1. The Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah soon after Zedekiah son of Josiah was made king of Judah.
2. This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke out of straps and poles, and put it on the back of your neck.
3. Then send messages to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon by their messengers who have come to Jerusalem to see Zedekiah king of Judah.
4. Tell them to give this message to their masters: ‘The Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says: “Tell your masters:
5. I made the earth, its people, and all its animals with my great power and strength. I can give the earth to anyone I want.
6. Now I have given all these lands to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, my servant. I will make even the wild animals obey him.
7. All nations will serve Nebuchadnezzar and his son and grandson. Then the time will come for Babylon to be defeated, and many nations and great kings will make Babylon their servant.
8. “ ‘ “But if some nations or kingdoms refuse to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and refuse to be under his control, I will punish them with war, hunger, and terrible diseases, says the Lord. I will use Nebuchadnezzar to destroy them.
9. So don’t listen to your false prophets, those who use magic to tell the future, those who explain dreams, the mediums, or magicians. They all tell you, ‘You will not be slaves to the king of Babylon.’
10. They are telling you lies that will cause you to be taken far from your homeland. I will force you to leave your homes, and you will die in another land.
11. But the nations who put themselves under the control of the king of Babylon and serve him I will let stay in their own country, says the Lord. The people from those nations will live in their own land and farm it.” ’ ”