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列国必服事巴比伦王

27 犹大王约西亚的儿子西底家(“西底家”有古抄本作“约雅敬”)开始执政的时候,有这话从耶和华那里临到耶利米,说: “耶和华对我这样说:‘你要用绳套和木头做轭,套在自己的颈上。 然后借着那些前来耶路撒冷朝见犹大王西底家的使臣的手,把轭送到以东王、摩押王、亚扪王、推罗王、西顿王那里。 你要吩咐使臣对他们的王说:万军之耶和华以色列的 神这样说:你们要这样对你们的王说: 是我用大能和伸出来的膀臂创造了大地,以及地面上的人和兽;我看给谁适合,就把地给谁。 现在我已经亲自把这一切国家都交在我仆人巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒的手中,连田野的走兽,我也交给他,供他奴役。 列国都要服事他和他的儿子、孙子,直到他本国遭报的时候来到;那时,许多国家和大君王都要奴役他。

不服事巴比伦王的必遭灾祸

“‘无论哪一国、哪一邦,不服事巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒,不把颈项放在巴比伦王的轭下,我必用刀剑、饥荒和瘟疫去惩罚那国,直到我借着巴比伦王的手把他们完全消灭。’这是耶和华的宣告。 ‘至于你们,不可听从你们的先知,也不可听从占卜的、解梦的、算命的和行邪术的;他们告诉你们说:你们必不会服事巴比伦王。 10 因为他们向你们说虚假的预言,使你们远离你们的土地;我要赶逐你们,你们必要灭亡。 11 但哪一国肯把颈项放在巴比伦王的轭下,服事他,我就必使那国仍留在本土,可以在那里耕种和居住。’”这是耶和华的宣告。

劝西底家服事巴比伦王

12 我照着这一切话对犹大王西底家说:“你们要把颈项放在巴比伦王的轭下,服事他和他的人民,就可以生存。 13 你和你的人民为甚么要因刀剑、饥荒和瘟疫而死,正如耶和华论到不肯服事巴比伦王的国家所说的一样呢? 14 不要听从那些对你们说‘你们必不会服事巴比伦王’的先知的话,因为他们向你们说的是虚假的预言。 15 我并没有差遣他们(这是耶和华的宣告),他们却冒我的名说虚假的预言,以致我赶逐你们,使你们和那些向你们说虚假预言的先知都一同灭亡。”

预言圣殿器皿必被掳去

16 我又对众祭司和这众民说:“耶和华这样说:‘你们的先知对你们预言,说:耶和华殿中的器皿快要从巴比伦送回来了。他们的话,你们不要听从,因为他们对你们说的是虚假的预言。 17 你们不要听从他们,只要服事巴比伦王,就可以生存。为甚么要使这城变为废墟呢? 18 如果他们是真先知,如果他们有耶和华的话,就让他们向万军之耶和华祈求,使那些留在耶和华殿中和犹大王宫中,以及在耶路撒冷中的器皿,不会被送到巴比伦去。’ 19 因为万军之耶和华这样说,论到这些柱子、铜海、盆座和留在这城其余的器皿, 20 就是巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒把犹大王约雅敬的儿子耶哥尼雅,以及犹大和耶路撒冷所有的贵族,从耶路撒冷掳到巴比伦去的时候,没有拿走的器皿; 21 论到那些留在耶和华殿中和犹大王宫中,以及在耶路撒冷中的器皿,万军之耶和华以色列的 神这样说: 22 ‘这些器皿必被送到巴比伦,存在那里,直到我眷顾这些器皿的日子。那时,我必把它们带上来,放回这地方。’”这是耶和华的宣告。

Symbol of the Bonds and Yokes

27 In[a] the beginning of the reign of [b]Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, (A)king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “Thus says the Lord to me: ‘Make for yourselves bonds and yokes, (B)and put them on your neck, and send them to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. And command them to say to their masters, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel—thus you shall say to your masters: (C)‘I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and (D)have given it to whom it seemed proper to Me. (E)And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, (F)My servant; and (G)the beasts of the field I have also given him to serve him. (H)So all nations shall serve him and his son and his son’s son, (I)until the time of his land comes; (J)and then many nations and great kings shall make him serve them. And it shall be, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish,’ says the Lord, ‘with the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand. Therefore do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your [c]dreamers, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, “You shall not serve the king of Babylon.” 10 For they prophesy a (K)lie to you, to remove you far from your land; and I will drive you out, and you will perish. 11 But the nations that bring their necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let them remain in their own land,’ says the Lord, ‘and they shall till it and dwell in it.’ ” ’ ”

12 I also spoke to (L)Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live! 13 (M)Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the Lord has spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Therefore (N)do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they prophesy (O)a lie to you; 15 for I have (P)not sent them,” says the Lord, “yet they prophesy a lie in My name, that I may drive you out, and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you.”

16 Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, “Behold, (Q)the vessels of the Lord’s house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon”; for they prophesy a lie to you. 17 Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city be laid waste? 18 But if they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is with them, let them now make intercession to the Lord of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, do not go to Babylon.’

19 “For thus says the Lord of hosts (R)concerning the pillars, concerning the Sea, concerning the carts, and concerning the remainder of the vessels that remain in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take, when he carried away (S)captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— 21 yes, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the (T)vessels that remain in the house of the Lord, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem: 22 ‘They shall be (U)carried to Babylon, and there they shall be until the day that I (V)visit them,’ says the Lord. ‘Then (W)I will bring them up and restore them to this place.’ ”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 27:1 LXX omits v. 1.
  2. Jeremiah 27:1 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; some Heb. mss., Arab., Syr. Zedekiah (cf. 27:3, 12; 28:1)
  3. Jeremiah 27:9 Lit. dreams

Judah to Serve Nebuchadnezzar

27 Early in the reign of Zedekiah[a](A) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke(B) out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. Then send(C) word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon,(D) Tyre and Sidon(E) through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: With my great power and outstretched arm(F) I made(G) the earth and its people and the animals(H) that are on it, and I give(I) it to anyone I please. Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant(J) Nebuchadnezzar(K) king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.(L) All nations will serve(M) him and his son and his grandson until the time(N) for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate(O) him.

“‘“If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish(P) that nation with the sword,(Q) famine(R) and plague,(S) declares the Lord, until I destroy it by his hand. So do not listen to your prophets,(T) your diviners,(U) your interpreters of dreams,(V) your mediums(W) or your sorcerers(X) who tell you, ‘You will not serve(Y) the king of Babylon.’ 10 They prophesy lies(Z) to you that will only serve to remove(AA) you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish. 11 But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke(AB) of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live(AC) there, declares the Lord.”’”

12 I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah. I said, “Bow your neck under the yoke(AD) of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live.(AE) 13 Why will you and your people die(AF) by the sword, famine and plague(AG) with which the Lord has threatened any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Do not listen(AH) to the words of the prophets(AI) who say to you, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they are prophesying lies(AJ) to you. 15 ‘I have not sent(AK) them,’ declares the Lord. ‘They are prophesying lies in my name.(AL) Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish,(AM) both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.’”

16 Then I said to the priests and all these people, “This is what the Lord says: Do not listen to the prophets who say, ‘Very soon now the articles(AN) from the Lord’s house will be brought back from Babylon.’ They are prophesying lies to you. 17 Do not listen(AO) to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live.(AP) Why should this city become a ruin? 18 If they are prophets and have the word of the Lord, let them plead(AQ) with the Lord Almighty that the articles remaining in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem not be taken to Babylon. 19 For this is what the Lord Almighty says about the pillars, the bronze Sea,(AR) the movable stands and the other articles(AS) that are left in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away when he carried(AT) Jehoiachin[b](AU) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— 21 yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about the things that are left in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem: 22 ‘They will be taken(AV) to Babylon and there they will remain until the day(AW) I come for them,’ declares the Lord. ‘Then I will bring(AX) them back and restore them to this place.’”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 27:1 A few Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also 27:3,12 and 28:1); most Hebrew manuscripts Jehoiakim (Most Septuagint manuscripts do not have this verse.)
  2. Jeremiah 27:20 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin

27 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word unto Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

Thus saith the Lord to me; Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck,

And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah;

And command them to say unto their masters, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say unto your masters;

I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.

And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.

And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.

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.

Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon:

10 For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.

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.

12 I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.

13 Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the Lord hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?

14 Therefore hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.

15 For I have not sent them, saith the Lord, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.

16 Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the Lord's house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.

17 Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city be laid waste?

18 But if they be prophets, and if the word of the Lord be with them, let them now make intercession to the Lord of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the Lord, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babylon.

19 For thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that remain in this city.

20 Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took not, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem;

21 Yea, thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the Lord, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem;

22 They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be until the day that I visit them, saith the Lord; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place.

The Yoke of Nebuchadnezzar

27 In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah[a] the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord. Thus the Lord said to me: (A)“Make yourself straps and (B)yoke-bars, and put them on your neck. Send word[b] to the king of (C)Edom, the king of (D)Moab, the king of the sons of (E)Ammon, the king of (F)Tyre, and the king of Sidon by the hand of the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. Give them this charge for their masters: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: This is what you shall say to your masters: “It is I who (G)by my great power and my outstretched arm (H)have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, (I)and I give it to whomever it seems right to me. (J)Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, (K)my servant, (L)and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him. (M)All the nations shall serve him and (N)his son and (O)his grandson, (P)until the time of his own land comes. (Q)Then many nations and great kings shall make him their slave.

“‘“But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, (R)and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation (S)with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, declares the Lord, until I have consumed it by his hand. So (T)do not listen to your (U)prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your (V)fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’ 10 (W)For it is a lie that they are prophesying to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land, and I will drive you out, and you will perish. 11 (X)But any nation that will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave on its own land, to work it and dwell there, declares the Lord.”’”

12 To (Y)Zedekiah king of Judah I spoke in like manner: (Z)“Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and (AA)serve him and his people and live. 13 (AB)Why will you and your people die (AC)by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, (AD)as the Lord has spoken concerning any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 (AE)Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon,’ (AF)for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. 15 I have not sent them, declares the Lord, but (AG)they are prophesying falsely in my name, with the result that I will drive you out and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.”

16 Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says the Lord: (AH)Do not listen to the words of your prophets who are prophesying to you, saying, (AI)‘Behold, the vessels of the Lord's house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon,’ (AJ)for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. 17 (AK)Do not listen to them; (AL)serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city (AM)become a desolation? 18 If they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is with them, then (AN)let them intercede with the Lord of hosts, (AO)that the vessels that are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon. 19 (AP)For thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the pillars, the sea, the stands, and the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away, (AQ)when he took into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— 21 thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, (AR)concerning the vessels that are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: 22 (AS)They shall be carried to Babylon (AT)and remain there (AU)until the day when I visit them, declares the Lord. (AV)Then I will bring them back (AW)and restore them to this place.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 27:1 Or Jehoiakim
  2. Jeremiah 27:3 Hebrew Send them