17 Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city be laid waste?
17 Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live. Why should this city become a ruin?
17 Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city become a desolation?
17 Don't listen to them. Submit to the king of Babylon and live a long life. Why do something that will destroy this city and leave it a heap of rubble?
17 Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city be laid waste?
17 Do not listen to them. Surrender to the king of Babylon, and you will live. Why should this whole city be destroyed?
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 27:17
Commentary on Jeremiah 27:12-18
(Read Jeremiah 27:12-18)
Jeremiah persuades the king of Judah to surrender to the king of Babylon. Is it their wisdom to submit to the heavy iron yoke of a cruel tyrant, that they may secure their lives; and is it not much more our wisdom to submit to the pleasant and easy yoke of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, that we may secure our souls? It were well if sinners would be afraid of the destruction threatened against all who will not have Christ to reign over them. Why should they die the second death, infinitely worse than that by sword and famine, when they may submit and live? And those who encourage sinners to go on in sinful ways, will perish with them.