The Yoke of Nebuchadnezzar

1In the begynnynge of the reigne of Ioachim the sonne of Iosias kynge of Iuda, came this worde vnto Ieremy from the LORDE, which spake thus vnto me: 2Make the bondes & chaynes, and put them aboute thy neck, 3& sende the to the kinge of Edom, the kinge of Moab, the kinge of Amon, the kinge of Tirus, & to the kinge of Sidon: & that by the messaungers, which shal come to Ierusalem vnto Sedechias the kinge of Iuda, 4and byd them saye vnto their masters: Thus saieth the LORDE of hoostes the God of Israel, speake thus vnto yor masters: 5I am he that made the earth, the men & ye catell that are vpon the grounde, with my greate power & outstretched arme, & haue geuen it vnto whom it pleased me. 6And now will I delyuer all these londes in to the power of Nabuchodonosor the kinge of Babilon my seruaunt. The beestes also of the felde shal I geue him to do him seruyce. 7And all people shal serue him, & his sonne, and his childes children, vntil the tyme of the same lode be come also: Yee many people & greate kinges shal serue him.

8Morouer, that people & kingdome which wil not serue Nabuchodonosor, and that wil not put their neckes vnder ye yock of the kinge of Babilon: the same people will I viset with swearde, with honger, with pestilence, vntill I haue consumed them in his hondes, saieth the LORDE. 9And therfore, folowe not youre prophetes, soythsayers, expounders of dreames, charmers & witches, which saye vnto you: ye shal not serue the kinge of Babilon. 10For they preach you lies, to bringe you farre from youre londe, & that I might cast you out, & destroye you. 11But the people that put their neckes vnder the yock of the kinge of Babilon, & serue him, those I wil let remayne still in their owne lode (saieth the LORDE) & they shal occupie it, & dwell there in.

12All these thinges tolde I Sedechias the kinge of Iuda, and sayde: Put youre neckes vnder the yock of the kinge of Babilon, and serue him & his people, that ye maye lyue. 13Why wilt thou and thy people perish with the swearde, with honger, with pestilence: like as the LORDE hath deuysed for all people, that wil not serue the kinge of Babilon? 14Therfore geue no eare vnto those prophetes (that tell you: Ye shall not serue the kinge of Babilon) for they preach you lies, 15nether haue I sent them, saieth the LORDE: how be it they are bolde, falsely for to prophecie in my name: that I might ye sooner dryue you out, & that ye might perish with yor preachers.

16I spake to the prestes also and to all the people: Thus saieth the LORDE: Heare not the wordes of those prophetes, that preach vnto you, & saye: Beholde, the vessels of the LORDES house shall shortly be brought hither agayne from Babilon: For they prophecie lies vnto you. 17Heare them not, but serue the kinge of Babilon, yt ye maye lyue. Wherfore will ye make this cite to be destroyed? 18But yf they be true prophetes in very dede, and yf the worde of the LORDE be commytted vnto them, then let them praye the LORDE of hoostes, that the remnaunt of the ornamentes (which are in the house of the LORDE, and remayne yet in the house of the kinge of Iuda and at Ierusalem) be not caried to Babilon also. 19For thus hath the LORDE of hoostes spoken concernynge the pylers, the lauer, the seate and the residue of the ornamentes that yet remayne in this citie, 20which Nabuchodonosor the kinge of Babilon toke not, when he caried awaye Iechonias the sonne of Ioachim kinge of Iuda, with all the power of Iuda and Ierusalem, from Ierusalem vnto Babilon, captyue. 21Yee thus hath the LORDE of hoostes the God of Israel spoken, as touchinge the residue of the ornamentes of the LORDES house, of the kinge of Iudaes house, and of Ierusalem: 22They shalbe caried vnto Babilon, and there they shall remayne, vntil I vyset them, saieth the LORDE. Then wil I bringe them hither agayne.