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Translation
King James Version
Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city be laid waste?
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KJV (with Strong's)
Hearken H8085 not unto them; serve H5647 the king H4428 of Babylon H894, and live H2421: wherefore should this city H5892 be laid waste H2723?
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Complete Jewish Bible
Don't listen to them. Serve the king of Bavel, and stay alive; why should this city become a ruin?'
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Berean Standard Bible
Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon and live! Why should this city become a ruin?
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American Standard Version
Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city become a desolation?
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World English Bible Messianic
Don’t listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: why should this city become a desolation?
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Heare them not, but serue the King of Babel, that ye may liue: wherefore shoulde this citie be desolate?
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Young's Literal Translation
Ye do not hearken unto them, serve the king of Babylon, and live. Why is this city a waste?
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SUMMARY

Jeremiah 27:17 delivers a divine imperative for the people of Judah to reject the deceptive counsel of false prophets and instead submit to the divinely ordained dominion of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. It presents a stark choice: obedience to God's difficult command to serve Babylon leads to preservation and life for Jerusalem, while rebellion guarantees the city's utter desolation and ruin. The verse underscores God's absolute sovereignty over nations and His use of even foreign powers as instruments of His righteous judgment, redemptive discipline, and the ultimate preservation of a remnant.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Jeremiah 27 is a pivotal chapter within the broader prophetic book, strategically placed during the tumultuous reign of King Zedekiah (597-586 BC), a period marked by intense political instability and widespread spiritual deception. The immediate literary context begins with God commanding Jeremiah to fashion and wear a wooden yoke, a potent visual symbol of the impending servitude of Judah and surrounding nations to Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar, as detailed in Jeremiah 27:1-7. Jeremiah is then instructed to send similar yokes to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon, delivering a consistent, non-negotiable message of submission to Babylon as God's sovereign will. The chapter heavily features a direct confrontation with false prophets who are actively proclaiming a message of peace and imminent deliverance from Babylonian oppression, thereby directly contradicting Jeremiah's difficult, divinely revealed truth. Verse 17 represents Jeremiah's direct and urgent appeal to the people and their king to reject these comforting but ultimately destructive lies, imploring them to embrace the harsh reality of God's judgment and the singular path to survival He has laid out. It is a desperate plea for spiritual discernment and pragmatic obedience amidst widespread national confusion and delusion.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The late 7th and early 6th centuries BC witnessed the rapid rise of the Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II, following the decline and eventual collapse of Assyrian dominance. Judah, a small kingdom caught between the regional superpowers of Egypt and Babylon, frequently sought alliances and pursued rebellious policies against the rising superpower. King Zedekiah, installed as a vassal by Nebuchadnezzar after the first deportation of Judah's elite in 597 BC, faced immense internal pressure from nationalistic factions and pro-Egyptian elements to rebel. False prophets, often motivated by popular sentiment, political agendas, or even genuine but misguided zeal, capitalized on this fervent desire for freedom, promising that the Babylonian yoke would soon be broken and the temple treasures returned. This created a dangerous climate of delusion, where God's true word delivered through Jeremiah was dismissed as unpatriotic, defeatist, or even treasonous. The prevailing cultural expectation was for Yahweh to protect Jerusalem and His Temple unconditionally, a belief that fostered a false sense of security despite rampant idolatry, social injustice, and covenant unfaithfulness. Jeremiah's message in Jeremiah 27 directly challenged this presumption, asserting that God's covenant loyalty demanded obedience, and His judgment would indeed come through Babylon if His people persisted in rebellion, leading to the destruction of Jerusalem.
  • Key Themes: Jeremiah 27:17 powerfully articulates several core themes prevalent throughout the book of Jeremiah and the broader Old Testament narrative. Foremost is the theme of Divine Sovereignty, demonstrating God's absolute and unchallengeable control over the rise and fall of nations, even using pagan empires like Babylon as instruments of His judgment and disciplinary hand upon His own people. This divine orchestration is explicitly stated when God refers to Nebuchadnezzar as "my servant" (Jeremiah 25:9). This verse also starkly highlights the Peril of False Prophecy, as Jeremiah explicitly warns against listening to those who speak "peace, peace" when there is no peace, leading the people astray with comforting lies that ultimately lead to destruction (Jeremiah 6:14). Conversely, it presents the Path to Preservation through Obedience, where submission to God's difficult will, even through temporary servitude, is revealed as the only means of survival and eventual restoration for the remnant of Judah, a promise reiterated in God's plans for their future (Jeremiah 29:11). Finally, the rhetorical question "wherefore should this city be laid waste?" underscores the severe Consequences of Disobedience, emphasizing that continued rebellion against God's revealed plan would inevitably lead to the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, a tragic fate that tragically materialized in 586 BC, as detailed in Jeremiah 39.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Hearken (Hebrew, shâmaʻ', H8085): This primitive root signifies far more than mere auditory perception; it denotes hearing intelligently, often carrying the strong implication of attention, understanding, and, crucially, obedience. When Jeremiah commands "Hearken not unto them," it is a forceful imperative to actively disregard, reject, and refuse to obey the words of the false prophets. It demands a conscious, deliberate choice to disengage from their deceptive counsel, recognizing its inherent danger and destructive potential. To "hearken" in this context is to submit one's will and actions to the message received.
  • Serve (Hebrew, ʻâbad', H5647): This highly versatile root means "to work in any sense," but its specific nuance here is "to serve," "to till," or "to enslave." In the context of Jeremiah 27:17, it denotes entering into a state of servitude or subjugation to the king of Babylon. This is not a voluntary alliance but a divinely imposed obligation to labor under Babylon's authority, indicating a period of submission, tribute, and a form of temporary enslavement as an integral part of God's disciplinary plan for Judah. It implies a loss of autonomy and a forced submission to a foreign power.
  • Live (Hebrew, châyâh', H2421): This root encompasses both literal and figurative existence. It means "to live," signifying physical survival, preservation of life, and even the concept of revival or restoration. In Jeremiah 27:17, it promises the preservation of life for the inhabitants of Judah and the continued, albeit diminished, existence of the city of Jerusalem. This promise stands in stark contrast to the alternative of death and utter destruction, offering a path to continued national identity and a future, even if that future begins in exile. It speaks to God's desire for a remnant to survive.
  • Laid waste (Hebrew, chorbâh', H2723): Derived from a word meaning "drought" or "dryness," this feminine noun properly signifies "desolation." It describes a state of utter ruin, destruction, or a place left decayed, uninhabited, and barren. The rhetorical question "wherefore should this city be laid waste?" powerfully highlights the dire, yet avoidable, consequence of rejecting God's command: the complete and irreversible destruction of Jerusalem, transforming it into a desolate ruin, a place of utter destruction and emptiness.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Hearken not unto them;": This is a direct, emphatic, and urgent command from God, delivered through His prophet Jeremiah. It instructs the people of Judah to completely disregard, dismiss, and refuse to obey the words of the false prophets. These prophets were actively propagating a message of false hope, promising a swift end to Babylonian dominion and encouraging rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar. Their counsel was contrary to God's revealed will and ultimately destructive. The imperative "hearken not" underscores the critical importance of spiritual discernment and the profound danger of listening to deceptive voices, no matter how appealing or comforting their message may initially sound. It demands a conscious choice to reject falsehood.
  • "serve the king of Babylon, and live:": This clause presents God's divinely ordained path to preservation and survival amidst impending judgment. The command to "serve" implies a humble and pragmatic submission to Babylon's authority, accepting their temporary dominion as God's chosen instrument of discipline. This was undoubtedly a deeply humiliating and difficult command for a people who believed themselves uniquely protected by God and their Temple. However, the accompanying promise "and live" offers a profound and immediate incentive: physical survival for the people and the continued, albeit subjugated, existence of Jerusalem. This reveals God's merciful desire for the preservation of a remnant, even in the midst of His righteous judgment.
  • "wherefore should this city be laid waste?": This is a powerful and poignant rhetorical question that serves to underscore the logical, inevitable, and utterly senseless consequence of disobedience. The question implies that if the people refuse to serve Babylon as God commands, the only alternative is not freedom or victory, but catastrophic and avoidable destruction. It suggests that there is no legitimate or rational reason for Jerusalem to suffer such a devastating fate if its inhabitants simply obey God's clear, albeit difficult, instruction. This rhetorical device functions as a final, urgent warning, highlighting the self-inflicted nature of the impending catastrophe and appealing to reason and self-preservation.

Literary Devices

Jeremiah 27:17 is crafted with several impactful literary devices that amplify its urgent and pivotal message. The most evident is the pervasive use of the Imperative Mood, seen in the commands "Hearken not unto them" and "serve the king of Babylon." This grammatical choice conveys the absolute authority and non-negotiable nature of God's decree, demanding immediate and decisive action from the audience. Following these commands, the verse employs a stark Contrast between "live" and "be laid waste," presenting two mutually exclusive and dramatically different outcomes that hinge entirely on the people's choice of obedience or rebellion. This juxtaposition heightens the sense of urgency and the gravity of the decision. Furthermore, the phrase "wherefore should this city be laid waste?" functions as a potent Rhetorical Question. This is not a query seeking an answer, but rather a device designed to emphasize the utter folly, irrationality, and senselessness of choosing destruction when a clear, albeit difficult, path to preservation is explicitly offered. While not directly in this verse, the broader context of Jeremiah 27 features powerful Symbolism, most notably the "yoke" worn by Jeremiah, which visually embodies the very servitude that Judah is commanded to embrace. Verse 17, therefore, serves as the verbal articulation of this potent symbolic message, urging a pragmatic and faithful response to God's sovereign and disciplinary decree.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Jeremiah 27:17 stands as a profound theological statement on God's active and intricate sovereignty over human history, demonstrating His unwavering commitment to His covenant purposes, even when those purposes are realized through difficult and seemingly counter-intuitive means. It reveals that God orchestrates the rise and fall of nations, utilizing even pagan empires as instruments of His divine will, not only for righteous judgment upon His people's persistent sin but also for their ultimate preservation and redemptive discipline. This passage profoundly challenges the common human desire for immediate comfort, nationalistic pride, and liberation from hardship, instead calling for a deeper, counter-cultural trust in God's wisdom, even when His prescribed path appears humiliating or contrary to popular sentiment. It underscores the critical importance of spiritual discernment, urging believers to carefully distinguish God's true, often challenging, word from deceptive voices that offer false peace. True peace and flourishing, both individually and corporately, are found not in resisting God's sovereign plan or avoiding hardship, but in aligning one's will with His. The stark choice presented—submission for life or rebellion for ruin—is a recurring biblical principle, emphasizing that obedience, even in adversity, is the pathway to God's ultimate blessing, preservation, and the fulfillment of His long-term purposes.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Jeremiah 27:17 offers timeless and challenging wisdom for believers navigating complex and often perplexing circumstances in the contemporary world. It calls us to a radical and unwavering trust in God's absolute sovereignty, compelling us to recognize that His hand is actively at work even in situations that appear oppressive, unjust, or contrary to our immediate desires. In an age saturated with competing narratives and promises of easy fixes, this verse serves as a potent reminder of our susceptibility to deceptive voices, much like the false prophets who misled Judah. It compels us to cultivate deep spiritual discernment, rigorously testing every message, ideology, or cultural narrative against the unchanging truth of God's Word, even when that truth demands difficult obedience, humble submission, or the relinquishing of personal comfort. True faith, as exemplified here, means embracing God's discipline, trusting His long-term plan, and understanding that His ways, though sometimes painful or counter-intuitive, are always designed for our ultimate good, spiritual formation, and His enduring glory. Our true preservation and flourishing, both as individuals and as the corporate body of Christ, are ultimately found not in resisting God's revealed will, but in aligning ourselves wholeheartedly with it, understanding that His path, while demanding, leads to genuine life.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what specific areas of my life am I currently tempted to "hearken not" to God's clear commands or biblical principles, preferring a more comfortable, popular, or self-serving path?
  • How does this passage challenge my preconceived notions about God's sovereignty, especially when I face difficult, seemingly unjust, or externally imposed circumstances?
  • What "false prophets" (e.g., deceptive cultural narratives, self-help ideologies, popular opinions, or even personal desires) might I be listening to that promise an easy way out or a quick fix, rather than God's prescribed path of disciplined obedience and patient endurance?
  • What might "serving the king of Babylon" look like in my contemporary context—that is, how can I embrace difficult, counter-cultural obedience or submission to God's will, even when it feels humiliating or inconvenient, for the sake of His preservation and purpose in my life and community?

FAQ

Why would God command His people to serve a pagan king like Nebuchadnezzar?

Answer: God commanded His people to serve Nebuchadnezzar because He is supremely sovereign over all nations and uses even pagan rulers as instruments of His divine will. In this specific historical context, Babylon was God's chosen tool to bring righteous judgment upon Judah for their persistent idolatry, egregious covenant unfaithfulness, and pervasive moral corruption. This period of servitude was a form of disciplinary exile, intended not to annihilate His people, but to humble them, purify them, and ultimately lead them back to Himself in repentance. It powerfully demonstrated that God's justice would be carried out, and His enduring covenant promises, while steadfast, did not exempt His people from the severe consequences of their unrepentant sin. This divine strategy is a recurring theme in Scripture, seen elsewhere when God uses Assyria as "the rod of my anger" (Isaiah 10:5) to discipline Israel.

What was the danger of listening to the false prophets mentioned in this verse?

Answer: The profound danger of listening to the false prophets mentioned in Jeremiah 27:17 was that their message, though comforting, popular, and appealing to nationalistic pride, was a deceptive lie that directly contradicted God's revealed will. These prophets promised immediate peace and a swift end to Babylonian oppression, actively encouraging rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar. By "hearkening" to their seductive words, the people were being led to defy God's explicit command to submit, which would inevitably result in the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, along with the death or even harsher exile of its inhabitants. Their deceptive words offered a false hope that ultimately led to utter ruin, tragically highlighting the critical importance of discerning true prophecy from comforting falsehoods that lead astray (Jeremiah 14:14).

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Jeremiah 27:17, with its stark call to submission for the sake of life in the face of impending judgment, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Judah was commanded to submit to an earthly, pagan king (Nebuchadnezzar) to preserve their physical city and temporal lives, Christ's call is to submit to the true King of Kings, Jesus Himself, for eternal life and spiritual preservation. The "life" promised in Jeremiah was a temporal, physical existence under duress, a survival within the confines of earthly judgment; the life offered by Christ, however, is abundant, eternal, and a glorious triumph over the spiritual desolation of sin and the power of death (John 10:10). Just as Judah faced a critical choice between physical desolation and difficult submission to God's ordained path, all humanity faces an even more profound choice between spiritual ruin and humble submission to Christ's Lordship. Jesus Himself perfectly embodied this radical submission to the Father's will, even to the agonizing point of death on a cross, declaring, "not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42). His voluntary submission to the Father's plan, enduring the ultimate "laying waste" of divine judgment for sin on the cross, became the singular means by which all who believe can truly "live" eternally, escaping the spiritual desolation and eternal death that sin brings. The false prophets of Jeremiah's day offered a deceptive path to a fleeting, earthly peace; Christ, in contrast, is the true "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6) who offers genuine, lasting reconciliation with God through His atoning sacrifice, thereby fulfilling the ultimate purpose of God's sovereign plan for salvation and true life.

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Commentary on Jeremiah 27 verses 12–22

What was said to all the nations is here with a particular tenderness applied to the nation of the Jews, for whom Jeremiah was sensibly concerned. The case at present stood thus: Judah and Jerusalem had often contested with the king of Babylon, and still were worsted; many both of their valuable persons and their valuable goods were carried to Babylon already, and some of the vessels of the Lord's house particularly. Now how this struggle would issue was the question. They had those among them at Jerusalem who pretended to be prophets, who bade them hold out and they should, in a little time, be too hard for the king of Babylon and recover all that they had lost. Now Jeremiah is sent to bid them yield and knock under, for that, instead of recovering what they had lost, they should otherwise lose all that remained; and to press them to this is the scope of these verses.

I. Jeremiah humbly addresses the king of Judah, to persuade him to surrender to the king of Babylon. His act would be the people's and would determine them, and therefore he speaks to him as to them all (Jer 27:12): Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and live. Is it their wisdom to submit to the heavy iron yoke of a cruel tyrant, that they may secure the lives of their bodies? And is it not much more our wisdom to submit to the sweet and easy yoke of our rightful Lord and Master Jesus Christ, that we may secure the lives of our souls? Bring down your spirits to repentance and faith, and that is the way to bring up your spirits to heaven and glory. And with much more cogency and compassion may we expostulate with perishing souls than Jeremiah here expostulates with a perishing people: "Why will you die by the sword and the famine - miserable deaths, which you inevitably run yourselves upon, under pretence of avoiding miserable lives?" What God had spoken, in general, of all those that would not submit to the king of Babylon, he would have them to apply to themselves and be afraid of. It were well if sinners would, in like manner, be afraid of the destruction threatened against all those that will not have Christ to reign over them, and reason thus with themselves, "Why should we die the second death, which is a thousand times worse than that by sword and famine, when we might submit and live?"

II. He addresses himself likewise to the priests and the people (Jer 27:16), to persuade them to serve the king of Babylon, that they might live, and might prevent the desolation of the city (Jer 27:17): "Wherefore should it be laid waste, as certainly it will be if you stand it out?" The priests had been Jeremiah's enemies, and had sought his life to destroy it, yet he approves himself their friend, and seeks their lives, to preserve and secure them, which is an example to us to render good for evil. When the blood-thirsty hate the upright, yet the just seek his soul, and the welfare of it, Pro 29:10. The matter was far gone here; they were upon the brink of ruin, which they would not have been brought to if they would have taken Jeremiah's counsel; yet he continues his friendly admonitions to them, to save the last stake and manage that wisely, and now at length in this their day to understand the things that belong to their peace, when they had but one day to turn them in.

III. In both these addresses he warns them against giving credit to the false prophets that rocked them asleep in their security, because they saw that they loved to slumber: "Hearken not to the words of the prophets (Jer 27:14), your prophets, Jer 27:16. They are not God's prophets; he never sent them; they do not serve him, nor seek to please him; they are yours, for they say what you would have them say, and aim at nothing but to please you." Two things their prophets flattered them into the belief of: - 1. That the power which the king of Babylon had gained over them should now shortly be broken. They said (Jer 27:14), "You shall not serve the king of Babylon; you need not submit voluntarily, for you shall not be compelled to submit." This they prophesied in the name of the Lord (Jer 27:15), as if God had sent them to the people on this errand, in kindness to them, that they might not disparage themselves by an inglorious surrender. But it was a lie. They said that God sent them; but that was false; he disowns it: I have not sent them, saith the Lord. They said that they should never be brought into subjection to the king of Babylon; but that was false too, the event proved it so. They said that to hold out to the last would be the way to secure themselves and their city; but that was false, for it would certainly end in their being driven out and perishing. So that it was all a lie, from first to last; and the prophets that deceived the people with these lies did, in the issue, but deceive themselves; the blind leaders and the blind followers fell together into the ditch: That you might perish, you, and the prophets that prophesy unto you, who will be so far from warranting your security that they cannot secure themselves. Note, Those that encourage sinners to go on in their sinful ways will in the end perish with them. 2. They prophesied that the vessels of the temple, which the king of Babylon had already carried away, should now shortly be brought back (Jer 27:16); this they fed the priests with the hopes of, knowing how acceptable it would be to them, who loved the gold of the temple better than the temple that sanctified the gold. These vessels were taken away when Jeconiah was carried captive into Babylon, Jer 27:20. We have the story, and it is a melancholy one, Kg2 24:13, Kg2 24:15; Ch2 36:10. All the goodly vessels (that is, all the vessels of gold that were in the house of the Lord), with all the treasures, were taken as prey, and brought to Babylon. This was grievous to them above any thing; for the temple was their pride and confidence, and the stripping of that was too plain an indication of that which the true prophet told them, that their God had departed from them. Their false prophets therefore had no other way to make them easy than by telling them that the king of Babylon should be forced to restore them in a little while. Now here, (1.) Jeremiah bids them think of preserving the vessels that remained by their prayers, rather than of bringing back those that were gone by their prophecies (Jer 27:18): If they be prophets, as they pretend, and if the word of the Lord be with them - if they have any intercourse with heaven and any interest there, let them improve it for the stopping of the progress of the judgment; let them step into the gap, and stand with their censer between the living and the dead, between that which is carried away and that which remains, that the plague may be stayed; let them make intercession with the Lord of hosts, that the vessels which are left go not after the rest. [1.] Instead of prophesying, let them pray. Note, Prophets must be praying men; by being much in prayer they must make it to appear that they keep up a correspondence with heaven. We cannot think that those do, as prophets, ever hear thence, who do not frequently by prayer send thither. By praying for the safety and prosperity of the sanctuary they must make it to appear that, as becomes prophets, they are of a public spirit; and by the success of their prayers it will appear that God favours them. [2.] Instead of being concerned for the retrieving of what they had lost, they must bestir themselves for the securing of what was left, and take it as a great favour if they can gain that point. When God's judgments are abroad we must not seek great things, but be thankful for a little. (2.) He assures them that even this point should not be gained, but the brazen vessels should go after the golden ones, Jer 27:19, Jer 27:22. Nebuchadnezzar had found so good a booty once that he would be sure to come again and take all he could find, not only in the house of the Lord, but in the king's house. They shall all be carried to Babylon in triumph, and there shall they be. But he concludes with a gracious promise that the time should come when they should all be returned: Until the day that I visit them in mercy, according to appointment, and then I will bring those vessels up again, and restore them to this place, to their place. Surely they were under the protection of a special Providence, else they would have been melted down and put to some other use; but there was to be a second temple, for which they were to be reserved. We read particularly of the return of them, Ezr 1:8. Note, Though the return of the church's prosperity do not come in our time, we must not therefore despair of it, for it will come in God's time. Though those who said, The vessels of the Lord's house shall shortly be brought again, prophesied a lie (Jer 27:16), yet he that said, They shall at length be brought again, prophesied the truth. We are apt to set our clock before God's dial, and then to quarrel because they do not agree; but the Lord is a God of judgment, and it is fit that we should wait for him.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 12–22. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 16, 17.) And I spoke to the priests and to this people, saying: thus says the Lord: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying: Behold, the vessels of the Lord will return from Babylon now quickly: for they are prophesying lies to you. This, which we have now set, in the Septuagint is not present: and that which follows, Do not listen to them, but serve the king of Babylon, so that you may live. Why is this city being laid waste? But to the nation and the king, he speaks to the priests and the people, who had already predicted the destruction through the prophets, saying: that I will cast you out and you will perish, both you and the prophets who prophesy to you. He speaks the same things that he had spoken to the king and the nation, so that they do not hear the words of their own prophets and say that the vessels of the Lord's temple should now be brought back, which had been taken away with Jechoniah and his princes and his mother: and he warns that they should serve the king of Babylon and live, and that the city, which voluntarily submitted, should by no means be handed over to fire. And in this the mercy of the Lord is to hand over to a lighter punishment, so that they do not bear a heavier one. ((Al. wants to hand over))
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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