1In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah[1] the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord.2Thus the Lord said to me: “Make yourself straps and yoke-bars, and put them on your neck. (Le 26:13; 1Ki 22:11; Jer 28:10; Jer 28:12; Eze 7:23)3Send word[2] to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the sons of Ammon, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon by the hand of the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. (Jer 25:21)4Give them this charge for their masters: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: This is what you shall say to your masters:5“It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me. (Ps 115:15; Ps 115:16; Isa 45:12; Jer 21:5; Da 4:17; Da 4:25; Da 4:32)6Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him. (Jer 25:9; Jer 28:14; Eze 30:21; Eze 30:25; Da 2:38)7All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his own land comes. Then many nations and great kings shall make him their slave. (Jer 25:12; Jer 25:14; Jer 52:31; Da 2:37; Da 5:1; Da 5:30)8““But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, declares the Lord, until I have consumed it by his hand. (Jer 14:12; Jer 27:11; Jer 30:8)9So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’ (De 18:10; Isa 2:6; Jer 14:14; Jer 29:8)10For it is a lie that they are prophesying to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land, and I will drive you out, and you will perish. (Jer 5:31)11But any nation that will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave on its own land, to work it and dwell there, declares the Lord.”’” (Jer 27:2; Jer 27:8)12To Zedekiah king of Judah I spoke in like manner: “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people and live. (Jer 27:1; Jer 27:11; Jer 27:17; Jer 28:1; Jer 38:17)13Why will you and your people die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, as the Lord has spoken concerning any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? (Jer 14:12; Jer 27:8; Eze 18:31)14Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon,’ for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. (Jer 14:14; Jer 27:10)15I have not sent them, declares the Lord, but they are prophesying falsely in my name, with the result that I will drive you out and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.” (Jer 27:10)16Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says the Lord: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who are prophesying to you, saying, ‘Behold, the vessels of the Lord’s house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon,’ for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. (2Ki 24:13; 2Ch 36:7; 2Ch 36:10; 2Ch 36:18; Jer 27:10; Jer 27:14; Jer 28:3)17Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city become a desolation? (Jer 7:34; Jer 27:11; Jer 27:14)18If they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is with them, then let them intercede with the Lord of hosts, that the vessels that are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon. (Isa 59:16; Da 1:2)19For thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the pillars, the sea, the stands, and the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, (2Ki 25:13)20which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away, when he took into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— (2Ki 24:14; Jer 24:1; Mt 1:11)21thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: (Jer 27:19)22They shall be carried to Babylon and remain there until the day when I visit them, declares the Lord. Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.” (2Ki 25:13; 2Ch 36:18; 2Ch 36:22; Ezr 1:1; Ezr 1:7; Ezr 5:14; Ezr 7:19; Jer 29:10; Jer 32:5; Jer 52:17; Jer 52:20)
Jeremiah 27
New International Version
Judah to serve Nebuchadnezzar
1Early in the reign of Zedekiah[1] son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord:2this is what the Lord said to me: ‘Make a yoke out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck.3Then send word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.4Give them a message for their masters and say, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Tell this to your masters:5with my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please.6Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.7All nations will serve him and his son and his grandson until the time for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate him.8‘ “ ‘If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation with the sword, famine and plague, declares the Lord, until I destroy it by his hand.9So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your interpreters of dreams, your mediums or your sorcerers who tell you, “You will not serve the king of Babylon.”10They prophesy lies to you that will only serve to remove you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish.11But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live there, declares the Lord.’ ” ’12I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah. I said, ‘Bow your neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live.13Why will you and your people die by the sword, famine and plague with which the Lord has threatened any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?14Do not listen to the words of the prophets who say to you, “You will not serve the king of Babylon,” for they are prophesying lies to you.15“I have not sent them,” declares the Lord. “They are prophesying lies in my name. Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish, both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.” ’16Then I said to the priests and all these people, ‘This is what the Lord says: do not listen to the prophets who say, “Very soon now the articles from the Lord’s house will be brought back from Babylon.” They are prophesying lies to you.17Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live. Why should this city become a ruin?18If they are prophets and have the word of the Lord, let them plead with the Lord Almighty that the articles which remain in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem will not be taken to Babylon.19For this is what the Lord Almighty says about the pillars, the bronze Sea, the movable stands and the other articles that are left in this city,20which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away when he carried Jehoiachin[2] son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem –21yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about the things that are left in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem:22“They will be taken to Babylon and there they will remain until the day I come for them,” declares the Lord. “Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.” ’