Jeremiah 27

These chapters refer to the fourth year of Zedekiah, when the Jews and the neighbouring nations appear to have conspired to throw off the Babylonian yoke. Jeremiah is therefore commanded to make yokes and bonds, the symbols of vassalage, and send them to these nations, with a command to submit to Nebuchadnezzar (1-11). He also addresses Zedekiah and the Jewish people to the same purport (12-15); and bids those who oppose his predictions to pray for the preservation of the sacred vessels remaining in the Temple, and to see whether they will prevail (16-22). One of these false prophets contradicts his message (xxviii. 1-4); upon which Jeremiah refers him to ancient prophecies of calamity already in part fulfilled (5-9); but as Hananiah persists in his falsehood, and breaks the yoke which the prophet wears, Jeremiah repeats the prediction, and adds a personal threatening against Hananiah, which is speedily fulfilled (10-17).

1. Jehoiakim. This reading, though very ancient, is clearly an error in copying, and the name should be “Zedekiah,” as in the Syriac version, and vers. 3, 12; xxviii. 1. (The Septuagint omits the verse.) See R.V., marg.

6 the beasts of the field, etc. See note on xxviii. 14.

7 his son, and his son’s son. Evil-Merodach and Nabonidus (with whom Belshazzar was associated).

many nations and great kings. See note on xxv. 14.

9 diviners. Some of the various kinds of divination are noticed in Isa. xliv. 25; xlvii. 13; Ezek. xxi. 21; Hos. iv. 12.

16 the vessels of the Lord’s house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon. Whether they had been carried in the two preceding reigns: see 2 Chron. xxxvi. 7, 10. Jeremiah, in opposition to the statement of the false prophets says that not only should they remain there for a while, but the rest would follow (21, 22).

20 which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon took not. See note on 2 Kings xxiv. 13.