For thussaysthe LORDof hosts,the Godof Israel,"I have puta yokeof ironon the neckof allthesenations,that they may serveNebuchadnezzarkingof Babylon;and they will servehim. And I have alsogivenhim the beastsof the field."'"
"Can anyone smashiron,Ironfrom the north,or bronze?
"Commandthem [to go] to their masters,saying,'Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,the Godof Israel,thusyou shall sayto your masters,
"It will be, [that] the nationor the kingdomwhichwill not servehim, Nebuchadnezzarkingof Babylon,and whichwill not putits neckunder the yokeof the kingof Babylon,I will punishthat nationwith the sword,with famineand with pestilence,"declaresthe LORD,"untilI have destroyedit by his hand.
"But now,behold,I am freeingyou todayfrom the chainswhichare on your hands.Ifyou would preferto comewith me to Babylon,come[along], and I will lookafteryou; but ifyou would prefernot to comewith me to Babylon,nevermind.Look,the wholelandis beforeyou; gowhereverit seems goodand rightfor you to go."
"The yokeof my transgressionsis bound;By His handthey are knittogether.They have comeupon my neck;He has made my strengthfail.The Lordhas givenme into the handsOf [those against whom] I am not ableto stand.
and whereverthe sonsof mendwell,[or] the beastsof the field,or the birdsof the sky,He has given[them] into your handand has caused you to ruleover them all.You are the headof gold.
Ephraimis a trainedheiferthat lovesto thresh,But I will comeoverher fairneck[with a yoke]; I will harnessEphraim,Judahwill plow,Jacobwill harrowfor himself.
therefore you shall serveyour enemieswhomthe LORDwill sendagainst you, in hunger,in thirst,in nakedness,and in the lackof allthings;and He will putan ironyokeon your neckuntilHe has destroyedyou.
"But the LORDhas takenyou and broughtyou out of the ironfurnace,from Egypt,to be a peoplefor His own possession,as today.
