27:12 I told King Zedekiah of Judah the same thing. I said, 4 “Submit 5 to the yoke of servitude to 6 the king of Babylon. Be subject to him and his people. Then you will continue to live. 27:13 There is no reason why you and your people should die in war 7 or from starvation or disease! 8 That’s what the Lord says will happen to any nation 9 that will not be subject to the king of Babylon.
1 tn Heb “have given…into the hand of.”
2 sn See the study note on 25:9 for the significance of the application of this term to Nebuchadnezzar.
3 tn Heb “I have given…to him to serve him.” The verb “give” in this syntactical situation is functioning like the Hiphil stem, i.e., as a causative. See Dan 1:9 for parallel usage. For the usage of “serve” meaning “be subject to” compare 2 Sam 22:44 and BDB 713 s.v. עָבַד 3.
sn This statement is rhetorical, emphasizing the totality of Nebuchadnezzar’s dominion. Neither here nor in Dan 2:38 is it to be understood literally.
4 tn Heb “I spoke to Zedekiah…according to all these words, saying.”
5 sn The verbs in this verse are all plural. They are addressed to Zedekiah and his royal advisers (compare 22:2).
6 tn Heb “put their necks in the yoke of.” See the study note on v. 2 for the figure.
7 tn Heb “with/by the sword.”
8 tn Heb “Why should you and your people die…?” The rhetorical question expects the answer made explicit in the translation, “There is no reason!”
9 tn Heb “…disease according to what the