Jeremiah 25 18

Jeremiah 25:18 kjv

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

Jeremiah 25:18 nkjv

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

Jeremiah 25:18 niv

Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a ruin and an object of horror and scorn, a curse?as they are today;

Jeremiah 25:18 esv

Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a desolation and a waste, a hissing and a curse, as at this day;

Jeremiah 25:18 nlt

I went to Jerusalem and the other towns of Judah, and their kings and officials drank from the cup. From that day until this, they have been a desolate ruin, an object of horror, contempt, and cursing.

Jeremiah 25 verses

Jeremiah 25 18 Meaning

Jeremiah 25:18 states the devastating judgment meted out by God, through the hand of Babylon, upon Judah. Specifically targeted are Jerusalem, its surrounding cities, and its leaders (kings and princes). The prophecy declares they would become an object of utter desolation, a horrifying spectacle, a scornful derision, and a divine curse. The phrase "as it is this day" underscores the certainty and imminent, perhaps already commencing, fulfillment of this prophecy within Jeremiah's own time, reflecting a visible state of impending or nascent ruin and public disgrace.

Jeremiah 25 18 Context

Jeremiah 25 is a pivotal chapter, dating to the fourth year of Jehoiakim, king of Judah (approximately 605 BC). This period marks the ascendance of Babylon as the dominant power, particularly after Nebuchadnezzar's victory over Egypt at Carchemish. Jeremiah, for 23 years, had faithfully proclaimed God's word, warning Judah of impending judgment due to their idolatry, moral corruption, and rejection of His commands. Despite these persistent warnings, the people, kings, and priests remained defiant, trusting in false prophets who preached peace.

Chapter 25 serves as a climax of Jeremiah's earlier prophecies, articulating the certainty and nature of God's coming judgment. It begins by recounting Judah's long history of rebellion (vv. 3-7). It then declares that Babylon, specifically Nebuchadnezzar, will be God's chosen instrument to execute this judgment upon Judah and surrounding nations (vv. 8-11), leading to a 70-year captivity. Jeremiah 25:15 introduces the symbolic "cup of the wine of wrath," signifying the full outpouring of God's indignation upon Jerusalem first (vv. 17-18) and then extending to many other nations (vv. 19-26), before ultimately judging Babylon itself (vv. 12, 26). Verse 18 elaborates on the initial phase of this judgment, focusing on the specific targets and outcomes for Judah. The severity of the terms ("desolation, astonishment, hissing, and a curse") underlines the complete and humiliating nature of the impending divine retribution for their prolonged spiritual adultery and disobedience.

Jeremiah 25 18 Word analysis

• to wit: An archaic English phrase meaning "namely" or "that is to say," serving to clarify or introduce the specific subjects being discussed.
• Jerusalem: (Heb. יְרוּשָׁלַ֫ם, Yerushalayim) The capital city of Judah, the spiritual and political heart of the nation. Its fall was paramount to the nation's judgment. As God's chosen city, its desolation served as a profound testament to the severity of His judgment when His people betrayed the covenant.
• cities of Judah: Refers to the numerous towns and villages throughout the territory of the Southern Kingdom, indicating that the judgment was not limited to the capital but encompassed the entire realm.
• kings thereof: This primarily refers to Jehoiakim, who was on the throne when this prophecy was given, and future kings like Zedekiah. It emphasizes the accountability of the nation's highest leadership for their apostasy and failure to lead the people in righteousness. Their reigns were marked by corruption and disobedience.
• princes thereof: (Heb. שָׂרָיו, sarav) The governmental and aristocratic officials who advised the king and held positions of power. Their judgment signifies that corruption and disobedience pervaded not just the monarchy but the entire ruling class, encompassing both the civil and military elite.
• to make them: Indicates God's explicit intention and direct agency behind the coming calamities. This was not random misfortune but divine justice.
• a desolation: (Heb. חָרְבָּה, ḥorbah) Signifies utter ruin, barrenness, a wasteland. It speaks to the physical destruction of infrastructure, buildings, and the general habitability of the land. It implies uninhabited and broken-down places.
• an astonishment: (Heb. שַׁמָּה, shammah) Evokes a sense of horror, consternation, and shock. It describes the state of profound dismay that others (and perhaps even the survivors) would feel when witnessing the unparalleled devastation, signifying a spectacular and appalling downfall.
• an hissing: (Heb. שְׁרִקָה, sheriqah) Literally a whistling or scornful sound, indicating public ridicule, derision, and contempt. Judah's collapse would not merely be a private tragedy but a spectacle that drew the scorn and mockery of surrounding nations. It denotes utter disgrace and shame.
• and a curse: (Heb. קְלָלָה, qelalah) Implies divine malediction, a state of being abhorrent to God and consequently suffering severe misfortunes and disadvantages. It encapsulates all the covenant curses (e.g., Deut 28) and signifies alienation from divine favor and protection, becoming an object of misfortune.
• as it is this day: This phrase can be interpreted in a few ways, often discussed by scholars:
  1. Imminent Fulfillment: While full destruction had not yet occurred in Jehoiakim's 4th year, the effects of Nebuchadnezzar's initial actions (like the first deportation of captives, e.g., Daniel in 605 BC) might have begun to show early signs of the prophecy's impact, or at least the severe threat was overtly manifest.
  2. Prophetic Certainty: Jeremiah declares it as a present reality to emphasize the absolute certainty and irrevocability of the divine decree, as if the future event were already accomplished.
  3. Later Addition: Some scholars suggest this phrase might have been added later by a scribe after the fall of Jerusalem (586 BC) to validate Jeremiah's prophecy. However, given Jeremiah's style and the immediate context, the idea of present certainty or incipient fulfillment is well within prophetic tradition.

Words-group analysis:

• "Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof": This detailed enumeration highlights the comprehensive nature of the judgment, leaving no segment of Judahite society exempt—from its grand capital to its remotest towns, and from its reigning monarch to its governing elite. It emphasizes corporate responsibility for sin.
• "a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse": This quartet of descriptors powerfully conveys the multi-faceted and absolute nature of the judgment. It's not just physical ruin (desolation) but also psychological horror (astonishment), social shame (hissing), and spiritual disfavor (curse). Together, they paint a grim picture of complete divine retribution, addressing the full scope of national sin.

Jeremiah 25 18 Bonus section

• The terms used for judgment—desolation, astonishment, hissing, and curse—are frequently used in the prophetic books, especially by Ezekiel, to describe God's judgment against disobedient nations and people. This highlights a consistent pattern of divine consequence for sin throughout biblical history.
• The pronouncement in Jeremiah 25:18 foreshadows the exact manner in which Jerusalem and Judah would be reduced after multiple sieges by Nebuchadnezzar's forces, culminating in the destruction of the Temple and city walls in 586 BC. Jeremiah himself witnessed much of this unfolding.
• The reference to "kings thereof, and the princes thereof" underscores the principle of corporate responsibility, where the sin and unfaithfulness of leadership bring calamity upon the whole nation, especially when the people follow their leaders into apostasy.
• The "cup of wrath" imagery (Jer 25:15) symbolizes the full measure of divine judgment poured out, ensuring that all who partake of it experience the bitter consequences of God's holy indignation against sin. Jerusalem drinks first, signifying its unique culpability and greater judgment compared to the nations.

Jeremiah 25 18 Commentary

Jeremiah 25:18 delivers a stark prophetic declaration of divine judgment against Judah. Coming from a chapter where God identifies Nebuchadnezzar as His "servant" to execute wrath (v. 9) and reveals the specific timeframe of the Babylonian exile (70 years, v. 11), this verse specifies the initial and profound recipients: Jerusalem, all its cities, and the ruling class. The enumerated consequences—desolation, astonishment, hissing, and curse—are deeply rooted in the covenant curses detailed in passages like Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26. These terms describe a catastrophic breakdown, not merely a military defeat, but a complete societal and spiritual collapse brought about by divine hand.

"Desolation" (חָרְבָּה, ḥorbah) speaks to the physical emptiness and ruin of habitations, a tangible sign of a covenant broken. "Astonishment" (שַׁמָּה, shammah) signifies the profound shock and horror that this unprecedented catastrophe would induce in all who witnessed or heard of it. "Hissing" (שְׁרִקָה, sheriqah) implies public ridicule and contempt, underscoring Judah's fall from a once-exalted nation to a byword of scorn among the nations, due to its egregious sin and the severe divine response. Finally, "curse" (קְלָלָה, qelalah) summarizes the cumulative divine disfavor, confirming that their suffering was not accidental but the direct, spiritual consequence of their persistent rebellion and idolatry. The phrase "as it is this day" imparts a potent immediacy, either acknowledging nascent signs of the judgment or, more profoundly, speaking from God's eternal perspective where His decrees are as good as fulfilled, leaving Judah with no escape. This verse is a stark reminder of God's holy character and His unwavering justice against unrepentant sin, demonstrating that privilege (as God's chosen people) brings greater accountability.