Jeremiah 25

Years of unheard warnings

1This word came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah. That was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. 2Jeremiah the prophet spoke it to all the people of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem: 3“For twenty-three years—from the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, until today—the word of the LORD has come to me. I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened. 4The LORD has sent all his servants the prophets to you again and again, but you have not listened or inclined your ear to hear. 5They said, ‘Turn back, each of you, from your evil way and your evil deeds. Then live on the soil the LORD gave you and your ancestors from long ago and for all time. 6Do not follow other gods to serve them and bow down to them. Do not provoke me with what your hands have made, and I will not bring harm on you.’ 7‘But you did not listen to me, declares the LORD. You provoked me with what your hands made, bringing harm on yourselves.’

Seventy years and Babylon’s reckoning

8“So the LORD of hosts says: ‘Because you have not listened to my words, 9I will send for all the clans of the north, declares the LORD, and for my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. I will bring them against this land, its inhabitants, and all these surrounding nations. I will devote them to destruction and make them a horror, something to hiss at, and lasting ruins. 10I will put an end among them to the sound of joy and gladness, the voice of bridegroom and bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp. 11This whole land will become a ruin and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years. 12When seventy years are complete, I will call the king of Babylon, that nation, and the land of the Chaldeans to account for their guilt, declares the LORD. I will make it a lasting waste. 13I will bring upon that land all the words I have spoken against it, everything written in this scroll that Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations. 14For many nations and great kings will enslave them in turn. I will repay them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.’”

The nations drink the cup

15This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of wine, the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. 16They will drink, stagger, and go mad because of the sword I am sending among them.” 17So I took the cup from the hand of the LORD and made all the nations to whom the LORD sent me drink it: 18Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials—to make them a ruin, a horror, something to hiss at, and a curse, as they are today; 19Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his officials, and all his people; 20all the mixed peoples; all the kings of the land of Uz; all the kings of the land of the Philistines—Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and what remains of Ashdod; 21Edom, Moab, and the Ammonites; 22all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the coastlands across the sea; 23Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who clip the edges of their hair; 24all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the mixed peoples living in the wilderness; 25all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of Media; 26all the kings of the north, near and far, one after another; and all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. After them the king of Sheshach will drink.

27“Tell them: ‘The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, says: Drink, get drunk, vomit, fall, and never rise again, because of the sword I am sending among you.’ 28If they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink, tell them: ‘The LORD of hosts says: You will certainly drink! 29For look, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears my name. Do you expect to go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against everyone who lives on the earth, declares the LORD of hosts.’

The storm and the shepherds

30“You must prophesy all these words to them. Tell them:
The LORD roars from on high;
from his holy dwelling he raises his voice.
He roars mightily over his pasture.
Like those treading grapes, he shouts
against all the inhabitants of the earth. 31The uproar reaches the ends of the earth,
for the LORD has a case against the nations.
He brings all flesh to judgment;
he hands the wicked over to the sword,
declares the LORD. 32The LORD of hosts says:
Look! Disaster spreads from nation to nation;
a mighty storm rises
from the farthest reaches of the earth. 33“On that day, those slain by the LORD will lie from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned, gathered, or buried. They will be dung on the surface of the ground.

34Wail and cry out, shepherds!
Roll in the dust, leaders of the flock!
Your days for slaughter and scattering have come;
you will fall like a precious vessel. 35The shepherds will have nowhere to flee;
the leaders of the flock will have no escape. 36Listen to the shepherds' cry,
the wailing of the leaders of the flock!
The LORD is devastating their pasture. 37The peaceful pastures lie silent
because of the LORD's burning anger. 38Like a young lion he has left his lair.
Their land has become a horror
because of the fury of the oppressor
and because of his burning anger.”