The Meaning of Jeremiah 27:18 Explained

Jeremiah 27:18

KJV: But if they be prophets, and if the word of the LORD be with them, let them now make intercession to the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babylon.

YLT: And, if they be prophets, and if a word of Jehovah be with them, let them intercede, I pray you, with Jehovah of Hosts, so that the vessels that are left in the house of Jehovah, and in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem, have not gone into Babylon.

Darby: But if they be prophets, and if the word of Jehovah be with them, let them now make intercession to Jehovah of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of Jehovah, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babylon.

ASV: But if they be prophets, and if the word of Jehovah be with them, let them now make intercession to Jehovah of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of Jehovah, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babylon.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But if they [be] prophets,  and if the word  of the LORD  be  with them, let them now make intercession  to the LORD  of hosts,  that the vessels  which are left  in the house  of the LORD,  and [in] the house  of the king  of Judah,  and at Jerusalem,  go  not to Babylon. 

What does Jeremiah 27:18 Mean?

Verse Meaning

If the false prophets were true, they should ask Yahweh to keep the remaining temple, palace, and city furnishings and accessories still in Jerusalem, from being taken captive to Babylon (cf. 2 Kings 25:13-17; Daniel 1:1-2). The granting of their petition would validate them as authentic prophets.

Context Summary

Jeremiah 27:1-22 - Shepherds That Mislead God's Flock
It is God's purpose to care for His people through shepherds (pastors) who are responsible to Him. Jesus our Lord is the Branch into which we may be grafted. He is our King who saves us and clothes us with His own spotless righteousness. God finds us in Him, Philippians 3:9. Because He reigns, we are saved and dwell in safety. When we are brought into contact with false shepherds, whether the failure be in doctrine or example, let us ask for the broken heart of Jeremiah 23:9.
God is everywhere present; as the latter paragraph indicates, He is near at hand to overhear the blasphemy of those who deride religion, and to be a very present help in time of trouble. If He fills heaven and earth, can He not fill thy heart? If His Word is like fire, let it cleanse thee! If it is as a hammer, let it pulverize thy pride! Let those of us who essay to teach and preach, not steal our words from our neighbors, or utter our own, but receive them from the source of all truth. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 27

1  By the type of bonds and yokes he prophesies the subduing of the neighbor kings
8  He exhorts them to yield, and not to believe the false prophets
12  The like he does to Zedekiah
19  He foretells the remnant of the vessels shall be carried to Babylon,

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 27:18 mean?

but if prophets they [are] and if is the word of Yahweh with them let them make intercession now to Yahweh of hosts that not do go the vessels which are left in the house of Yahweh and [in] the house of the king of Judah and at Jerusalem to Babylon -
וְאִם־ נְבִאִ֣ים הֵ֔ם וְאִם־ יֵ֥שׁ דְּבַר־ יְהוָ֖ה אִתָּ֑ם יִפְגְּעוּ־ נָא֙ בַּֽיהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת לְבִלְתִּי־ בֹ֜אוּ הַכֵּלִ֣ים ׀ הַנּוֹתָרִ֣ים בְּבֵית־ יְהוָ֗ה וּבֵ֨ית מֶ֧לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֛ה וּבִירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם בָּבֶֽלָה פ

וְאִם־  but  if 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
נְבִאִ֣ים  prophets 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
הֵ֔ם  they  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
וְאִם־  and  if 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
דְּבַר־  the  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
יְהוָ֖ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אִתָּ֑ם  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
יִפְגְּעוּ־  let  them  make  intercession 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: פָּגַע  
Sense: to encounter, meet, reach, entreat, make intercession.
נָא֙  now 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
בַּֽיהוָ֣ה  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֔וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
לְבִלְתִּי־  that  not 
Parse: Preposition-l
Root: בִּלְתִּי  
Sense: not, except adv.
בֹ֜אוּ  do  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הַכֵּלִ֣ים ׀  the  vessels 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
הַנּוֹתָרִ֣ים  which  are  left 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָתַר  
Sense: to be left over, remain, remain over, leave.
בְּבֵית־  in  the  house 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יְהוָ֗ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וּבֵ֨ית  and  [in]  the  house 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
מֶ֧לֶךְ  of  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יְהוּדָ֛ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
וּבִירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם  and  at  Jerusalem 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
בָּבֶֽלָה  to  Babylon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: בָּבֶל  
Sense: Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation