Jeremiah 27:4 kjv
And command them to say unto their masters, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say unto your masters;
Jeremiah 27:4 nkjv
And command them to say to their masters, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel?thus you shall say to your masters:
Jeremiah 27:4 niv
Give them a message for their masters and say, 'This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Tell this to your masters:
Jeremiah 27:4 esv
Give them this charge for their masters: 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: This is what you shall say to your masters:
Jeremiah 27:4 nlt
Give them this message for their masters: 'This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, says:
Jeremiah 27 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 27:5 | "It was I who made the earth, and I gave it to the one who was pleasing in my sight..." | Yahweh's ultimate sovereignty over creation |
| Jeremiah 27:6 | "...I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, my servant." | God using foreign powers for His purposes |
| Jeremiah 27:7 | "The nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his own land comes..." | Future judgment and time limits on empires |
| Jeremiah 25:9 | "behold, I will send for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant..." | Nebuchadnezzar as God's instrument of judgment |
| Isaiah 44:28 | "...who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd, and he shall accomplish all my purpose'..." | God using gentile rulers (like Cyrus) |
| Isaiah 45:1 | "Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus..." | God ordaining leadership and dominion |
| Daniel 2:21 | "He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings..." | God's control over earthly rulers |
| Daniel 4:17 | "...that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will..." | Divine authority over human kingdoms |
| Romans 13:1 | "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities..." | New Testament principle of submission to authority |
| Acts 5:29 | "But Peter and the apostles replied, 'We must obey God rather than men.'..." | Principle of obedience to God above men when conflict |
| Genesis 9:26 | "...Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be his slave!" | God establishing dominion and subjugation |
| Exodus 9:16 | "But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, and to declare my name throughout all the earth." | God using adversaries to display His power |
| Deuteronomy 28:48 | "...serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you..." | Conditional blessings and curses (exile as curse) |
| Jeremiah 1:10 | "See today I have set you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down..." | Prophet's commission to pronounce judgment |
| Jeremiah 20:11 | "But the LORD is with me as a mighty warrior..." | God's presence and support for His servant |
| Jeremiah 34:1-5 | Jeremiah's prophecy to Zedekiah about surrender and destruction | Zedekiah's kingship and impending doom |
| Jeremiah 37:1-10 | Jeremiah imprisoned for warning about Babylonian advance | Judah's defiance and the consequences |
| Jeremiah 38:1-28 | Jeremiah in the cistern, and the king's consultation | Internal conflict regarding God's word |
| Jeremiah 43:8-10 | Jeremiah hides great stones in Egypt, symbolizing judgment on Egypt | God's judgment extending beyond Judah |
| 2 Chronicles 36:20 | "He took into exile in Babylon those who escaped the sword..." | Historical account of the Babylonian exile |
| Ezekiel 17:12-15 | Ezekiel's parable about the eagle and the vine, referencing Zedekiah's rebellion | Similar themes of broken covenants and judgment |
| 2 Kings 24:1-4 | First Babylonian deportation of Judah | Historical basis for Nebuchadnezzar's power |
| Daniel 4:30-32 | Nebuchadnezzar's humbling and recognition of God's sovereignty | King's eventual submission and acknowledgment |
Jeremiah 27 verses
Jeremiah 27 4 Meaning
This verse signifies the divine mandate given to the prophet Jeremiah to instruct the people of Judah, and specifically the kings of Judah and their people, regarding their subservience to the king of Babylon and his kingdom. It establishes that Yahweh (the LORD) has granted sovereignty to the Babylonian king over the surrounding nations, including Judah, as a tool for His divine judgment and discipline. The verse emphasizes the inescapable reality of Babylonian dominion and the need for Judah to acknowledge and submit to this authority, presented as a divine decree rather than mere political circumstance.
Jeremiah 27 4 Context
Jeremiah 27 is set during the reign of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, around 597-586 BC. This period was characterized by Judah's wavering allegiances and political maneuvering between Egypt and Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had already conquered Judah and deported many of its people and nobility, including Zedekiah, who was placed on the throne as a vassal king. However, various vassal nations, influenced by deceptive prophets and seeking Egyptian support, began to rebel against Babylonian rule.
In this chapter, Jeremiah is commanded by the LORD to fashion yokes of cords and poles and to send them to the surrounding nations who were contemplating revolt. He is to instruct them to submit to Nebuchadnezzar's authority. The prophet is to be an ambassador of divine reality, countering the false optimism and rebellious spirit that encouraged these nations. The passage is a powerful declaration of God's sovereignty over all kingdoms and His use of Nebuchadnezzar as an instrument of judgment and discipline against rebellious peoples, including His own covenant people, Judah.
Jeremiah 27 4 Word Analysis
- And (וְ, wə): A common conjunction used to connect clauses and indicate continuation, consequence, or addition.
- He (הוּא, hūʾ): Refers back to the antecedent noun, "the LORD."
- has given (נָתַן, nātan): Perfect tense, signifying a completed action by God. It implies a deliberate bestowal of authority.
- all (כֹּל, kōl): Denotes totality, encompassing everything.
- these (אֵלֶּה, ʾēlleh): Demonstrative pronoun pointing to the lands mentioned or implied.
- lands (הָאָרֶץ, hāʾāreṣ): Hebrew word for "earth" or "land," here referring to the various territories and kingdoms.
- into the hand (בְּיַד, bəyāḏ): Idiomatic expression signifying possession, control, or authority.
- of Nebuchadnezzar (נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, Nəḇūḵaḏneṣṣar): The king of Babylon, God's chosen instrument.
- king (מֶלֶךְ, meleḵ): Sovereign ruler.
- of Babylon (בָּבֶל, Bāḇel): The dominant imperial power at the time.
- my servant (עַבְדִּי, ʿaḇdī): A significant designation. While Nebuchadnezzar was a pagan ruler, God here calls him "my servant," indicating he was an unwitting tool in God's hand for executing His purposes and judgments. This is similar to how Cyrus later would be called God's shepherd.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "It was I who made the earth": This introductory phrase establishes God's ultimate, foundational authority as Creator of all. Before any discussion of human rulers or kingdoms, it asserts God's position above all earthly powers. This grounds His right to grant dominion.
- "and I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon": This entire clause is a singular declaration of God's active transference of political power. The perfect tense ("have given") emphasizes that this reality of Babylonian dominance is established by divine decree, regardless of whether the people acknowledge it. "All these lands" highlights the extent of Nebuchadnezzar's divinely sanctioned authority over the region, including Judah and its neighbors.
Jeremiah 27 4 Bonus Section
The concept of God using pagan nations and their rulers as instruments of His will is a recurring theme in the Old Testament prophets. This serves multiple purposes:
- Demonstrating Divine Sovereignty: It unequivocally shows that no earthly power operates outside of God's ultimate control.
- Executing Judgment: Foreign conquerors often serve as God's rod to punish His own people for covenant unfaithfulness or to judge other nations for their wickedness.
- Testing Faith: Such circumstances force believers to discern God's hand in difficult times and to submit to His word even when it leads to unpopular or seemingly disadvantageous actions.
- Fulfilling Prophecy: Nebuchadnezzar's rise and dominance were part of prophetic timelines and judgments predicted centuries earlier.The designation of Nebuchadnezzar as "my servant" here mirrors the later designation of Cyrus the Great (in Isaiah 45:1) as God's "anointed" and "shepherd," emphasizing that God can utilize any individual, regardless of their personal faith, to fulfill His overarching plan. This understanding was crucial for Jeremiah in his challenging prophetic mission, as he had to persuade his people to accept a harsh reality ordained by God, rather than pursuing futile alliances or resistance based on false hopes.
Jeremiah 27 4 Commentary
This verse is foundational to understanding the book of Jeremiah's message during the Babylonian crisis. God declares His absolute sovereignty. He is the Creator, and thus the rightful Giver of kingdoms and authority. Nebuchadnezzar, though a pagan king, is identified as God's "servant." This does not imply Nebuchadnezzar's devotion to God, but rather that he is an instrument, appointed by God to carry out His purposes, which in this context involves bringing judgment upon nations for their sin, including rebellion and idolatry. The yokes Jeremiah makes symbolize the inescapable burden and dominion that God has placed upon these nations through Babylon. Submission to Babylon, in this theological framework, is submission to God's chastening hand. It counters the popular belief that foreign domination was purely the result of military might or political misfortune, asserting it as a divine, though often harsh, means of correction.