Jeremiah 27

1 In the beginning of the reign of Yehoyaqim the son of Josiah (Yoshiyahu) king of Judah (Yehudah) came this word unto Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu) from יהוה, saying,

2 “Thus saith יהוה to me: “Make you bonds and yokes, and put them upon your neck,

3 And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moav, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) unto Zedekiah (Tsidqiyahu) king of Judah (Yehudah);

4 And command them to say unto their masters, Thus saith יהוה of hosts (YHWH Tsevaot), the God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael); Thus shall you say unto your masters:

5 I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto Me.

6 And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon (Bavel), My servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.

7 And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son’s son, until the very time of his land come; and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.

8 ‘And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon (Bavel), and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon (Bavel), that nation will I punish,’ saith יהוה, ‘with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

9 Therefore hearken not you to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, who speak unto you, saying, “You shall not serve the king of Babylon (Bavel).”

10 For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and you should perish.

11 ‘But the nations that bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon (Bavel), and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land,’ saith יהוה; ‘and they shall till it, and dwell therein.’”

12 I spake also to Zedekiah (Tsidqiyahu) king of Judah (Yehudah) according to all these words, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon (Bavel), and serve him and his people, and live!

13 Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as יהוה hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon (Bavel)?

14 Therefore hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon (Bavel),’ for they prophesy a lie unto you;

15 “For I have not sent them,” saith יהוה, “yet they prophesy a lie in My name; that I might drive you out, and that you might perish, you, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.”

16 Also I spake to the priests (kohanim) and to all this people, saying, Thus saith יהוה: ‘Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, “Behold, the vessels of יהוה’s house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon (Bavel)”; for they prophesy a lie unto you.

17 ‘Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon (Bavel), and live! Wherefore should this city be laid waste?

18 But if they be prophets, and if the word of יהוה be with them, let them now make intercession to יהוה of hosts (YHWH Tsevaot), that the vessels which are left in the house of יהוה, and in the house of the king of Judah (Yehudah), and at Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), go not to Babylon (Bavel).’

19 “For thus saith יהוה of hosts (YHWH Tsevaot) concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that remain in this city,

20 Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (Bavel) took not, when he carried away captive Yekhonyah the son of Yehoyaqim king of Judah (Yehudah) from Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) to Babylon (Bavel), and all the nobles of Judah (Yehudah) and Jerusalem (Yerushalayim);

21 Yea, thus saith יהוה of hosts (YHWH Tsevaot), the God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael), concerning the vessels that remain in the house of יהוה, and in the house of the king of Judah (Yehudah) and of Jerusalem (Yerushalayim):

22 ‘They shall be carried to Babylon (Bavel), and there shall they be until the day that I visit them,’ saith יהוה. ‘Then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place.’”