The Lord’s Answer

⁴⁰ Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

²⁵ “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh^(A)— ²⁶ Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the wilderness in distant places.^[a](B) For all these nations are really uncircumcised,^(C) and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.^(D)”

²² “Son of man, what is this proverb^(A) you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by and every vision comes to nothing’?^{(B) 23} Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.’ Say to them, ‘The days are near^(C) when every vision will be fulfilled.^{(D) 24} For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations^(E) among the people of Israel. ²⁵ But I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay.^(F) For in your days, you rebellious people, I will fulfill^(G) whatever I say, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(H)’”

²⁶ The word of the Lord came to me: ²⁷ “Son of man, the Israelites are saying, ‘The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.’^(I)

²⁸ “Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

¹⁴ They themselves will be enslaved^(A) by many nations^(B) and great kings; I will repay^(C) them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.”

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^(D) filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send^(E) you drink it. ¹⁶ When they drink^(F) it, they will stagger^(G) and go mad^(H) because of the sword^(I) 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^(J) me drink it: ¹⁸ Jerusalem^(K) and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a ruin^(L) and an object of horror and scorn,^(M) a curse^[a](N)—as they are today;^{(O) 19} Pharaoh king^(P) of Egypt,^(Q) his attendants, his officials and all his people, ²⁰ and all the foreign people there; all the kings of Uz;^(R) all the kings of the Philistines^(S) (those of Ashkelon,^(T) Gaza,^(U) Ekron, and the people left at Ashdod); ²¹ Edom,^(V) Moab^(W) and Ammon;^{(X) 22} all the kings of Tyre^(Y) and Sidon;^(Z) the kings of the coastlands^(AA) across the sea; ²³ Dedan,^(AB) Tema,^(AC) Buz^(AD) and all who are in distant places^[b];^{(AE) 24} all the kings of Arabia^(AF) and all the kings of the foreign people^(AG) who live in the wilderness; ²⁵ all the kings of Zimri,^(AH) Elam^(AI) and Media;^{(AJ) 26} and all the kings of the north,^(AK) near and far, one after the other—all the kingdoms^(AL) on the face of the earth. And after all of them, the king of Sheshak^[c](AM) will drink it too.

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

¹⁸ They said, “Come, let’s make plans^(A) against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest^(B) will not cease, nor will counsel from the wise,^(C) nor the word from the prophets.^(D) So come, let’s attack him with our tongues^(E) and pay no attention to anything he says.”