Jeremiah 27:18 kjv
But if they be prophets, and if the word of the LORD be with them, let them now make intercession to the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babylon.
Jeremiah 27:18 nkjv
But if they are prophets, and if the word of the LORD is with them, let them now make intercession to the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, do not go to Babylon.'
Jeremiah 27:18 niv
If they are prophets and have the word of the LORD, let them plead with the LORD Almighty that the articles remaining in the house of the LORD and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem not be taken to Babylon.
Jeremiah 27:18 esv
If they are prophets, and if the word of the LORD is with them, then let them intercede with the LORD of hosts, that the vessels that are left in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon.
Jeremiah 27:18 nlt
If they really are prophets and speak the LORD's messages, let them pray to the LORD of Heaven's Armies. Let them pray that the articles remaining in the LORD's Temple and in the king's palace and in the palaces of Jerusalem will not be carried away to Babylon!'
Jeremiah 27 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 27:16 | "then I will not let you speak against them or prophesy to them with regard to me." | Warning to false prophets |
| Jer 28:2 | "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of Babylon." | Hananiah's false prophecy |
| Jer 29:10 | "For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you." | Promise of return |
| 2 Chr 36:18 | "He also carried into Babylon all the vessels of the house of the Lord, both great and small." | Nebuchadnezzar's plunder |
| Ezra 1:7 | "Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods." | Return of the vessels |
| Dan 1:2 | "And the Lord gave Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, and Daniel into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he carried them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and put the vessels into the treasury of his god." | Daniel in Babylon, vessels |
| Isaiah 14:13 | "You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the region of the north.'" | Pride leading to judgment |
| Ezekiel 8:16 | "And he brought me to the inner court of the house of the Lord. And behold, at the entrance of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty men, with their backs to the temple of the Lord, facing east, worshiping the sun toward the east." | Temple desecration |
| Ezekiel 28:14 | "You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you so; you were on my holy mountain; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked." | Fall of Lucifer/Satan |
| Revelation 18:6 | "Pay her back as she also has paid, and for her sins, mingle double according to my deeds. In the cup that she mixed, mix a double portion." | Judgment on Babylon |
| Matthew 18:18 | "Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." | Authority given to disciples |
| John 10:28 | "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." | Security in Christ |
| Romans 8:31 | "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" | God's defense |
| 1 Corinthians 10:13 | "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." | God's faithfulness in trials |
| 1 Peter 5:8 | "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour." | spiritual warfare |
| Jeremiah 52:19 | "And the large pillars and the movable stands and the bronze laver that was on the stands Jeremiah the prophet carried away." | Vessels carried away |
| Daniel 5:2-3 | "When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he commanded that the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his princes, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them... They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and of silver, of bronze, of iron, of wood, and of stone." | Desecration of Temple vessels |
| Nehemiah 1:3 | "And they said to me, 'The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great trouble and the reproach of the unrestored wall of Jerusalem.'" | Concern for Jerusalem |
| Jeremiah 29:25-26 | "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to whom you sent this letter: ‘You have seen the hand of Hamitic blood on the pillars that are at the entrance of the house of the Lord, and on the doorposts of the house of the Lord, and on the doorway of the house of the Lord. And you may say, Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for our mercy is great, but let us not fall into the hand of man.'" | Warning against rebellion |
| Isaiah 45:9 | "Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to its former, ‘What are you making?’ or ‘This I do have no hands!’?" | God as potter |
Jeremiah 27 verses
Jeremiah 27 18 Meaning
Jeremiah 27:18 speaks of a prophecy concerning the vessels of the Temple. It asserts that if these vessels, taken by Nebuchadnezzar, were indeed holy, then Zerubbabel and his descendants should intercede. This implies that their current status (being in Babylon) and the king's power over them were permissible because the Temple vessels were not uniquely preserved in their holiness. The verse addresses the question of whether the ongoing exile and desecration of Temple objects were violations of divine promises, suggesting a conditional aspect to Jerusalem's security and the Temple's sanctity.
Jeremiah 27 18 Context
Jeremiah 27 takes place during the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah. The chapter continues Jeremiah's prophetic confrontation with false prophets who preached a false hope of a swift return from Babylonian exile. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had already deported some of Judah's citizens and many of the Temple's treasures. This specific verse arises in the context of God instructing Jeremiah to address all the surrounding nations through symbolic acts and pronouncements, emphasizing Babylon's dominance and Judah's subservience. The question of the sanctity and fate of the Temple vessels is a crucial element of national and religious identity, tied to God's presence and promises.
Jeremiah 27 18 Word Analysis
- And (וְ, və): A conjunction indicating connection, sequence, or addition. Here, it links the conditional statement to the consequences or the directive.
- if (אִם, im): A particle introducing a conditional clause, expressing a hypothesis or assumption. It sets up the "if this, then that" structure.
- holy (קֹדֶשׁ, qodesh): Sanctified, set apart for God. Referring to the Temple vessels, it highlights their sacred purpose and dedication. This word is central to understanding the argument: if they retained their holiness.
- things (כְּלִי, kǝli): Vessels, instruments, articles. Specifically, referring to the sacred objects from the Temple in Jerusalem. This term encompasses everything consecrated for worship.
- that (אֲשֶׁר, ʾăšer): A relative pronoun introducing a subordinate clause, referring back to "vessels."
- of (מִן, min): A preposition indicating origin, source, or separation. Here, it denotes separation from Jerusalem and the Temple.
- the house (בַּיִת, bayit): House, dwelling, household. Specifically refers to the Temple in Jerusalem.
- of (בֵּית, beit): A possessive or genitive form.
- the LORD (יְהוָה, Yhwh): The covenant name of God, Yahweh.
- of (מִמֶּנִּי, mimmennî): From me. The personal pronoun refers to Zerubbabel, implying his connection and stewardship.
- should (וְהָיָה, wəhāya): And it shall be, or there would be. Implies an obligation or a rightful expectation.
- and (לוּ, lū): A particle introducing a wish or a less strong condition than 'im', suggesting a plea or a fervent request. Some scholars understand it here as an emphatic particle for emphasis, or a conjunction introducing an imperative/volitive clause.
- for (כִּי, kî): Because, for, indeed. It explains the reason for the intercession, linking Zerubbabel's potential action to the vessels' holiness.
- behave (הִתְפַּלֵּל, hitpallel): To pray, to intercede, to entreat oneself. This is a reflexive verb form. The specific context suggests an earnest plea or prayerful intercession on behalf of these sacred items.
- before (אֶל, ʾel): To, towards. Indicating the direction of the intercession or action.
- my (יְהוָה, Yhwh): Again refers to God, the object of the prayer.
- God (אֱלֹהֵי, ʾĕlōhê): My God. The personal relationship emphasized between Zerubbabel and God.
Word-group Analysis
- "if the vessels… of the house of the LORD were holy": This phrase establishes the crucial condition for intercession. The holiness of the vessels was not just about their ceremonial use, but about their consecration by God, implying a sacred status that, if intact, would warrant divine attention and potentially protection.
- "then Zerubbabel should intercede for them before the LORD my God": This directs the action of intercession toward Zerubbabel, placing a responsibility on him as a representative leader, should the condition be met. The emphasis on "my God" highlights Zerubbabel's personal relationship and therefore his legitimacy to pray.
Jeremiah 27 18 Bonus Section
The mention of Zerubbabel here is significant because he was a descendant of David and a key figure in the rebuilding of the Temple after the Babylonian exile. His inclusion links the fate of the captured vessels to the post-exilic restoration. The argument implies that the conditionality of the vessels' present holiness and God's allowance of their captivity demonstrated that God's plans were not thwarted by Nebuchadnezzar's actions. This is a complex interplay between divine promises, human sin and consequence, and the ongoing work of God through His chosen people and even through foreign powers to achieve His ultimate purposes. It touches upon the nature of divine presence and the sanctity of the place and its accoutrements in the context of covenant and exile.
Jeremiah 27 18 Commentary
This verse operates as a rhetorical device and a theological statement about divine sovereignty and human responsibility. It presents a conditional possibility: if the Temple vessels, seized by Nebuchadnezzar, retained their absolute sanctity, then Zerubbabel (a leader of the returned exiles) had grounds and, indeed, a duty to pray to God on their behalf. However, the implication within the broader prophecy of Jeremiah 27 is that such a vigorous intercession might not be necessary, or that the divine permissibility of their capture suggests a flaw in their present absolute sanctity or a judgment that supersedes their consecration in their current state. It underscores that God's purpose, even through the actions of Gentile kings, would ultimately prevail, and the efficacy of prayer or intercession is often framed by the prevailing divine will and circumstances. It’s a nuanced argument about divine allowance and the prayerful response of God’s people within those bounds.