Jeremiah 25:29-38

29 For behold, 1I begin to work disaster at the city that is called by my name, and shall you go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, 2for 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: 3"'The LORD will roar from on high, and from his holy habitation utter his voice; he will roar mightily against his fold, 4and 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 5the LORD has an indictment against the nations; 6he 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, 7and a great tempest is stirring 8from the farthest parts of the earth!
33 9"And those pierced by the LORD on that day shall extend from one end of the earth to the other. 10They shall not be lamented, 11or gathered, or buried; 12they shall be dung on the surface of the ground.
34 13"Wail, 14you shepherds, and cry out, 15and 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 16for the shepherds, nor escape for the lords of the flock.
36 A voice--the cry 17of the shepherds, 18and the wail of the lords of the flock! For the LORD is laying waste their pasture,
37 19and the peaceful folds are devastated 20because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
38 Like a lion 21he has left his lair, for their land has become a waste because of 22the sword of the oppressor, 23and because of his fierce anger."

Jeremiah 25:29-38 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References 23

  • 1. Proverbs 11:31; Isaiah 10:12; Amos 3:2; Obadiah 16; [1 Peter 4:17]
  • 2. [See ver. 27 above]
  • 3. Joel 3:16; Amos 1:2
  • 4. [Judges 9:27; Isaiah 16:9]
  • 5. Hosea 4:1
  • 6. Isaiah 66:16; [Joel 3:2]
  • 7. Jeremiah 23:19; Jeremiah 30:23
  • 8. Jeremiah 6:22
  • 9. Isaiah 66:16
  • 10. See Jeremiah 16:4
  • 11. See Jeremiah 8:2
  • 12. See Jeremiah 8:2
  • 13. Jeremiah 4:8
  • 14. See Jeremiah 23:1
  • 15. Jeremiah 6:26
  • 16. See Jeremiah 23:1
  • 17. [See ver. 35 above]
  • 18. Jeremiah 4:8
  • 19. [Isaiah 32:18]
  • 20. See Jeremiah 12:13
  • 21. [Job 38:40]
  • 22. Jeremiah 46:16; Jeremiah 50:16
  • 23. [See ver. 37 above]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.