The Cup of God’s Wrath

15 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take this cup of the wine of wrath from my hand and make all the nations to whom I am sending you drink from it.(A) 16 They will drink, stagger,[a] and go out of their minds because of the sword I am sending among them.”(B)

17 So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations to whom the Lord sent me drink from it.

18 Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah, its kings and its officials, to make them a desolate ruin, an example for scorn and cursing—as it is today;

19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, his officers, his leaders, all his people,

20 and all the mixed peoples;

all the kings of the land of Uz;

all the kings of the land of the Philistines—Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;

21 Edom, Moab, and the Ammonites;

22 all the kings of Tyre,

all the kings of Sidon,

and the kings of the coasts and islands;

23 Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all those who clip the hair on their temples;[b](C)

24 all the kings of Arabia,

and all the kings of the mixed peoples who have settled in the desert;

25 all the kings of Zimri,

all the kings of Elam,

and all the kings of Media;

26 all the kings of the north, both near and far from one another;

that is, all the kingdoms of the world throughout the earth.

Finally, the king of Sheshak[c](D) will drink after them.

27 “Then you are to say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Drink,(E) get drunk, and vomit. Fall down and never get up again, as a result of the sword I am sending among you.’ 28 If[d] they refuse to accept the cup from your hand and drink, you are to say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: You must drink! 29 For I am already bringing disaster(F) on the city that bears my name,(G) so how could you possibly go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth. This is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.’(H)

Judgment on the Whole World

30 “As for you, you are to prophesy all these things to them, and say to them:

The Lord roars from on high;
he makes his voice heard from his holy dwelling.(I)
He roars loudly over his grazing land;
he calls out with a shout, like those who tread grapes,
against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31 The tumult reaches to the ends of the earth
because the Lord brings a case against(J) the nations.
He enters into judgment with all humanity.(K)
As for the wicked, he hands them over to the sword—
this is the Lord’s declaration.

32 “This is what the Lord of Armies says:

Pay attention! Disaster spreads
from nation to nation.
A huge storm is stirred up
from the ends of the earth.”(L)

33 Those slain by the Lord(M) on that day will be scattered from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned,(N) gathered, or buried. They will be like manure on the soil’s surface.

34 Wail, you shepherds, and cry out.
Roll in the dust,(O) you leaders of the flock.
Because the days of your slaughter have come,(P)
you will fall and become shattered like a precious vase.
35 Flight will be impossible for the shepherds,
and escape, for the leaders of the flock.
36 Hear the sound of the shepherds’ cry,
the wail of the leaders of the flock,
for the Lord is destroying their pasture.
37 Peaceful grazing land will become lifeless
because of the Lord’s burning anger.(Q)
38 He has left his den like a lion,
for their land has become a desolation
because of the sword[e] of the oppressor,(R)
because of his burning anger.

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Footnotes

  1. 25:16 Or vomit
  2. 25:23 Or who live in distant places
  3. 25:26 = Babylon
  4. 25:28 Or When
  5. 25:38 Some Hb mss, LXX, Tg; other Hb mss read burning

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