Jeremiah 27:7

All nations will serve him and his son and grandson, until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings will enslave him.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jeremiah delivers a message from the LORD to the nations and Judah’s officials, declaring that YHWH has placed all these lands under Nebuchadnezzar’s authority. The pronouncement occurs during a period of political crisis, warning against resistance to Babylonian rule.

The words — עָבְדוּ ('a.ve.Du) means "they will serve," and בֶּן (ben) means "son," establishing a three-generation succession of Babylonian control. The Hebrew syntax links "his son" and "the son of his son" to mark a fixed period of foreign dominance.

The thread — The mandated servitude to Babylon recurs in Jeremiah 25:11, which sets a seventy-year limit, and Isaiah 14:4, which later pronounces contempt against that same oppressor. Jeremiah 52:31 records the release of King Jehoiachin, signaling the conclusion of that specific exile timeline.

Why it lands — The text demands acknowledgment of imperial power as a temporary divine instrument rather than an absolute authority. It requires the reader to accept political subjugation as a measured judgment while recognizing that the oppressor will eventually face his own conquest.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

King James Version

And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son’s son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 52:31 On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the first year of the reign of Evil-merodach king of Babylon, he pardoned Jehoiachin king of Judah and released him from prison.
Isaiah 14:4 you will sing this song of contempt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has ceased, and how his fury has ended!
Jeremiah 25:11 And this whole land will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.
Daniel 5:25 Now this is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.
Zechariah 2:8 For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “After His Glory has sent Me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye—
Revelation 13:5 The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months.
2 Chronicles 36:20 Those who escaped the sword were carried by Nebuchadnezzar into exile in Babylon, and they became servants to him and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power.
Psalms 37:13 but the Lord laughs, seeing that their day is coming.
Psalms 137:8 O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, blessed is he who repays you as you have done to us.
Isaiah 13:1 This is the burden against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz received: