Jeremiah 27

The Yoke of Babylon

1 At the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:

2 “This is what the LORD says to me: Make a yoke out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck.”

3 “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.”

4 “Give them this command for their masters: ‘This is what the LORD of armies, the God of Israel, says: Tell your masters,’”

5 “‘I made the earth, mankind, and beasts by My great power and outstretched arm, and I give it to anyone I please.’”

6 “‘Now I have handed all these lands over to My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. I have even given him the wild animals to serve him.’”

7 “‘All nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until the time for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will enslave him.’”

8 “‘But if any nation or kingdom refuses to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or to put its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation with sword, famine, and plague until I destroy it,’ declares the LORD.”

9 “‘So do not listen to your prophets, diviners, dreamers, fortune-tellers, or sorcerers when they tell you, “You will not serve the king of Babylon.”’”

10 “‘For they prophesy lies to you, leading you far from your land. I will drive you out, and you will perish.’”

11 “‘But the nation that brings its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serves him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and live there,’ declares the LORD.”

A Message to King Zedekiah

12 I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah: “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon. Serve him and his people, and you will live.”

13 “Why should you die, you and your people, by sword, famine, and plague, as the LORD has decreed for any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?”

14 “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who say, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ For they are prophesying lies to you.”

15 “I have not sent them,” declares the LORD, “and they are prophesying lies in My name. I will banish you, and you and the prophets who prophesy to you will perish.”

A Message to the Priests and the People

16 I also spoke to the priests and all the people: “This is what the LORD says: Do not listen to the prophets who say, ‘The articles from the LORD’s house will soon be returned from Babylon.’ They are prophesying lies to you.”

17 “Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city become a ruin?”

18 “If they are truly prophets and have the word of the LORD, Let them pray that the articles still remaining in the LORD’s house, in the palace of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem, not be taken to Babylon.”

The Fate of the Temple Articles

19 For this is what the LORD of armies says about the bronze pillars, the Sea, the stands, and the remaining articles in this city,

20 Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he carried Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem.

21 “Yes, this is what the LORD of armies, the God of Israel, says about the articles still left in the house of the LORD and in the king’s palace and in Jerusalem:”

22 “They will be taken to Babylon and will remain there until the day I come for them,” declares the LORD. “Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.”