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12 I spoke to King Zedekiah of Judah in the same way: Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.(A) 13 Why should you and your people die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, as the Lord has spoken concerning any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?(B) 14 Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are saying to you, “You shall not serve the king of Babylon,” for they are prophesying a lie to you.(C) 15 I have not sent them, says the Lord, but 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.(D)

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12 I told King Zedekiah of Judah the same thing. I said,[a] “Submit[b] to the yoke of servitude to[c] the king of Babylon. Be subject to him and his people. Then you will continue to live. 13 There is no reason why you and your people should die in war[d] or from starvation or disease.[e] That’s what the Lord says will happen to any nation[f] that will not be subject to the king of Babylon. 14 Do not listen to the prophets who are telling you that you do not need to serve[g] the king of Babylon. For they are prophesying lies to you. 15 For I, the Lord, affirm[h] that I did not send them. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. If you[i] listen to them, I will drive you and the prophets who are prophesying lies out of the land and you will all die in exile.”[j]

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 27:12 tn Heb “I spoke to Zedekiah…according to all these words, saying.”
  2. Jeremiah 27:12 sn The verbs in this verse are all plural. They are addressed to Zedekiah and his royal advisers (compare 22:2).
  3. Jeremiah 27:12 tn Heb “put their necks in the yoke of.” See the study note on v. 2 for the figure.
  4. Jeremiah 27:13 tn Heb “with/by the sword.”
  5. Jeremiah 27:13 tn Heb “Why should you and your people die…?” The rhetorical question expects the answer made explicit in the translation, “There is no reason!”
  6. Jeremiah 27:13 tn Heb “…disease according to what the Lord spoke concerning the nation that…”
  7. Jeremiah 27:14 tn The verb in this context is best taken as a negative obligatory imperfect. See IBHS 508 §31.4g for discussion and examples. See Exod 4:15 as an example of positive obligation.
  8. Jeremiah 27:15 tn Heb “oracle of the Lord.”
  9. Jeremiah 27:15 sn The verbs are again plural, referring to the king and his royal advisers.
  10. Jeremiah 27:15 tn Heb “…drive you out, and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying lies.”sn For the fulfillment of this prophecy see Jer 39:5-7; 52:7-11; 2 Kgs 25:4-7.