Jeremiah Chapter 25
1 A Message to Jeremiah About the People in Judah
in the Fourth Year of Jehoiakim Ben-Josiah, King of Judah
(the
First Year of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon)
Seventy Years of Captivity
2 Jeremiah told the people in Judah and Jerusalem:
3 “From the thirteenth year of Josiah Ben-Amon, king of Judah, till now (23 years), Yahveh’s message has been coming to me. I’ve spoken to you again and again, but you’ve ignored me. 4 He has sent you his prophets over and over, 5 ‘Turn from your sinful ways and deeds, and live on the land I’ve given you and your ancestors forever. 6 Don’t worship and serve other gods. Don’t make me angry with what you’ve made with your hands, and I won’t hurt you.’ 7 But you ignored me and made me angry with what you’ve made with your hands to your own hurt.
Jer 25:1-7
8 “‘So, because you haven’t obeyed me, 9 I’m going to send for the armies in the north and for Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, my servant, and bring them against this land and surrounding nations. I’ll destroy them, make them something to abhor, to gasp at, a permanent wasteland. 10 I’ll take away the joy and happiness, the voices of bride and groom, the sound of millstones, the light from lamps. 11 This whole region will be desolate. Those nations will serve the king of Babylon for 70 years.
12 “‘When the 70 years are up, I’ll punish the king of Babylon and the Babylonians for their sin. I’ll make it a permanent wasteland 13 and bring on it everything I’ve threatened in this scroll that Jeremiah prophesied. 14 Many nations and great kings will make slaves out of them too. I’ll pay them back for what they’ve done and their hands have made.’”
The Cup of God’s Anger
15 Yahveh God of Israel told me, “Take this cup of the wine of my anger and make the nations drink it. 16 They’ll stagger and go crazy because of the sword that’s coming among them.”
Jer 25:8-16
17 Yahveh handed me the cup, and I made the nations drink it: 18 Jerusalem and the towns in Judah, its kings and officials—to make them a ruin, something to abhor, to gasp at and curse, like it is now: 19 Pharaoh, Egypt’s king, his attendants, officials, and people; 20 foreigners, the kings of Uz, the Philistines (Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod); 21 Edom, Moab, the Ammonites; 22 the kings of Tyre, Sidon, and regions beyond the sea; 23 Dedan, Tema, Buz, those who clip the hair on their temples; 24 the kings of Arabia and the foreigners that live in the desert; 25 the kings of Zimri, Elam, Media; 26 the north near and far, one with another—all the kingdoms in the region. The king of Sheshach/Babylon will drink after them.
Jer 25:17-26
27 “Tell them Yahveh of Hosts, the God of Israel, says, ‘Drink it, get drunk, vomit, fall down, and not get up; I’m sending a sword among you.’ 28 If they try to refuse, tell them Yahveh of Hosts says, ‘You will drink it! 29 I’m about to bring a catastrophe on this city I’ve identified with, and you think you’ll avoid getting punished?! I’m calling for a sword against everybody on the earth.”
Jer 25:27-29
30 “Prophesy these things against them:
‘Yahveh will roar from on high
and speak from his holy dwelling place.
He’ll roar mightily against his fold.
He’ll shout like someone treading grapes,
against everybody on earth.
31 The judgment cry will resound to the end of the earth,
because Yahveh is indicting the nations.
He’s entering into judgment with everybody;
he’s delivering sinners to the sword.”
Jer 25:30-31
32 Yahveh of Hosts says,
“Catastrophy is moving out from nation to nation;
a great storm is brewing
from the most remote parts of the earth.
33 Yahveh will slay from one end of earth to the other.
They won’t be mourned, gathered, or buried;
they’ll be like manure on the ground.
34 Wail, shepherds; cry out;
wallow in ashes, you flock leaders.
It’s time for you to be scattered and slaughtered;
you’ll fall like the best of the flock.
Jer 25:32-34
35 The shepherds won’t be able to get away;
the flock leaders can’t escape.
36 Listen to the shepherds’ cries,
the wailing of the flock leaders!
Yahveh’s destroying their pasture.
37 The peaceful folds will become a wasteland
because of his fierce anger.
38 He has left his hiding place like a lion looking for prey
because their land has become abhorrent,
because of how fierce the oppressing sword is,
and because of his fierce anger.”
Jer 25:35-38