Judah to Serve Nebuchadnezzar

27 Early in the reign of Zedekiaha g son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yokeh out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. 3 Then sendi word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon,j Tyre and Sidonk through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: 5 With my great power and outstretched arml I madem the earth and its people and the animalsn that are on it, and I giveo it to anyone I please. 6 Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servantp Nebuchadnezzarq king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.r 7 All nations will serves him and his son and his grandson until the timet for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugateu him.

8 “ ‘ “If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punishv that nation with the sword,w faminex and plague,y declares the Lord, until I destroy it by his hand. 9 So do not listen to your prophets,z your diviners,a your interpreters of dreams,b your mediumsc or your sorcerersd who tell you, ‘You will not servee the king of Babylon.’ 10 They prophesy liesf to you that will only serve to removeg you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish. 11 But if any nation will bow its neck under the yokeh of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to livei there, declares the Lord.” ’ ”