Read Jeremiah chapter 27 online with LogosAI Bible study tools, highlights, and cross references.
Jeremiah 27 is part of “Biographical Narratives” (26–29) in the outline of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 27 summary
Jeremiah the prophet, since he cannot persuade people to submit to God's precept, and so to prevent the destruction of their country by the king of Babylon, is here persuading them to submit to God's providence, by yielding tamely to the king of Babylon, and becoming tributaries to him, which was the wisest course they could now take, and would be a mitigation of the calamity, and prevent the laying of their country waste by fire and sword; the sacrificing of their liberties would be the saving of their lives. I. He gives this counsel, in God's name, to the kings of the neighbouring nations, that they might make the best of bad, assuring them that there was no remedy, but they must serve the king of Babylon; and yet in time there should be relief, for his dominion should last but 70 years (Jer 27:1-11). II. He gives this counsel to Zedekiah king of Judah particularly (Jer 27:12-15) and to the priests and people, assuring them that the king of Babylon should still proceed against them till things were brought to the last extremity, and a patient submission would be the only way to mitigate the calamity and make it easy (Jer 27:16-22). Thus the prophet, if they would but have hearkened to him, would have directed them in the paths of true policy as well as of true piety.
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
1 In the beginning of the reigne of Iehoiakim the sonne of Iosiah King of Iudah came this worde vnto Ieremiah from the Lord, saying,
2 Thus saith the Lord to me, Make thee bonds, and yokes, and put them vpon thy necke,
3 And send them to the King of Edom, and to the King of Moab, and to the King of the Ammonites, and to the King of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hande of the messengers which come to Ierusale vnto Zedekiah ye king of Iudah,
4 And commande them to saye vnto their masters, Thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel, Thus shall ye say vnto your masters,
5 I haue made the earth, the man, and the beast that are vpon the groud, by my great power, and by my outstreched arme, and haue giuen it vnto whom it pleased me.
6 But nowe I haue giuen all these landes into the hand of Nebuchad-nezzar the King of Babel my seruant, and the beastes of the fielde haue I also giuen him to serue him.
7 And all nations shall serue him, and his sonne, and his sonnes sonne vntill the very time of his lande come also: then many nations and great Kinges shall serue themselues of him.
8 And the nation and kingdome which will not serue the same Nebuchad-nezzar king of Babel, and that will not put their necke vnder the yoke of the King of Babel, the same nation will I visite, saith the Lord, with the sworde, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, vntill I haue wholy giuen them into his hands.
9 Therefore heare not your prophets nor your southsayers, nor your dreamers, nor your inchanters, nor your sorcerers, which say vnto you thus, Ye shall not serue the King of Babel.
10 For they prophecie a lie vnto you to cause you to goe farre from your lande, and that I should cast you out, and you should perish.
11 But the nation that put their neckes vnder the yoke of the King of Babel, and serue him, those wil I let remaine stil in their owne land, saith the Lord, and they shall occupie it, and dwel therein.
12 I spake also to Zedekiah king of Iudah according to all these wordes, saying, Put your neckes vnder the yoke of the King of Babel, and serue him and his people, that ye may liue.
13 Why will ye dye, thou, and thy people by the sworde, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the Lord hath spoken against the nation, that will not serue the King of Babel?
14 Therefore heare not the words of the prophets, that speake vnto you, saying, Ye shall not serue the King of Babel: for they prophecie a lie vnto you.
15 For I haue not sent them, saith the Lord, yet they prophecie a lie in my name, that I might cast you out, and that ye might perish, both you, and the prophets that prophecie vnto you.
16 Also I spake to the Priests, and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Heare not the wordes of your prophets that prophecie vnto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the house of the Lord shall nowe shortly be brought againe from Babel, for they prophecie a lie vnto you.
17 Heare them not, but serue the King of Babel, that ye may liue: wherefore shoulde this citie be desolate?
18 But if they be Prophets, and if the word of the Lord be with them, let them intreate the Lord of hostes, that the vessels, which are left in the House of the Lord, and in the house of the King of Iudah, and at Ierusalem, go not to Babel.
19 For thus saith the Lord of hostes, concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that remaine in this citie,
20 Which Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel tooke not, when he caryed away captiue Ieconiah the sonne of Iehoiakim King of Iudah from Ierusalem to Babel, with all the nobles of Iudah and Ierusalem.
21 For thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remaine in the House of the Lord, and in the house of the King of Iudah, and at Ierusalem,
22 They shall be brought to Babel, and there they shalbe vntil the day that I visite them, saith the Lord: then will I bring them vp, and restore them vnto this place.