Chapter Overview
Summary
The yoke of Babylon. MT ch. 27 = LXX ch. 34. LXX is SIGNIFICANTLY shorter in this chapter.
Notable Variants
LXX is much shorter throughout this chapter. Large portions of MT's expansive rhetoric about serving Nebuchadnezzar are condensed or absent in LXX. Notably, MT consistently uses 'Nebuchadnezzar' while LXX uses 'Nabouchodonosor.' MT v. 1 refers to 'Jehoiakim' which most scholars consider an error (should be Zedekiah, as in v. 3 and LXX).
Structural Notes
MT ch. 27 = LXX ch. 34. LXX is approximately 50% shorter than MT in this chapter — one of the most dramatically abbreviated chapters.
At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
Masoretic (WLC)
בְּרֵאשִׁית מַמְלֶכֶת יְהוֹיָקִים
In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah
Septuagint (LXX)
ἐν ἀρχῇ βασιλέως Σεδεκίου
In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim
MT reads 'In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim' but this is widely regarded as an error — the rest of the chapter concerns Zedekiah (v. 3, 12). LXX reads 'Zedekiah' correctly. Some MT manuscripts also read 'Zedekiah.'
This is what the LORD said to me: Make yourself straps and crossbars, and place them on your neck.
LXX is significantly shorter — MT v. 2 has expansive material about serving Nebuchadnezzar that is condensed in LXX.
Then send them to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon — through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.
LXX is significantly shorter — MT v. 3 has expansive material about serving Nebuchadnezzar that is condensed in LXX.
Charge them with a message for their masters: This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says — this is what you are to say to your masters:
LXX is significantly shorter — MT v. 4 has expansive material about serving Nebuchadnezzar that is condensed in LXX.
I made the earth, the people and the animals on the face of the earth, by my great power and my outstretched arm, and I give it to whomever I see fit.
LXX is significantly shorter — MT v. 5 has expansive material about serving Nebuchadnezzar that is condensed in LXX.
Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, my servant. Even the wild animals I have given him to serve him.
LXX is significantly shorter — MT v. 6 has expansive material about serving Nebuchadnezzar that is condensed in LXX.
All nations will serve him, and his son, and his grandson, until the appointed time for his own land arrives. Then many nations and great kings will make him serve them.
Masoretic (WLC)
וְעָבְדוּ אֹתוֹ כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם וְאֶת־בְּנוֹ וְאֶת־בֶּן־בְּנוֹ
[not present in LXX]
Septuagint (LXX)
[absent from LXX]
And all nations shall serve him and his son and his son's son.
MT includes 'until the time of his own land come; and then many nations and great kings shall make him serve.' LXX OMITS this entire verse.
Any nation or kingdom that will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon — that will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon — I will punish that nation with sword, famine, and plague, declares the LORD, until I have destroyed them by his hand.
LXX shorter — MT has expansive additions throughout this chapter. V. 8 is condensed in the Greek.
So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dream interpreters, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers who say to you, 'You will not serve the king of Babylon.'
LXX shorter — MT has expansive additions throughout this chapter. V. 9 is condensed in the Greek.
For they are prophesying falsehood to you, with the result that you will be driven far from your land — I will banish you, and you will perish.
LXX shorter — MT has expansive additions throughout this chapter. V. 10 is condensed in the Greek.
But the nation that puts its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serves him — I will let it remain on its own soil, declares the LORD, and it will farm it and dwell on it.
LXX shorter — MT has expansive additions throughout this chapter. V. 11 is condensed in the Greek.
To Zedekiah king of Judah I spoke this same message: Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon — serve him and his people, and you will live.
LXX shorter — MT has expansive additions throughout this chapter. V. 12 is condensed in the Greek.
Why should you and your people die by sword, famine, and plague, as the LORD has declared against any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?
LXX shorter — MT has expansive additions throughout this chapter. V. 13 is condensed in the Greek.
Do not listen to the words of the prophets who say to you, 'You will not serve the king of Babylon,' for they are prophesying falsehood to you.
LXX shorter — MT has expansive additions throughout this chapter. V. 14 is condensed in the Greek.
For I did not send them, declares the LORD, yet they prophesy in my name with falsehood — so that I will banish you, and you will perish, both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.
LXX shorter — MT has expansive additions throughout this chapter. V. 15 is condensed in the Greek.
To the priests and to all this people I spoke, saying: This is what the LORD says — do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, 'Look, the vessels of the house of the LORD will be brought back from Babylon soon.' For they are prophesying falsehood to you.
LXX shorter — MT has expansive additions throughout this chapter. V. 16 is condensed in the Greek.
Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city become a ruin?
LXX shorter — MT has expansive additions throughout this chapter. V. 17 is condensed in the Greek.
But if they are truly prophets and if the word of the LORD is with them, let them intercede with the LORD of Hosts so that the vessels still remaining in the house of the LORD, in the palace of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem are not taken to Babylon.
LXX shorter — MT has expansive additions throughout this chapter. V. 18 is condensed in the Greek.
For this is what the LORD of Hosts says concerning the pillars, the sea, the stands, and the rest of the vessels remaining in this city —
LXX shorter — MT has expansive additions throughout this chapter. V. 19 is condensed in the Greek.
which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he deported Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem —
LXX shorter — MT has expansive additions throughout this chapter. V. 20 is condensed in the Greek.
For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says concerning the vessels remaining in the house of the LORD, in the palace of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem:
LXX shorter — MT has expansive additions throughout this chapter. V. 21 is condensed in the Greek.
To Babylon they will be taken, and there they will remain until the day I attend to them, declares the LORD. Then I will bring them up and restore them to this place.
LXX shorter — MT has expansive additions throughout this chapter. V. 22 is condensed in the Greek.