King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 28:4 Mean?

Jeremiah 28:4 in the King James Version says “And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that w...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 28 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And 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. captives: Heb. captivity”

Jeremiah 28:4 · KJV

Context

2

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

3

Within 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: two: Heb. two years of days

4

And 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. captives: Heb. captivity

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,

6

Even 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.

Read Jeremiah 28 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And 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. This verse records the false prophecy of Hananiah, who contradicted Jeremiah's message from God. The name Jeconiah (also called Jehoiachin or Coniah) was Judah's king deported to Babylon in 597 BC. Hananiah's prophecy promised restoration within two years—a message the people desperately wanted to hear.

The phrase neum YHWH (נְאֻם־יְהוָה, "declares the LORD") is the prophetic formula authenticating divine revelation. Hananiah's audacious use of this phrase shows he claimed divine authority for his false message. The promise to "break the yoke" (Hebrew shabar ol, שָׁבַר עֹל) directly contradicted Jeremiah's prophecy that Judah must submit to Babylon's yoke (Jeremiah 27:12).

This false prophecy represents the dangerous pattern of religious leaders telling people what they want to hear rather than God's truth. Hananiah's message appealed to nationalism, pride, and desire for quick deliverance, while Jeremiah's true prophecy demanded repentance, submission, and patient endurance through 70 years of exile. The contrast exposes how false teaching often sounds more appealing than truth, promising easy solutions while avoiding the hard demands of genuine repentance and obedience to God.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The historical context is crucial: In 597 BC, Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem and deported King Jehoiachin (Jeconiah), along with 10,000 elite citizens including Daniel, Ezekiel, and skilled craftsmen (2 Kings 24:10-16). Zedekiah was installed as puppet king. Many in Jerusalem believed this exile would be brief and restoration imminent. False prophets like Hananiah fueled these hopes, contradicting Jeremiah's message that the exile would last 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11-12).

This confrontation occurred in the fifth month of Zedekiah's fourth year (594 BC), about three years after Jeconiah's deportation. Archaeological evidence from the Babylonian Chronicles confirms these deportations and dates. Tablets discovered in Babylon record rations provided to "Jehoiachin, king of Judah," confirming his captivity.

Hananiah's prophecy represented a false hope movement that nearly led to premature rebellion against Babylon. Jeremiah's counsel to submit to Babylon was seen as treason by many. Two months after this confrontation, Jeremiah prophesied Hananiah's death within the year as divine judgment for false prophecy (Jeremiah 28:15-17)—which occurred exactly as predicted. This vindicated Jeremiah and exposed Hananiah's deception, but many still refused to accept Jeremiah's hard message of extended exile.

Reflection Questions

  1. How do we discern between messages that sound appealing but contradict God's Word versus difficult truths we need to hear?
  2. What makes false teaching attractive, and why are people drawn to messages that promise easy solutions without repentance?
  3. In what ways do contemporary religious leaders speak what people want to hear rather than God's truth?
  4. How should we respond when God's timing for deliverance differs drastically from our desires and expectations?
  5. What does this passage teach about the danger of claiming divine authority for our own opinions or preferences?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 25 words
וְאֶת1 of 25
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

יְכָנְיָ֣ה2 of 25

“Jeconiah”

H3204

jekonjah, a jewish king

בֶן3 of 25

“the son”

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

יְהוֹיָקִ֣ים4 of 25

“of Jehoiakim”

H3079

jehojakim, a jewish king

מֶ֥לֶךְ5 of 25

“king”

H4428

a king

יְהוּדָ֜ה6 of 25

“of Judah”

H3063

jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory

וְאֶת7 of 25
H854

properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc

כָּל8 of 25
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

גָּל֨וּת9 of 25

“with all the captives”

H1546

captivity; concretely, exiles (collectively)

יְהוּדָ֜ה10 of 25

“of Judah”

H3063

jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory

הַבָּאִ֣ים11 of 25

“that went”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

בָּבֶֽל׃12 of 25

“into Babylon”

H894

babel (i.e., babylon), including babylonia and the babylonian empire

אֲנִ֥י13 of 25
H589

i

מֵשִׁ֛יב14 of 25

“And I will bring again”

H7725

to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);

אֶל15 of 25
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

הַמָּק֥וֹם16 of 25

“to this place”

H4725

properly, a standing, i.e., a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind)

הַזֶּ֖ה17 of 25
H2088

the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

נְאֻם18 of 25

“saith”

H5002

an oracle

יְהוָ֑ה19 of 25

“the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

כִּ֣י20 of 25
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

אֶשְׁבֹּ֔ר21 of 25

“for I will break”

H7665

to burst (literally or figuratively)

אֶת22 of 25
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

עֹ֖ל23 of 25

“the yoke”

H5923

a yoke (as imposed on the neck), literally or figuratively

מֶ֥לֶךְ24 of 25

“king”

H4428

a king

בָּבֶֽל׃25 of 25

“into Babylon”

H894

babel (i.e., babylon), including babylonia and the babylonian empire

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 28:4 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 28:4 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jeremiah 22:24Jeremiah 28:22 Kings 25:27-30Jeremiah 24:1Jeremiah 28:10Jeremiah 52:31-34

Places in This Verse

Babylon 1Settlement · Modern: Babylon · 32.54°N, 44.42°E296 verses across 15 books
View all places in Jeremiah 28 →

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