Jeremiah 27:12-15

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. 27:14 Do not listen to the prophets who are telling you that you do not need to serve ⁷  the king of Babylon. For they are prophesying lies to you. 27:15 For I, the Lord, affirm ⁸  that I did not send them. They are prophesying lies to you. If you ⁹  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.” ¹⁰ 

[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…”

[27:14]  ⁷ 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.

[27:15]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “oracle of the Lord.”

[27:15]  ¹¹ sn The verbs are again plural referring to the king and his royal advisers.

[27:15]  ¹² tn Heb “…drive you out and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying lies.”