Jeremiah 25 23

Jeremiah 25:23 kjv

Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that are in the utmost corners,

Jeremiah 25:23 nkjv

Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who are in the farthest corners;

Jeremiah 25:23 niv

Dedan, Tema, Buz and all who are in distant places;

Jeremiah 25:23 esv

Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who cut the corners of their hair;

Jeremiah 25:23 nlt

I gave it to Dedan, Tema, and Buz, and to the people who live in distant places.

Jeremiah 25 verses

Jeremiah 25 23 meaning

Jeremiah 25:23 describes the divine judgment descending upon specific, yet widespread, nomadic tribes of North Arabia: Dedan, Tema, and Buz. The phrase "and all whose hair is cut short at the temples" extends this judgment to a broader category of remote desert dwellers. This particular haircut was a distinctive cultural and possibly cultic practice among these groups, one expressly forbidden to Israel. The verse's inclusion in the "cup of wrath" oracle emphasizes God's comprehensive sovereignty and the universal scope of His righteous judgment, which extends to all nations, regardless of their location, power, or cultural distinctions.

Jeremiah 25 23 Context

Jeremiah chapter 25 is a crucial prophetic declaration delivered in the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign (605 BC), a pivotal moment marking the rise of Babylon. The first section (v. 1-14) is a direct prophecy against Judah and Jerusalem, foretelling 70 years of Babylonian exile due to their persistent disobedience and rejection of God's prophets. The second part (v. 15-38), where verse 23 resides, describes Yahweh's "cup of wrath" which He commands Jeremiah to make all nations drink. This is a powerful metaphor for universal divine judgment. The list begins with Jerusalem itself, then systematically enumerates neighboring nations, prominent kingdoms, and remote peoples across the ancient Near East, culminating with "all the kingdoms of the world which are on the face of the earth" (v. 26). This extensive enumeration underscores God's supreme sovereignty over all nations, ensuring that no one is beyond the reach of His righteous judgment. Verse 23 specifically includes nomadic Arabian tribes, extending the scope of judgment deep into the desert regions.

Jeremiah 25 23 Word analysis

• Dedan (דְּדָן - Dĕḏān): An important tribal confederation or region in northern Arabia, renowned for its extensive caravan trade, particularly in luxury goods like spices and precious stones. Its inclusion signifies the judgment reaching far into the Arabian desert, encompassing major commercial and cultural hubs.

• Tema (תֵּימָא - Tēmā’): Another prominent trading city and oasis in North Arabia, crucial for caravans traveling between Mesopotamia and Egypt. It was a center of various pagan deities. Its mention alongside Dedan emphasizes the breadth of judgment over significant centers of trade and idolatry in the ancient world.

• Buz (בּוּז - Būz): A lesser-known tribal group, possibly connected genealogically to Abraham's family (Gen 22:21). Its presence ensures that the prophecy covers a wide array of desert peoples, not just the most powerful or famous, underscoring the comprehensive nature of God's judgment even over smaller entities.

• and all (וְכָל - wə-ḵol): This conjunction serves to expand the scope beyond the explicitly named tribes to a more encompassing category. It emphasizes the totality of the judgment, including other related groups.

• those whose hair is cut short at the temples / uttermost parts (קְצוּצֵי פֵאָה - qᵊṣûṣê Pēʾāh):

  • קְצוּצֵי (qᵊṣûṣê): A passive participle meaning "cut off," "shorn," or "clipped." It refers to those who have had their hair cut in a particular manner.
  • פֵאָה (Pēʾāh): Means "corner," "side," or "edge," specifically referring to the temples or sides of the head.
  • Significance: The full phrase describes a distinctive haircut, where the hair on the sides or temples of the head was cut short or shaven. This was a cultural and cultic practice among some nomadic Arabian tribes, possibly linked to pagan mourning rituals or specific deity veneration. For Israel, this practice was expressly forbidden (Lev 19:27, Deut 14:1) as it symbolized heathen practices. By identifying these tribes by this distinct characteristic, Jeremiah highlights both their geographical remoteness (hence "uttermost parts" in some translations, reflecting how Israelites viewed these groups as dwelling on the "corners" or edges of the civilized world) and their specific religious-cultural distinctiveness, indicating that God's judgment extends even to those whose practices openly defy the laws He gave His covenant people.

• Dedan, Tema, Buz: This specific grouping of tribes indicates a judgment directed at prominent trading and nomadic peoples within the Arabian peninsula, highlighting the geographic reach of God's judgment into the desert regions, traditionally seen as remote.

• and all whose hair is cut short at the temples: This phrase transitions from specific named entities to a more general, descriptive category. It encompasses other related desert tribes sharing this distinctive cultural-religious practice. The inclusion of this peculiar ritual in God's judgment underscores the moral accountability of cultures defined by pagan customs explicitly condemned in Israelite law.

Jeremiah 25 23 Bonus section

The consistent listing of these specific Arabian tribes (Dedan, Tema, Buz) and their distinct cultural markers (like the shaved temples) throughout prophetic literature (e.g., Isa 21, Jer 49, Ezek 27) not only points to God's intimate knowledge of global geopolitics and culture but also serves as an implicit challenge to Judah. If distant pagan nations with distinct, forbidden customs are subject to Yahweh's judgment, how much more certain is the fate of Judah, who received His law directly yet persistently disobeyed? The specific "shaving of the temples" often served as a marker of ethno-religious identity for these groups, potentially as part of rituals associated with astral deities common in Arabia, making their inclusion in the "cup of wrath" a direct confrontation with the idolatries prevalent even on the fringes of the biblical world.

Jeremiah 25 23 Commentary

Jeremiah 25:23, set within the sweeping "cup of wrath" oracle, delivers a profound statement about the universality of God's judgment. By naming Dedan, Tema, and Buz—prominent nomadic and trading tribes of North Arabia—Jeremiah emphasizes the sheer geographical breadth of divine retribution. These distant peoples, active in trans-desert commerce, signify that no corner of the known world, however remote or seemingly unaffected by Judah's fate, is exempt from God's scrutiny.

The particularly striking phrase, "and all whose hair is cut short at the temples" (qᵊṣûṣê pēʾāh), goes beyond mere geographical designation. It targets a defining cultural or cultic practice, forbidden to Israel (Lev 19:27, Jer 9:26, 49:32), which likely involved pagan rituals or mourning customs. This indicates that God's judgment is not merely territorial but also morally specific, holding nations accountable for their practices. Their inclusion implies that distinctive customs, which often separated these groups from covenant Israel, will not shield them from divine judgment. This verse reinforces the absolute sovereignty of Yahweh over all creation, demonstrating His jurisdiction over even those considered distant and possessing unique idolatrous rites, bringing clarity that no one escapes the just consequences of their actions against His universal moral order.