27 1 In the beginning of King Zedekiah's reign, the word of God came to Jeremiah and said,
2 Make a yoke and put it on your neck.
3 Go meet with the messengers from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyrus, and Zidon, who are in Jerusalem visiting King Zedekiah. 4 Tell them to say this to their kings:
6 I've given your land and everything on earth to my servant Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Your animals must serve him too.
7 All the nations on earth will serve him, and his son, and his son's son.
8 I’ll punish any nation who refuses to serve him (by putting his yoke on their neck) with war, famine, and disease until I've killed everyone in that nation.
9 So don't listen to anyone (prophet, diviner, dreamer, enchanter, or sorcerer) who tells you that you won't serve the king of Babylon.
10 They're lying to you. If you believe them, I'll kill you.
11 If you put the yoke of the king of Babylon on your neck and serve him, I'll let you and your people live.
12 I gave the same message to Zedekiah.
16 And I told the priests and people that God said,
Don't listen to anything that the prophets say. All their prophecies are lies.
28 1 In the same year, Hananiah spoke to Jeremiah, saying,
2 This is what God says:
I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
3 Within two years, I will return all the vessels that Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple.
4 Jeconiah and all the captives will also return.
5 Jeremiah said to Hananiah,
Amen. I hope God does that. I hope God returns the vessels to his house and the people from Babylon.
10 Then Hananiah removed the yoke from Jeremiah's neck and broke it.
11 Hananiah said to the people,
This is what God says,
As Hananiah broke Jeremiah's yoke, I'll break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar within two years.
12 Then the word of God came to Jeremiah and said,
13 Go say this to Hananiah:
You have broken a wooden yoke, but it will be replaced with one made of iron.
14 I put an iron yoke on all nations, to force them to serve Nebuchadnezzar. And I've given him the beasts, as well.
15 Jeremiah said to Hananiah,
16 This is what God says,
You'll die this year because you have taught people to rebel against me.
17 So Hananiah died in the seventh month of that year.
29 1 Jeremiah sent a letter to people who Nebuchadnezzar took captive to Babylon, which said,
4 This is what God says:
10 After seventy years, I'll visit you and let you return to Jerusalem.
11 Because I know what I'm thinking about you. I'm thinking nice thoughts, not evil ones.
14 I will gather you from where I have driven you and bring you back home again.
16 But I’ll punish the people who stayed in Jerusalem and weren't taken captive to Babylon.
17 I'll send the sword, famine, and pestilence. I'll make them like vile figs that are so evil they can't be eaten.
21 I'll give Ahab and Zedekiah, who prophesied lies in my name to Nebuchadnezzar. He'll kill them while you watch.
22 People will use it as a curse and say, "Let God do to you like he did to Zedekiah and Ahab, who the king of Babylon roasted in a fire."
30 1 The word of God came to Jeremiah, saying,
2 Write every word that I've said to you in a book.
6 You ask:
Is a man pregnant?
Why does every man have his hands on his loins?
And why is everyone's face so pale?
24 I'll be angry until I've done what my heart wants to do.
You'll understand better in the latter days.
31 1 At the same time, God said,
4 Oh virgin, Israel, you'll play your tambourines and dance with joy.
14 The soul of priests will be satiated with fat.
15 A voice will be heard in Ramah. Rachel will be weeping for her dead children.
29 In those days, they'll no longer say, “The father eats a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge,” but everyone will die for their own iniquity.
40 And the valley of the dead bodies will be holy to me.
Copyright © 1999-2024
The Skeptic's Annotated Bible
Send comments to Steve Wells
at swwells(at)gmail.com
