1   At the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah ^note son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord to Jeremiah: 2   These are the words of the Lord to me: Take the cords and bars of a yoke and put them on your neck. 3   Then send ^note to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon by the envoys who have come from them to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem, 4   and give them the following message for their masters: These are the words of the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel: 5   Say to your masters: I made the earth with my great strength and with outstretched arm, I made man and beast on the face of the earth, and I give it to whom I see fit. 6   I now give all these lands to

A rising against Nebuchadrezzar checked my servant Nebuchadrezzar ^note king of Babylon, and I give him also all the beasts of the field to serve him. 7   All nations shall serve him, and his son and his grandson, until the destined hour of his own land comes, and then mighty nations and great kings shall use him as they please. 8   If any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon or submit to his yoke, I will punish them with sword, famine, and pestilence, says the Lord, until I leave them entirely in his power. 9   Therefore do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your wise women, ^note your soothsayers, and your sorcerers when they tell you not to serve the king of Babylon. 10   They are prophesying falsely to you; and so you will be carried far from your own land, and I shall banish you and you will perish. 11   But if any nation submits to the yoke of the king of Babylon and serves him, I will leave them on their own soil, says the Lord; they shall cultivate it and live there.

12   I have said all this to Zedekiah king of Judah: If you will submit to the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him and his people, then you shall save your lives. 13   Why should you and your people die by sword, famine, and pestilence, the fate with which the Lord has threatened any nation which does not serve the king of Babylon? 14   Do not listen to the prophets who tell you not to become subject to the king of Babylon; they are prophesying falsely to you. 15   I have not sent them, says the Lord; they are prophesying falsely in my name, and so I shall banish you and you will perish, you and these prophets who prophesy to you.

16   I said to the priests and all the people, These are the words of the Lord: Do not listen to your prophets who tell you that the vessels of the Lord's house will very soon be brought back from Babylon; they are only prophesying falsely to you. 17   Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and save your lives. Why should this city become a ruin? 18   If they are prophets, and if they have the word of the Lord, let them intercede with the Lord of Hosts to grant that the vessels still left in the Lord's house, in the royal palace, and in Jerusalem, may not be carried off to Babylon. 19   For these are the words of the Lord of Hosts concerning the pillars, the sea, the trolleys, and all the other vessels still left in this city, 20   which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon did not take when he deported Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, together with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem. 21   These indeed are the words of the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel concerning the vessels still left in the Lord's house, in the royal palace, and in Jerusalem: 22   They shall be taken to Babylon and stay there until I recall them, says the Lord; then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.

A rising against Nebuchadrezzar checked

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