Jeremiah prophesies God's judgment upon Judah for their persistent disobedience and idolatry over twenty-three years. He declares that Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, will be God's servant to bring desolation upon Judah and surrounding nations for seventy years. After this period, Babylon itself will face perpetual desolation for its iniquity.
The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (the same was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon),
From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, these twenty-three years, the LORD’s word has come to me, and I have spoken to you, rising up early and speaking; but you have not listened.
saying, Return now everyone from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and to your fathers, from of old and even forever more;
behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, says the LORD, and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations around; and I will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual desolations.
Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp.
It shall happen, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, says the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Kasdim; and I will make it desolate forever.
I will bring on that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations.
For many nations and great kings shall make bondservants of them, even of them; and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the work of their hands.
For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to me: take this cup of the wine of wrath at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it.
Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and its kings, and its princes, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and a curse, as it is this day;
and all the mixed people, and all the kings of the land of the Uz, and all the kings of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Gaza, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;
and all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the world, which are on the surface of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.
You shall tell them, Thus says the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: Drink, and be drunk, vomit, fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.
For, behold, I begin to work evil at the city which is called by my name; and should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be unpunished; for I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth, says the LORD of Hosts.
Therefore prophesy you against them all these words, and tell them, the LORD will roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he will mightily roar against his fold; he will give a shout, as those who tread grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
A noise shall come even to the end of the earth; for the LORD has a controversy with the nations; he will enter into judgment with all flesh: as for the wicked, he will give them to the sword, says the LORD.
Thus says the LORD of Hosts, Behold, evil shall go out from nation to nation, and a great storm shall be raised up from the uttermost parts of the earth.
The slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung on the surface of the ground.
Wail, you shepherds, and cry; and wallow in dust, you principal of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are fully come, and you shall fall like a goodly vessel.
He has left his covert, as the lion; for their land has become an astonishment because of the fierceness of the oppression, and because of his fierce anger.
Study Notes for Jeremiah 25
Verse 1
This prophecy is dated to 605 BC, immediately following the Battle of Carchemish and marking the effective beginning of Nebuchadrezzar’s rise to power and the shift to Babylonian dominance.
Verse 3
Jeremiah’s ministry spanned 23 years (from 627 BC to 605 BC). This long period highlights God’s patience and the persistent refusal of Judah to heed the prophetic warnings.
Verse 5
The core message of the prophets was always repentance and a return to the covenant relationship, which would guarantee their continued security in the promised land.
Verse 9
Nebuchadrezzar is shockingly called 'my servant.' This title emphasizes God’s absolute sovereignty, confirming that the pagan Babylonian king is merely an instrument used by Yahweh to execute divine judgment.
Verse 10
This verse describes the complete cessation of normal life, joy, commerce, and domesticity—a total cultural collapse resulting from the invasion.
Verse 11
The famous prophecy of 'seventy years' defines the length of the Babylonian exile. This period ran from the initial deportations (c. 605 BC) until the return under Cyrus (538 BC), providing the exiles with a specific timeline for hope.
Verse 12
God promises that Babylon, the agent of judgment, will itself be punished when the seventy years are complete. This demonstrates that God holds even the most powerful nations accountable for their wickedness.
Verse 13
The phrase 'all that is written in this book' likely refers to the collection of prophecies concerning foreign nations (found primarily in chapters 46–51), indicating that these oracles were already being compiled.
Verse 15
The 'wine cup of fury' is a common prophetic metaphor for divine judgment, signifying a deadly draught that causes nations to stagger, lose control, and fall under God’s wrath.
Verse 18
Jerusalem and Judah are listed first, confirming that God’s judgment begins with His own people before extending to the surrounding world (cf. 1 Peter 4:17).
Verse 26
The list includes nations from all directions, symbolizing universal judgment. 'Sheshach' is a cryptographic name for Babylon, likely used to disguise the prophecy for political safety (using the Atbash cipher).
Verse 29
This verse states the theological principle that if God judges the city bearing His name (Jerusalem), then the wicked nations of the world have no hope of escaping judgment.
Verse 30
The image of the LORD roaring (like a lion) from His holy habitation signifies the sudden, terrifying, and inescapable activation of divine judgment upon the whole earth.
Verse 31
The LORD is presented as the supreme judge who has a 'controversy' (a legal dispute or lawsuit) against all humanity due to their wickedness.
Verse 33
The scope of the destruction is universal ('one end of the earth even unto the other'). The lack of burial was considered a profound curse and dishonor in the ancient Near East.
Verse 34
The 'shepherds' are the rulers, kings, and political leaders of the nations who will be destroyed. They are addressed here in bitter sarcasm, urged to howl over their impending doom.
Verse 38
God leaving His 'covert' (or lair) like a lion signifies that He is emerging from His sanctuary to execute judgment openly and fiercely against His enemies.
Use ←→ arrow keys to navigate
Settings
Reading Style
Typeface
Font Size px
The Calling of Disciples
19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Reading Width chars
Options
Choose a Book
Study Note
Bible Version
Recent History
Get the App
Add TrulyRandomVerse to your home screen for instant access
TRV