Jeremiah 25

Seventy Years of Captivity Prophesied

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

2 Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and all the residents of Jerusalem, saying:

3 “From the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, until this very day, for twenty-three years, the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.”

4 “And the LORD sent all His servants the prophets to you again and again, but you have not listened or paid attention.”

5 “They said, ‘Turn now, every one of you, from your evil ways and evil deeds, and you can live in the land the LORD gave you and your fathers forever.’”

6 “‘Do not follow other gods, serving and worshiping them. Do not provoke Me with what your hands have made, and I will not harm you.’”

7 “But you have not listened to Me,” declares the LORD, “and you have provoked Me with what your hands have made, bringing harm on yourselves.”

Babylon, God’s Servant of Judgment

8 Therefore this is what the LORD of armies says: “Because you have not obeyed My words,

9 I am sending for all the peoples of the north,” declares the LORD, “and for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all these surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them and make them an object of horror and scorn, a perpetual ruin.”

10 “I will remove from them the sound of joy and gladness, the voices of the bridegroom and bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp.”

11 “This whole land will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.”

12 “But when the seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,” declares the LORD, “for their wrongdoing, and I will make the land of the Chaldeans a perpetual desolation.”

13 “I will bring upon that land all the words I have spoken against it, everything written in this book that Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations.”

14 “For many nations and great kings will enslave them also. And I will repay them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.”

The Cup of God’s Wrath

15 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from My hand this cup filled with the wine of My wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.”

16 “When they drink it, they will stagger and go mad because of the sword I am sending among them.”

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

18 Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a ruin and an object of scorn and cursing, as they are today.

19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, his officials, his leaders, and all his people.

20 All the foreign people there; all the kings of Uz; all the kings of the Philistines, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod.

21 Edom, Moab, and the Ammonites.

22 All the kings of Tyre and Sidon; the kings of the coastlands across the sea.

23 Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who trim their hair short.

24 All the kings of Arabia and the kings of the desert tribes.

25 All the kings of Zimri, Elam, and Media.

26 All the kings of the north, near and far, one after another, all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. And after all of them, the king of Sheshach will drink it.

Judgment on All Nations

27 “Then tell them, ‘This is what the LORD of armies, the God of Israel, says: Drink, get drunk, and vomit; fall down and never rise again because of the sword I am sending among you.’”

28 “But if they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink, tell them, ‘This is what the LORD of armies says: You must drink!’”

29 “For look, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears My name, and do you really think you will go unpunished, You will not escape unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all who live on the earth,” declares the LORD.

The LORD Roars from on High

30 “Now prophesy all these words against them and say: ‘The LORD roars from on high; He thunders from His holy dwelling. He roars mightily against His land. He shouts like those who tread grapes, Against all who live on the earth.’”

31 “The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth, For the LORD brings charges against the nations. He is judging all mankind And will hand the wicked over to the sword,” Declares the LORD.

32 This is what the LORD of armies says: “Disaster is spreading from nation to nation; A mighty storm is rising from the ends of the earth.”

33 “At that time those slain by the LORD will lie everywhere, From one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned, gathered, or buried; They will be like dung on the ground.”

Wail, You Shepherds

34 “Wail, you shepherds, and cry out! Roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock! For the time has come for you to be slaughtered, You will fall like the best of the rams.”

35 “The shepherds will have nowhere to flee, Nor the leaders of the flock a place to escape.”

36 “Listen to the cries of the shepherds And the wailing of the leaders of the flock, For the LORD is destroying their pasture.”

37 “The peaceful meadows have been silenced Because of the LORD’s fierce anger.”

38 “He has left His lair like a lion, For their land has become desolate Because of the oppressor’s sword And because of His fierce wrath.”