Jeremiah 27

1 At the beginning [in the early stages, at the start] of the reign [kingdom, rule] of Zedekiah [whom Jehovah is righteous] son of Josiah [whom Jehovah heals] king [royal ruler, sovereign] of Judah [praise, the southern kingdom], this word [message, prophecy] came to Jeremiah [whom Jehovah has appointed] from the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God]. word study 2 This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to me: “Make [create, bring into existence] for yourself a yoke [bar] out of leather straps [bands, restraints] and put [place, set] it on your neck [the part of the body that bears the weight of the yoke]. word study 3 Send word [through messengers, by the hand of ambassadors] to the kings [rulers, monarchs] of Edom [the region of Esau’s descendants], Moab [the land of Lot’s descendants], Ammon [the land of Lot’s son], Tyre [the Phoenician city], and Sidon [the ancient city on the Mediterranean coast] through the envoys [messengers, representatives] who have come [are coming, arriving] to Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Judah] to Zedekiah [Jehovah is righteous, the last king of Judah] king [ruler, monarch] of Judah [the tribe and region]. word study 4 Give them a message [to command, to charge] from the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [armies, large groups], the God [Elohim, the supreme God] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob], to relay [to say, to speak] to their masters [lords, rulers]: word study 5 By My great [divine, almighty] power and outstretched [stretched out, extended] arm, I made [created, formed] the earth [land, world] and the men and beasts [animals, living creatures] on the face [presence, surface] of it, and I give [bestow, grant] it to whom [whomever, anyone] I please [seem right, deem fit]. word study 6 So now [at this time, in this era] I have placed [given, entrusted] all these lands [countries, territories] under the authority [control, dominion] of My servant [faithful attendant, obedient worker] Nebuchadnezzar [the king of Babylon, a powerful ruler] king of Babylon. I have even [also, too] made the beasts [wild animals, creatures] of the field [open land, countryside] subject [submissive, obedient] to him [to serve him, under his rule]. word study 7 All nations [including Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples] will serve [be in bondage to, work for] him and his son [descendant, heir] and grandson [later generations], until the time [appointed season, era] of his own land [territory, country] comes; then many [numerous, abundant] nations and great [powerful, prominent] kings will enslave [make bondsmen of, subjugate] him. word study 8 As for the nation [Gentile, non-Hebrew people] or kingdom that does not serve [submit to, obey] Nebuchadnezzar [powerful king of Babylon] king of Babylon [city of confusion, empire of old] and does not place its neck under his yoke [wooden beam, burden], I will punish [visit with judgment, oversee] that nation by sword [cutting instrument, tool of war] and famine [lack of food, hunger] and plague [disease, pestilence], declares the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], until I have destroyed [finished, completed] it by his hand [power, direction]. word study 9 But as for you, do not [refuse to, pay no attention to] listen to your prophets [false spokesmen, claimants to divine authority], your diviners [those who practice magic, sorcery], your interpreters of dreams [those who claim to understand visions], your mediums [those who consult spirits, soothsayers], or your sorcerers [those who practice witchcraft, magic] who declare [speak, proclaim], ‘You will not [under no circumstances, never] serve [be in bondage to, obey] the king of Babylon [the ruler of the Babylonian empire].’ word study 10 For [because of this reason] they prophesy [speak under divine influence] to you a lie [deception, falsehood] that will serve to remove [drive away, expel] you from your land [the earth, your inheritance]; I will banish [drive out, expel] you and you will perish [be destroyed, lost]. word study 11 But the nation [Gentile, non-Hebrew people] that will put its neck under the yoke [burden, bondage] of the king of Babylon [ruler of confusion] and serve [be in bondage to, obey] him, I will leave in its own land [native soil, territory], to cultivate [till, farm] it and reside [dwell, live] in it, declares the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God].” word study 12 And to Zedekiah [the king who was righteous in the Lord’s sight] king of Judah I spoke the same message: “Put your necks under the yoke [a wooden beam] of the king of Babylon; serve [to work, to be in bondage] him and his people [a nation, a group of individuals], and live [to have life, to be revived]! word study 13 Why should you [or why will you] and your people [nation, or those belonging to you] die by [through, or because of] sword [war, or violence] and famine [hunger, or lack of food] and plague [pestilence, or disease], as the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] has decreed [spoken, or declared] against any nation [Gentile, or non-Hebrew people] that does not serve [obey, or submit to] the king of Babylon [ruler of Babel, or the city of confusion]? word study 14 Do not [refuse to, pay no attention to] listen to the words [messages, prophecies] of the prophets [those who speak for God, messengers] who say [speak, proclaim], ‘You must not [shall not, will not] serve [be subject to, obey] the king [ruler, sovereign] of Babylon [a city of confusion, a place of exile],’ for [because, since] they are prophesying [speaking under divine influence, foretelling] to you a lie [deception, falsehood, a false message]. word study 15 For I have not sent them [without my authority, unappointed], declares the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], and yet they are prophesying [speaking under divine influence, foretelling] falsely [with deception, in a lying manner] in My name [My identity, character]; therefore I will banish [drive out, expel] you, and you will perish [be destroyed, lost]—you and the prophets [those who speak for God, spokespersons] who prophesy [speak or sing under divine influence] to you.” word study 16 Then I said to the priests [spiritual leaders, those who serve God] and to all this people, “This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says: Do not listen [give no attention, refuse to hear] to the words of your prophets [those who speak for God, messengers] who prophesy [speak under the influence of the divine spirit] to you, saying, ‘Look [behold, take notice], very soon now [in a short time, quickly] the articles [utensils, vessels] from the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD will be brought back [returned, restored] from Babylon [a city and empire, a place of confusion].’ They are prophesying [speaking falsely, deceiving] to you a lie [deception, falsehood]. word study 17 Do not [in no way, under no circumstances] listen to them [obey their counsel, heed their advice]. Serve [submit to, obey] the king [ruler, sovereign] of Babylon [confusion, mixing] and live [have life, be spared]! Why [for what reason, what purpose] should this city [town, metropolis] become [be reduced to, be left as] a ruin [desolation, waste, chaos]? word study 18 If they are indeed prophets [speaking on God’s behalf, having the word of the Lord] and the word of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] is with them, let them now plead [make intercession, pray earnestly] with the LORD of Hosts [the Commander of the armies of angels] that the articles [vessels, utensils] remaining in the house of the LORD [the temple, the dwelling place of God], in the palace of the king of Judah [the royal residence, the seat of authority], and in Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital city], not be taken to Babylon [the city of confusion, a place of exile]. word study 19 For [thus, in this manner] this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [army, a large group of people or things] says about the pillars [a pillar or column], the sea [a large body of water], the bases [foundations, pedestals], and the rest [remainder, excess] of the articles [utensils, objects] that remain [are left, excel] in this city [a place with a wall or a watchman], word study 20 which [that is, the items] Nebuchadnezzar [king of the Babylonian empire] king of Babylon did not take [capture, seize] when he carried Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile [a state of forced migration, captivity] from Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Judah] to Babylon [a city of confusion, the capital of the Babylonian empire], along with all [every single one] the nobles [high-ranking officials, prominent leaders] of Judah and Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Judah]. word study 21 Yes, this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] of Hosts [armies, a large group of people or things], the God [Elohim, the one supreme God] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants], says about the articles [vessels, objects, or tools] that remain [are left, still present] in the house [dwelling place, temple] of the LORD, in the palace [royal residence] of the king [royal person, ruler] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob], and in Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital city of Palestine]: word study 22 ‘They will be carried [taken away, brought as captives] to Babylon [Babel, a place of confusion] and will remain [stay, dwell] there [in that place] until the day [a period of time] I attend to [visit, reckon with] them again [once more],’ declares [says, utters] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. ‘Then I will bring [cause to ascend] them back [return, restore] and restore [return, turn back, hashiboti] them to this [this specific] place [location].’” word study