Jeremiah 27:9-19

9 So 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.’
10 They prophesy lies to you that will only serve to remove you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish.
11 But 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.” ’ ”
12 I 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.
13 Why 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?
14 Do 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.’ ”
16 Then 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.
17 Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live. Why should this city become a ruin?
18 If they are prophets and have the word of the LORD, let them plead with the LORD Almighty that the articles remaining in the house of the LORD and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem not be taken to Babylon.
19 For 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,

Jeremiah 27:9-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 27

This chapter contains a prophecy of the subjection of the king of Judah, with five neighbouring kings, to the king of Babylon; signified by bonds and yokes on the prophet's neck, which they are exhorted patiently to bear, as being most for their good; and not to give heed to false prophets, who would persuade them to the contrary. The date of the prophecy is in Jer 27:1; the order to make the yokes, and send them to the several neighbouring princes by their messengers at Jerusalem, Jer 27:2,3; what they should say to their masters from the God of Israel, who is described from his power in the creation of the earth, and the disposal of it, Jer 27:4,5; as that he had given all their lands into the hand of the king of Babylon, whom they should serve, or it would be worse for them, Jer 27:6-8; and therefore should not hearken to their prophets, who prophesied lies; if they did, it would be to their hurt; whereas, if they quietly submitted, they would dwell in their own land, Jer 27:9-11; particularly Zedekiah king of Judah is exhorted to submit; and both he, and the priests and the people, are advised not to hearken to the false prophets, Jer 27:12-15; particularly as to what they said concerning the speedy return of the vessels of the temple, which were carried away to Babylon; but might assure themselves they should remain there; and the rest also should be taken, and not returned until the end of the seventy years, Jer 27:16-22.

Cross References 26

  • 1. Ezekiel 13:1-23
  • 2. S Genesis 30:27; S Isaiah 44:25
  • 3. S Deuteronomy 13:1; S Jeremiah 23:25
  • 4. S Deuteronomy 18:11
  • 5. S Exodus 7:11
  • 6. Jeremiah 6:14
  • 7. S Jeremiah 23:25; S Mark 13:5
  • 8. S 2 Kings 23:27
  • 9. S Jeremiah 21:9
  • 10. Deuteronomy 6:2
  • 11. Jeremiah 17:4
  • 12. S Jeremiah 21:9
  • 13. Ezekiel 18:31
  • 14. S Jeremiah 14:12
  • 15. S Jeremiah 23:16
  • 16. S Jeremiah 14:13
  • 17. S Jeremiah 14:14; S Matthew 7:15
  • 18. S Jeremiah 23:21
  • 19. Jeremiah 29:9; Jeremiah 44:16
  • 20. S Jeremiah 6:15; Matthew 15:12-14
  • 21. 1 Kings 7:48-50; S 2 Kings 24:13; 2 Chronicles 36:7,10; Jeremiah 28:3; Daniel 1:2
  • 22. Jeremiah 23:16
  • 23. Jeremiah 42:11
  • 24. S Numbers 21:7; S 1 Samuel 7:8
  • 25. 1 Kings 7:23-26; 2 Kings 25:13
  • 26. S 1 Kings 7:51; Jeremiah 52:17-23
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