Jeremiah 27:1-8

The Nations to Submit to Nebuchadnezzar

1 In the beginning of the reign of 1Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying -
2 thus says the LORD to me-"Make for yourself 2bonds and 3yokes and put them on your neck,
3 and send word to the king of 4Edom, to the king of 5Moab, to the king of the sons of 6Ammon, to the king of 7Tyre and to the king of 8Sidon by the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.
4 "Command them to go to their masters, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, thus you shall say to your masters,
5 "9I have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth 10by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and I will 11give it to the one who is pleasing in My sight.
6 "Now I 12have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, 13My servant, and I have given him also the 14wild animals of the field to serve him.
7 "15All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson 16until the time of his own land comes; then 17many nations and great kings will make him their servant.
8 "It will be, that the nation or the kingdom which 18will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the 19sword, with famine and with pestilence," declares the LORD, "until I have destroyed it by his hand.

Jeremiah 27:1-8 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 19

  • 1. 2 Kings 24:18-20; 2 Chronicles 36:11-13
  • 2. Jeremiah 30:8
  • 3. Jeremiah 28:10, 13
  • 4. Jeremiah 25:21, 22
  • 5. Jeremiah 25:21, 22
  • 6. Jeremiah 25:21, 22
  • 7. Jeremiah 25:21, 22
  • 8. Jeremiah 25:21, 22
  • 9. Psalms 96:5; Psalms 146:5, 6; Isaiah 42:5; Isaiah 45:12; Jeremiah 10:12; Jeremiah 51:15
  • 10. Deuteronomy 9:29; Jeremiah 32:17; Daniel 4:17
  • 11. Psalms 115:15, 16; Acts 17:26
  • 12. Jeremiah 21:7; Jeremiah 22:25; Ezekiel 29:18-20
  • 13. Isaiah 44:28; Jeremiah 25:9; Jeremiah 43:10
  • 14. Jeremiah 28:14; Daniel 2:38
  • 15. 2 Chronicles 36:20; Jeremiah 44:30; Jeremiah 46:13
  • 16. Daniel 5:26; Zechariah 2:8, 9
  • 17. Isaiah 14:4-6; Jeremiah 25:12
  • 18. Jeremiah 38:17-19; Jeremiah 42:15, 16; Ezekiel 17:19-21
  • 19. Jeremiah 24:10; Jeremiah 27:13; Jeremiah 29:17, 18; Ezekiel 14:21

Footnotes 6

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