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Jeremiah 25:1-38 open_in_new
Jeremiah's Fourteenth Prophecy (Reign of Jehoiakim). The Wine Cup of God's Fury
We have here the first closely dated prophecy, taking us back from Zedekih's reign to the fourth year of Jehoiakim, between the news of the victory of Nebuchadnezzar over Pharaoh-Necho and the Egyptians at Carchemish (605 b.c.) and the arrival of the Chaldean army under the walls of Jerusalem. The prophet advises submission to Babylon as God's agent, but promises its overthrow at the end. of the seventy years' captivity which impends. He announces the judgment that shall descend on the nations.
1-7. The people's prolonged waywardness.
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Jeremiah 25:3 open_in_new
The three and twentieth year] of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry.
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Jeremiah 25:7 open_in_new
The works of your hands] i.e. your idols.
8-14. Babylon's victory and subsequent overthrow.
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Jeremiah 25:9 open_in_new
Families of the north] the races near the Tigris and Euphrates. My servant] God's agent in carrying out His purposes of chastisement.
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Jeremiah 25:11 open_in_new
Seventy years] for the definite number cp. Jeremiah 29:10. The Jewish love for round numbers would lead them to consider the number seventy used in such a connexion as standing for any approximation to that amount. The captivity seems to have been, in fact, for somewhat less than seventy years.
Immediately upon Jeremiah 25:13 there come in the Septuagint (Greek) version of this book the prophecies against foreign nations, which in the English (following the Hebrew) stand at the end (Jeremiah 46-51).
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Jeremiah 25:14 open_in_new
Of them] viz. of the Chaldeans. As they have done to the people of God, so shall it be done to them.
15-29. The wine cup of God's fury to be drunk by the nations.
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Jeremiah 25:15 open_in_new
Wine cup] representing disaster, so often in OT.: cp. Jeremiah 49:12; Jeremiah 51:7.
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Jeremiah 25:16 open_in_new
Be moved] RV 'reel to and fro.'
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Jeremiah 25:17 open_in_new
Then took I the cup] not, however, in a literal sense, the cup being itself only figurative.
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Jeremiah 25:18 open_in_new
As it is this day] a later insertion by Jeremiah or another as comment on the fulfilment.
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Jeremiah 25:20 open_in_new
The mingled people] those who had attached themselves to a nation without being connected with it by blood. Uz] Job's country near Idumea (Lamentations 4:21). Ashkelon, etc.] the chief cities of Philistia. Azzah] RV 'Gaza.'
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Jeremiah 25:22 open_in_new
Isles] RV 'isle,' RM 'coastland,' a phrase denoting generally the region W. of Palestine, with special reference to the Grecian Archipelago.
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Jeremiah 25:23 open_in_new
For Dedan see on Jeremiah 49:8. Tema and Buz (to which Elihu belonged, Job 32:2) were neighbouring Arabian tribes. Utmost corners] see on Jeremiah 9:26.
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Jeremiah 25:25 open_in_new
Zimri] quite unknown.
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Jeremiah 25:26 open_in_new
Sheshach] Sheshach stands in all probability for Babel (or Babylon). The Jews had a species of cypher writing, the form of which consisted in substituting the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet for the first, the last but one for the second, and so on. Omitting vowels, we find that thus Sh, Sh, Ch will represent B, B, L: cp. Jeremiah 51:41, where Sheshach and Babylon stand in parallel clauses. Another instance of the cypher is in Jeremiah 51:1, where the Heb. for 'in the midst of them that rise up against me' becomes, when thus transmuted, 'Casdim,' i.e. Chaldeans.
30-38. Judgment shall come upon all the peoples of the earth.
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Jeremiah 25:30 open_in_new
Upon his habitation] RV 'against His fold,' i.e. His people.
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Jeremiah 25:31 open_in_new
Plead] in a legal sense, judge.
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Jeremiah 25:32 open_in_new
Coasts] RV 'uttermost parts.'
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Jeremiah 25:34 open_in_new
Shepherds] i.e. rulers. Like a pleasant vessel] fair but fragile.
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Jeremiah 25:37 open_in_new
Habitations are cut down] RV 'folds are brought to silence.'
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Jeremiah 25:38 open_in_new
As the lion] The Lord is gone forth in wrath to lay waste.