340 TRANSLATION, NOTES, AND COMMENTSin the LXX but present in CL, Aq, Theod, S, T, and Vg. They should therefore
be retained (Volz; Weiser).- And Hananiah the prophet died in that year, in the seventh month. The
style is laconic, similar to the summary statements in 26:24 and 36:8, 32. The sev-
enth month is Tishri (September/October). Omitted in the LXX are the words,
"Hananiah the prophet in that year," but as Giesebrecht notes, Aq, Symm,
Theod, CL, S, T, and Vg all have them. There is thus slim basis for their dele-
tion (pace Cornill; Holladay; McKane). The T expands to "and was buried in
the seventh month." Hananiah's death occurred just two months after his
prophecy (v 1). Yahweh brought it about, and in so doing decided the question
of truth and falsity. When Jeremiah was on trial, the outcome was determined
by Jeremiah's own witness, the testimony of elders, the judgment of the
princes, and the protection given after the trial by Ahikam son of Shaphan
(chap. 26). One might speak, then, in the present situation about the power
and efficacy of the prophetic word (Lindblom 1965: 200). Calvin says Hana-
niah was driven out of the world by the mere sound of Jeremiah's tongue.
Malamat ( 1975: 139-40) suggests a connection between the death of Hana-
niah and the difficult verse in Ezek 14:9, where Yahweh says: "And if the
prophet be deceived and speaks a word, I, Yahweh, I have deceived that
prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him, and will destroy him from
the midst of my people Israel." See also in this connection 1 Kgs 22: 19-22.
MESSAGE AND AUDIENCE
This narrative begins by quoting Jeremiah as saying that Hananiah ben Azzur,
the prophet from Gibeon, spoke to him in the Temple precincts before an au-
dience of priests and people. In an initial oracle, Hananiah reported Yahweh
as saying that he had broken the yoke of the king of Babylon and that within
two years all the Temple treasures taken to Babylon in the loot of 597 B.C.
would be brought back to where the people now stand. In a second oracle,
Hananiah reports Yahweh as saying that Jeconiah and all the exiles taken to
Babylon would likewise be returned, for the yoke of the king of Babylon had
indeed been broken.
What follows is Jeremiah's response to Hananiah and the people assembled.
He relieves the tension, but only temporarily, by feigned agreement with his
opposite number. He says "Amen!" Would that Yahweh confirm this word
about the Temple vessels and exiles' returning from Babylon. However, the as-
sembled would do well to hear a word he has to speak. The stage is set for Jere-
miah to repeat his contrary word from Yahweh, which some, no doubt, have
heard before. But Jeremiah counters with neither an old oracle nor a new one,
preferring instead a general word on prophets and prophecy. He tells Hananiah
that prophets before both of them have prophesied war, evil, and pestilence,
against many lands and great kingdoms-not just against Israel and Judah, but
against the nations of the world. Foreign envoys may still be in the city. As for
the prophet prophesying peace, says Jeremiah, when that word has been ful-