The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Jeremiah 25

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Nevi'im — the Prophets

Jeremiah chapter 25 — part of the Nevi'im — the Prophets in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “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…” — the complete text of all 38 verses is below, free to read online.

1The 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;

2which Jeremiah the prophet spoke unto all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying:

3From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even unto this day, these three and twenty years, the word of HaShem hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, speaking betimes and often; but ye have not hearkened.

4And HaShem hath sent unto you all His servants the prophets, sending them betimes and often--but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear--

5saying: 'Return ye now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that HaShem hath given unto you and to your fathers, for ever and ever;

6and go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke Me not with the work of your hands, and I will do you no hurt.'

7Yet ye have not hearkened unto Me, saith HaShem; that ye might provoke Me with the work of your hands to your own hurt.

8Therefore thus saith HaShem of hosts: Because ye have not heard My words,

9behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith HaShem, and I will send unto 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 I will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual desolations.

10Moreover I will cause to cease from among 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 lamp.

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

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

13And 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.

14For many nations and great kings shall make bondmen of them also; and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the work of their own hands.

15For thus saith HaShem, the G-d of Israel, unto me: Take this cup of the wine of fury at My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.

16And they shall drink, and reel to and fro, and be like madmen, because of the sword that I will send among them.--

17Then took I the cup of HaShem'S hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom HaShem had sent me:

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

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

20and 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 Gaza, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;

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

22and all the kings of Tyre, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isle which is beyond the sea;

23Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that have the corners of their hair polled;

24and all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the wilderness;

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

26and 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.

27And thou shalt say unto them: Thus saith HaShem of hosts, the G-d of Israel: Drink ye, and be drunken, and spew, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.

28And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thy hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them: Thus saith HaShem of hosts: Ye shall surely drink.

29For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city whereupon My name is called, 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 HaShem of hosts.

30Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them: HaShem doth roar from on high, and utter His voice from His holy habitation; He doth mightily roar because of His fold; He giveth a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.

31A noise is come even to the end of the earth; for HaShem hath a controversy with the nations, He doth plead with all flesh; as for the wicked, He hath given them to the sword, saith HaShem.

32Thus saith HaShem of hosts: Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great storm shall be raised up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

33And the slain of HaShem 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 face of the ground.

34Wail, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the dust, ye leaders of the flock; for the days of your slaughter are fully come, and I will break you in pieces, and ye shall fall like a precious vessel.

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

36Hark! the cry of the shepherds, and the wailing of the leaders of the flock! For HaShem despoileth their pasture.

37And the peaceable folds are brought to silence because of the fierce anger of HaShem.

38He hath forsaken His covert, as the lion; for their land is become a waste because of the fierceness of the oppressing sword, and because of His fierce anger.

38 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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