Jeremiah 27:8–15

⁸“As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and does not place its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish by sword, famine, and plague”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“until through him I have destroyed it. ⁹But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, diviners, ^qdreamers, fortune-tellers, ^ror sorcerers ^swho say to you, ‘Don’t serve the king of Babylon!’ ¹⁰for they prophesy a lie ^tto you so that you will be removed from your land. I will banish you, and you will perish. ¹¹But as for the nation that will put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave it in its own land, and that nation will cultivate ^uit and reside in it.” This is the Lord’s declaration.

Warning to Zedekiah

¹²I spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah ^vin the same way: “Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, serve him and his people, and live! ¹³Why should you and your people die ^wby the sword, famine, or plague as the Lord has threatened against any nation that does not serve the king of Babylon? ¹⁴Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are telling you, ‘You must not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they are prophesying a lie to you. ^x15‘I have not sent them’—this is the Lord’s declaration—‘and they are prophesying falsely in My name; therefore, I will banish you, and you will perish—you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.’ ”