Jeremiah 25
1 The word that 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.
2 This is what the prophet Jeremiah spoke to all the people of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem:
3 From the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, until today—twenty-three years—the word of the LORD has come to me. I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.
4 The LORD sent all his servants the prophets to you, sending them again and again, but you did not listen or turn your ear to hear.
5 They said, “Turn back now, each of you from your evil ways and from the wickedness of your deeds. Then you will live in the land the LORD gave you and your ancestors, forever and ever.
6 Do not follow other gods to serve and bow down to them. Do not provoke me with the work of your hands, and I will not bring harm on you.”
7 But you did not listen to me, declares the LORD, and you provoked me with the work of your hands, bringing harm on yourselves.
8 Therefore, this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Because you have not listened to my words,
9 look, I am summoning all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, my servant. I will bring them against this land, its inhabitants, and all these surrounding nations. I will utterly destroy them and make them a horror, a thing to whistle at, and a perpetual ruin.
10 I will put an end among them to the sounds of joy and celebration, the voices of bridegroom and bride, the sound of millstones, and the light of a lamp.
11 This whole land will become a ruin and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.
12 When the seventy years are over, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation for their guilt, declares the LORD, and the land of the Chaldeans. I will make it a desolation forever.
13 I will bring upon that land all the words I spoke against it, everything written in this book, which Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations.”
14 For many nations and great kings will enslave them too, and I will repay them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.
15 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink from it.
16 They will drink, stagger, and go mad because of the sword I am sending among them.”
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 cities of Judah, their kings and officials, to make them a ruin, a horror, a thing to whistle at, and a curse, as they are today;
19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his officials, and all his people;
20 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 coastlands across the sea;
23 Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who clip the hair at their temples;
24 all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mixed peoples who live 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, near and far, one after another, and all the kingdoms of the earth over the face of the land. After them, the king of Sheshach will drink.
27 You will say to them, “This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Drink, get drunk, vomit, fall, and do not rise again, because of the sword I am sending among you.’”
28 If they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink, say to them, “This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘You must drink.
29 For look, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears my name. Will you go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am summoning the sword against all the inhabitants of the earth, declares the LORD of Hosts.’”
30 You will prophesy all these words to them and say: “The LORD roars from on high and thunders from his holy dwelling. He roars mightily against his pasture; he shouts like those who tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31 The tumult reaches the ends of the earth, for the LORD brings charges against the nations. He enters into judgment with all mankind and hands the wicked over to the sword, declares the LORD.”
32 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Look, disaster is spreading from nation to nation, and a great storm is rising from the farthest parts 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 up, or buried; they will become dung on the face of the land.
34 Wail, shepherds, and cry out! Roll in the dust, leaders of the flock, for your days for slaughter and scattering have come. You will fall like a precious vessel.
35 The shepherds will have no refuge, nor will the leaders of the flock have any escape.
36 The shepherds’ cries and the leaders of the flock’s wailing are heard, for the LORD is laying waste to their pasture.
37 The peaceful pastures have fallen silent because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
38 He has left his lair like a young lion, for their land has become a horror because of the oppressor’s fury and the fierce anger of the LORD.”
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