Jeremiah 25

Seventy Years of Captivity

1 ¹The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (that was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon),

2 which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem:

3 "For twenty-three years, ²from the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, to this day, the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken ³persistently to you, ⁴but you have not listened.

4 ⁵You have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear, although the LORD ⁶ persistently sent to you all his servants the prophets,

5 saying, ⁷'Turn now, every one of you, ⁸from his evil way and evil deeds, and ⁹dwell upon the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers from of old and forever.

6 ¹⁰Do not go after other gods to serve and worship them, ¹¹or provoke me to anger ¹²with the work of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.'

7 ¹³Yet you have not listened to me, declares the LORD, ¹⁴that you might provoke me to anger ¹⁵with the work of your hands to your own harm.

8 "Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: Because you have not obeyed my words,

9 ¹⁶behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the LORD, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, ¹⁷my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations. I will devote them to destruction, ¹⁸and make them a horror, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation.

10 Moreover, ¹⁹I will banish from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, ²⁰the grinding of the millstones and ²¹the light of the lamp.

11 ²²This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and ²³these nations shall serve the king of Babylon ²⁴seventy years.

12 Then after ²⁵seventy years are completed, ²⁶I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, ²⁷the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the LORD, ²⁸making the land an everlasting waste.

13 I will bring upon that land all the words that I have uttered against it, everything written ²⁹in this book, which Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations.

14 ³⁰For many nations ³¹and great kings shall make slaves even of them, ³²and I will recompense them according to their deeds and the work of their hands."

The Cup of the Lord's Wrath

15 Thus the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: ³³"Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.

16 They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of ³⁴the sword that I am sending among them."

17 So I took the cup from the LORD's hand, ³⁵and made all the nations to whom the LORD sent me drink it:

18 ³⁶Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and officials, ³⁷to make them a desolation and a waste, a hissing and a curse, as at this day;

19 ³⁸Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his officials, all his people,

20 and ³⁹all the mixed tribes among them; all the kings of ⁴⁰the land of Uz and all the kings of ⁴¹the land of the Philistines (⁴²Ashkelon, ⁴³Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of ⁴⁴Ashdod);

21 ⁴⁵Edom, ⁴⁶Moab, and the sons of ⁴⁷Ammon;

22 all the kings of ⁴⁸Tyre, all the kings of ⁴⁹Sidon, and the kings of the coastland across ⁵⁰the sea;

23 ⁵¹Dedan, ⁵²Tema, ⁵³Buz, and all who cut ⁵⁴the corners of their hair;

24 all the ⁵⁵kings of Arabia and all the kings of ⁵⁶the mixed tribes who dwell in the desert;

25 all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of ⁵⁷Elam, and all the kings of ⁵⁸Media;

26 all the kings of ⁵⁹the north, far and near, one after another, and all the kingdoms of the world that are on the face of the earth. And after them the king of ⁶⁰Babylon^[a] shall drink.

27 "Then you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ⁶¹Drink, be drunk and vomit, fall and rise no more, because of ⁶²the sword that I am sending among you.'

28 "And if they refuse to accept the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: ⁶³You must drink!

29 For behold, ⁶⁴I begin to work disaster at the city that is called by my name, and shall you go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, ⁶⁵for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth, declares the LORD of hosts.'

30 "You, therefore, shall prophesy against them all these words, and say to them: ⁶⁶"'The LORD will roar from on high, and from his holy habitation utter his voice; he will roar mightily against his fold, ⁶⁷and shout, like those who tread grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.

31 The clamor will resound to the ends of the earth, for ⁶⁸the LORD has an indictment against the nations; ⁶⁹he is entering into judgment with all flesh, and the wicked he will put to the sword, declares the LORD.'

32 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, disaster is going forth from nation to nation, ⁷⁰and a great tempest is stirring ⁷¹from the farthest parts of the earth!

33 ⁷²"And those pierced by the LORD on that day shall extend from one end of the earth to the other. ⁷³They shall not be lamented, ⁷⁴or gathered, or buried; ⁷⁵they shall be dung on the surface of the ground.

34 ⁷⁶"Wail, ⁷⁷you shepherds, and cry out, ⁷⁸and roll in ashes, you lords of the flock, for the days of your slaughter and dispersion have come, and you shall fall like a choice vessel.

35 No refuge will remain ⁷⁹for the shepherds, nor escape for the lords of the flock.

36 A voice--the cry ⁸⁰of the shepherds, ⁸¹and the wail of the lords of the flock! For the LORD is laying waste their pasture,

37 ⁸²and the peaceful folds are devastated ⁸³because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

38 Like a lion ⁸⁴he has left his lair, for their land has become a waste because of ⁸⁵the sword of the oppressor, ⁸⁶and because of his fierce anger."

Jeremiah 25 Commentary

Chapter 25

The Jews rebuked for not obeying calls to repentance. (1-7) Their captivity during seventy years is expressly foretold. (8-14) Desolations upon the nations shown by the emblem of a cup of wrath. (15-29) The judgments again declared. (30-38)

Verses 1-7 The call to turn from evil ways to the worship and service of God, and for sinners to trust in Christ, and partake of his salvation, concerns all men. God keeps an account how long we possess the means of grace; and the longer we have them, the heavier will our account be if we have not improved them. Rising early, points out the earnest desire that this people should turn and live. Personal and particular reformation must be insisted on as necessary to a national deliverance; and every one must turn from his own evil way. Yet all was to no purpose. They would not take the right and only method to turn away the wrath of God.

Verses 8-14 The fixing of the time during which the Jewish captivity should last, would not only confirm the prophecy, but also comfort the people of God, and encourage faith and prayer. The ruin of Babylon is foretold: the rod will be thrown into the fire when the correcting work is done. When the set time to favour Zion is come, Babylon shall be punished for their iniquity, as other nations have been punished for their sins. Every threatening of the Scripture will certainly be accomplished.

Verses 15-29 The evil and the good events of life are often represented in Scripture as cups. Under this figure is represented the desolation then coming upon that part of the world, of which Nebuchadnezzar, who had just began to reign and act, was to be the instrument; but this destroying sword would come from the hand of God. The desolations the sword should make in all these kingdoms, are represented by the consequences of excessive drinking. This may make us loathe the sin of drunkenness, that the consequences of it are used to set forth such a woful condition. Drunkenness deprives men of the use of their reason, makes men as mad. It takes from them the valuable blessing, health; and is a sin which is its own punishment. This may also make us dread the judgments of war. It soon fills a nation with confusion. They will refuse to take the cup at thy hand. They will not believe Jeremiah; but he must tell them it is the word of the Lord of hosts, and it is in vain for them to struggle against Almighty power. And if God's judgments begin with backsliding professors, let not the wicked expect to escape.

Verses 30-38 The Lord has just ground of controversy with every nation and every person; and he will execute judgment on all the wicked. Who can avoid trembling when God speaks in displeasure? The days are fully come; the time fixed in the Divine counsels, which will make the nations wholly desolate. The tender and delicate shall share the common calamity. Even those who used to live in peace, and did nothing to provoke, shall not escape. Blessed be God, there is a peaceable habitation above, for all the sons of peace. The Lord will preserve his church and all believers in all changes; for nothing can separate them from his love.

Cross References

• 1. Jeremiah 1:3; Jeremiah 36:1; [2 Kings 24:1]
• 2. Jeremiah 1:2
• 3. Jeremiah 7:13; Jeremiah 11:7, 8; Jeremiah 26:5; Jeremiah 29:19; Jeremiah 32:33; Jeremiah 35:14; 2 Chronicles 36:15
• 4. See Jeremiah 7:13
• 5. [See ver. 3 above]
• 6. [See ver. 3 above]
• 7. See Jeremiah 18:11
• 8. Jeremiah 23:22
• 9. Jeremiah 7:7
• 10. See Jeremiah 7:6
• 11. [Jeremiah 32:30]
• 12. [Jeremiah 32:30]
• 13. [See ver. 6 above]
• 14. [See ver. 6 above]
• 15. [See ver. 6 above]
• 16. Jeremiah 1:15
• 17. Jeremiah 27:6; Jeremiah 43:10; [Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:1]; See Ezekiel 29:18-20
• 18. See Jeremiah 18:16
• 19. See Jeremiah 7:34
• 20. Ecclesiastes 12:4; Revelation 18:22
• 21. Revelation 18:23
• 22. [See ver. 9 above]
• 23. [Jeremiah 28:14]; See Jeremiah 27:3-6
• 24. 2 Chronicles 36:21, 22; Ezra 1:1; Daniel 9:2; [Isaiah 23:15]
• 25. [See ver. 11 above]
• 26. Jeremiah 51:24, 26, 62; Isaiah 13:19
• 27. Jeremiah 51:24, 26, 62; Isaiah 13:19
• 28. Jeremiah 51:24, 26, 62; Isaiah 13:19
• 29. See Jeremiah 46 - 51
• 30. Jeremiah 27:7; Jeremiah 50:9, 41; Jeremiah 51:27, 28
• 31. Jeremiah 27:7; Jeremiah 50:9, 41; Jeremiah 51:27, 28
• 32. Jeremiah 50:29; Jeremiah 51:6, 24
• 33. Jeremiah 49:12; Jeremiah 51:7; Job 21:20; Psalms 60:3; Psalms 75:8; Isaiah 51:17; Lamentations 4:21; Revelation 14:10
• 34. [Jeremiah 47:6]
• 35. [Isaiah 51:22, 23]
• 36. [Zechariah 12:2]
• 37. See Jeremiah 18:16
• 38. Jeremiah 46:25
• 39. Jeremiah 50:37; [Exodus 12:38; Ezekiel 30:5]
• 40. Job 1:1; Lamentations 4:21
• 41. Jeremiah 47:1, 4, 5
• 42. Jeremiah 47:1, 4, 5
• 43. Jeremiah 47:1, 4, 5
• 44. [Isaiah 20:1]
• 45. Jeremiah 9:26; See Jeremiah 49:7-22
• 46. See Jeremiah 48
• 47. See Jeremiah 49:1-6
• 48. Jeremiah 47:4; Isaiah 23:1, 2
• 49. Jeremiah 47:4; Isaiah 23:1, 2
• 50. [Jeremiah 49:23]
• 51. Jeremiah 49:8; Isaiah 21:13
• 52. Job 6:19
• 53. [Job 32:2, 6]
• 54. See Jeremiah 9:26
• 55. 2 Chronicles 9:14
• 56. [See ver. 20 above]
• 57. Isaiah 11:11; See Jeremiah 49:34-39
• 58. [2 Kings 17:6]
• 59. Jeremiah 50:9
• 60. Jeremiah 51:41
• 61. Habakkuk 2:16
• 62. Ezekiel 38:21; [ver. 16]
• 63. Jeremiah 49:12
• 64. Proverbs 11:31; Isaiah 10:12; Amos 3:2; Obadiah 16; [1 Peter 4:17]
• 65. [See ver. 27 above]
• 66. Joel 3:16; Amos 1:2
• 67. [Judges 9:27; Isaiah 16:9]
• 68. Hosea 4:1
• 69. Isaiah 66:16; [Joel 3:2]
• 70. Jeremiah 23:19; Jeremiah 30:23
• 71. Jeremiah 6:22
• 72. Isaiah 66:16
• 73. See Jeremiah 16:4
• 74. See Jeremiah 8:2
• 75. See Jeremiah 8:2
• 76. Jeremiah 4:8
• 77. See Jeremiah 23:1
• 78. Jeremiah 6:26
• 79. See Jeremiah 23:1
• 80. [See ver. 35 above]
• 81. Jeremiah 4:8
• 82. [Isaiah 32:18]
• 83. See Jeremiah 12:13
• 84. [Job 38:40]
• 85. Jeremiah 46:16; Jeremiah 50:16
• 86. [See ver. 37 above]

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew Sheshach, a code name for Babylon

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 25

This chapter contains a prophecy of the destruction of Judea by the king of Babylon; and also of Babylon itself, after the Jews' captivity of seventy years; and likewise of all the nations round about. The date of this prophecy is in Jer 25:1; when the prophet puts the Jews in mind of the prophecies that had been delivered unto them by himself and others, for some years past, without effect, Jer 25:2-7; wherefore they are threatened with the king of Babylon, that he should come against them, and strip them of all their desirable things; make their land desolate, and them captives for seventy years, Jer 25:8-11; at the expiration of which he in his turn shall be punished, and the land of Chaldea laid waste, and become subject to other nations and kings, Jer 25:12-14; and by a cup of wine given to all the nations round about, is signified the utter ruin of them, and who are particularly mentioned by name, Jer 25:15-26; which is confirmed by beginning with the city of Jerusalem, and the destruction of that, Jer 25:27-29; wherefore the prophet is bid to prophesy against them, and to declare the Lord's controversy with them, and that there should be a slaughter of them from one end of the earth to the other, Jer 25:30-33; upon which the shepherds, kings, and rulers of them, are called to lamentation and howling, Jer 25:34-38.