Jeremiah 28:10-14 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Then Hananiah took the yoke from off Jeremiah's neck Thus it appears that Jeremiah wore this yoke, agreeably to the command given him by God, as a symbol of that subjection to the king of Babylon to which he admonished the Jews and other neighbouring nations to submit, in order that they might prevent the extreme evil which would otherwise fall upon them: and this yoke Hananiah took off the prophet's neck, and broke it, by way of a symbolical sign that the Jews, and these other nations, should be freed from the Babylonian yoke within two years. And the Prophet Jeremiah went his way Quietly and patiently, knowing that it would answer no good end to contend with one whose mind was heated, and in the midst of the priests and people that were violently set against him. Doubtless he expected that God would soon send a special message to Hananiah, and he would say nothing till he received it. It is often our wisdom and duty to yield to violence, to bear revilings with patience, and to retreat rather than contend. Then the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah To ratify and confirm the prophecy he had lately uttered; saying, Go and tell Hananiah, Thou hast broken the yokes of wood, &c. Which were light and easy; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron Such as no human strength can break; that is, thou shalt bring a heavier and more grievous yoke upon them than they otherwise would have had, by persuading them not to submit to Nebuchadnezzar.