18 To wit, Jerusalem, H3389 and the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 and the kings H4428 thereof, and the princes H8269 thereof, to make H5414 them a desolation, H2723 an astonishment, H8047 an hissing, H8322 and a curse; H7045 as it is this day; H3117
So that the LORD H3068 could H3201 no longer bear, H5375 because H6440 of the evil H7455 of your doings, H4611 and because H6440 of the abominations H8441 which ye have committed; H6213 therefore is your land H776 a desolation, H2723 and an astonishment, H8047 and a curse, H7045 without an inhabitant, H3427 as at this day. H3117
Behold, I will send H7971 and take H3947 all the families H4940 of the north, H6828 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 and Nebuchadrezzar H5019 the king H4428 of Babylon, H894 my servant, H5650 and will bring H935 them against this land, H776 and against the inhabitants H3427 thereof, and against all these nations H1471 round about, H5439 and will utterly destroy H2763 them, and make H7760 them an astonishment, H8047 and an hissing, H8322 and perpetual H5769 desolations. H2723
But I will send H7971 a fire H784 upon Judah, H3063 and it shall devour H398 the palaces H759 of Jerusalem. H3389
And he hath confirmed H6965 his words, H1697 which he spake H1696 against us, and against our judges H8199 that judged H8199 us, by bringing H935 upon us a great H1419 evil: H7451 for under the whole heaven H8064 hath not been done H6213 as hath been done H6213 upon Jerusalem. H3389
And to the others H428 he said H559 in mine hearing, H241 Go H5674 ye after H310 him through the city, H5892 and smite: H5221 let not your eye H5869 spare, H2347 neither have ye pity: H2550 Slay H2026 utterly H4889 old H2205 and young, H970 both maids, H1330 and little children, H2945 and women: H802 but come not near H5066 any man H376 upon whom is the mark; H8420 and begin H2490 at my sanctuary. H4720 Then they began H2490 at the ancient H2205 men H582 which were before H6440 the house. H1004 And he said H559 unto them, Defile H2930 the house, H1004 and fill H4390 the courts H2691 with the slain: H2491 go ye forth. H3318 And they went forth, H3318 and slew H5221 in the city. H5892 And it came to pass, while they were slaying H5221 them, and I was left, H7604 that I fell H5307 upon my face, H6440 and cried, H2199 and said, H559 Ah H162 Lord H136 GOD! H3069 wilt thou destroy H7843 all the residue H7611 of Israel H3478 in thy pouring out H8210 of thy fury H2534 upon Jerusalem? H3389
And this whole land H776 shall be a desolation, H2723 and an astonishment; H8047 and these nations H1471 shall serve H5647 the king H4428 of Babylon H894 seventy H7657 years. H8141
And ye, in any wise H7535 keep H8104 yourselves from the accursed thing, H2764 lest ye make yourselves accursed, H2763 when ye take H3947 of the accursed thing, H2764 and make H7760 the camp H4264 of Israel H3478 a curse, H2764 and trouble H5916 it.
And I will smite H5221 the inhabitants H3427 of this city, H5892 both man H120 and beast: H929 they shall die H4191 of a great H1419 pestilence. H1698 And afterward, H310 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 I will deliver H5414 Zedekiah H6667 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and his servants, H5650 and the people, H5971 and such as are left H7604 in this city H5892 from the pestilence, H1698 from the sword, H2719 and from the famine, H7458 into the hand H3027 of Nebuchadrezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon, H894 and into the hand H3027 of their enemies, H341 and into the hand H3027 of those that seek H1245 their life: H5315 and he shall smite H5221 them with the edge H6310 of the sword; H2719 he shall not spare H2347 them, neither have pity, H2550 nor have mercy. H7355 And unto this people H5971 thou shalt say, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Behold, I set H5414 before H6440 you the way H1870 of life, H2416 and the way H1870 of death. H4194 He that abideth H3427 in this city H5892 shall die H4191 by the sword, H2719 and by the famine, H7458 and by the pestilence: H1698 but he that goeth out, H3318 and falleth H5307 to the Chaldeans H3778 that besiege H6696 you, he shall live, H2421 H2421 and his life H5315 shall be unto him for a prey. H7998 For I have set H7760 my face H6440 against this city H5892 for evil, H7451 and not for good, H2896 saith H5002 the LORD: H3068 it shall be given H5414 into the hand H3027 of the king H4428 of Babylon, H894 and he shall burn H8313 it with fire. H784
And say, H559 Hear H8085 ye the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 O kings H4428 of Judah, H3063 and inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem; H3389 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 Behold, I will bring H935 evil H7451 upon this place, H4725 the which whosoever heareth, H8085 his ears H241 shall tingle. H6750 Because they have forsaken H5800 me, and have estranged H5234 this place, H4725 and have burned incense H6999 in it unto other H312 gods, H430 whom neither they nor their fathers H1 have known, H3045 nor the kings H4428 of Judah, H3063 and have filled H4390 this place H4725 with the blood H1818 of innocents; H5355 They have built H1129 also the high places H1116 of Baal, H1168 to burn H8313 their sons H1121 with fire H784 for burnt offerings H5930 unto Baal, H1168 which I commanded H6680 not, nor spake H1696 it, neither came H5927 it into my mind: H3820 Therefore, behold, the days H3117 come, H935 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 that this place H4725 shall no more be called H7121 Tophet, H8612 nor The valley H1516 of the son H1121 of Hinnom, H2011 but The valley H1516 of slaughter. H2028 And I will make void H1238 the counsel H6098 of Judah H3063 and Jerusalem H3389 in this place; H4725 and I will cause them to fall H5307 by the sword H2719 before H6440 their enemies, H341 and by the hands H3027 of them that seek H1245 their lives: H5315 and their carcases H5038 will I give H5414 to be meat H3978 for the fowls H5775 of the heaven, H8064 and for the beasts H929 of the earth. H776 And I will make H7760 this city H5892 desolate, H8047 and an hissing; H8322 every one that passeth H5674 thereby shall be astonished H8074 and hiss H8319 because of all the plagues H4347 thereof. And I will cause them to eat H398 the flesh H1320 of their sons H1121 and the flesh H1320 of their daughters, H1323 and they shall eat H398 every one H376 the flesh H1320 of his friend H7453 in the siege H4692 and straitness, H4689 wherewith their enemies, H341 and they that seek H1245 their lives, H5315 shall straiten H6693 them.
See, H7200 I have this day H3117 set H6485 thee over the nations H1471 and over the kingdoms, H4467 to root out, H5428 and to pull down, H5422 and to destroy, H6 and to throw down, H2040 to build, H1129 and to plant. H5193
Awake, H5782 awake, H5782 stand up, H6965 O Jerusalem, H3389 which hast drunk H8354 at the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 the cup H3563 of his fury; H2534 thou hast drunken H8354 the dregs H6907 of the cup H3563 of trembling, H8653 and wrung them out. H4680 There is none to guide H5095 her among all the sons H1121 whom she hath brought forth; H3205 neither is there any that taketh H2388 her by the hand H3027 of all the sons H1121 that she hath brought up. H1431 These two H8147 things are come H7122 unto thee; who shall be sorry H5110 for thee? desolation, H7701 and destruction, H7667 and the famine, H7458 and the sword: H2719 by whom shall I comfort H5162 thee? Thy sons H1121 have fainted, H5968 they lie H7901 at the head H7218 of all the streets, H2351 as a wild bull H8377 in a net: H4364 they are full H4392 of the fury H2534 of the LORD, H3068 the rebuke H1606 of thy God. H430 Therefore hear H8085 now this, thou afflicted, H6041 and drunken, H7937 but not with wine: H3196 Thus saith H559 thy Lord H113 the LORD, H3068 and thy God H430 that pleadeth H7378 the cause of his people, H5971 Behold, I have taken out H3947 of thine hand H3027 the cup H3563 of trembling, H8653 even the dregs H6907 of the cup H3563 of my fury; H2534 thou shalt no more H3254 drink it again: H8354
Behold, we are servants H5650 this day, H3117 and for the land H776 that thou gavest H5414 unto our fathers H1 to eat H398 the fruit H6529 thereof and the good H2898 thereof, behold, we are servants H5650 in it:
Since the days H3117 of our fathers H1 have we been in a great H1419 trespass H819 unto this day; H3117 and for our iniquities H5771 have we, our kings, H4428 and our priests, H3548 been delivered H5414 into the hand H3027 of the kings H4428 of the lands, H776 to the sword, H2719 to captivity, H7628 and to a spoil, H961 and to confusion H1322 of face, H6440 as it is this day. H3117
Because thine heart H3824 was tender, H7401 and thou hast humbled H3665 thyself before H6440 the LORD, H3068 when thou heardest H8085 what I spake H1696 against this place, H4725 and against the inhabitants H3427 thereof, that they should become a desolation H8047 and a curse, H7045 and hast rent H7167 thy clothes, H899 and wept H1058 before H6440 me; I also have heard H8085 thee, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Jeremiah 25
Commentary on Jeremiah 25 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 25
The prophecy of this chapter bears date some time before those prophecies in the chapters next foregoing, for they are not placed in the exact order of time in which they were delivered. This is dated in the first year of Nebuchadrezzar, that remarkable year when the sword of the Lord began to be drawn and furbished. Here is,
Jer 25:1-7
We have here a message from God concerning all the people of Judah (v. 1), which Jeremiah delivered, in his name, unto all the people of Judah, v. 2. Note, That which is of universal concern ought to be of universal cognizance. It is fit that the word which concerns all the people, as the word of God does, the word of the gospel particularly, should be divulged to all in general, and, as far as may be, addressed to each in particular. Jeremiah had been sent to the house of the king (ch. 22:1), and he took courage to deliver his message to them, probably when they had all come up to Jerusalem to worship at one of the solemn feasts; then he had them together, and it was to be hoped then, if ever, they would be well disposed to hear counsel and receive instruction.
This prophecy is dated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim and the first of Nebuchadrezzar. It was in the latter end of Jehoiakim's third year that Nebuchadrezzar began to reign by himself alone (having reigned some time before in conjunction with his father), as appears, Dan. 1:1. But Jehoiakim's fourth year was begun before Nebuchadrezzar's first was completed. Now that that active, daring, martial prince began to set up for the world's master, God, by his prophet, gives notice that he is his servant, and intimates what work he intends to employ him in, that his growing greatness, which was so formidable to the nations, might not be construed as any reflection upon the power and providence of God in the government of the world. Nebuchadrezzar should not bid so fair for universal monarchy (I should have said universal tyranny) but that God had purposes of his own to serve by him, in the execution of which the world shall see the meaning of God's permitting and ordering a thing that seemed such a reflection on his sovereignty and goodness.
Now in this message we may observe the great pains that had been taken with the people to bring them to repentance, which they are here put in mind of, as an aggravation of their sin and a justification of God in his proceedings against them.
Jer 25:8-14
Here is the sentence grounded upon the foregoing charge: "Because you have not heard my words, I must take another course with you,' v. 8. Note, When men will not regard the judgments of God's mouth they may expect to feel the judgments of his hands, to hear the rod, since they would not hear the word; for the sinner must either be parted from his sin or perish in it. Wrath comes without remedy against those only that sin without repentance. It is not so much men's turning aside that ruins them as their not returning.
Jer 25:15-29
Under the similitude of a cup going round, which all the company must drink of, is here represented the universal desolation that was now coming upon that part of the world which Nebuchadrezzar, who just now began to reign and act, was to be the instrument of, and which should at length recoil upon his own country. The cup in the vision is to be a sword in the accomplishment of it: so it is explained, v. 16. It is the sword that I will send among them, the sword of war, that should be irresistibly strong and implacably cruel.
Jer 25:30-38
We have, in these verses, a further description of those terrible desolations which the king of Babylon with his armies should make in all the countries and nations round about Jerusalem. In Jerusalem God had erected his temple; there were his oracles and ordinances, which the neighbouring nations should have attended to and might have received benefit by; thither they should have applied for the knowledge of God and their duty, and then they might have had reason to bless God for their neighbourhood to Jerusalem; but they, instead of that, taking all opportunities either to debauch or to disturb that holy city, when God came to reckon with Jerusalem because it learned so much of the way of the nations, he reckoned with the nations because they learned so little of the way of Jerusalem.
They will soon be aware of Nebuchadrezzar's making war upon them; but the prophet is here directed to tell them that it is God himself that makes war upon them, a God with whom there is no contending.