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Judgment on the Nations

15 The Lord, the God of Israel, said this to me: “Take the cup of the wine of my wrath [49:12; 51:7] from my hand and make all the nations, to whom I am sending you, drink from this cup. 16 They will drink and ·stumble about [stagger; or vomit] and act like madmen because of the ·war [L sword] I am going to send among them.”

17 So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and went to those nations where he sent me and made them drink from it. 18 I served this wine to the people of Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, and the kings and officers of Judah, so they would become a ruin. Then people would be shocked and would ·insult them [hiss] and ·speak evil of [curse] them. And so it has been to this day. 19 I also made these people drink of the Lord’s anger: Pharaoh the king of Egypt, his servants, his officers, all his people, 20 and all the ·foreigners there [mixed crowd]; all the kings of the land of Uz; all the kings of the Philistines (the kings of the cities of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the people left at Ashdod); 21 the people of Edom, Moab, and ·Ammon [L the sons of Ammon]; 22 all the kings of Tyre and Sidon; all the kings of the coastal countries ·to the west [or across the sea]; 23 the people of Dedan and Tema and Buz; all who ·cut their hair short [L shave their temples; Deut. 14:1]; 24 all the kings of Arabia; and the kings of the ·people [L mixed crowd] who live in the ·desert [wilderness]; 25 all the kings of Zimri, Elam, and Media; 26 and all the kings of the north, near and far, one after the other. I made all the kingdoms on earth drink [C from the cup of wrath] of the Lord’s anger, but the king of ·Babylon [L Sheshak; C a coded reference to Babylon] will drink from this cup after all the others.

27 “Then say to them, ‘This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says: Drink ·this cup [C of my anger]. Get drunk from it and vomit. Fall down and don’t get up because of the ·war [L sword] I am sending among you!’

28 “If they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink, say to them, ‘The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says this: You must drink [C from this cup]. 29 Look! I am ·already bringing [beginning to bring] ·disaster [harm; trouble] on this city that is called by my name [C Jerusalem]. Do you think you will not be punished? You will ·be punished [L not go unpunished]! I am ·sending [L calling for] ·war [L a sword] on all the people of the earth, says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].’

30 “You [C Jeremiah] will prophesy against them with all these words. Say to them:

‘The Lord will roar [C like a lion] from heaven [Amos 1:2]
    and will ·shout [L give forth] from his holy lair [C the Temple].
    He will roar loudly against his ·land [L sheepfold].
He will shout like people who walk on grapes [Is. 63:2–6; Rev. 19:15];
    he will shout against all who live on the earth.
31 The ·noise [clamor] will spread all over the earth,
    because the Lord will accuse all the nations.
He will ·judge and tell what is wrong with [bring an indictment against] all ·people [L flesh],
    and he will kill the evil people with a sword,’” says the Lord.

32 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says:

“Disasters will soon ·spread [L go out]
    from nation to nation.
They will come like a powerful storm
    from the faraway places on earth.”

33 At that time those killed by the Lord will reach from one end of the earth to the other. No one will ·cry [mourn] for them or gather up their bodies and bury them. They will be left lying on the ground like dung [8:2; 9:22; 16:4].

34 Cry, you ·leaders [L shepherds]! Cry out loud!
    Roll around in the ·dust [ashes], ·leaders of the people [L nobles of the flock]!
·It is now time for you to be killed [L Your days are filled for slaughter].
    You will fall and be scattered,
    like ·pieces of a broken [L a choice/precious] jar.
35 There will be no place for the ·leaders [L shepherds] to ·hide [L flee];
    ·they [L the nobles of the flock] will not escape.
36 I hear the sound of the ·leaders [L shepherds] shouting.
    I hear the ·leaders of the people [L nobles of the flock] crying loudly,
    because the Lord is destroying their ·land [L pastureland].
37 Those peaceful pastures will be ·like an empty desert [L devastated],
    because the Lord is very angry.
38 Like a lion, he has left his den.
    Their land has been ·destroyed [desolated]
because of the terrible ·war [L sword] he brought,
    because of his fierce anger.

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The Cup of God’s Wrath

15 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup(A) filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send(B) you drink it. 16 When they drink(C) it, they will stagger(D) and go mad(E) because of the sword(F) I will send among them.”

17 So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations to whom he sent(G) me drink it: 18 Jerusalem(H) and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a ruin(I) and an object of horror and scorn,(J) a curse[a](K)—as they are today;(L) 19 Pharaoh king(M) of Egypt,(N) his attendants, his officials and all his people, 20 and all the foreign people there; all the kings of Uz;(O) all the kings of the Philistines(P) (those of Ashkelon,(Q) Gaza,(R) Ekron, and the people left at Ashdod); 21 Edom,(S) Moab(T) and Ammon;(U) 22 all the kings of Tyre(V) and Sidon;(W) the kings of the coastlands(X) across the sea; 23 Dedan,(Y) Tema,(Z) Buz(AA) and all who are in distant places[b];(AB) 24 all the kings of Arabia(AC) and all the kings of the foreign people(AD) who live in the wilderness; 25 all the kings of Zimri,(AE) Elam(AF) and Media;(AG) 26 and all the kings of the north,(AH) near and far, one after the other—all the kingdoms(AI) on the face of the earth. And after all of them, the king of Sheshak[c](AJ) will drink it too.

27 “Then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Drink, get drunk(AK) and vomit, and fall to rise no more because of the sword(AL) I will send among you.’ 28 But if they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink(AM), tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: You must drink it! 29 See, I am beginning to bring disaster(AN) on the city that bears my Name,(AO) and will you indeed go unpunished?(AP) You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword(AQ) on all(AR) who live on the earth,(AS) declares the Lord Almighty.’

30 “Now prophesy all these words against them and say to them:

“‘The Lord will roar(AT) from on high;
    he will thunder(AU) from his holy dwelling(AV)
    and roar mightily against his land.
He will shout like those who tread(AW) the grapes,
    shout against all who live on the earth.
31 The tumult(AX) will resound to the ends of the earth,
    for the Lord will bring charges(AY) against the nations;
he will bring judgment(AZ) on all(BA) mankind
    and put the wicked to the sword,(BB)’”
declares the Lord.

32 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Look! Disaster(BC) is spreading
    from nation to nation;(BD)
a mighty storm(BE) is rising
    from the ends of the earth.”(BF)

33 At that time those slain(BG) by the Lord will be everywhere—from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned or gathered(BH) up or buried,(BI) but will be like dung lying on the ground.

34 Weep and wail, you shepherds;(BJ)
    roll(BK) in the dust, you leaders of the flock.
For your time to be slaughtered(BL) has come;
    you will fall like the best of the rams.[d](BM)
35 The shepherds will have nowhere to flee,
    the leaders of the flock no place to escape.(BN)
36 Hear the cry(BO) of the shepherds,(BP)
    the wailing of the leaders of the flock,
    for the Lord is destroying their pasture.
37 The peaceful meadows will be laid waste
    because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
38 Like a lion(BQ) he will leave his lair,
    and their land will become desolate(BR)
because of the sword[e] of the oppressor(BS)
    and because of the Lord’s fierce anger.(BT)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 25:18 That is, their names to be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, to be seen by others as cursed
  2. Jeremiah 25:23 Or who clip the hair by their foreheads
  3. Jeremiah 25:26 Sheshak is a cryptogram for Babylon.
  4. Jeremiah 25:34 Septuagint; Hebrew fall and be shattered like fine pottery
  5. Jeremiah 25:38 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 46:16 and 50:16); most Hebrew manuscripts anger