Jeremiah 25

The captivity awaiting the Jewish nation in Babylon is explicitly foretold, and its duration assigned (1-11). This chastisement of the Jews shall be followed by severer punishments of the Chaldeans (Babylonians), and other heathen nations (12-14). As a symbol of this, the prophet speaks of the cup of wrath (15-29), and the ravening lion (38).

1 in the fourth year of Jehoiakim. This was the year in which Nebuchadrezzar, having defeated the Egyptians at Carchemish, came to Jerusalem, and imposed a tribute on king Jehoiakim. These events occurred about the end of the third and beginning of the fourth year of that king, 605-4 B.C. On Carchemish, see Sayre: The Hittites (1925).

3 the three and twentieth year. i.e., of Jeremiah’s ministry.

4 rising early. See note on vii. 13.

9. My servant. See note on Isa. xlv. 1. The construction is: and [I will send unto] Nebuchadrezzar, etc.: see R.V.

10 the sound of the millstones, etc. As the corn for the family was ground every day, and every house had its night-lamp, the absence of this sound and of this light betokened utter desolation: see Deut. xxiv. 6; Job xviii. 6.

11 seventy years. Considerable diversity of opinion exists as to the right manner of reckoning these seventy years: but it is most probable that they began when Nebuchadrezzar defeated the Egyptians at Carchemish and made Jehoiakim tributary, 606-5 B.C., and ended in the first year of Cyrus, 536 B.C., when Babylon ceased to be the capital of a kingdom: see notes on 2 Kings xxiv. 1; xxv. 11. But it is not wise to press figures too literally. “Seventy” is a round number.

14 shall serve themselves of them. i.e., “shall exact service of them.” The “nations” and “kings” are those which were confederate with Cyrus.

15 the wine cup. See Psa. lxxv. 8; Isa. li. 17-23. The taking of the cup is evidently a metaphor representing the utterance of a threat of punishment.

19. Pharaoh king of Egypt, etc. The various nations here mentioned (18-26) are grouped around the Holy Land, which is the starting-point, according to the closeness of their connexion with the Jews. The “Pharaoh” of the time was Necho, defeated at Carchemish: see on ver. 11.

20 the mingled people. Foreigners resident in Egypt, chiefly Ionians, Carians and Phoenicians, mercenaries in the Egyptian armies (Lange).

Azzah. The same as Gaza (see R.V.).

the remnant of Ashdod. Ashdod had been much reduced during the twenty-nine years’ siege by Psammetichus. “This is one of the pregnant sentences which none but a contemporary writer could have used” (Dean Payne-Smith).

22 the isles. “The isle” or “coastland”; referring to the Mediterranean coasts and islands.

23 [that are] in the utmost corners. “That have the corners [of their hair] shorn.” See note on ix. 26.

24 the mingled people. Various tribes of different races inhabiting the Arabian deserts: see note on Gen. xxxvii. 25.

25. Zimri. Nowhere else mentioned; probably an Arabian tribe.

26. Sheshach. “Sheshach” means Babylon, as appears from li. 41; and it has been found on Assyrian sculptures as the name of a Babylonian idol. The word is made by a system of secret writing, which substitutes the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet for the first, the last but one for the second, and so on (as if in English, Z answered to A, Y to B, X to C, etc.). According to this, the three letters for Babylon, B. B. L., correspond to Sh. Sh. Ch.: see note on li. 41.

34 like a pleasant vessel. Like a beautiful vase (French version: “comme un vase de prix,” “as a costly vase”) irreparably shattered by a fall.

37 peaceable habitations. “Peaceable folds,” R.V., or “peaceful meadows” (Moffatt).

cut down. Or, “brought to silence,” R.V.

38 the fierceness of the oppressor. Or, “the fierceness of the destroying [sword]”: see R.V.