Jeremiah 27:8
New International Version
“’"If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation with the sword, famine and plague, declares the LORD, until I destroy it by his hand.

New Living Translation
So you must submit to Babylon’s king and serve him; put your neck under Babylon’s yoke! I will punish any nation that refuses to be his slave, says the LORD. I will send war, famine, and disease upon that nation until Babylon has conquered it.

English Standard Version
But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, declares the LORD, until I have consumed it by his hand.

Berean Standard Bible
As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and does not place its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation by sword and famine and plague, declares the LORD, until I have destroyed it by his hand.

King James Bible
And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

New King James Version
And it shall be, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish,’ says the LORD, ‘with the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

New American Standard Bible
‘And it will be that the nation or the kingdom which will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with plague,’ declares the LORD, ‘until I have eliminated it by his hand.

NASB 1995
“It will be, that the nation or the kingdom which will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine and with pestilence,” declares the LORD, “until I have destroyed it by his hand.

NASB 1977
“And it will be, that the nation or the kingdom which will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence,” declares the LORD, “until I have destroyed it by his hand.

Legacy Standard Bible
“And it will be, that the nation or the kingdom which will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence,” declares Yahweh, “until I have brought it to an end by his hand.

Amplified Bible
“But any nation or kingdom that will not serve this same Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish,” says the LORD, “with the sword, with famine and with pestilence (virulent disease), until I have destroyed it by Nebuchadnezzar’s hand.

Christian Standard Bible
“ ‘ “As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and does not place its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish by sword, famine, and plague—this is the LORD’s declaration—until through him I have destroyed it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and does not place its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish by sword, famine, and plague"—this is the LORD’s declaration—"until through him I have destroyed it.

American Standard Version
And it shall come to pass, 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, saith Jehovah, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

Contemporary English Version
This yoke stands for the power of King Nebuchadnezzar, and I will destroy any nation that refuses to obey him. Nebuchadnezzar will attack, and many will die in battle or from hunger and disease.

English Revised Version
And it shall come to pass, 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, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
" 'Suppose nations or kingdoms won't serve or surrender to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I will punish those nations by wars, famines, and plagues, until I have put an end to them by Nebuchadnezzar's power, declares the LORD.

Good News Translation
"But if any nation or kingdom will not submit to his rule, then I will punish that nation by war, starvation, and disease until I have let Nebuchadnezzar destroy it completely.

International Standard Version
If a nation and kingdom does not serve him—King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon—and does not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I'll judge that nation with the sword, with famine, and with plague," declares the LORD, "until I've completely destroyed it by his hand.

Majority Standard Bible
As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and does not place its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation by sword and famine and plague, declares the LORD, until I have destroyed it by his hand.

NET Bible
But suppose a nation or a kingdom will not be subject to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Suppose it will not submit to the yoke of servitude to him. I, the LORD, affirm that I will punish that nation. I will use the king of Babylon to punish it with war, starvation, and disease until I have destroyed it.

New Heart English Bible
It shall happen, 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 the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it shall come to pass, that the nation and 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, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

World English Bible
“‘“‘It will happen that I will punish 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,’ says Yahweh, ‘with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And it has come to pass, the nation and the kingdom that does not serve him—Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon—and that which does not put its neck into the yoke of the king of Babylon, with sword, and with famine, and with pestilence, I lay a charge on that nation—a declaration of YHWH—until I consume them by his hand.

Young's Literal Translation
And it hath come to pass, the nation and the kingdom that do not serve him -- Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon -- and that which putteth not its neck into the yoke of the king of Babylon, with sword, and with famine, and with pestilence, I lay a charge on that nation -- an affirmation of Jehovah -- till I consume them by his hand.

Smith's Literal Translation
And it was the nation and kingdom which shall not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel, and which shall not give his neck in the yoke of the king of Babel, with the sword and with famine and with death I will review upon that nation, says Jehovah, even to my finishing them by his hand.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But the nation and kingdom that will not serve Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, and whosoever will not bend his neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon: I will visit upon that nation with the sword, and with famine, and with pestilence, saith the Lord: till I consume them by his hand.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But the nation or kingdom that will not serve Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and whoever will not bend his neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will visit upon that nation with the sword, and with famine, and with pestilence, says the Lord, until I consume them by his hand.

New American Bible
Meanwhile, the nation or the kingdom that will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, or bend its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with sword, famine, and pestilence—oracle of the LORD—until I finish them by his hand.

New Revised Standard Version
But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this king, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, then I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, says the LORD, until I have completed its destruction by his hand.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon and that will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword and with famine, and with pestilence, says the LORD, until I have delivered them into his hand.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the people and the kingdom that will not serve Nebukadnetsar, King of Babel, and whoever will not put his neck into the yoke of the King of Babel, I shall adjudicate against that people by the sword, and with starvation and with plague, says LORD JEHOVAH, until I will hand them over into his hand
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And it shall come to pass, 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 visit, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the nation and kingdom, all that shall not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, with sword and famine will I visit them, saith the Lord, until they are consumed by his hand.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Yoke of Nebuchadnezzar
7All nations will serve him and his son and grandson, until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings will enslave him. 8 As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and does not place its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation by sword and famine and plague, declares the LORD, until I have destroyed it by his hand. 9But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your interpreters of dreams, your mediums, or your sorcerers who declare, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.’…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 28:48
you will serve your enemies the LORD will send against you in famine, thirst, nakedness, and destitution. He will place an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you.

2 Kings 24:1-2
During Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded. So Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years, until he turned and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. / And the LORD sent Chaldean, Aramean, Moabite, and Ammonite raiders against Jehoiakim in order to destroy Judah, according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servants the prophets.

2 Chronicles 36:20-21
Those who escaped the sword were carried by Nebuchadnezzar into exile in Babylon, and they became servants to him and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power. / So the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation, until seventy years were completed, in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah.

Daniel 1:1-2
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. / And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He carried these off to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, where he put them in the treasury of his god.

Leviticus 26:14-17
If, however, you fail to obey Me and to carry out all these commandments, / and if you reject My statutes, despise My ordinances, and neglect to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, / then this is what I will do to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting disease, and fever that will destroy your sight and drain your life. You will sow your seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. ...

Isaiah 14:3-4
On the day that the LORD gives you rest from your pain and torment, and from the hard labor into which you were forced, / you will sing this song of contempt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has ceased, and how his fury has ended!

Ezekiel 17:12-14
“Now say to this rebellious house: ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Tell them, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, carried off its king and officials, and brought them back with him to Babylon. / He took a member of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he carried away the leading men of the land, / so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to lift itself up, surviving only by keeping his covenant.

Habakkuk 1:6
For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans—that ruthless and impetuous nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own.

2 Kings 25:1-7
So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army. They encamped outside the city and built a siege wall all around it. / And the city was kept under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year. / By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food. ...

2 Chronicles 36:15-17
Again and again the LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to His people through His messengers because He had compassion on them and on His dwelling place. / But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy. / So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who put their young men to the sword in the sanctuary, sparing neither young men nor young women, neither elderly nor infirm. God gave them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar,

Daniel 5:18-19
As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor. / Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished.

Matthew 24:2
“Do you see all these things?” He replied. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

Luke 21:24
They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Acts 7:42-43
But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? / You have taken along the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’

Romans 13:1-2
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God. / Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.


Treasury of Scripture

And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, said the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

and it.

that nation.

Jeremiah 25:28,29
And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink…

Jeremiah 38:17-19
Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house: …

Jeremiah 40:9
And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.

with the sword.

Jeremiah 24:10
And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.

Ezekiel 14:21
For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?

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Jeremiah 27
1. By the type of bonds and yokes he prophesies the subduing of the neighbor kings
8. He exhorts them to yield, and not to believe the false prophets.
12. The like he does to Zedekiah.
19. He foretells the remnant of the vessels shall be carried to Babylon,














But if any nation or kingdom
This phrase sets the stage for a universal message, indicating that the prophecy is not limited to Israel or Judah but extends to all nations. The Hebrew word for "nation" is "goy," often used to refer to Gentile nations. This highlights God's sovereignty over all the earth, not just His chosen people. Historically, this reflects the geopolitical reality of the ancient Near East, where empires like Babylon exerted influence over many nations.

will not serve
The Hebrew root here is "abad," meaning to serve or work. In this context, it implies submission and obedience. The refusal to serve is an act of rebellion against God's ordained authority. This serves as a reminder of the importance of submission to God's will, as He uses earthly powers to accomplish His divine purposes.

this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar is a historical figure, the powerful king of Babylon who conquered Jerusalem. His mention here underscores the reality of God's use of pagan rulers to fulfill His plans. This challenges believers to recognize God's hand even in secular or non-believing authorities, as seen in Romans 13:1, where Paul speaks of all authority being established by God.

and will not put its neck under the yoke
The imagery of the "yoke" is significant, symbolizing submission and servitude. In the ancient world, a yoke was used to control oxen, representing control and burden. Spiritually, this calls believers to consider the yoke of Christ, which is easy and light (Matthew 11:30), contrasting with the heavy yoke of rebellion against God's will.

of the king of Babylon
This phrase reiterates the specific authority God has allowed to rise. Babylon, as an empire, represents the height of human power and pride, yet it is still under God's control. This serves as a reminder of the temporary nature of earthly kingdoms compared to God's eternal kingdom.

I will punish that nation
The Hebrew word for "punish" is "paqad," which can mean to visit, attend to, or reckon with. It implies divine retribution and justice. This reflects God's holiness and justice, ensuring that rebellion against His ordained order will not go unaddressed.

with the sword, famine, and plague
These three forms of judgment are common in prophetic literature, symbolizing comprehensive devastation. The "sword" represents war and conflict, "famine" indicates economic and agricultural collapse, and "plague" suggests disease and death. Together, they portray the totality of God's judgment on unrepentant nations.

declares the LORD
This phrase affirms the authority and certainty of the prophecy. "LORD" in all caps represents the divine name YHWH, emphasizing God's covenant faithfulness and sovereignty. It reassures believers that God's word is true and will come to pass, encouraging trust and obedience.

until I have destroyed it by His hand
The phrase "by His hand" indicates direct divine intervention. The Hebrew word for "hand" is "yad," often symbolizing power and action. This underscores God's active role in history, assuring believers that He is in control and will ultimately bring about His purposes, even through judgment.

(8) That nation will I punish.--Better, I will visit. The three forms of punishment go naturally together. In Ezekiel 14:21 they appear, with the addition of the "noisome beast," as the four sore judgments of God.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
As for the nation
הַגּ֜וֹי (hag·gō·w)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

or kingdom
וְהַמַּמְלָכָ֗ה (wə·ham·mam·lā·ḵāh)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4467: Kingdom, sovereignty, dominion, reign

that
אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

does not
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

serve
יַעַבְד֤וּ (ya·‘aḇ·ḏū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

Nebuchadnezzar
נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֣ר (nə·ḇū·ḵaḏ·neṣ·ṣar)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5019: Nebuchadnezzar -- 'Nebo, protect the boundary', a Babylonian king

king
מֶֽלֶךְ־ (me·leḵ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Babylon
בָּבֶ֔ל (bā·ḇel)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 894: Babylon -- an eastern Mediterranean empire and its capital city

and does not
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

place
יִתֵּן֙ (yit·tên)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

its neck
צַוָּאר֔וֹ (ṣaw·wā·rōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6677: The back of the neck

under [his] yoke,
בְּעֹ֖ל (bə·‘ōl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5923: A yoke

I will punish
אֶפְקֹ֨ד (’ep̄·qōḏ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6485: To visit, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit

that
הַהוּא֙ (ha·hū)
Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

nation
הַגּ֤וֹי (hag·gō·w)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

by sword
בַּחֶרֶב֩ (ba·ḥe·reḇ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

and famine
וּבָרָעָ֨ב (ū·ḇā·rā·‘āḇ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7458: Famine, hunger

and plague,
וּבַדֶּ֜בֶר (ū·ḇad·de·ḇer)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1698: A pestilence

declares
נְאֻם־ (nə·’um-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5002: An oracle

the LORD,
יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

until
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

I have destroyed
תֻּמִּ֥י (tum·mî)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Strong's 8552: To be complete or finished

it
אֹתָ֖ם (’ō·ṯām)
Direct object marker | third person masculine plural
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

by his hand.
בְּיָדֽוֹ׃ (bə·yā·ḏōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 27:8 It shall happen that the nation (Jer.)
Jeremiah 27:7
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