---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Jeremiah 25"
description: "CHAPTER 25   :-. PROPHECY OF THE
SEVENTY YEARS"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/jeremiah/25"
---

CHAPTER 25

. PROPHECY OF THE
SEVENTY YEARS'
CAPTIVITY; AND AFTER THAT
THE DESTRUCTION OF
BABYLON, AND OF ALL
THE NATIONS THAT
OPPRESSED THE JEWS.

**1. fourth year of Jehoiakim**—called
the *third* year in [Daniel 1:1](../../../kjv/daniel/1/1).
But probably Jehoiakim was set on the throne by Pharaoh-necho on his
return from Carchemish about *July,* whereas Nebuchadnezzar
mounted the throne January 21, 604 B.C.;
so that Nebuchadnezzar's first year was partly the *third,*
partly the *fourth,* of Jehoiakim's. Here first Jeremiah gives
specific dates. Nebuchadnezzar had previously entered Judea in the
reign of his father Nabopolassar.

**3.** From the thirteenth year of
Josiah, in which Jeremiah began to prophesy (), to the end of Josiah's reign, was nineteen years (); the three months ) of Jehoahaz' reign, with the not quite complete
four years of Jehoiakim ([Jeremiah 25:1](../../../kjv/jeremiah/25/1)),
added to the nineteen years, make up twenty-three years in all.

**4. rising early**—(See on ). "The prophets" refer to Urijah, Zephaniah,
Habakkuk, c. It aggravates their sin, that God sent not merely one
but many messengers, and those messengers, prophets and, that during
all those years specified, Jeremiah and his fellow prophets *spared
no effort, late and early.*

**5. Turn . . . dwell**—In *Hebrew*
there is expressed by sameness of sounds the correspondence between
their *turning* to God and God's turning to them to permit them
to *dwell* in their land: *Shubu . . . shebu,* "*Return*"
. . . so shall ye "*remain.*"
**every one from . . .
evil**—*Each* must separately repent and turn from *his
own* sin. None is excepted, lest they should think their guilt
extenuated because the evil is general.

**6.** He instances one sin,
idolatry, as representative of all their sins; as nothing is dearer
to God than a pure worship of Himself.

**7.** Though ye provoke *Me*
to anger ([Deuteronomy 32:21](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/32/21)), yet it is
not I, but *yourselves,* whom ye thereby hurt ([Proverbs 8:36](../../../kjv/proverbs/8/36);
[Proverbs 20:2](../../../kjv/proverbs/20/2)).

**9. the north**—(see on ). The Medes and other northern peoples, confederate with
Babylon, are included with the Chaldeans.
**my servant**—My agent for
punishing ([Jeremiah 27:6](../../../kjv/jeremiah/27/6); [Jeremiah 43:10](../../../kjv/jeremiah/43/10);
compare [Jeremiah 40:2](../../../kjv/jeremiah/40/2)). Compare [Jeremiah 40:2](../../../kjv/jeremiah/40/2); Cyrus, "My shepherd." God makes even unbelievers
unconsciously to fulfil His designs. A reproof to the Jews, who
boasted that they were the *servants of God;* yet a heathen king
is to be more the servant of God than they, and that as the agent of
their punishment.

**10.** ([Jeremiah 7:34](../../../kjv/jeremiah/7/34);
[Revelation 18:23](../../../kjv/revelation/18/23)). The land shall be so
desolated that even in the houses left standing there shall be no
inhabitant; a terrible stillness shall prevail; no sound of the
*hand-mill* (two circular stones, one above the other, for
grinding corn, worked by two women, [Exodus 11:5](../../../kjv/exodus/11/5);
[Matthew 24:41](../../../kjv/matthew/24/41); in daily use in every
house, and therefore forbidden to be taken in pledge, [Matthew 24:41](../../../kjv/matthew/24/41)); no *night-light,* so universal in the East that the
poorest house has it, burning all night.
**candle**—lamp ([Job 21:17](../../../kjv/job/21/17);
[Job 18:6](../../../kjv/job/18/6)).

**11. seventy years**— (). The exact number of years of Sabbaths in four hundred
ninety years, the period from Saul to the Babylonian captivity;
righteous retribution for their violation of the Sabbath ([Leviticus 26:34](../../../kjv/leviticus/26/34);
[Leviticus 26:35](../../../kjv/leviticus/26/35); [2 Chronicles 36:21](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/36/21)).
The seventy years probably begin from the fourth year of Jehoiakim,
when Jerusalem was first captured, and many captives, as well as the
treasures of the temple, were carried away; they end with the first
year of Cyrus, who, on taking Babylon, issued an edict for the
restoration of the Jews ([Ezra 1:1](../../../kjv/ezra/1/1)).
Daniel's *seventy prophetic weeks* are based on the seventy
years of the captivity (compare [Daniel 9:2](../../../kjv/daniel/9/2);
[Daniel 9:24](../../../kjv/daniel/9/24)).

**13. all . . . written in this book,
which Jeremiah . . . prophesied against all . . . nations**—It
follows from this, that the prophecies against foreign nations
(forty-sixth through fifty-first chapters) must have been already
written. Hence the *Septuagint* inserts here those prophecies.
But if they had followed immediately (), there would have been no propriety in the observation in
the verse. The very wording of the reference shows that they existed
in some other part of the book, and not in the immediate context. It
was in this very year, the fourth of Jehoiakim ([Jeremiah 36:1](../../../kjv/jeremiah/36/1);
[Jeremiah 36:2](../../../kjv/jeremiah/36/2)), that Jeremiah was
directed to write in a regular *book* for the first time all
that he had prophesied against Judah and *foreign* "*nations*"
from the beginning of his ministry. Probably, at a subsequent time,
when he completed the whole work, including the forty-sixth through
fifty-first chapters, Jeremiah himself inserted the clause, "all
that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against
all the nations." The prophecies in question may have been
repeated, as others in Jeremiah, more than once; so in the original
smaller collection they may have stood in an earlier position; and,
in the fuller subsequent collection, in their later and present
position.

**14. serve themselves**— ([Jeremiah 27:7](../../../kjv/jeremiah/27/7);
[Jeremiah 30:8](../../../kjv/jeremiah/30/8); [Jeremiah 34:10](../../../kjv/jeremiah/34/10)).
Avail themselves of their services as slaves.
**them also**—the Chaldees,
who heretofore have made other nations their slaves, shall *themselves
also* in their turn be slaves to them. MAURER
translates, "shall impose servitude *on them, even them.*"
**recompense them**—namely,
the Chaldees and other nations against whom Jeremiah had prophesied
([Jeremiah 25:13](../../../kjv/jeremiah/25/13)), as having
oppressed the Jews.
**their deeds**—rather,
"deed," namely, their bad treatment of the Jews ([Jeremiah 50:29](../../../kjv/jeremiah/50/29);
[Jeremiah 51:6](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/6); [Jeremiah 51:24](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/24);
compare [2 Chronicles 36:17](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/36/17)).

**15. wine cup**—Compare [Jeremiah 13:12](../../../kjv/jeremiah/13/12);
[Jeremiah 13:13](../../../kjv/jeremiah/13/13), as to this image, to
express *stupefying judgments;* also [Jeremiah 49:12](../../../kjv/jeremiah/49/12);
[Jeremiah 51:7](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/7). Jeremiah often embodies
the imagery of Isaiah in his prophecies ([Lamentations 4:21](../../../kjv/lamentations/4/21);
[Isaiah 51:17-22](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/17-22); [Revelation 16:19](../../../kjv/revelation/16/19);
[Revelation 18:6](../../../kjv/revelation/18/6)). The wine cup was not
literally given by Jeremiah to the representatives of the different
nations; but only in symbolical vision.

**16. be moved**—reel ().

**18. Jerusalem**—put first: for
"judgment begins at the house of God"; they being most
guilty whose religious privileges are greatest ().
**kings**—Jehoiakim,
Jeconiah, and Zedekiah.
**as it is this day**—The
accomplishment of the curse had already begun under Jehoiakim. This
clause, however, may have been inserted by Jeremiah at his final
revision of his prophecies in Egypt.

**19. Pharaoh**—put next after
Jerusalem, because the Jews had relied most on him, and Egypt and
Judea stood on a common footing ([Jeremiah 46:2](../../../kjv/jeremiah/46/2);
[Jeremiah 46:25](../../../kjv/jeremiah/46/25)).

**20. mingled people**—mercenary
foreign troops serving under Pharaoh-hophra in the time of Jeremiah.
The employment of these foreigners provoked the native Egyptians to
overthrow him. Psammetichus, father of Pharaoh-necho, also had given
a settlement in Egypt to Ionian and Carian adventurers [HERODOTUS,
2.152, 154]. (Compare [Jeremiah 50:37](../../../kjv/jeremiah/50/37);
[Isaiah 19:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/19/2); [Isaiah 19:3](../../../kjv/isaiah/19/3);
[Isaiah 20:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/20/1); [Ezekiel 30:5](../../../kjv/ezekiel/30/5);
see on [Ezekiel 30:5](../../../kjv/ezekiel/30/5); [Jeremiah 50:37](../../../kjv/jeremiah/50/37);
[Isaiah 19:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/19/2); [Isaiah 19:3](../../../kjv/isaiah/19/3);
[Isaiah 20:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/20/1); [Ezekiel 30:5](../../../kjv/ezekiel/30/5).
The term is first found in [Ezekiel 30:5](../../../kjv/ezekiel/30/5).
**Uz**—in the geographical
order here, between Egypt and the states along the Mediterranean;
therefore not the "Uz" of [Ezekiel 30:5](../../../kjv/ezekiel/30/5) (north of Arabia-Deserta), but the northern part of
Arabia-Petræa, between the sea and Idumea ([Ezekiel 30:5](../../../kjv/ezekiel/30/5); see [Genesis 36:20](../../../kjv/genesis/36/20); [Genesis 36:28](../../../kjv/genesis/36/28)).
**remnant of Ashdod**—called
a "remnant," because Ashdod had lost most of its
inhabitants in the twenty-nine years siege by Psammetichus. Compare
also see on [Genesis 36:28](../../../kjv/genesis/36/28). Gath is not
mentioned because it was overthrown in the same war.

**21. Edom . . . Moab . . .
Ammon**—joined together, as being related to Israel (see ).

**22. all the kings of Tyrus**—the
petty kings of the various dependencies of Tyre.
**isles**—a term including
all *maritime regions* ().

**23. Dedan**—north of Arabia
([Genesis 25:3](../../../kjv/genesis/25/3); [Genesis 25:4](../../../kjv/genesis/25/4)).
**Tema . . . Buz**—neighboring
tribes north of Arabia ([Job 32:2](../../../kjv/job/32/2)).
**all . . . in . . . utmost
corners**—rather, "having the hair cut in angles," a
heathenish custom (see on [Job 32:2](../../../kjv/job/32/2)).

**24. mingled people**—not in the
same sense as in [Jeremiah 25:20](../../../kjv/jeremiah/25/20);
the "motley crowd," so called in contempt (compare [Jeremiah 49:28](../../../kjv/jeremiah/49/28);
[Jeremiah 49:31](../../../kjv/jeremiah/49/31); [Jeremiah 50:37](../../../kjv/jeremiah/50/37)).
By a different pointing it may be translated the "Arabs";
but the repetition of the name is not likely. BLANEY
thinks there were two divisions of what we call Arabia, the west
(*Araba*) and the east. The west included Arabia-Petræa and the
parts on the sea bordering on Egypt, the land of Cush; the east,
Arabia-Felix and Deserta. The latter are "the mixed race"
inhabiting the desert.

**25. Zimri**—perhaps the *Zabra*
mentioned by PTOLEMY
between Mecca and Medina. *Zimran* also, as Dedan, was one of
Abraham's sons by Keturah ([Genesis 25:2](../../../kjv/genesis/25/2)).
**Elam**—properly, west of
Persia; but used for Persia in general.

**26. Sheshach**—Babylon; as the
parallelism in [Jeremiah 51:41](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/41)
proves. In the Cabalistic system (called *Athbash,* the first
*Hebrew* letter in the alphabet being expressed by the last)
*Sheshach* would exactly answer to *Babel.* Jeremiah *may*
have used this system (as perhaps in [Jeremiah 51:41](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/41)) for concealment at the time of this prediction, in the
fourth year of Jehoiakim, while Nebuchadnezzar was before Jerusalem.
In [Jeremiah 51:41](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/41) there can be no
concealment, as Babylon is expressly mentioned. MICHAELIS
more simply explains the term "brazen-gated" (compare [Jeremiah 51:41](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/41)); others, "the house of a prince." Rather, it
comes from the Babylonian goddess, *Shach,* by reduplication of
the first letter; from her *Misael* was named *Meshach* by
the Babylonians. The term *Shace* was applied to a festival at
Babylon, alluded to in [Jeremiah 51:39](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/39);
[Jeremiah 51:57](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/57); [Isaiah 21:5](../../../kjv/isaiah/21/5).
It was during this feast that Cyrus took Babylon [HERODOTUS,
1]. Thus Jeremiah mystically denotes the time of its capture by this
term [GLASSIUS].

**27. rise no more**—The heathen
nations in question should fall to rise no more. The Jews should fall
but for a time, and then rise again. Therefore, the epithet is given,
"the God *of Israel.*"

**28. if they refuse to take the
cup**—No effort of theirs to escape destruction will avail.

**29.** If I spared not Mine elect
people on account of sin, much less will I spare you ([Ezekiel 9:6](../../../kjv/ezekiel/9/6);
[Obadiah 1:16](../../../kjv/obadiah/1/16); [Luke 23:31](../../../kjv/luke/23/31);
[1 Peter 4:17](../../../kjv/1-peter/4/17)).
**be unpunished**—"be
treated as innocent."

**30. roar**—image from a
destructive lion ([Isaiah 42:13](../../../kjv/isaiah/42/13);
[Joel 3:16](../../../kjv/joel/3/16)).
**upon his habitation**—rather,
"His pasturage"; keeping up the image of a lion roaring
against the flock in the pasture. The roar was first to go forth over
Judea wherein were "the sheep of His pasture" ([Joel 3:16](../../../kjv/joel/3/16)), and thence into heathen lands.
**shout . . . tread . . .
grapes**— ([Jeremiah 48:33](../../../kjv/jeremiah/48/33); [Isaiah 16:9](../../../kjv/isaiah/16/9);
[Isaiah 16:10](../../../kjv/isaiah/16/10)).

**31. controversy**—cause at issue
([Micah 6:2](../../../kjv/micah/6/2)).
**plead with all flesh**—
([Isaiah 66:16](../../../kjv/isaiah/66/16)). God shows the
whole world that He does what is altogether just in punishing.

**32. from the coasts**—rather,
"from the uttermost regions." Like a storm which arises in
one region and then diffuses itself far and wide, so God's judgments
shall pass "from nation to nation," till all has been
fulfilled; no distance shall prevent the fulfilment.
**not be lamented**—
([Jeremiah 16:4](../../../kjv/jeremiah/16/4); [Jeremiah 16:6](../../../kjv/jeremiah/16/6)).
**neither gathered**—to
their fathers, in their ancestral tombs ([Jeremiah 16:6](../../../kjv/jeremiah/16/6)).
**dung**— ([Jeremiah 16:6](../../../kjv/jeremiah/16/6)).

**34. shepherds**—princes (). Here he returns to *the Jews* and their rulers,
using the same image as in , "pasture" (see on ).
**wallow yourselves**—Cover
yourselves as thickly with ashes, in token of sorrow, as one who
rolls in them ([Jeremiah 6:26](../../../kjv/jeremiah/6/26); [Ezekiel 27:30](../../../kjv/ezekiel/27/30))
[MAURER].
**principal**—leaders. The
*Septuagint* translates "rams," carrying out the image
(compare [Isaiah 14:9](../../../kjv/isaiah/14/9), *Margin;*
[Zechariah 10:3](../../../kjv/zechariah/10/3)).
**days of your slaughter . . .
of . . . dispersions**—rather, "your days *for*
slaughter (that is, the time of your being slain), and your
dispersions (not '*of* your dispersions'), are accomplished (are
come)."
**pleasant vessel**—Ye were
once a *precious vessel,* but ye shall *fall,* and so be a
*broken vessel* (see on [Zechariah 10:3](../../../kjv/zechariah/10/3)). "Your past excellency shall not render you safe now.
I will turn to your ignominy whatever glory I conferred on you"
[CALVIN].

**35.** Literally, "Flight
shall fail the shepherds . . . escaping (shall fail) the principal,"
c. ([Amos 2:14](../../../kjv/amos/2/14)). The leaders will
be the first objects for slaughter escape by flight will be out of
their power.

**37. habitations**—rather,
carrying out the image "pastures" (see on ). The pasturages where, *peaceably* and without
incursion of wild beasts, the flocks have fed, shall be destroyed;
that is, the regions where, heretofore, there was *peace* and
security (alluding to the name *Salem,* or Jerusalem,
"possessing *peace*").

**38. his covert**—the temple,
where heretofore, like a lion, as its defender, by the mere terror of
His voice He warded off the foe; but now He leaves it a prey to the
Gentiles [CALVIN].
**fierceness of . . .
oppressor**—rather, as the *Hebrew,* for "oppressor"
is an adjective *feminine,* the word "sword" is
understood, which, in [Jeremiah 46:16](../../../kjv/jeremiah/46/16);
[Jeremiah 50:16](../../../kjv/jeremiah/50/16), is expressed (indeed,
some manuscripts and the *Septuagint* read "sword"
instead of "fierceness" here; probably interpolated from
[Jeremiah 46:16](../../../kjv/jeremiah/46/16)), "*the
oppressing* sword." The *Hebrew* for "oppressing"
means also a "dove": there may be, therefore, a covert
allusion to the Chaldean standard bearing a dove on it, in honor of
Semiramis, the first queen, said in popular superstition to have been
nourished by doves when exposed at birth, and at death to have been
transformed into a dove. Her name may come from a root referring to
the *cooing* of a dove. That bird was held sacred to the goddess
Venus. *Vulgate* so translates "the anger of *the dove.*"
**his . . . anger**—If the
anger of Nebuchadnezzar cannot be evaded, how much less that of God
(compare [Jeremiah 25:37](../../../kjv/jeremiah/25/37))!

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