Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.
Pour out {H8210} thy fury {H2534} upon the heathen {H1471} that know {H3045} thee not, and upon the families {H4940} that call {H7121} not on thy name {H8034}: for they have eaten up {H398} Jacob {H3290}, and devoured {H398} him, and consumed {H3615} him, and have made his habitation {H5116} desolate {H8074}.
Pour out your anger on the nations that do not acknowledge you, also on the families that do not call on your name. For they have consumed Ya'akov - consumed him and finished him off, and laid waste to his home.
Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge You, and on the families that do not call on Your name. For they have devoured Jacob; they have consumed him and finished him off; they have devastated his homeland.
Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name; for they have devoured Jacob, yea, they have devoured him and consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation.
-
Psalms 79:6
¶ Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. -
Psalms 79:7
For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place. -
Jeremiah 8:16
The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein. -
Psalms 14:4
¶ Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people [as] they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD. -
Job 18:21
Surely such [are] the dwellings of the wicked, and this [is] the place [of him that] knoweth not God. -
Psalms 27:2
When the wicked, [even] mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. -
Ezekiel 25:6
For thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast clapped [thine] hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart with all thy despite against the land of Israel;
Jeremiah 10:25 is a powerful imprecatory prayer or prophetic declaration found within the book of Jeremiah. It expresses a fervent plea for God's divine wrath to be poured out upon the nations that do not acknowledge Him and have severely oppressed His people, Israel (referred to as Jacob).
Context
This verse comes towards the end of a significant section in Jeremiah Chapter 10, where the prophet contrasts the living God of Israel with the lifeless idols worshipped by other nations and even by Judah itself. Jeremiah has just lamented the impending judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem, acknowledging their own sinfulness and the coming desolation. However, in verse 25, the focus shifts outward, appealing to God's justice against the "heathen" nations responsible for Israel's suffering and displacement. This prayer for God's judgment against opposing nations stands in stark contrast to the earlier part of the chapter, which eloquently details the folly and powerlessness of idols compared to the living God.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "Pour out thy fury" (KJV) comes from the Hebrew root shapakh (שָׁפַךְ), which literally means "to pour out" or "to shed." When used in the context of divine wrath, it conveys a complete and overwhelming release of judgment, similar to pouring out a liquid. The term "heathen" translates the Hebrew word goyim (גּוֹיִם), which simply means "nations" or "peoples," but in many Old Testament contexts, it refers specifically to non-Israelite nations, often those hostile to God's purposes. "Jacob" is a poetic and ancestral name for the nation of Israel, emphasizing their lineage and covenant relationship with God.
Related Scriptures
The call to 'Pour out thy fury' (Hebrew: shapakh) underscores God's righteous indignation and promise of vengeance against those who oppose Him and His people. This concept of God defending His people against oppressors is a recurring theme throughout Scripture (See Zechariah 2:8, where God says, "he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye"). The desolation described here also echoes prophecies of judgment against oppressors found in books like Isaiah 13:9-11.
Practical Application
Jeremiah 10:25 reminds us that God is a God of justice who will ultimately hold all nations and individuals accountable for their actions, especially concerning how they treat His people and whether they acknowledge Him. While believers are called to love their enemies and pray for their salvation, this verse also validates the deep human cry for justice in the face of severe oppression. It offers comfort that God sees the suffering of His people and will act in His perfect timing. For those who do not know God, it serves as a solemn warning about the consequences of spiritual ignorance and rebellion against the Creator.