Jeremiah 25:19 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 25:19 kjv
Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;
Jeremiah 25:19 nkjv
Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his princes, and all his people;
Jeremiah 25:19 niv
Pharaoh king of Egypt, his attendants, his officials and all his people,
Jeremiah 25:19 esv
Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his officials, all his people,
Jeremiah 25:19 nlt
I gave the cup to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, his attendants, his officials, and all his people,
Jeremiah 25 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 25:15-16 | "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Take this cup…' " | Introduction to the cup of God's wrath |
| Jer 25:18 | "Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings, its princes…" | Judah is first to drink the cup |
| Jer 46:2-26 | "Concerning Egypt... Pharaoh king of Egypt... broken with shame." | Extensive prophecy of judgment on Egypt |
| Isa 19:1-25 | "The oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the LORD is riding..." | Prophecy of Egypt's humbling and eventual turning to God |
| Isa 30:1-7 | "Ah, stubborn children, declares the LORD... who set out to go down to Egypt..." | Woe for trusting Egypt instead of God |
| Isa 31:1-3 | "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses..." | Futility of reliance on Egypt's power |
| Ezek 29:1-16 | "Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt..." | Judgment on Pharaoh and Egypt, devastation of the land |
| Ezek 30:1-26 | "Thus says the Lord GOD: 'I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt..." | Further prophecy of Egypt's destruction by Babylon |
| Ezek 31:1-18 | "Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude..." | Egypt compared to a proud cedar brought low |
| Ezek 32:1-32 | "Son of man, raise a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt..." | A dirge for Pharaoh and the fall of Egypt |
| Exod 7:5 | "The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand..." | God's powerful acts against Egypt during the Exodus |
| Psa 78:43-51 | "How He performed His signs in Egypt... and His wonders in the field..." | Recalling the plagues and judgment on Egypt |
| Jer 2:18, 36 | "What has Egypt to do with you... how you trot about, changing your way!" | Judah's foolish alliance with Egypt |
| Hos 7:11 | "Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense; they call to Egypt..." | Israel's reliance on Egypt and Assyria |
| Nah 3:8-10 | "Are you better than Thebes, which was set by the Nile..." | Egypt's historical vulnerability despite strength |
| Psa 79:1-13 | "O God, the nations have come into your inheritance..." | Plea amidst judgment on nations (general) |
| Lam 4:21 | "Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, dwelling in the land of Uz; the cup will pass..." | The "cup" passes to other nations |
| Isa 51:17 | "Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup..." | God's people also drink from the cup |
| Rev 14:10 | "...he also will drink the wine of the wrath of God, poured full strength into the cup..." | New Testament usage of the cup of wrath |
| Rev 16:19 | "...to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath." | Ultimate judgment on Babylon |
| Zec 10:11 | "He shall pass through the sea of affliction and strike down the waves of the sea, and all the depths of the Nile shall dry up. The pride of Assyria shall be laid low, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart." | End of Egypt's powerful influence |
| Mal 1:11 | "For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations..." | God's sovereignty over all nations |
Jeremiah 25 verses
Jeremiah 25 19 meaning
Jeremiah 25:19 declares that "Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people" are appointed to drink from the "cup of the wine of the Lord's fury." This signifies a comprehensive divine judgment that would fall upon Egypt, encompassing its supreme ruler, the Pharaoh, all levels of its government—from high-ranking princes to lesser servants—and the entire populace. It indicates a total and inescapable divine retribution administered by Yahweh upon a powerful nation, demonstrating His absolute sovereignty over all earthly kingdoms.
Jeremiah 25 19 Context
Jeremiah chapter 25 is a pivotal prophecy delivered by Jeremiah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim (605/604 BC), immediately after the Battle of Carchemish where Babylon defeated Egypt, marking the shift of regional power. This particular verse (Jer 25:19) is part of a larger section (Jer 25:15-26) where Yahweh commands Jeremiah to take a "cup of the wine of this fury" and make all the nations drink from it, signifying divine judgment and devastation.
The prophecy first applies to Judah (Jer 25:18) as a judgment for their unfaithfulness and rebellion, warning them of the coming 70-year Babylonian exile (Jer 25:11-12). Following Judah, Jeremiah is to prophesy against "all the kings of the north, far and near," and specifically lists powerful nations and their leaders who would also suffer the Lord's wrath. Egypt was a prominent and mighty empire that Judah frequently relied on for military alliances against Assyria and later Babylon, despite God's repeated warnings not to trust in human power. This verse specifically names Pharaoh and his entire realm to show that even such a formidable, seemingly secure power, which often boasted of its strength and divinity, was not immune to Yahweh's universal decree of judgment, thus shattering Judah's false sense of security in its human alliances.
Jeremiah 25 19 Word analysis
- Pharaoh (פַרְעֹה - Par‘ōh):
- This is not a personal name but a hereditary Egyptian royal title, much like "king."
- It refers to the reigning monarch, signifying the supreme political and religious authority of Egypt.
- Throughout biblical history (e.g., Exodus, Isaiah, Ezekiel), "Pharaoh" often embodies worldly power that resists God or seduces His people into misplaced trust.
- king (מֶלֶךְ - Meleḵ) of Egypt (מִצְרַיִם - Miṣrayim):
king: Reinforces the supreme royal authority of Pharaoh, highlighting the ultimate leader responsible for the nation.Egypt: Identifies the specific, powerful nation in question. In biblical narrative, Egypt is often a land of oppression (Exodus), but also a place of refuge (Joseph, the infant Jesus), yet consistently portrayed as a worldly power whose might is ultimately inferior to Yahweh's.- This combination clearly designates the head of a major world power, not just a minor local ruler, making the judgment all the more significant.
- and his servants (עֲבָדָיו - ‘ăḇāḏāyw):
- Refers to the lower and mid-level government officials, civil servants, and administrators who serve the Pharaoh.
- This category indicates that the judgment would not bypass those who actively carried out the policies and decrees of the ruling power.
- It shows a reach beyond the king himself, including those integral to the function of the state.
- and his princes (שָׂרָיו - śāräw):
- These were high-ranking officials, nobles, military commanders, and chief advisors to the Pharaoh.
- This group represents the elite leadership and the ruling class.
- Their inclusion emphasizes that the judgment impacts the most influential echelons of Egyptian society.
- and all his people (וְכָל־עַמּוֹ - wəḵāl-‘ammōw):
and all: The Hebrew term wəḵāl ("and all") signifies an absolute, comprehensive inclusion, leaving no one out.his people: Refers to the general populace, the common citizens of Egypt.- This phrase makes the judgment truly exhaustive, extending from the supreme ruler, through all governmental layers, down to every single citizen, demonstrating the totality and inescapable nature of divine retribution on the entire nation.
Words-group analysis:
- Pharaoh king of Egypt: This phrase explicitly identifies the chief target of the divine wrath. It signals a confrontation between Yahweh's absolute authority and one of the ancient world's most enduring and proud human empires, reminding Judah that even this great power cannot withstand God's decree.
- and his servants, and his princes, and all his people: This sequence represents a complete enumeration of Egyptian society from the top down. It acts as a merism, where contrasting or distinct parts are listed to signify the whole. This detailed listing powerfully underscores the all-encompassing nature of God's judgment, implying that no level of power, social status, or even common citizenship will offer escape from the impending devastation. It also highlights the corporate responsibility of the nation under judgment.
Jeremiah 25 19 Bonus section
The consistent prophetic pronouncements against Egypt throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah) reveal a pattern of God's interaction with this powerful nation, often stemming from its oppressive actions against Israel in the past (Exodus) and its recurring role as a seductive, unreliable ally for Judah in later periods. This makes the judgment in Jeremiah 25:19 not an isolated event, but a continuation of Yahweh's established judicial relationship with Egypt. The mention of "all his people" reinforces that sin and its consequences often have corporate effects, not just individual ones, affecting every member of a society that collectively participates in or permits unrighteousness. This "cup of wrath" imagery itself is deeply symbolic, frequently appearing in both Old (e.g., Isa 51:17; Ps 75:8) and New Testaments (e.g., Rev 14:10), signifying a comprehensive and unavoidable measure of divine retribution to be consumed completely.
Jeremiah 25 19 Commentary
Jeremiah 25:19 serves as a potent declaration of Yahweh's universal sovereignty and unwavering justice. By singling out "Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people," the prophecy dismantles any notion of Egypt's invincibility or its independence from divine decree. Historically, Egypt often boasted of its internal stability and divine protection for its Pharaohs. Yet, this verse asserts that even this seemingly formidable and divinely favored nation, with its elaborate hierarchy, would face the same "cup of fury" as other nations, ultimately through Nebuchadnezzar's conquests (Jer 46:13-26; Ezek 29-32). The meticulous listing of king, servants, princes, and people ensures no one escapes, emphasizing the corporate nature of national judgment. Theologically, it reaffirms God's control over all historical events and political powers, directly confronting human pride and any misplaced trust in human alliances (Isa 30-31). It offers a foundational principle that all earthly authority is subordinate to Yahweh, who holds the ultimate power to raise and humble nations according to His righteous will.