Jeremiah 27:8

And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand. THAT NATION WILL I PUNISH ... UNTIL I HAVE CONSUMED THEM BY HIS HAND - until by these consuming visitations I have brought them under his power....

After having promulgated his decree by the mouth of Jeremiah, God now adds a threatening, in order that the Jews as well as others might willingly, and with resigned and humble minds, undertake the yoke laid on them. The Prophet, indeed, as we have said, had the Jews more especially in view; but he extended, as it were by accident, his prediction to aliens. We hence see why this denunciation of punishment was added. It ought, indeed, to have been enough to say, that Nebuchadnezzar was God’s servant to subdue Judea; but as it was a hard thing for the Jews to receive that enemy, nor could they be induced to submit to him, it became necessary to add this threatening, “See what ye do, for ye cannot be stronger than God.” This threatening is indeed included in the former verse; but we know how tardy men are to learn, especially when any false impression has preoccupied their minds. As, then,...

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...

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;

AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, [THAT] THE NATION AND KINGDOM WHICH WILL NOT SERVE THE SAME NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE KING OF BABYLON,.... Will not, upon his approaching to them, invading and besieging them, submit and become tributary to him, as is more fully expressed in the next clause: AND THAT WILL NOT PUT THEIR NECK UNDER THE YOKE OF THE KING OF BABYLON; or voluntarily become subject to him, and pay a tax he shall impose upon them. This refers to, and explains the symbol of, Jeremiah's making and wearing yokes, Jeremiah 27:2; THAT NATION WILL I PUNISH, SAITH THE LORD, WITH THE SWORD, AND WITH THE FAMINE, AND WITH THE PESTILENCE; with one judgment after another; some will perish by the sword of the enemy, sallying out upon them, or endeavouring to make their escape; others by famine their provisions being spent through the length of the siege; and others by

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...

THE SAME. him. SAITH THE LORD. [is] Jehovah's oracle. SWORD... FAMINE... PESTILENCE. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:25; Leviticus 26:26; Deuteronomy 28:21). App-92. AND. Note the Figure of speech _Polysyndeton._ App-6....

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