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. read more
Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen ,.... Or, "so be it"; he wished it might be so as Hananiah had said, if it was the will of God; as a prophet he knew it could not be; as an Israelite, out of respect to his country, he wished it might be; or, however, he wished that they would repent of their sins, that the evil he had threatened them with might not come upon them, and the good that Hananiah had prophesied might be fulfilled: the Lord do so: the Lord perform the words which thou hast... read more
Nevertheless, hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears ,.... Though this would be very acceptable to me, and I should be glad to have it fulfilled; yet carefully attend to what I am about to say, it being what greatly concerns thee to observe, as well as all present to listen to: and therefore it is added, and in the ears of all the people ; that stood round to hear the conversation that passed between the two prophets. read more
The prophets that have been before me, and before thee of old ,.... Such as Isaiah, Hoses, Joel, Amos, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and others: these prophesied both against many countries and against great kingdoms ; as Egypt, Babylon, Syria, Ethiopia, Moab, &c.; as Isaiah particularly did: of war, and of evil, and of pestilence ; by evil some think is meant famine, because that usually goes along with the other mentioned, and there being but one letter in which the words... read more
The prophet which prophesieth of peace ,.... Of prosperity, of good things, as Hananiah did, and which are always acceptable to men; and such a prophet is agreeable to them: when the word of the Lord shall come to pass ; when the prophecy of good things, which he delivers in the name of the Lord, shall be filled: then shall the prophet be known that the Lord hath truly sent him ; and not till then; it is the event that must make it manifest: in the other case it may be in a good... read more
Amen; the Lord do so - O that it might be according to thy word! May the people find this to be true! read more
The prophets that have been before me - Namely, Joel, Amos, Hosea, Micah, Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and others; all of whom denounced similar evils against a corrupt people. read more
When the word of the prophet shall come to pass - Here is the criterion. He is a true prophet who specifies things that he says shall happen, and also fixes the time of the event; and the things do happen, and in that time. You say that Nebuchadnezzar shall not overthrow this city; and that in two years from this time, not only the sacred vessels already taken away shall be restored, but also that Jeconiah and all the Jewish captives shall be restored, and the Babylonish yoke broken, see ... read more
Verse 5 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... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 28:1-9
This struggle between a true prophet and a false one is said here to have happened in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, and yet in the fourth year, for the first four years of his reign might well be called the beginning, or former part, of it, because during those years he reigned under the dominion of the king of Babylon and as a tributary to him; whereas the rest of his reign, which might well be called the latter part of it, in distinction from that former part, he reigned in... read more