Jeremias konfronterer den falske profet Hananja
1Ved samme lejlighed, i kong Zidkija af Judas regeringstid, modsagde profeten Hananja, Azzurs søn fra Gibeon, mig offentligt i templet i præsternes og folkets påhør. Det var i den femte måned i kongens fjerde regeringsår. Hananja sagde: 2„Herren, den Almægtige, Israels Gud, erklærer: Jeg vil fjerne den babyloniske konges åg fra jeres skuldre. 3Inden der er gået to år, vil jeg bringe de tempelskatte tilbage, som Nebukadnezar bortførte til Babylon. 4Også kong Jekonja vil jeg bringe tilbage sammen med de øvrige fanger i Babylonien.”
5Da svarede jeg ham i præsternes og folkets påhør: 6„Gid det måtte gå, som du siger. Jeg ville ønske, at Herren ville opfylde din profeti og bringe tempelskattene og fangerne tilbage til os. 7Men hør nu, hvad jeg har at sige til dig i præsternes og folkets påhør: 8Alle de profeter, der levede før dig og mig, profeterede imod utallige nationer, og de plejede at advare imod katastrofer som krig, hungersnød og epidemier. 9Når en profet derfor forudsiger fred, er det svært at tro, at han virkelig er sendt af Herren. Det kan kun afgøres ved at se, om profetien går i opfyldelse.”
10Jeg havde stadig åget på mine skuldre, og Hananja kom nu hen og tog det af mine skuldre og brækkede det. 11Så sagde han til mængden: „Herren siger endnu en gang, at inden to år er gået, vil han fjerne kong Nebukadnezars åg fra de nationer, som nu er underlagt hans herredømme.” Derefter gik jeg min vej.
12Kort efter gav Herren mig følgende budskab:
13Gå hen til Hananja og sig: „Godt nok har du brækket et åg, men det var af træ, og jeg vil erstatte det med et af jern. 14Herren, den Almægtige, Israels Gud, siger: Jeg vil lægge et jernåg på alle disse nationers skuldre, og deres befolkning skal blive slaver under kong Nebukadnezar af Babylon. Jeg har lagt alt under hans herredømme, selv de vilde dyr.”
15Efter at have overbragt budskabet til profeten Hananja tilføjede jeg: „Hør, Hananja, Herren har ikke sendt dig, og du har fået folket til at tro på en løgn. 16Derfor siger Herren, at han vil fjerne dig fra jordens overflade. Du har gjort oprør mod Herren, og derfor skal du dø inden årets udgang.” 17Og ganske rigtigt: To måneder senere døde Hananja.
The False Prophet Hananiah
1In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people: 2“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon. 4I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin28:4 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’ ”
5Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord. 6He said, “Amen! May the Lord do so! May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the Lord’s house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon. 7Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: 8From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms. 9But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.”
10Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it, 11and he said before all the people, “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations within two years.’ ” At this, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.
12After the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13“Go and tell Hananiah, ‘This is what the Lord says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you will get a yoke of iron. 14This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.’ ”
15Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies. 16Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you are going to die, because you have preached rebellion against the Lord.’ ”
17In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.
