‘In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from YHWH, saying,' The opening heading refers to the commencement of the reign of Jehoiakim. Whilst it is common practise to suggest that the name of Jehoiakim here in Jeremiah 27:1 is a scribal... [ Continue Reading ]
WEARING THE YOKE OF SUBJECTION AND DEPENDENCE (JEREMIAH 27:1). At YHWH's command Jeremiah had to wear a yoke demonstrating bondage. Per the MT text this commenced at the beginning of Jehoiakim's reign. This would tie in with the fact that that reign commenced in bondage to Egypt and continued in bo... [ Continue Reading ]
JEREMIAH WAS TO MAKE SIMULATED YOKES AND BONDS AND WEAR THEM ON HIS NECK (JEREMIAH 27:2). The plural of yokes possibly indicates the top and bottom bars of the yoke which would be bound together round the neck by the ropes (bonds). But if what follows is taken literally (the sending of yokes to fiv... [ Continue Reading ]
JEREMIAH WAS LATER COMMANDED TO SEND PARALLEL YOKES TO THE PLOTTERS OF REBELLION WHOSE AMBASSADORS WERE CONGREGATED IN JERUSALEM (JEREMIAH 27:3). The sending of the yokes to related nations, which would be copies of the one worn by Jeremiah, was to be accompanied by a stern warning from ‘YHWH of Ho... [ Continue Reading ]
ZEDEKIAH HIMSELF IS ALSO WARNED OF THE NECESSITY FOR CONTINUED SUBMISSION TO THE KING OF BABYLON (JEREMIAH 27:12). Zedekiah is also warned by Jeremiah of the consequences of not continuing to submit to the King of Babylon. He was to ignore the promises of the prophets who promised a quick deliveran... [ Continue Reading ]