Jeremiah 27:12-13

27:12 I told King Zedekiah of Judah the same thing. I said, ¹  “Submit ²  to the yoke of servitude to ³  the king of Babylon. Be subject to him and his people. Then you will continue to live. 27:13 There is no reason why you and your people should die in war ⁴  or from starvation or disease! ⁵  That’s what the Lord says will happen to any nation ⁶  that will not be subject to the king of Babylon.

[27:12]  ¹ tn Heb “I spoke to Zedekiah…according to all these words, saying.”

[27:12]  ² sn The verbs in this verse are all plural. They are addressed to Zedekiah and his royal advisers (compare 22:2).

[27:12]  ³ tn Heb “put their necks in the yoke of.” See the study note on v. 2 for the figure.

[27:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “with/by the sword.”

[27:13]  ⁵ tn Heb “Why should you and your people die…?” The rhetorical question expects the answer made explicit in the translation, “There is no reason!”

[27:13]  ⁶ tn Heb “…disease according to what the Lord spoke concerning the nation that…”