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In the beginning of the reign of Yehoyaqim son of Yoshiyahu, sovereign of Yehudah, this Word came to Yirmeyahu from Yahuah, saying,
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“Thus Yahuah said to me: Make for yourself bonds and yokes, and place them upon your neck.
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And send them to the sovereign of Edom, to the sovereign of Moav, to the sovereign of the sons of Ammon, to the sovereign of Tzor, and to the sovereign of Tzidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to Yerushalayim to Tzidqiyahu sovereign of Yehudah.
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And command them concerning their masters, saying, ‘Thus says Yahuah of Hosts, Elohim of Yisra’el: Thus you shall say to your masters:
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I made the earth, Adam and the beasts that are upon the face of the earth, by My great power and by My outstretched arm; and I give it to whomever is upright in My eyes.
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And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nevukhadnetztzar sovereign of Bavel, My servant. And even the beasts of the field I have given to him to serve him.
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And all nations shall serve him, his son, and his son’s son, until the time of his own land comes. Then many nations and great sovereigns shall make him serve.
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And it shall be that the nation and kingdom that shall not serve him— Nevukhadnetztzar sovereign of Bavel— and that shall not place its neck under the yoke of the sovereign of Bavel, by sword, famine, and pestilence I shall visit that nation,’ declares Yahuah, ‘until I consume them by his hand.
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And you, do not hear your prophets, your diviners, your dreams, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, “You shall not serve the sovereign of Bavel.”
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For they prophesy falsehood to you in order to remove you far from your ground, so that I drive you out and you perish.
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But the nation that brings its neck under the yoke of the sovereign of Bavel and serves him, I shall cause it to rest upon its own ground,’ declares Yahuah, ‘and it shall work it and dwell in it.’”
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And I spoke to Tzidqiyahu sovereign of Yehudah according to all these Words, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the sovereign of Bavel; serve him and his people, and live.
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Why should you die, you and your people, by sword, famine, and pestilence, as Yahuah has spoken concerning the nation that shall not serve the sovereign of Bavel?
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And do not hear the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You shall not serve the sovereign of Bavel,’ for they prophesy falsehood to you.
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For I did not send them,” declares Yahuah, “yet they prophesy falsely in My Name, so that I drive you out and you perish— you and the prophets who prophesy to you.”
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And I spoke to the Kohenim and to all this people, saying, “Thus says Yahuah: Do not hear the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, ‘See, the vessels of the House of Yahuah shall now be returned quickly from Bavel,’ for they prophesy falsehood to you.
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Do not hear them. Serve the sovereign of Bavel and live. Why should this city become a desolation?
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But if they are prophets, and if the Word of Yahuah is with them, let them now intercede with Yahuah of Hosts that the vessels remaining in the House of Yahuah, in the house of the sovereign of Yehudah, and in Yerushalayim do not go to Bavel.
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For thus says Yahuah of Hosts concerning the pillars, concerning the sea, concerning the stands, and concerning the remainder of the vessels remaining in this city,
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which Nevukhadnetztzar sovereign of Bavel did not take when he exiled Yekhanyahu son of Yehoyaqim, sovereign of Yehudah, from Yerushalayim to Bavel, with all the nobles of Yehudah and Yerushalayim.
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For thus says Yahuah of Hosts, Elohim of Yisra’el, concerning the vessels remaining in the House of Yahuah, in the house of the sovereign of Yehudah, and in Yerushalayim:
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‘To Bavel they shall be brought, and there they shall remain until the day I visit them,’ declares Yahuah. ‘Then I shall bring them up and return them to this place.’”