Jeremiah 25:1-14

The Seventy-Year Exile

1 [This is] the word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim^[a] son of Josiah, king of Judah (which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon).

2 The prophet Jeremiah spoke concerning all the people of Judah and all the residents of Jerusalem as follows:

3 "From the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, until this very day-23 years-the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken to you time and time again,^[b] but you have not obeyed.

4 The Lord sent all His servants the prophets to you time and time again,^[c] but you have not obeyed or even paid attention.^[d]

5 He announced, 'Turn, each of you, from your^[e] evil way of life and from your evil deeds.^[f] Live in the land the Lord gave to you and your ancestors forever and ever.

6 Do not follow other gods to serve them and to worship them,^[g] and do not provoke Me to anger by the work of your hands.^[h] Then I will do you no harm.

7 " 'But you would not obey Me'-[this is] the Lord's declaration-'in order that you might provoke Me to anger by the work of your hands and bring disaster on yourselves.'

8 "Therefore, this is what the Lord of Hosts says: 'Because you have not obeyed My words,

9 I am going to send for all the families of the north'^[i]-[this is] the Lord's declaration-'and [send for] My servant^[j] Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I will bring them against this land, against its residents, and against all these surrounding nations, and I will completely destroy them and make them a desolation,^[k] a derision, and ruins forever.

10 I will eliminate the sound of joy and gladness from them-the voice of the bridegroom and the bride,^[l] the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp.

11 This whole land will become a desolate ruin, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for 70 years.^[m]

12 When the 70 years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation'-[this is] the Lord's declaration-'the land of the Chaldeans, for their guilt, and I will make it a ruin forever.

13 I will bring on that land all My words I have spoken against it, all that is written in this book that Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations.

14 For many nations and great kings will enslave them, and I will repay them according to their deeds^[n] and the work of their hands.' "

Jeremiah 25:1-14 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. 2 Kg 23:34-24:6; 2 Ch 36:4-8
• [b]. Lit you; rising early and speaking
• [c]. Lit prophets, rising early and sending
• [d]. Lit even inclined your ears
• [e]. Lit his
• [f]. Jr 18:11; 35:15
• [g]. Jr 13:10; Dt 8:19
• [h]. Jr 44:8; Dt 31:29; 1 Kg 16:7
• [i]. Jr 1:13
• [j]. Isa 45:1
• [k]. Jr 4:7; 18:16; 19:8
• [l]. Jr 7:34; 16:9; 33:11
• [m]. Jr 29:10; 2 Ch 36:21; Dn 9:2
• [n]. Jr 50:29