Jeremiah 27:11

But the nations that bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land, saith the LORD; and they shall till it, and dwell therein. THE NATIONS THAT ... SERVE HIM ... SHALL TILL IT. The same Hebrew [ `aabad (H5647)] expresses serve and till, or cultivate. Serve ye the king of Babylon, and the land will serve you (Calvin)....

He seems indeed to speak here indiscriminately of all nations; but the admonition belongs to the Jews alone, as we have said, and as it appears from the context. He seems however to mention the nations, that he might more sharply touch the Jews, as though he had said, “Though God’s promises are not to be extended to heathen nations, yet God will spare the Tyrians and the Moabites, if they submit quietly to the king of Babylon, and take upon them his yoke. If God will spare heathen nations, when yet he has promised them nothing, what may his chosen people expect? But if he will punish nations who err in darkness, what will become of a people who knowingly and wilfully resist God and his judgments?” For obstinacy in the Jews was mad impiety, as though they avowedly designed to carry on war with God; for they knew that Nebuchadnezzar was the executioner of God’s vengeance. When therefore th...

1-11 Jeremiah is to prepare a sign that all the neighbouring countries would be made subject to the king of Babylon. God asserts his right to dispose of kingdoms as he pleases. Whatever any have of the good things of this world, it is what God sees fit to give; we should therefore be content. The things of this world are not the best things, for the Lord often gives the largest share to bad men. Dominion is not founded in grace. Those who will not serve the God who made them, shall justly be made to serve their enemies that seek to ruin them. Jeremiah urges them to prevent their destruction, by submission. A meek spirit, by quiet submission to the hardest turns of providence, makes the best of what is bad. Many persons may escape destroying providences, by submitting to humbling providences. It is better to take up a light cross in our way, than to pull a heavier on our own heads. The p...

NATIONS ... - Rather, the nation....

EXPOSITION This and the two following chapters are closely connected. They all relate to the early part of the reign of Zedekiah, and con-rain warnings arising out of the deepening gloom of the political horizon. It must, however, be noted that there is evidently some mistake in the first verse of Jeremiah 27:1, and also that the contents of Jeremiah 29:1 point to a somewhat earlier time than Jeremiah 27:1; Jeremiah 28:1 (viz. the first or second year of King Zedekiah). To understand the circumstances of Jeremiah 27:1;

BUT THE NATIONS THAT BRING THEIR NECK UNDER THE YOKE OF THE KING OF BABYLON, AND SERVE HIM,.... That at once, and readily, submit unto him, and pay him tribute: THOSE WILL I LET REMAIN STILL IN THEIR OWN LAND, SAITH THE LORD; undisturbed by any other enemy; peaceably dwelling in their own habitations; following their occupations and business of life; and enjoying their substance and estates, only paying the tax imposed on them: AND THEY SHALL TILL IT, AND DWELL THEREIN; manure and cultivate it, and gather and eat the fruit of it, and continue to do so, they and their posterity after them....

CHAPTER 27 The Optimism of the False Prophets Contradicted _ 1. The call of Nebuchadnezzar to be the servant of God (Jeremiah 27:1) _ 2. The call to submit and to serve the king of Babylon (Jeremiah 27:12) Jeremiah 27:1. It was in the earlier part of the reign of Zedekiah (Jehoiakim in Jeremiah 27:1 is a clerical error, see Jeremiah 27:3 and Jeremiah 27:12) that Jeremiah is commanded to make bonds and yokes to put them

JEREMIAH 27-29. Certain linguistic peculiarities (_e.g._ the incorrect spelling, Nebuchadnezzar) suggest that these three Chapter s may have circulated as a separate pamphlet, _e.g._ in Babylon. They deal with the rebuke of false hopes concerning a speedy return from exile. JEREMIAH 27:1. THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST BABYLON. Probably in 593 (note correction by _mg._ of Jeremiah 27:1; the more definite date of Jeremiah 28:1 seems to belong here) Jeremiah is told to make and wear a yoke (as symbol of submission to Babylon; _cf._ 1 Kings 22:11, and the note on...

Speedy deliverance from Babylon is not to be hoped for These three Chapter s belong to the time of Zedekiah. The power of Babylon had already been demonstrated as to Judah. Some of the people had been carried captive, and the present king existed as such only upon sufferance. Under these circumstances the neighbouring nations were willing to make common cause with the Jews against their foe, while in Palestine there were still many who would not believe that the danger from Babylon was anything more than a passing one. In these three chs. therefore Jeremiah sets himself to correct the most pressing evil, namely this notion of the possibility of getting rid of the power which had become paramount in the Eastern world. In this ch. he addresses on the subject (Jeremiah 27:1) the neighbouring nations; (12 15) Zedekiah; (16 22) the priests and people concerning the false prophets; (in ch. 28...

B. Instructions for the Foreign Ambassadors Jeremiah 27:4-11 TRANSLATION (4) Command them to say to their lords: Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Thus say unto your lords: I have made the earth, and the men and beasts which are upon the face of the earth by My great strength and by My outstretched arm and I can give it to whoever is appropriate in My eyes. (6) Therefore I have given all of these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon My servant and even the beasts of the field I have given to him to serve him. (7) All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson until also the time of his land comes when many nations and great kings shall impose servitude upon him. (8) And it shall come to pass that the nation or kingdom that will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and will not put its neck in the yoke of the king of Baby