The Yoke of Nebuchadnezzar

1In the begynnyng of the raigne of Iehoakim the sonne of Iosias kyng of Iuda, came this worde vnto Ieremie from the Lorde, which spake thus vnto me: 2Make thee bondes and chaynes, and put them about thy necke, 3And sende them to the kyng of Edom, to the kyng of Moab, to the kyng of Ammon, to the kyng of Tyrus, and to the kyng of Sidon, and that by the messengers which shall come to Hierusalem, vnto Zedekiah the kyng of Iuda: 4And bid them say vnto their maisters, Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes, the God of Israel, speake thus vnto your maisters: 5I am he that made the earth, the men, and the cattell that are vpon the grounde with my great power & stretched out arme, and haue geuen it vnto whom it pleased me. 6And nowe wyll I deliuer all these landes into the power of Nabuchodonozor the kyng of Babylon my seruaunt: the beastes also of the fielde shall I geue hym, to do hym seruice. 7And all the people shal serue him, and his sonne, and his childers children, vntyll the tyme of the same lande be come, and his tyme also: yea many people and great kynges shall serue hym.

8Moreouer, that people and kyngdome which wyl not serue Nabuchodonozor, & that wyll not put their neckes vnder the yoke of the kyng of Babylon: the same people wyll I visite with the sworde, with hunger and pestilence, vntyll I haue consumed them in his handes, saith the Lorde. 9And therfore folowe not your prophetes, soothsayers, expounders of dreames, charmers, & witches, which say vnto you, Ye shal not serue the kyng of Babylon. 10For they preache you lyes, to bring you farre from your lande, & that I myght cast you out, and destroy you. 11But the people that put their neckes vnder the yoke of the kyng of Babylon and serue hym, those wyll I let remayne styll in their owne lande, saith the Lorde, and they shall occupie it and dwell therin.

12All these thynges tolde I Zedekiah the kyng of Iuda, and sayde: Put your neckes vnder the yoke of the kyng of Babylon, and serue him and his people, that ye may liue. 13Why wylt thou and thy people perishe with the sworde, with hunger, with pestilence, like as the Lord hath deuised for all people that wyll not serue the kyng of Babylon? 14Therfore geue no eare vnto those prophetes that tell you, Ye shall not serue the kyng of Babylon: for they preache you lyes. 15Neither haue I sent them saith the Lorde: howbeit they are bolde falsly to prophecie in my name, that I myght the sooner driue you out, and that ye myght perishe, with your preachers.

16I speake to the priestes also, and to all this people: Thus saith the Lorde, Heare not the wordes of your prophetes that preache vnto you, and say, Beholde, the vessels of the Lordes house shall shortly be brought hyther agayne from Babylon: for they prophecie lyes vnto you. 17Heare them not, but serue the kyng of Babylon, that ye may lyue: Wherfore wyll ye make this citie to be destroyed? 18But yf they be true prophetes in very deede, and yf the worde of the Lorde be committed vnto them, then let them pray the Lord of hoastes, that the remnaunt of the ornamentes which are in the house of the Lorde & in the house of the kyng of Iuda, and at Hierusalem, be not caryed to Babylon also. 19For thus hath the Lorde of hoastes spoken concerning the pillers, the lauer, the seate, and the residue of the ornamentes that yet remayne in this citie, 20Which Nabuchodonozor the kyng of Babylon toke not when he caryed away Iechonias the sonne of Iehoakim kyng of Iuda, with all the power of Iuda & Hierusalem, vnto Babylon captiue. 21Yea thus hath the Lorde of hoastes the God of Israel spoken, as touchyng the residue of the ornamentes of the Lordes house, of the kyng of Iuda his house, and of Hierusalem: 22They shalbe caryed vnto Babylon, and there shall they remayne vntyll I visite them, saith the Lorde: then wyll I bryng them hyther agayne.