Jeremiah 27:1–11

Judah to Serve Nebuchadnezzar

27Early in the reign of Zedekiah^ag son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ²This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke^h out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. ³Then sendⁱ word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon,^j Tyre and Sidon^k through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. ⁴Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: ⁵With my great power and outstretched arm^l I made^m the earth and its people and the animalsⁿ that are on it, and I give^o it to anyone I please. ⁶Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant^p Nebuchadnezzar^q king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.^{r 7}All nations will serve^s him and his son and his grandson until the time^t for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate^u him.

⁸“ ‘ “If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish^v that nation with the sword,^w famine^x and plague,^y declares the Lord, until I destroy it by his hand. ⁹So do not listen to your prophets,^z your diviners,^a your interpreters of dreams,^b your mediums^c or your sorcerers^d who tell you, ‘You will not serve^e the king of Babylon.’ ¹⁰They prophesy lies^f to you that will only serve to remove^g you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish. ¹¹But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke^h 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.” ’ ”