Jeremiah 25:17-28

17 So I took the cup from the LORD's hand, 1and made all the nations to whom the LORD sent me drink it:
18 2Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and officials, 3to make them a desolation and a waste, a hissing and a curse, as at this day;
19 4Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his officials, all his people,
20 and 5all the mixed tribes among them; all the kings of 6the land of Uz and all the kings of 7the land of the Philistines (8Ashkelon, 9Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of 10Ashdod);
21 11Edom, 12Moab, and the sons of 13Ammon;
22 all the kings of 14Tyre, all the kings of 15Sidon, and the kings of the coastland across 16the sea;
23 17Dedan, 18Tema, 19Buz, and all who cut 20the corners of their hair;
24 all the 21kings of Arabia and all the kings of 22the mixed tribes who dwell in the desert;
25 all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of 23Elam, and all the kings of 24Media;
26 all the kings of 25the 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 26Babylon[a] shall drink.
27 "Then you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 27Drink, be drunk and vomit, fall and rise no more, because of 28the 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: 29You must drink!

Jeremiah 25:17-28 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 29

  • 1. [Isaiah 51:22, 23]
  • 2. [Zechariah 12:2]
  • 3. See Jeremiah 18:16
  • 4. Jeremiah 46:25
  • 5. Jeremiah 50:37; [Exodus 12:38; Ezekiel 30:5]
  • 6. Job 1:1; Lamentations 4:21
  • 7. Jeremiah 47:1, 4, 5
  • 8. Jeremiah 47:1, 4, 5
  • 9. Jeremiah 47:1, 4, 5
  • 10. [Isaiah 20:1]
  • 11. Jeremiah 9:26; See Jeremiah 49:7-22
  • 12. See Jeremiah 48
  • 13. See Jeremiah 49:1-6
  • 14. Jeremiah 47:4; Isaiah 23:1, 2
  • 15. Jeremiah 47:4; Isaiah 23:1, 2
  • 16. [Jeremiah 49:23]
  • 17. Jeremiah 49:8; Isaiah 21:13
  • 18. Job 6:19
  • 19. [Job 32:2, 6]
  • 20. See Jeremiah 9:26
  • 21. 2 Chronicles 9:14
  • 22. [See ver. 20 above]
  • 23. Isaiah 11:11; See Jeremiah 49:34-39
  • 24. [2 Kings 17:6]
  • 25. Jeremiah 50:9
  • 26. Jeremiah 51:41
  • 27. Habakkuk 2:16
  • 28. Ezekiel 38:21; [ver. 16]
  • 29. Jeremiah 49:12

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Hebrew Sheshach, a code name for Babylon
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.