Hananiah Opposes Jeremiah and Dies In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedeki′ah king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, Hanani′ah the son of Azzur, the prophet from Gib′eon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord, in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying,
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I stir up against Babylon, and against the Chaldeans dwelling therein, a deadly burning wind.
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
And I will send forth against Babylon spoilers, and they shall spoil her, and shall ravage her land. Woe to Babylon round about her in the day of her affliction.
Within two years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord’s house, which Nebuchadnez′zar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon.
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
Let the archer bend his bow, and him that has armour put it on: and spare ye not her young men, but destroy ye all her host.
I will also bring back to this place Jeconi′ah the son of Jehoi′akim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, says the Lord, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
And slain men shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and men pierced through shall fall without it.
Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Hanani′ah the prophet in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord;
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
For Israel and Juda have not been forsaken of their God, of the Lord Almighty; whereas their land was filled with iniquity against the holy things of Israel.
and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord make the words which you have prophesied come true, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles.
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
Flee ye out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every one his soul: and be not overthrown in her iniquity; for it is the time of her retribution from the Lord; he is rendering to her a recompence.
As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.”
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
We tried to heal Babylon, but she was not healed: let us forsake her, and depart every one to his own country: for her judgment has reached to the heaven, it has mounted up to the stars.
And Hanani′ah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Thus says the Lord: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnez′zar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations within two years.” But Jeremiah the prophet went his way.
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
Prepare the arrows; fill the quivers: the Lord has stirred up the spirit of the king of the Medes: for his wrath is against Babylon, to destroy it utterly; for it is the Lord’s vengeance, it is the vengeance of his people.
Sometime after the prophet Hanani′ah had broken the yoke-bars from off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
Lift up a standard on the walls of Babylon, prepare the quivers, rouse the guards, prepare the weapons: for the Lord has taken the work in hand, and will execute what he has spoken against the inhabitants of Babylon,
For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put upon the neck of all these nations an iron yoke of servitude to Nebuchadnez′zar king of Babylon, and they shall serve him, for I have given to him even the beasts of the field.’”
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
For the Lord has sworn by his arm, saying, I will fill thee with men as with locusts; and they that come down shall cry against thee.
Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you shall die, because you have uttered rebellion against the Lord.’”
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
At his voice he makes a sound of water in the heaven, and brings up clouds from the extremity of the earth; he makes lightnings for rain, and brings light out of his treasures.
In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hanani′ah died.
Coptic English (عن القبطية)
Every man has completely lost understanding; every goldsmith is confounded because of his graven images: for they have cast false gods, there is no breath in them.