Jeremiah 27:8

8 " ' "But suppose any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonia. And suppose it refuses to put its neck under his yoke. Then I will punish that nation with war, hunger and plague," announces the Lord. "I will punish it until his powerful hand destroys it.

Jeremiah 27:8 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 27:8

And it shall come to pass, [that] the nation and kingdom which
will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon
Will not, upon his approaching to them, invading and besieging them, submit and become tributary to him, as is more fully expressed in the next clause: and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon;
or voluntarily become subject to him, and pay a tax he shall impose upon them. This refers to, and explains the symbol of, Jeremiah's making and wearing yokes, ( Jeremiah 27:2 ) ; that nation will I punish, saith the Lord, with the sword, and with
the famine, and with the pestilence;
with one judgment after another; some will perish by the sword of the enemy, sallying out upon them, or endeavouring to make their escape; others by famine their provisions being spent through the length of the siege; and others by pestilence, or the plague, by the immediate hand of God: until I have consumed them by his hand;
Nebuchadnezzar's; by means of him; by his sword, and strait besieging them; or, "into his hand"; and so the Targum,

``until I have delivered them into his hand;''

having consumed multitudes by the sword, famine, and pestilence, will deliver the rest into his hands to be carried captive by him.

Jeremiah 27:8 In-Context

6 " ' "Now I will hand all of your countries over to my servant Nebuchadnezzar. He is king of Babylonia. I will put even the wild animals under his control.

7 All of the nations will serve him and his son and grandson. After that, I will judge his land. Then many nations and great kings will make him serve them.

8 " ' "But suppose any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonia. And suppose it refuses to put its neck under his yoke. Then I will punish that nation with war, hunger and plague," announces the Lord. "I will punish it until his powerful hand destroys it.

9 " ' "So do not listen to your prophets. Do not listen to those who claim to have secret knowledge. Do not listen to those who try to explain your dreams. Do not listen to those who get messages from people who have died. Do not listen to those who practice evil magic. All of them will tell you, 'You won't serve the king of Babylonia.'

10 " ' "But they prophesy lies to you. If you listen to them, you will be removed far away from your lands. I will drive you away from them. And you will die.