Jeremiah 27:14-22

14 Do not ye hear the words of prophets saying to you, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon; for they speak leasing to you (for they say lies to you),
15 for I sent not them, saith the Lord; and they prophesy falsely in my name, that they cast out you, and that ye perish, both ye and the prophets that prophesy to you. (for I did not send them, saith the Lord; and they prophesy falsely in my name, and so I shall cast you out, and ye shall perish, both ye and the prophets who prophesy to you.)
16 And I spake to the priests, and to this people, and I said, The Lord God saith these things, Do not ye hear the words of your prophets, that prophesy to you, and say, Lo! the vessels of the (house of the) Lord shall turn again now soon from Babylon; for they prophesy a leasing to you. (And I spoke to the priests, and to this people, and I said, The Lord God saith these things, Do not ye listen to the words of your prophets, who prophesy to you, and say, Lo! the vessels of the House of the Lord shall soon be brought back from Babylon; for they prophesy a lie to you.)
17 Therefore do not ye hear them, but serve ye the king of Babylon, that ye live; why is this city given into wilderness? (And so do not ye listen to them, but serve ye the king of Babylon, so that ye can live; why should this city be turned into a wilderness?)
18 And if they be prophets, and if the word of God is in them, run they (now) to the Lord of hosts, (and plead) that the vessels, which were left in the house of the Lord, and in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem, come not into Babylon (be not taken away to Babylon).
19 For the Lord of hosts saith these things to the pillars, and to the sea, that is, a great washing vessel, and to the foundaments, and to the remnants of [the] vessels, that were left in this city, (For the Lord of hosts saith these things about the pillars, and the sea, that is, a great washing vessel, and their bases, and the remnants of the vessels, that were left in this city,)
20 which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took not, when he translated Jeconiah (when he carried away captive Jeconiah), the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem into Babylon, and all the principal men of Judah and of Jerusalem.
21 For the Lord of hosts, God of Israel, saith these things to the vessels that be left in the house of the Lord, and in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem, (For the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saith these things about the vessels that be left in the House of the Lord, and in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem,)
22 They shall be translated, either led over, into Babylon, and shall be (left) there unto the day of their visitation, saith the Lord; and (then) I shall make those to be brought (back), and to be restored in this place.

Jeremiah 27:14-22 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.