Jeremiah 27: Bonds and Bars

In Jeremiah 27 God tells Jeremiah to make a wooden yoke with bonds and bars and put it on his neck. A yoke is the wooden bar oxen wear when they work. It was a picture that the nations should serve the king of Babylon for a time. God made the earth, and he gives it to whom he chooses. Jeremiah warns the kings not to listen to prophets who tell lies.

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Read Jeremiah 27

World English Bible · 22 verses

¹ In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
² Yahweh says to me: “Make bonds and bars, and put them on your neck.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³ Then send them to the king of Edom, to the king of Moab, to the king of the children of Ammon, 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.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁴ Give them a command to their masters, saying, ‘Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel says, “You shall tell your masters:This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁵ ‘I have made the earth, the men, and the animals that are on the surface of the earth by my great power and by my outstretched arm. I give it to whom it seems right to me.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁶ Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant. I have also given the animals of the field to him to serve him.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁷ All the nations will serve him, his son, and his son’s son, until the time of his own land comes. Then many nations and great kings will make him their bondservant.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁸ “‘“‘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.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁹ But as for you, don’t listen to your prophets, to your diviners, to your dreams, to your soothsayers, or to your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, “You shall not serve the king of Babylon;”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁰ for they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land, so that I would drive you out, and you would perish.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹¹ But the nation that brings their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serves him, that nation I will let remain in their own land,’ says Yahweh; ‘and they will till it and dwell in it.’”’”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹² I spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹³ Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as Yahweh has spoken concerning the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁴ Don’t listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon;’ for they prophesy a lie to you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁵ For I have not sent them,” says Yahweh, “but they prophesy falsely in my name; that I may drive you out, and that you may perish, you, and the prophets who prophesy to you.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁶ Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, Yahweh says, “Don’t listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, ‘Behold, the vessels of Yahweh’s house will now shortly be brought again from Babylon;’ for they prophesy a lie to you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁷ Don’t listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and live. Why should this city become a desolation?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁸ But if they are prophets, and if Yahweh’s word is with them, let them now make intercession to Yahweh of Armies, that the vessels which are left in Yahweh’s house, in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, don’t go to Babylon.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁹ For Yahweh of Armies says concerning the pillars, concerning the sea, concerning the bases, and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁰ which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon didn’t take when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem—This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²¹ yes, Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says concerning the vessels that are left in Yahweh’s house, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem:This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²² ‘They will be carried to Babylon, and there they will be, until the day that I visit them,’ says Yahweh; ‘then I will bring them up, and restore them to this place.’”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

Worksheets

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Jeremiah 27 · Preschool

God Made the Earth

Name Date

Color Jeremiah wearing the wooden yoke. God made everything!

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

Yahweh says to me: “Make bonds and bars, and put them on your neck.

Jeremiah 27:2 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Then explain that God asked Jeremiah to wear a wooden yoke, like the kind oxen wear, to teach a lesson. God made the whole earth, and he is in charge. Thank God together for things he made.

Open Grade 4 on its own page

Jeremiah 27 · Grade 4

The Yoke of Babylon

Name Date

Read and Think

Envoys from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon came to Jerusalem to meet King Zedekiah. God had Jeremiah make bonds and bars, a yoke, and wear it on his neck. He then sent a message to those kings through their messengers.

God's message began with creation. God said he made the earth, the men, and the animals by his great power and outstretched arm, and he gives it to whom it seems right to him. For a time he had given these lands to Nebuchadnezzar. Nations that bowed to Babylon's yoke would remain in their land. Those who refused would suffer.

Jeremiah delivered the same message to Zedekiah and to the priests. Don't listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and live. The false prophets claimed the temple vessels would soon return from Babylon. Jeremiah said that more vessels would be taken, and they would come back only on the day God visited them.

Show What You Know

To whom did the messengers come?
What did Jeremiah wear?
Why could God give the lands to Nebuchadnezzar?
What did the false prophets claim?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

Godvesselsbondsearth

God had Jeremiah make and bars, a yoke, and wear it on his neck.
God said he made the , the men, and the animals by his great power and outstretched arm, and he gives it to whom it seems right to him.
The false prophets claimed the temple would soon return from Babylon.
Jeremiah said that more vessels would be taken, and they would come back only on the day visited them.

Think About It

Why was submitting to Babylon the faithful choice at this time?
How does knowing God made everything shape how we see powerful rulers?

Memory Verse

“‘I have made the earth, the men, and the animals that are on the surface of the earth by my great power and by my outstretched arm. I give it to whom it seems right to me.”

Jeremiah 27:5 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for Your wise plans. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

Why was waiting the right choice?
How can God use rulers?

Open Grade 5 on its own page

Jeremiah 27 · Grade 5

Creation and Kingdoms

Name Date

Read and Think

Jeremiah 27 is set early in Zedekiah's reign, when ambassadors from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon gathered in Jerusalem. God commanded a sign-act. Make bonds and bars, and put them on your neck. Jeremiah then sent yokes, or a message about them, to each king through the envoys.

The message rooted political events in God's creation rights. I have made the earth, the men, and the animals that are on the surface of the earth by my great power and by my outstretched arm. I give it to whom it seems right to me. God even called Nebuchadnezzar his servant, a startling title for a pagan king. Babylon's rule would last for three generations, until its own time came.

Jeremiah warned three audiences: the foreign kings, Zedekiah, and the priests and people. Each faced the same choice. Submission meant life in the land; rebellion meant ruin. The false prophets and diviners promised quick deliverance and the swift return of the temple vessels. Jeremiah answered that if they were true prophets, they should pray that the remaining vessels not also go to Babylon. Hope would come in God's time, not through rebellion.

Show What You Know

To whom did the messengers come?
What right does God claim in verse 5?
What startling title did God give Nebuchadnezzar?
What did Jeremiah say true prophets should pray?

Crossword

Across

Make ____ and bars.
I have made the ____.

Down

That the ____ which are left in Yahweh’s house.
Make bonds and ____.
And put them on your ____.

Think About It

How can God use even rulers who do not know him?
Why is it hard to accept that God's timing may involve waiting?

Memory Verse

“‘I have made the earth, the men, and the animals that are on the surface of the earth by my great power and by my outstretched arm. I give it to whom it seems right to me.”

Jeremiah 27:5 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for Your wise plans. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

When is it hard to wait for God?
What did God make that you are thankful for?
What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

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Jeremiah 27: Bonds and Bars

Read Jeremiah 27

Worksheets

God Made the Earth

Prayer

Take It Home

A Yoke

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Mini Maze

Draw It

Prayer

Take It Home

A Wooden Yoke

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

God's Plan

Prayer

Take It Home

Jeremiah Wears a Yoke

Read the Story

Show What You Know

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

Serve and Live

Read the Story

Answer the Questions

God's Plan

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

The Yoke of Babylon

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Word Bank Fill-In

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

Creation and Kingdoms

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Crossword

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

More print options