Jeremiah 25:17 kjv
Then took I the cup at the LORD's hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me:
Jeremiah 25:17 nkjv
Then I took the cup from the LORD's hand, and made all the nations drink, to whom the LORD had sent me:
Jeremiah 25:17 niv
So I took the cup from the LORD's hand and made all the nations to whom he sent me drink it:
Jeremiah 25:17 esv
So I took the cup from the LORD's hand, and made all the nations to whom the LORD sent me drink it:
Jeremiah 25:17 nlt
So I took the cup of anger from the LORD and made all the nations drink from it ? every nation to which the LORD sent me.
Jeremiah 25 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 75:8 | For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red... all the wicked of the earth shall drink... | Cup of judgment in God's hand |
| Isa 51:17 | Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of his wrath... | Jerusalem drinking the cup of wrath |
| Isa 51:22 | "Thus says your Lord, the LORD, your God who pleads the cause of his people: 'Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering...'" | God removing the cup from His people |
| Lam 4:21 | Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz; but to you also the cup shall pass; you shall become drunk and naked. | Cup of judgment passing to Edom |
| Jer 1:7 | But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go..." | Prophet sent by the LORD |
| Jer 1:10 | "See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down..." | Jeremiah's authority over nations |
| Jer 25:15 | For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to me: "Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it." | God's command to Jeremiah |
| Jer 25:27 | "Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Drink, be drunk, and vomit...'" | Nations compelled to drink the cup |
| Jer 25:28 | "And if they refuse to accept the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: You must drink it!’" | Compulsory nature of God's judgment |
| Jer 49:12 | For thus says the LORD: "Behold, those who were not doomed to drink the cup shall surely drink..." | Judgment on specific nations confirmed |
| Ezek 2:7 | "And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house." | Prophet's obligation to speak God's words |
| Ezek 3:11 | "Go to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD,' whether they listen or not." | Prophet's duty to deliver the message |
| Hab 2:16 | You will be filled with disgrace instead of glory. Now you yourself drink and expose your nakedness! The cup in the LORD’s right hand will come around to you... | Babylon will drink the cup |
| Zec 12:2 | "Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples..." | Jerusalem as a cause of staggering |
| Matt 26:39 | And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me..." | Christ's suffering, a different "cup" |
| Mark 14:36 | "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." | Christ facing divine wrath (for others) |
| Luke 22:42 | "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." | Jesus willingly taking the cup of wrath |
| John 18:11 | So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?" | Christ's willingness to endure judgment |
| Dan 4:17 | "...the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of mortals and gives them to whom he will..." | God's sovereignty over earthly kingdoms |
| Rev 14:10 | "...he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his indignation..." | Eschatological cup of wrath |
| Rev 16:19 | The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And God remembered great Babylon, to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. | Final judgment cup for nations & Babylon |
| Rev 18:6 | Pay her back as she herself has paid, and render to her double the double of her deeds; mix for her double in the cup she mixed. | Judgment against Babylon (Rev) |
| Isa 6:8 | And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am! Send me." | Prophet's readiness for mission |
| Acts 26:16 | "But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness..." | Paul's divine commission |
| Obadiah 1:16 | For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually; they shall drink, and gulp down, and be as though they had never been. | Nations to drink judgment continually |
Jeremiah 25 verses
Jeremiah 25 17 Meaning
Jeremiah 25:17 describes the prophet's symbolic act of taking a "cup of the wine of the LORD's wrath" and causing various nations, as commanded by God, to drink it. This action represents God's universal judgment, signifying that these nations, including Judah and its enemies, would experience severe punishment and devastation as a consequence of their sin and opposition to His divine will. Jeremiah acts as God's instrument in administering this global divine judgment.
Jeremiah 25 17 Context
Jeremiah 25 falls in a crucial period of Judah's history, around 605 BC, the fourth year of King Jehoiakim's reign. This was a pivotal year, marked by the Battle of Carchemish where Babylon decisively defeated Egypt, solidifying Babylon's ascendancy as the dominant world power. Chapter 25 is an extended prophetic oracle addressing not only Judah's seventy-year exile to Babylon (vv. 1-14) but also the subsequent judgment on Babylon itself and other surrounding nations (vv. 15-38).
Verse 17 initiates a symbolic act: Jeremiah is instructed to take a "cup of wrath" from God's hand and make various nations drink it. This imagery portrays God's universal sovereignty and His imminent judgment on the world, a judgment that would first begin with Judah, His own people (v. 18), and then extend to Egypt, Philistia, Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, Sidon, Dedan, Tema, Buz, the Arabian kings, Zimri, Elam, Media, and eventually Babylon itself. The symbolic "cup" graphically illustrates the severity and inevitability of the coming destruction and suffering. The oracle directly challenges the notion that any nation or their gods were beyond the reach of the Almighty Yahweh.
Jeremiah 25 17 Word analysis
- So I took: This highlights Jeremiah's immediate and faithful obedience to God's command. It's not a suggestion but a direct order, and the prophet, despite the dreadful implications, carries it out.
- the cup: (Hebrew: כּוֹס kôs) This is a potent biblical metaphor, not literally a physical cup. It consistently symbolizes a portion of suffering, destiny, or, most commonly, divine judgment, wrath, or punishment that one is compelled to experience. Here, it is specifically described in the preceding verse (25:15) as "the cup of the wine of my [the LORD's] wrath."
- from the hand (Hebrew: מִיַּד miyad): Signifies the direct source of the command and authority. The judgment originates from God, and Jeremiah is merely the agent. It underscores divine initiative and power.
- of the LORD (Hebrew: יְהוָה Yahweh): The personal, covenantal name of God. Emphasizes that it is the one true God, the Creator and Sustainer, who exercises this universal dominion and judgment, not some local deity. This also reinforces the ultimate authority behind the judgment.
- and made: Again, highlights Jeremiah's action as an instrument. He actively delivers the judgment. This wasn't merely a verbal prophecy, but a vivid, symbolic re-enactment intended to drive home the reality and certainty of God's intentions.
- all the nations: Emphasizes the global scope of God's sovereignty and judgment. No nation, regardless of its power or supposed patron deities, is outside the jurisdiction or wrath of Yahweh. This directly countered the limited understanding of deity common in the ancient Near East, where gods were often perceived as tied to specific lands.
- to whom the LORD sent me: Reaffirms Jeremiah's divine commission and authority. His actions are not his own but are ordained and directed by God. This stresses the legitimacy and inevitability of the judgment, as it comes from the ultimate authority.
- drink it: To fully experience and endure the devastating effects of the divine judgment symbolized by the cup. It implies utter desolation, defeat, and ruin. They will be forced to consume every bitter drop of their punishment.
Jeremiah 25 17 Bonus section
The symbolic action described here points to the gravity and personal nature of the prophet's commission. Jeremiah didn't just speak God's word; he was called to embody it through prophetic acts. This emphasized the reality and immediacy of the message. The reference to the "hand of the LORD" implies an intimate interaction between God and His prophet, yet also the inescapable power flowing from God's decree.
Furthermore, this passage is an Old Testament precursor to the ultimate fulfillment of divine justice, often contrasted with Christ's act of drinking the cup. While Jeremiah administered the cup of judgment to nations, Jesus, in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39), chose to drink the bitter cup of God's wrath, thus fully absorbing the punishment for the sins of His people. This distinction is vital: in Jeremiah, the cup is delivered to sinners for their condemnation; in the New Testament, Jesus drinks the cup for believers, offering atonement and salvation. It highlights God's justice being both meted out to the unrepentant and miraculously satisfied for the redeemed.
Jeremiah 25 17 Commentary
Jeremiah 25:17 profoundly illustrates the character of God as sovereign over all nations and as a righteous judge. The "cup of wrath" is a chillingly vivid symbol of divine indignation against the pervasive sin and rebellion of humanity. Jeremiah's act of dispensing this cup, under divine command, portrays him as God's herald of global justice. The passage highlights that God's covenant with Israel does not limit His authority to just one people; His dominion extends over all peoples, kingdoms, and their histories. He uses instruments—even pagan nations like Babylon—to execute His purposes, only to judge those instruments later.
This verse serves as a sober warning: no nation or individual is exempt from divine accountability. God's patience has boundaries, and unrepentant sin inevitably leads to His judgment. For the original audience, it provided understanding of the turmoil around them: the wars, conquests, and devastations were not random events but were under God's control, purposeful enactments of His will. It was also a source of comfort for Judah that while they would suffer, their oppressors would also eventually face divine retribution. The certainty that God will make all nations drink from this cup assures us of the final triumph of God’s justice in history and beyond.