Seventy Years of Captivity

25 The word came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim(A) son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar(B) king of Babylon. So Jeremiah the prophet said to all the people of Judah(C) and to all those living in Jerusalem: For twenty-three years—from the thirteenth year of Josiah(D) son of Amon king of Judah until this very day—the word of the Lord has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again,(E) but you have not listened.(F)

And though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets(G) to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention.(H) They said, “Turn(I) now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land(J) the Lord gave to you and your ancestors for ever and ever. Do not follow other gods(K) to serve and worship them; do not arouse my anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you.”

“But you did not listen to me,” declares the Lord, “and you have aroused(L) my anger with what your hands have made,(M) and you have brought harm(N) to yourselves.”

Therefore the Lord Almighty says this: “Because you have not listened to my words, I will summon(O) all the peoples of the north(P) and my servant(Q) Nebuchadnezzar(R) king of Babylon,” declares the Lord, “and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy[a](S) them and make them an object of horror and scorn,(T) and an everlasting ruin.(U) 10 I will banish from them the sounds(V) of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom,(W) the sound of millstones(X) and the light of the lamp.(Y) 11 This whole country will become a desolate wasteland,(Z) and these nations will serve(AA) the king of Babylon seventy years.(AB)

12 “But when the seventy years(AC) are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon(AD) and his nation, the land of the Babylonians,[b] for their guilt,” declares the Lord, “and will make it desolate(AE) forever. 13 I will bring on that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written(AF) in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations. 14 They themselves will be enslaved(AG) by many nations(AH) and great kings; I will repay(AI) 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(AJ) filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send(AK) you drink it. 16 When they drink(AL) it, they will stagger(AM) and go mad(AN) because of the sword(AO) 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(AP) me drink it: 18 Jerusalem(AQ) and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a ruin(AR) and an object of horror and scorn,(AS) a curse[c](AT)—as they are today;(AU) 19 Pharaoh king(AV) of Egypt,(AW) his attendants, his officials and all his people, 20 and all the foreign people there; all the kings of Uz;(AX) all the kings of the Philistines(AY) (those of Ashkelon,(AZ) Gaza,(BA) Ekron, and the people left at Ashdod); 21 Edom,(BB) Moab(BC) and Ammon;(BD) 22 all the kings of Tyre(BE) and Sidon;(BF) the kings of the coastlands(BG) across the sea; 23 Dedan,(BH) Tema,(BI) Buz(BJ) and all who are in distant places[d];(BK) 24 all the kings of Arabia(BL) and all the kings of the foreign people(BM) who live in the wilderness; 25 all the kings of Zimri,(BN) Elam(BO) and Media;(BP) 26 and all the kings of the north,(BQ) near and far, one after the other—all the kingdoms(BR) on the face of the earth. And after all of them, the king of Sheshak[e](BS) will drink it too.

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

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

“‘The Lord will roar(CC) from on high;
    he will thunder(CD) from his holy dwelling(CE)
    and roar mightily against his land.
He will shout like those who tread(CF) the grapes,
    shout against all who live on the earth.
31 The tumult(CG) will resound to the ends of the earth,
    for the Lord will bring charges(CH) against the nations;
he will bring judgment(CI) on all(CJ) mankind
    and put the wicked to the sword,(CK)’”
declares the Lord.

32 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Look! Disaster(CL) is spreading
    from nation to nation;(CM)
a mighty storm(CN) is rising
    from the ends of the earth.”(CO)

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

34 Weep and wail, you shepherds;(CS)
    roll(CT) in the dust, you leaders of the flock.
For your time to be slaughtered(CU) has come;
    you will fall like the best of the rams.[f](CV)
35 The shepherds will have nowhere to flee,
    the leaders of the flock no place to escape.(CW)
36 Hear the cry(CX) of the shepherds,(CY)
    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(CZ) he will leave his lair,
    and their land will become desolate(DA)
because of the sword[g] of the oppressor(DB)
    and because of the Lord’s fierce anger.(DC)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 25:9 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  2. Jeremiah 25:12 Or Chaldeans
  3. Jeremiah 25:18 That is, their names to be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, to be seen by others as cursed
  4. Jeremiah 25:23 Or who clip the hair by their foreheads
  5. Jeremiah 25:26 Sheshak is a cryptogram for Babylon.
  6. Jeremiah 25:34 Septuagint; Hebrew fall and be shattered like fine pottery
  7. Jeremiah 25:38 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 46:16 and 50:16); most Hebrew manuscripts anger

25 Detta är det ord som kom till Jeremia angående hela Juda folk, i Jojakims, Josias sons, Juda konungs, fjärde regeringsår, vilket var Nebukadressars, den babyloniske konungens, första regeringsår.

Och detta ord talade profeten Jeremia till hela Juda folk och till alla Jerusalems invånare; han sade:

Allt ifrån Josias, Amons sons, Juda konungs, trettonde regeringsår ända till denna dag, eller nu under tjugutre år, har HERRENS ord kommit till mig; men fastän jag titt och ofta har talat till eder, haven I icke velat höra.

Och fastän HERREN titt och ofta har sänt till eder alla sina tjänare profeterna, haven I icke velat höra. I böjden icke edra öron till att höra,

när de sade: »Vänden om, var och en från sin onda väg och sitt onda väsende, så skolen I för evärdliga tider få bo kvar i det land som HERREN har givit åt eder och edra fäder.

Och följen icke efter andra gudar, så att I tjänen och tillbedjen dem; och förtörnen mig icke genom edra händers verk, på det att jag icke må låta olycka komma över eder.

I villen icke höra på mig, säger HERREN, och så förtörnaden I mig genom edra händers verk, eder själva till olycka.

Därför säger HERREN Sebaot så: Eftersom I icke villen höra mina ord,

därför skall jag sända åstad och hämta alla nordens folkstammar, säger HERREN, och skall sända bud till min tjänare Nebukadressar, konungen i Babel; och jag skall låta dem komma över detta land och dess inbyggare, så ock över alla folken här runt omkring. Och dem skall jag giva till spillo, och skall göra dem till ett föremål för häpnad och begabberi, och låta deras land bliva ödemarker för evärdlig tid.

10 Och jag skall i dem göra slut på fröjderop och glädjerop, på rop för brudgum och rop för brud, på buller av kvarn och ljus från lampa.

11 Ja, hela detta land skall bliva ödelagt och förött, och dessa folk skola vara Babels konung underdåniga i sjuttio år.

12 Men när sjuttio år äro till ända skall jag hemsöka konungen i Babel och folket där för deras missgärning, säger HERREN, och hemsöka kaldéernas land och göra det till en ödemark för evärdlig tid.

13 Och jag skall på det landet låta alla de ord fullbordas, som jag har talat mot det, allt vad som är skrivet i denna bok, och vad Jeremia har profeterat mot alla dessa folk.

14 Ty också dem skola mäktiga folk och stora konungar göra sig underdåniga, och jag skall vedergälla dem efter deras gärningar och deras händers verk.

15 Ty så sade HERREN, Israels Gud, till mig: »Tag denna kalk med vredesvin ur min hand, och giv alla de folk till vilka jag sänder dig att dricka därur.

16 Må de dricka, så att de ragla och mista sansen, när det svärd kommer, som jag skall sända ibland dem.»

17 Och jag tog kalken ur HERRENS hand och gav alla de folk att dricka, till vilka HERREN sände mig,

18 nämligen Jerusalem med Juda städer och med dess konungar och furstar, för att så göra dem till en ödemark, och till ett föremål för häpnad och begabberi, och till ett exempel som man nämner, när man förbannar, såsom ock nu har skett;

19 vidare Farao, konungen i Egypten, med hans tjänare, hans furstar och allt hans folk,

20 så ock allt Erebs folk med alla konungar i Us' land och alla konungar i filistéernas land, både Askelon och Gasa och Ekron och kvarlevan i Asdod;

21 vidare Edom, Moab och Ammons barn;

22 vidare alla konungar i Tyrus, alla konungar i Sidon och konungarna i kustländerna på andra sidan havet;

23 vidare Dedan, Tema, Bus och alla dem som hava kantklippt hår;

24 vidare alla konungar i Arabien och alla konungar över Erebs folk, som bo i öknen,

25 så ock alla konungar i Simri, alla konungar i Elam och alla konungar i Medien,

26 slutligen alla konungar i nordlandet -- både dem som bo nära och dem som bo fjärran, den ene såväl som den andre -- och alla övriga riken i världen, utöver jordens yta. Och Sesaks konung skall dricka efter dem.

27 Och du skall säga till dem: Så säger HERREN Sebaot, Israels Gud: Dricken, så att I bliven druckna, och spyn, och fallen omkull utan att kunna stå upp; ja, fallen, när det svärd kommer, som jag skall sända bland eder. --

28 Men om de icke vilja taga emot kalken ur din hand och dricka, så säg till dem: Så säger HERREN Sebaot: I måsten dricka.

29 Ty se, med den stad som är uppkallad efter mitt namn skall jag begynna hemsökelsen. Skullen då I bliva ostraffade? Nej, I skolen icke bliva ostraffade, utan jag skall båda upp ett svärd mot jordens alla inbyggare, säger HERREN Sebaot.

30 Och du skall profetera för dem allt detta och säga till dem: HERREN upphäver ett rytande från höjden och från sin heliga boning låter han höra sin röst; ja, han upphäver ett högt rytande över sin ängd och höjer skördeskri, såsom en vintrampare, över alla jordens inbyggare.

31 Dånet höres intill jordens ända, ty HERREN har sak med folken, han går till rätta med allt kött; de ogudaktiga giver han till pris åt svärdet, säger HERREN.

32 Så säger HERREN Sebaot: Se, en olycka går fram ifrån det ena folket till det andra, och ett stort oväder stiger upp från jordens yttersta ända.

33 Och de som bliva slagna av HERREN på den tiden skola ligga strödda från jordens ena ända till den andra; man skall icke hålla dödsklagan efter dem eller samla dem tillhopa och begrava dem, utan de skola bliva gödsel på marken.

34 Jämren eder, I herdar, och klagen; vältren eder på marken, I väldige i hjorden; ty tiden är inne, att I skolen slaktas. I skolen bliva förskingrade, I skolen komma på fall, såsom det händer jämväl ett dyrbart kärl.

35 Då finnes icke mer någon undflykt för herdarna, icke mer någon räddning för de väldige i hjorden.

36 Hör huru herdarna ropa, huru de väldige i hjorden jämra sig! Ty HERREN ödelägger deras betesmark,

37 och de fredliga ängderna förgöras genom HERRENS vredes glöd.

38 Han drager ut såsom ett lejon ur sitt snår. Ja, deras land bliver en ödemark under förhärjelsens glöd, under hans vredes glöd.

25 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon;

The which Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying,

From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that is the three and twentieth year, the word of the Lord hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened.

And the Lord hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.

They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever:

And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.

Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the Lord; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.

Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words,

Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.

10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.

11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.

13 And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations.

14 For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands.

15 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.

16 And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.

17 Then took I the cup at the Lord's hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the Lord had sent me:

18 To wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as it is this day;

19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;

20 And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod,

21 Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon,

22 And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea,

23 Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that are in the utmost corners,

24 And all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert,

25 And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes,

26 And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.

27 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.

28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink.

29 For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts.

30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.

31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord.

32 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.

33 And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.

34 Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.

35 And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.

36 A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the Lord hath spoiled their pasture.

37 And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the Lord.

38 He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.