“‘Go!

Tell Hananiah!

Thus says Yahweh!

You have broken wooden bars,

Only to forge iron bars

In place of them!

Thus says Yahweh of hosts!

The God of Israel!

I have put an iron yoke

On the neck of all these nations.

Thus they may serve

King Nebuchadnezzar

Of Babylon.

They shall indeed serve him.

I have even given to him

The wild animals.’”

Yahweh spoke to Jeremiah to tell him to go to the prophet Hananiah. Jeremiah was to tell Hananiah that even though he had broken the wooden yoke that Jeremiah had around his neck, it was going to be replaced with an iron yoke. In fact, Yahweh, the God of Israel, was going to put an iron yoke on all the nations, so that they would all serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. There was no doubt that Yahweh favored the Babylonian king, so that even the wild animals were under his control.