Jeremiah Chapter 27 — The Yoke of Babylon
Jeremiah wears a physical yoke to symbolize that God has given control of the surrounding nations to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.
1In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2the LORD says to me: “Make bonds and bars, and put them on your neck.
3Then send them to the king of Edom, to the king of Moab, to the king of the children of Ammon, to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.
4Give them a command to their masters, saying, ‘The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel says, “You shall tell your masters:
5‘I have made the earth, the men, and the animals that are on the surface of the earth by my great power and by my outstretched arm. I give it to whom it seems right to me.
6Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant. I have also given the animals of the field to him to serve him.
7All the nations will serve him, his son, and his son’s son, until the time of his own land comes. Then many nations and great kings will make him their bondservant.
8“ ‘ “ ‘It will happen that I will punish the nation and the kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon,’ says the LORD, ‘with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.
9But as for you, don’t listen to your prophets, to your diviners, to your dreams, to your soothsayers, or to your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, “You shall not serve the king of Babylon;”
10for they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land, so that I would drive you out, and you would perish.
11But the nation that brings their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serves him, that nation I will let remain in their own land,’ says the LORD; ‘and they will till it and dwell in it.’ ” ’ ”
12I spoke 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.
13Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD has spoken concerning the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?
14Don’t listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon;’ for they prophesy a lie to you.
15For I have not sent them,” says the LORD, “but they prophesy falsely in my name; that I may drive you out, and that you may perish, you, and the prophets who prophesy to you.”
16Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, the LORD says, “Don’t listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, ‘Behold, the vessels of the LORD’s house will now shortly be brought again from Babylon;’ for they prophesy a lie to you.
17Don’t listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and live. Why should this city become a desolation?
18But if they are prophets, and if the LORD’s word is with them, let them now make intercession to the LORD of Armies, that the vessels which are left in the LORD’s house, in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, don’t go to Babylon.
19For the LORD of Armies says concerning the pillars, concerning the sea, concerning the bases, and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city,
20which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon didn’t take 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—
21yes, the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says concerning the vessels that are left in the LORD’s house, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem:
22‘They will be carried to Babylon, and there they will be, until the day that I visit them,’ says the LORD; ‘then I will bring them up, and restore them to this place.’ ”
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Jeremiah 27:5
“I have made the earth, the men, and the animals that are on the surface of the earth by my great power and by my outstretched arm. I give it to whom it seems right to me.”
This verse establishes God's absolute authority as Creator to distribute earthly power according to His own will.
Jeremiah 27:12
“Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.”
This represents the central command of the chapter, urging practical submission as the only way to survive the coming judgment.
Jeremiah 27:22
“‘They will be carried to Babylon, and there they will be, until the day that I visit them,’ says the LORD; ‘then I will bring them up, and restore them to this place.’”
It provides a final message of hope, promising that the loss of the Temple vessels is temporary and restoration will follow.
Chapter Summary
In Jeremiah Chapter 27, the prophet is commanded by God to construct bonds and yokes and place them upon his neck. This physical sign serves as a message to King Zedekiah of Judah and the kings of surrounding nations—including Edom, Moab, and Ammon. Jeremiah declares that God, as the Creator of the earth, has sovereignly granted these lands to Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon for a season. He warns that those who resist Babylonian rule will face famine, sword, and pestilence, while those who submit will remain in their land. Jeremiah specifically cautions the priests and the people against false prophets who claim that the stolen Temple vessels will be returned quickly. Instead, Jeremiah reveals that the remaining vessels will also be carried away to Babylon, though he concludes with a promise that God will eventually restore them to Jerusalem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jeremiah wore a yoke as a prophetic sign to demonstrate that God had placed the nations under the authority of Nebuchadnezzar. It was a visual representation of the submission God required from the people at that time to avoid total destruction.
In addition to Judah, the message was directed toward the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon. God commanded Jeremiah to send word to these neighboring nations through the messengers visiting King Zedekiah in Jerusalem.
The false prophets claimed that the gold vessels previously taken from the Temple by the Babylonians would be returned very soon. Jeremiah contradicted them, stating they were prophesying lies and that even the remaining vessels would soon be taken to Babylon.
Study Note
Jeremiah 27 highlights a transition in biblical narrative where God refers to a foreign, pagan king as 'my servant' to fulfill His divine purposes on earth.
Related Chapters
Jeremiah 28
This chapter continues the narrative, showing the direct confrontation between Jeremiah and the false prophet Hananiah over the yoke.
2 Kings 24
Provides the historical background regarding the reign of Jehoiakim and the initial Babylonian deportations mentioned in the text.
Daniel 2
Explores the rise of Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom from the perspective of the exiles in Babylon.
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