not thee alone, but all the people, therefore do thou mark it well, and let them observe it also. The prophets that have been before me and before thee Namely, Joel, Amos, Hosea, Micah, Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and others; prophesied both against many countries and great kingdoms, &c. Jeremiah offers two reasons in defence of his own prophecies, and against those of Hananiah. 1st, That many other prophets agreed with him in prophesying evil against the Jews, and other neighbouring countries; whereas Hananiah, being single in his predictions, nothing but the perfect answering of the event to them could give him the authority of a true prophet. 2d, That, considering the general corruption of the peoples manners, it was highly probable that God would punish their iniquities. To this the Jews add a third explication of the words, namely, that when any prophet foretold peace and prosperity, (namely, unconditionally and absolutely, as Hananiah here did,) his prophecy must certainly be fulfilled to prove him to be a true prophet; whereas, when a prophet foretold evil, which was Jeremiahs case, the event might be suspended by the repentance of the persons concerned. Lowth.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
28:5 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the {d} prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the LORD,
(d) He was so esteemed though he was a false prophet.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Jeremiah responded to Hananiah sincerely but ironically. So be it, he said. Would that the Lord would do just as Hananiah had predicted. Jeremiah wished that Hananiah’s prophecy would come true because he loved his people and his land and did not want them to experience invasion and a long exile.