Jeremiah 28:15
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Jeremiah doesn't just say Hananiah is wrong; he directly confronts him with the weight of the office itself, calling him "the prophet" just as he is called. This highlights that Hananiah isn't merely mistaken, but is usurping a sacred role and actively deceiving God's people into placing their trust in something utterly false.
And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just before this, Hananiah, a false prophet, publicly broke the wooden yoke Jeremiah wore as a symbol of Babylonian captivity, claiming God would shatter the oppressor's power soon. Now, Jeremiah confronts Hananiah directly, revealing that God has not sent him and that his comforting words have led the people to rely on a dangerous falsehood instead of facing God's judgment. Jeremiah then boldly declares that Hananiah himself will die within the year as proof of his false prophecy.
In troubled times, people crave easy answers. But what happens when those answers come from someone claiming to speak for God, yet speaking lies?
Jeremiah and Hananiah both carried the title 'prophet,' but only one truly heard from the Lord. Hananiah spoke what people wanted to hear – a message of immediate relief and freedom from Babylonian oppression. This was a comforting 'lie' that made people feel secure.
Jeremiah, however, had to deliver a difficult truth: God had not sent Hananiah. This wasn't just a personal disagreement; it was a confrontation about divine authority. Jeremiah's role was to discern and declare God's actual message, even when it was unpopular. True prophecy isn't about pleasing crowds, but about faithfully relaying God's word, regardless of the cost.
A comforting lie can feel good in the moment, but what are the real-world consequences of building your life on deception?
Hananiah’s deception wasn’t a harmless fib; it had devastating implications. By promising freedom that wasn't coming, he led the people to trust in a falsehood ('a lie'). This meant they might resist God's allowed judgment, making their eventual situation worse.
Building trust on lies, whether from false prophets or other sources, creates a false sense of security. It prevents people from facing reality, repenting, or preparing for what is truly coming. Jeremiah's painful duty was to expose this lie to prevent further harm and to call people back to reality and God's true, albeit difficult, path.
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Understand the original words
sheqer · Hebrew Noun
A Hebrew word meaning 'falsehood,' 'deception,' or 'vanity.' It describes that which is empty of truth or reality, often used to contrast with the certain, binding nature of God's revealed truth.
This prophetic confrontation occurred during the intense period leading up to Jerusalem's final destruction, highlighting the vital difference between comforting lies and God's challenging truth, especially when facing overwhelming national crisis.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, first besieges Jerusalem and deports some of the Jewish nobility and skilled workers, including the prophet Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a period of rebellion and instability, Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and many more prominent citizens of Judah to Babylon. Jeremiah continued to prophesy during this time.
c. 593 BC— this verse
Hananiah's False Prophecy
Hananiah, a priest and prophet, publicly confronts Jeremiah in the temple. He boldly breaks the wooden yoke Jeremiah wore as a symbol of submission to Babylon, proclaiming that God will soon break Nebuchadnezzar's yoke.
c. 593 BC
Jeremiah's Rebuke of Hananiah
Jeremiah confronts Hananiah, declaring that God has not sent him and that Hananiah has misled the people into trusting a lie. Jeremiah pronounces God's judgment upon Hananiah for his false prophecy.
c. 593 BC
Hananiah's Death
As Jeremiah foretold, Hananiah dies within the year, demonstrating the truth of Jeremiah's message and the danger of false prophecy that encourages rebellion against God's decree.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, destroys the Temple, and deports most of the remaining population to Babylon. This event tragically confirms Jeremiah's warnings and exposes the devastating consequences of rejecting God's word.
This passage directly condemns prophets who 'see falsehood and lying divination' and claim the Lord has spoken when He has not, paralleling Hananiah's deception in Jeremiah.
Deuteronomy 18:22This verse provides the test for a true prophet: if what they proclaim does not come true, they have spoken presumptuously and should not be feared, directly applicable to Hananiah's failed prophecy.
2 Peter 2:1This New Testament passage warns of false teachers who will secretly introduce destructive heresies and deny the Master, echoing how Hananiah led people to trust in a lie, which is ultimately a denial of God's truth.
1 Kings 22:13Here, another prophet confronts a false prophet (Micaiah) who gave encouraging but untrue prophecies, showing a similar pattern of true discernment against deceptive messages that people want to hear.
pulpitJeremiah 28:15: "Then 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."
Verse 15. - The prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet. In one sense Hananiah was a prophet as much as Jeremiah. He claimed to have received the prophetic call, and God alone, who searcheth the heart, could pronounce upon the justice of his claim. Whatever training was regarded as necessary for the office he had probably…
ellicottJeremiah 28:15: "Then 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."
(15) Hear now, Hananiah . . . —The narrative leaves the time and place of the interview uncertain, but suggests an interval of some days between it and the scene in the Temple court just narrated. In the strength of the “word of the Lord” which had come to him, the prophet can now tell his rival that he is a pretender, claimi…
Jeremiah doesn't just say Hananiah is wrong; he directly confronts him with the weight of the office itself, calling him "the prophet" just as he is called. This highlights that Hananiah isn't merely mistaken, but is usurping a sacred role and actively deceiving God's people into placing their trust in something utterly false.
Just before this, Hananiah, a false prophet, publicly broke the wooden yoke Jeremiah wore as a symbol of Babylonian captivity, claiming God would shatter the oppressor's power soon. Now, Jeremiah confronts Hananiah directly, revealing that God has not sent him and that his comforting words have led the people to rely on a dangerous falsehood instead of facing God's judgment. Jeremiah then boldly declares that Hananiah himself will die within the year as proof of his false prophecy.
Just before this, Hananiah, a false prophet, publicly broke the wooden yoke Jeremiah wore as a symbol of Babylonian captivity, claiming God would shatter the oppressor's power soon. Now, Jeremiah confronts Hananiah directly, revealing that God has not sent him and that his comforting words have led the people to rely on a dangerous falsehood instead of facing God's judgment. Jeremiah then boldly declares that Hananiah himself will die within the year as proof of his false prophecy.
"And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie." — Jeremiah doesn't just say Hananiah is wrong; he directly confronts him with the weight of the office itself, calling him "the prophet" just as he is called. This highlights that Hananiah isn't merely…
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Last reviewed October 2026
