Jeremiah 27

The prophet is commanded to wear a yoke upon his neck and likewise to send yokes to five neighbor kings and to tell them that they shall be fain to bow their necks with Juda under Nebuchadnezzar yoke and the willinger they did it the better it should be for them without hearkening unto false prophets verse 1.2 &c all this doth he afterwards amply propound unto king Zedikiah moreover prophesying that the remaining vessels of the temples should be likewise carried to Babel and there continue till the time appointed 12.

1. In the beginning of the reign of Jojakim the son of Josiah king Judah [eleven years before reign of Zedekiah when Nebuchadnezzar was yet no king of Babel as many be gathered chapter 25.1 at that time received a command concerning that which he should do or say in the time of Zedekiah reign as appeareth by the sequel see verse 3 and 12] came this word unto Jeremiah from the Lord saying :

2. Thus saith the Lord me make thee bonds and yokes [so is the Hebrew word also taken above chapter 28.10,12,13 otherwise it signifieth also draught trees whereby there are tied to the yoke draught trees see Leviticus 26 verse 13 with the annotate and put them upon thy neck [them that is one of them see Judges 12 on verse 7 and above chapter 26 on verse 23 and wear it to represent lively unto the people their future bondage under the king of Babel see below verse 8.12 and chapter 28.14 and do with rest as followeth .]

3. And send them to the king of Edom and to the king of Moab and to the king of children of Amon and to the king of Tyrus and to the king of Zidion by the hand of the messengers [or ambassadors] which come [or shall come are come] to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah [to make covenant with him against Babylonians or to harden him in his rebellion see 2 Chronicles 36:13.]

4. And command them to say unto their Lords thus saith the Lord of hosts [see 1 Kings 18 on verse 15] the God of Israel thus shall ye say unto your Lords.

5. I have made the earth the man and the cattle that are upon the ground by my great power and by mine outstretched arm and I give it [or therefore do I give it or have given it &c to wit the earth] unto whom it is right in mine eyes [that is unto whom it pleaseth or pleased me see Daniel 4:14,22]

6. And now I have given all these land into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar [in the former chapter often called Nebuchadnezzar] king of Babel my servant [see above chapter 25 on verse 9] even the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him [a phrase signifying absolute and perfect dominion compare below chapter 28.14 Daniel 2:38.]

7. And all nations shall serve him and his son [Evilmerodach of whom see 2Kings 25.27 and below chapter 32.31] and his sons son :[Belsarzar see Daniel 5] until also the time of his own lands come [or the right time of his land &c Heb. The time of his land also or even or year of his to wit land or also that to wit time of his land that his land by Gods providence shall brought under the power and subjection of others the Babylonians monarchy take an end compare Daniel 5:26] then shall mighty nations and great kings cause themselves to be served of him [or compel him to serve see above chapter 25 on verse 14.]

8. And it shall come to pass that the nation and the kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel And which [to wit nations or kingdom] will not give their neck under the yoke of the king of Babel that same nation will I visit saith the Lord by the sword and by the famine and by the pestilence until I shall have consumed them by his hands [that is by his ministry or by his power .]

9. Ye hearken not unto your prophets [meaning false prophets and such as pretend that they have divine revelation and dream see above chapter 23.25c.] nor to your sooth Sayers nor to your dreamers [Heb. Dreams so below chapter 29.8 so below carrying away captive or captivity for them that are carried away captive or captivity below chapter 28.4,6 and 29.1,4 see Job 35on verse 13]and to your jugglers to your sorcerers [see Levit. 19 on verse 26] which speak unto ye saying ye shall not serve the King of Babel.

10. For they prophesy falsehood [or a lie so verse 14,16] unto you to bring ye far from your land that I thrust you out and you should perish [see below on verse 15]

11. But the neck that shall bring the neck under the yoke of the King of Babel and shall serve him those will I have in their own land saith the Lord and they shall till it dwell therein .

12. After that [to wit the king Zedekiah compare above verse 1 and chapter 5.1 with the annotate]I speak to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all theses words saying bring your necks under the yokes of the king of Babel and serve him his people so shall ye live [that is remain alive so verse 17]

13. Why should ye die thou and thy people by the sword by the famine and by the pestilence ?[which shall surely be if ye will not serve the king of Babel so below verse 17 compare 2 Samuel 2:22] according as the Lord hath spoken concerning the nation that will not serve the king of Babel

14. Hearken then not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto ye saying ye shall not serve the king of Babel for they prophesy falsehood unto ye as above chapter 14.14 and 23.21 and 29.8]

15. For I have not sent them saith the Lord for they prophesy falsely in my name that I might thrust ye out and that I might prophesy ye and the prophesy unto ye [this in deed was not the aim of the false prophets but it will certainly follow thereupon the Lord say if they should believe the false prophets who were also with their false prophesies under the holy and righteous providence of God see 1 Kings 22.19c. and above chapter 18 on verse 16.]

16. Also I spake to the priest and to all this people [that adhered to the priest and to the false prophets]saying thus saith the Lord hearkening unto the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you saying behold the vessels of the Lords house [which in the time of Jojakim and Jechoniah were carried to Babel 2 Chronicles 36:7,10] shall now shortly be brought again from Babel [compare below chapter 28.3] for they prophesy falsehood unto you.

17. hearken unto them but serve he king of Babel so shall ye live [as verse 12] wherefore should this city become a desolation ?

18. But if they be prophets and if the words of the Lord be with them let them now make intercession [Heb entreat run upon come between to wit with intercession as above chapter 7.16 see there] to the Lord of hosts that the vessels are left in the house of the Lord and in the house of the king of Judah and at Jerusalem go not to Babel.

19. For thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the pillars [see 2Kings 25.16,17]and concerning the sea and concerning the bases and concerning the residues of the vessels that remain in the city.

20. Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel took not away when he carried away captive Jechonia the son of Jojakin king of Judah from Jerusalem to Babel together with all the nobles [Heb white one see Nehemiah 2 on verse 16] of Judah and Jerusalem.

21. Yea thus saith the Lord hosts the God of Israel concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the Lord and in the house of king of Judah and Jerusalem:

22. They shall be brought to Babel and they shall they be [that is remain so below chapter 32.5 Psalms 37.18c.] until the day that I will visit them saith the Lord [this and that which followeth may be applied to this gracious visitation of the Jews whom God would redeem out of Babylonian captivity and cause them to come again with the vessels in their own land or also by way of comparison taken from men it may be applied to the vessels themselves to which God in manner will shew its mercy as that he would bring them again out of the hands of those that violently detained and most shamefully abused them Daniel 5:2,3,4 to their due place and restore them to visit their right use thus God is said to visit the land Psalms 65.10c.]then will I carry them up and bring them again in this place [compare 2 Chronicles 36:22 below chapter 29.10.]