JeremiahChapter 27

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At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:[fn]

This is what the LORD said to me: Make yourself straps and crossbars for a yoke, and put them on your neck.

Then send them to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon, by the hand of the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.

Give them this charge for their masters: This is what the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says—tell your masters this:

By my great power and my outstretched arm I made the earth, along with the people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to whomever I please.

Now I have handed all these lands over to my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; even the wild animals I have given him to serve him.

All nations will serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time comes for his own land as well; then many nations and great kings will make him their servant.

But any nation or kingdom that will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and will not bend its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon—that nation I will punish with sword, famine, and plague, declares the LORD, until I have destroyed it by his hand.

So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreams, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who tell you, "You will not serve the king of Babylon."

They are prophesying lies to you, and the result will be that you are carried far from your land; I will drive you out, and you will perish.

But the nation that bends its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serves him—that nation I will leave on its own soil, declares the LORD, to work it and live there.

To Zedekiah king of Judah I spoke in the same way: Bend your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live.

Why should you and your people die by sword, famine, and plague, as the LORD has declared against any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?

Do not listen to the words of the prophets who tell you, "You will not serve the king of Babylon," for they are prophesying lies to you.

I have not sent them, declares the LORD. They are prophesying falsely in my name, so that I will drive you out and you will perish—you and the prophets who prophesy to you.

Then I said to the priests and to all this people: This is what the LORD says: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who tell you, "Look, the vessels of the LORD's house will soon be brought back from Babylon." They are prophesying lies to you.

Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live. Why should this city become a ruin?

If they are prophets and the word of the LORD is with them, let them plead with the LORD of hosts that the vessels still left in the house of the LORD, in the palace of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem not be carried off to Babylon.

For this is what the LORD of hosts says about the pillars, the bronze Sea, the stands, and the rest of the vessels still left in this city—

those that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he carried Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem.

Yes, this is what the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says about the vessels still left in the house of the LORD, in the palace of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem:

They will be taken to Babylon and remain there until the day I attend to them, declares the LORD. Then I will bring them up and restore them to this place.

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Summary2

Chapter 27

Main Theme: God commands the nations to submit to Nebuchadnezzar’s yoke and warns against false prophets.

Content: God instructs Jeremiah to make a yoke and send messages to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon, telling them to submit to Nebuchadnezzar, whom God has made His servant. Those who refuse will be punished with sword, famine, and pestilence. Jeremiah warns King Zedekiah, the priests, and the people against false prophets who promise quick deliverance and the return of the temple vessels. God promises that the remaining vessels will be taken to Babylon, but He will one day bring them back.

Key Words/Images:

The Yoke: A symbol of submission to Babylonian rule—those who bow their necks under it will survive.
Nebuchadnezzar as God’s Servant: God uses the pagan king as an instrument of His judgment upon the nations.
False Prophets: Those who preach lies in God’s name and promise swift liberation from Babylon.
The Temple Vessels: The sacred objects taken to Babylon, with a promise of future restoration.

Historical context

Historical and Cultural Context for Jeremiah 27

People

Zedekiah, king of Judah is mentioned as the recipient of the message, although verse 1 presents a textual difficulty where "Jehoiakim" is likely a scribal error for "Zedekiah" (as the rest of the chapter clearly concerns him). Zedekiah reigned from 597–586 B.C. as the last king of Judah, installed as a vassal king by Nebuchadnezzar following the deportation of his nephew Jeconiah (Jehoiachin). His original name was "Mattaniah" (gift from YHWH), but this was changed by Nebuchadnezzar to "Zedekiah" (YHWH is my righteousness) – a name that ironically served as a reminder of his oath of loyalty to Babylon.

Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) is mentioned in verse 20 as already deported to Babylon. This dates the chapter to after 597 B.C. Babylonian administrative texts (the Jehoiachin tablets) confirm his presence in Babylon and mention rations allocated to him and his sons.

Places

Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon represent neighboring kingdoms that had sent delegations to Jerusalem. The context suggests a secret meeting where these small states planned a coordinated rebellion against Babylon, likely around 594/593 B.C. Archaeological and historical sources confirm that all these kingdoms were subjected to Babylonian supremacy during this period. Tyre and Sidon were Phoenician city-states with significant maritime power, while Edom, Moab, and Ammon were Transjordanian kingdoms with long-standing connections to Judah.

Events and Customs

The symbolic action of the yoke (מוֹסֵרוֹת וּמֹטוֹת – moserót umotót, "straps and yoke bars") was a powerful visual message. The yoke was common in agricultural societies and symbolized submission and service. Prophets in the ancient Near East often used dramatic symbolic actions to convey divine messages. By wearing the yoke on his neck, Jeremiah physically communicated what he preached verbally: the nations must submit to Babylonian rule.

Diplomatic envoys (מַלְאָכִים – mal'akim) from neighboring kingdoms in Jerusalem testify to intense diplomatic activity. It was common practice in antiquity for smaller states to form coalitions against dominant powers. Such meetings often included religious consultations, and verse 9 suggests that each nation had its own prophets and diviners who advised on political decisions.

Key Terms

*"My servant" (עַבְדִּי – 'avdí)* used of Nebuchadnezzar in verse 6 is theologically striking. This title is otherwise used for the patriarchs, Moses, and David. By calling the pagan king God's servant, Jeremiah emphasizes that YHWH is the universal ruler who uses even foreign kings for His purposes – a radical claim in the context of that time.

Temple articles (כְּלֵי בֵית־יְהוָה) mentioned in verses 16–22 included valuable ritual objects. Some had already been taken to Babylon in 597 B.C. False prophets claimed these would soon return. Jeremiah prophesied the opposite: even the remaining articles, including the bronze pillars, the "Sea" (the large bronze basin), and the stands, would be carried away – which was fulfilled in 586 B.C.

People5

Jehoiakim (son of Josiah)2 Nebuchadnezzar3 Josiah1 Jeremiah1 Jehoiachin (son of Jehoiakim)1

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Key words9

Nebuchadnezzar — King of Babylon who reigned from 605 BC to 562 BC, and played a central role in the book of Jeremiah chapter 27.
Slavery — A condition in which a person is forced to work for another, often in the form of bondage.
Yoke — A device used to bind animals together for plowing or other labor, here symbolizing submission and servitude.
Prophets — Religious leaders who claim to receive messages directly from God, and convey these messages to the people.
Jeremiah — A prophet in the Old Testament who warned the people of Israel about coming destruction and urged them to turn back to God.
Deceit — A false or fraudulent act, often used in connection with false prophets who give misleading information or promises.
Land — Geographical areas that are subject to political control and rule, often used to refer to nations and kingdoms.
Serve — To perform work or duties for another person or organization, often in a subordinate position.
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