Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 27:3
And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah;
3. and send them ] We should probably omit the pronoun, which (being in the Hebrew only one letter attached to the end of the verb) seems to have crept in under the influence of the preceding clause. It was the warning only that Jeremiah was to send. Du. points out that it was nothing unusual that an Israelitish prophet should be listened to with respect, when addressing a foreign nation (Jdg 3:20; 1Ki 19:15 ff.; Isa 18:2; Isa 21:11 f.).
the messengers ] rather (with LXX), their messengers. Ezekiel (Jer 17:15) charges Zedekiah with taking the initiative in negotiations with Egypt against Babylon.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Come – Or, are come. The ambassadors of these five kings had probably come to Jerusalem to consult about forming a league to throw off the Babylonian supremacy. The attempt failed.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
It was and is the custom of neighbour princes, to send ambassadors into each others countries to reside there, and maintain correspondence on the behalf of their masters. These nations were neighbours to the Jews, and their princes had their ambassadors resident at Jerusalem. Jeremiah is directed to carry each of these ambassadors a yoke with a bond, as a present from God to their masters; the meaning he is also ordered to tell them in the following words.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. And send them to the king ofEdom, &c.Appropriate symbol, as these ambassadors had cometo Jerusalem to consult as to shaking off the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar.According to PHERECYDES inCLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA[Miscellanies, 567], Idanthura, king of the Scythians,intimated to Darius, who had crossed the Danube, that he would leadan army against him, by sending him, instead of a letter, a mouse,a frog, a bird, an arrow, and a plough. The task assignedto Jeremiah required great faith, as it was sure to provoke alike hisown countrymen and the foreign ambassadors and their kings, by aseeming insult, at the very time that all were full of confidenthopes grounded on the confederacy.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab,
and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon,…. All neighbouring kings and states, to whom the wine cup of God’s wrath was to be sent, and they made to drink of it,
Jer 25:21; and against whom Jeremiah afterwards prophesies:
by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah; who were sent by their masters, either to congratulate Zedekiah upon his accession to the throne; or to enter into a league with him against the king of Babylon, and shake off his yoke; or to reside at his court, as ambassadors of nations at peace and in alliance usually do; and it may be for all those purposes. The yokes therefore are ordered to be sent to them, as being the most proper and easy way and method of conveying them, with the meaning of them, to their respective masters.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Prophet seems to have addressed the ambassadors who were sent by neighboring kings to King Zedekiah; and he was bidden to command them to declare each to his master, that they were all to come under the yoke of the king of Babylon. There is, moreover, no doubt but that God designed especially and chiefly to give a lesson to Zedekiah and to the Jews; for these legations mentioned here might have so emboldened them as to despise all prophecies, and to think themselves beyond all danger. For the purpose for which these legations were sent by the king of Sidon, by the king of Tyrus, by the king of Moab and Ammon, ought to be particularly observed: when they saw that the king of Babylon would not spare them, they began to join their forces. Every one at first consulted his own advantage, and saw no need of mutual help; and so it was that the Chaldeans easily overcame them while they were disunited. Experience at length taught them, that neither the king of Judah nor ally of the neighboring kings could sustain the contest unless they formed a confederacy. Thus, then, it happened that the king of Tyrus, the king of Sidon, the king of Moab, and the king of Ammon, offered their forces and their money to the king of Judah, and that he also promised to help them in return, if the Chaldean attacked them. It was therefore a new occasion for confidence to the Jews, so that they gathered courage, and thus were emboldened to resist, relying on so many neighboring kings.
The Chaldeans had been hitherto successful, for they had assailed each by himself; but when all of them were ready by their united forces to oppose and restrain their attacks, it was hardly credible that they could be conquered. It was therefore God’s purpose to remove this false confidence, and to warn Zedekiah and the whole people, lest they should be deceived by such allurements, but that they might know that they were patiently to endure the punishment inflicted on them by God. This therefore was the reason why the Prophet was sent to the ambassadors who had come to Jerusalem. He was not set a teacher over them; but this was done with reference to Zedekiah and the people. It is yet probable that these commands were set forth before the king, that the king might know that he had been wholly deceived, and that he still foolishly trusted to the subsidies which had been offered.
We may easily imagine how grievous it must have been to the king and to the people to hear this prophecy. The ambassadors were in a manner dishonored; the kings, by whom they had been sent, might have complained that they were treated with great indignity. Hence the king and the people must have been very incensed against Jeremiah. But the Prophet boldly performed what God commanded him, as it behoved him. And we shall hereafter see, that his words were addressed to King Zedekiah rather than to these heathens.
We now understand the reason why God would have his Prophet to give these commands to the ambassadors, who had been sent by heathen kings to King Zedekiah: it was that the king might know that it was wholly useless for these kings to promise their assistance; for he had to do, not with the Chaldean king, but rather with the judgment of God, which is irresistible, and which men in vain struggle with.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) And send them to the king of Edom.The princes that are named had, as the context shows, sent their ambassadors to Zedekiah, proposing an alliance against Nebuchadnezzar. They are named in the same order as in the prophecy of Jer. 25:21-22, which had been delivered fifteen years before. The prophecy then delivered had been in part fulfilled, but these princes were still struggling against it, encouraged, apparently, by the difficulties which in Media and elsewhere seemed to delay the complete triumph of the Chaldan king; and the prophet is commissioned to tell all of them alike that their efforts are in vain, and that the supremacy of Babylon was, for the time, part of Gods order, for the chastisement of the nations. In Jeremiah 49 we have a fuller, and probably later, development of the same strain of prediction.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Which come to Jerusalem Probably for the purpose of forming a coalition against the Chaldean power. Hence the position of Jeremiah was a peculiarly trying one, in that he had to stand against this widespread and popular sentiment.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jeremiah Was Later Commanded To Send Parallel Yokes To The Plotters Of Rebellion Whose Ambassadors Were Congregated In Jerusalem ( Jer 27:3-11 ).
The sending of the yokes to related nations, which would be copies of the one worn by Jeremiah, was to be accompanied by a stern warning from ‘YHWH of Hosts, the God of Israel’ that they remain in submission to Babylon.
Jer 27:3
“And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the children of Ammon, and to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah,”
The sending of the bonds and yokes to the various kings of the nations clearly follows after an interval, during which time Jeremiah has been wearing his. This indicates either that he had made a number of sets which he would wear in turn or that he had duplicates made for the purpose. They were to be sent to the Transjordanian nations of Edom, Moab and Ammon, and to Tyre and Sidon, because it was from them that messengers had come to King Zedekiah, seemingly to discuss rebellion from the yoke of Babylon. It was YHWH’s warning that they should not proceed with their aim because it was YHWH’s will that they be so subjected.
Jer 27:4
“And give them a charge to their masters, saying, Thus says YHWH of hosts, the God of Israel, Thus shall you say to your masters,”
Along with the bonds and yokes Jeremiah sent a charge to the various kings from YHWH. It was headed with the full title of ‘YHWH of Hosts, the God of Israel’, which always indicated an important saying and was a reminder that He was Lord of all hosts, whether the angelic hosts in Heaven or the human hosts on earth, the ‘hosts of Heaven’ which represented the stars in their courses, and indeed of all creation (Gen 2:1).
Jer 27:5
“I have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth, by my great power and by my outstretched arm; and I give it to whom it seems right to me.”
YHWH first indicates His credentials as the Creator of all things, and indicates the authority that it gives Him to order things as He will. He makes clear that all living things are under His control, whether they be men or beast, because He created them all by His great power and ‘His outstretched arm’. The latter is simply a metaphor demonstrating His capability in doing things which require strength. He does not literally do things by means of a huge arm. Compare Deu 4:34; Deu 5:15; Deu 7:19; Deu 26:8. Thus the situation in which they find themselves is because it ‘seems right to Him’. Rebellion would therefore be to act against God’s purpose. Notice how creation is summed up in terms of ‘men and beasts’ as the two primary life forms.
Jer 27:6-7
“And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and the beasts of the field also have I given him to serve him. And all the nations will serve him, and his son, and his son’s son, until the time of his own land come, and then many nations and great kings will make him their bondman.”
He then particularises what He is saying to the particular case in hand. With regard to the lands which are ruled over by these kings He has chosen by His sovereign power to give them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar (no longer Nebuchadrezzar) who is His servant, and He has given him all animals both wild and domestic in order that they might serve him. Furthermore it was His purpose that all nations should serve both ‘Nebuchadnezzar, and his son, and his son’s son’, that is his regular heirs, into the future until the appointed time. And this will go on until arrival of the time limit that YHWH has set, when Nebuchadnezzar’s own land will arrive at ‘its time’ and will in turn serve others. For then many nations and great kings will eventually arise who will in turn bring Babylonia into bondage.
The reference to animals wild and domestic, included along with the lands, indicating all created things within the area, but may well also have in mind the requirements laid on subject peoples that they provide him regularly with horses and cattle and submit to the Babylonians using their lands for hunting, a favourite sport of great kings which was not necessarily good for the land. The reference to ‘his son and his son’s son’ is not putting a limit on how many kings there will be, nor is it in fact saying that they will be directly related. A king’s heir would always be seen as his ‘son’ (we can compare how the Assyrians called all Israelite kings ‘sons of Omri’ long after there was no such relationship. Thus Jehu was described as ‘the son of Omri’ on Assyrian inscriptions). Basically therefore it indicated all his heirs, whether literal sons or otherwise, until the time appointed (compare Exo 34:7; Deu 4:25). Nebuchadnezzar was in fact succeeded by his son Evil-merodach (Amel-marduk) (Jer 52:31), and he by Nebuchadnezzar’s son-in-law Neriglissar (Nergal-shar-usur who married Nebuchanezzars’s daughter), followed briefly by his son Labashi-marduk. Labashi-marduk did not last long and was assassinated in childhood and replaced by Nabonidus and his son Belshazzar (although Belshazzar died before Nabonidus) who would be subjugated by Cyrus the Persian, with his allies.
‘Nebuchadnezzar.’ The change from Nebuchadrezzar (Nabu-kudurri-usur) to Nebuchadnezzar probably has no special significance. Baruch had input into both sections so that it is not necessarily an indication of change of authorship. The change from ‘r’ to ‘n’ is quite common when transliterating from Akkadian into Hebrew. It may simply indicate Jeremiah’s own development to a more sophisticated style.
27. 8 “And it will come about, that the nation and the kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, says YHWH, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.”
Moreover any nation who refused to submit to Babylon and serve Nebuchadnezzar would be punished by YHWH Himself for disobeying His will. Note the reference to the yoke based on the illustration that he had sent through the ambassadors. Their punishment would come about through sword, famine and pestilence (the regular Jeremaic means, compare Jer 14:12; etc), until Nebuchadnezzar had totally consumed them. The three judgments were the constant price of war. War not only slaughtered people, but it burned and desolated fields, and caused conditions which encourage pestilence, especially when people had to ‘flee to the mountains’. But the three judgments could also arise separately. See Jer 14:1; 2 Samuel 21; 2Sa 24:15; 1 Kings 17-18; etc.
Jer 27:9-10
“But as for you, do not you listen to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreams, nor to your soothsayers, nor to your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land, and that I should drive you out, and you should perish.”
Nor were they to listen to anyone who said otherwise (which they all did and had cause to rue it). The descriptions covered all means by which nations sought to obtain guidance from their gods, including prophets with their drug-induced prophecies, diviners with their differing divining methods (including casting lots, reading the dregs left in vessels, looking at the entrails of sacrificial animals, etc.), dreamers with their drug-induced dreams, soothsayers and sorcerers with all their different approaches including calling on familiar spirits, enchantments, secret arts, and the muttering of spells. Compare Isa 8:19; Isa 47:12-13; 2Ki 9:22. There would be a natural tendency to ‘divine’ against subjection to Babylon as that was undoubtedly the favoured option once the time seemed ripe, but the people were not to listen to such ideas because they were all lies.
Jer 27:11
“But the nation that shall bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, that nation will I let remain in their own land, the word of YHWH, and they will till it, and dwell in it.”
Indeed the only way in which they could hope to remain in their lands was by bringing their necks under the yoke of the King of Babylon and serving him as Jeremiah had illustrated. Those who did so would be allowed to remain in their own lands, and till them and dwell in them, because they would thereby be being obedient YHWH. And this was the assured prophetic word of YHWH. (Thus being in submission to men can often go hand in hand with obedience to the will of God).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jer 27:3 And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah;
Ver. 3. By the hand of the messengers, ] i.e., Ambassadors of those neighbouring states, who might come to Zedekiah, to confederate with him against Nebuchadnezzar’s growing greatness; but all in vain, and to their own ruin. Deus quem destruit dementat. The wicked oft run to meet their bane, as if they were even ambitious of destruction.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton to emphasize each respectively.
which come = that are coming. Part. Poel, as in Gen 37:19; Gen 41:29, Gen 41:35. Gen 4:16; Gen 6:22; Gen 7:32; Gen 9:25; Gen 16:14; Gen 23:5, Gen 23:7; Gen 31:27, Gen 31:31, Gen 31:38; Gen 32:7; Jer 33:5, Jer 33:14, &c. This was to take place eleven years later.
unto Zedekiah. Then and there we have the fulfilment of this prophecy.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Edom: Jer 25:19-26, Jer 47:1 – Jer 49:39, Eze 25:1 – Eze 28:26, Eze 29:18, Amo 1:9-15, Amo 2:1-3
the messengers: 2Ch 36:13, Eze 17:15-21
Reciprocal: 1Ki 20:35 – Smite me Isa 23:15 – Tyre shall Jer 9:26 – Egypt Jer 25:9 – against Jer 25:17 – and made Jer 25:21 – Edom Jer 25:22 – Tyrus Jer 27:1 – the beginning Jer 27:12 – Zedekiah Jer 48:1 – Moab Jer 49:1 – Ammonites Eze 25:2 – the Ammonites Eze 25:8 – Seir Eze 26:2 – Tyrus Eze 26:7 – I will Eze 28:21 – Zidon Mat 11:22 – Tyre
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 27:3. The first three places named were just east of the Jordan and the next two were on the west side of Palestine. These representatives of the governments came to counsel with Zedekiah about resisting the power of the king of Babylon. They were all weaker than Judah and thought that together they could throw off the yoke of the distant ruler.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jeremiah was then to send word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon through the envoys that had come from those places to visit King Zedekiah (cf. Jer 25:21-22). [Note: ] These ambassadors were to take a message from Yahweh back to their masters. He apparently made one set of the object lesson, a yoke, for each of the ambassadors to take back home with him. These kingdoms had all been vassals or treaty partners with David and Solomon in the past (cf. 2Sa 8:11-12; 1 Kings 5; 1Ki 7:13-47).
The Babylonian Chronicles illuminate the historical background of this situation. Two years earlier an unnamed enemy had attacked Nebuchadnezzar, and the following year he had to deal with a revolt within his borders. Smaller nations in the west saw this as an opportunity to throw off Babylon’s authority. The same nations had formed a confederacy to revolt against Assyria years earlier, so the purpose of these messengers seems to have been to form another treaty but this time against Babylon. [Note: Thompson, p. 532.] The recent accession of Psammetik II as Pharaoh of Egypt may have been another inducement to revolt. [Note: Feinberg, p. 544.]