Jeremiah 25 29

Jeremiah 25:29 kjv

For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.

Jeremiah 25:29 nkjv

For behold, I begin to bring calamity on the city which is called by My name, and should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be unpunished, for I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth," says the LORD of hosts.'

Jeremiah 25:29 niv

See, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears my Name, and will you indeed go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword on all who live on the earth, declares the LORD Almighty.'

Jeremiah 25:29 esv

For behold, I begin to work disaster at the city that is called by my name, and shall you go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth, declares the LORD of hosts.'

Jeremiah 25:29 nlt

I have begun to punish Jerusalem, the city that bears my name. Now should I let you go unpunished? No, you will not escape disaster. I will call for war against all the nations of the earth. I, the LORD of Heaven's Armies, have spoken!'

Jeremiah 25 verses

Jeremiah 25 29 Meaning

Jeremiah 25:29 declares God's solemn decree that judgment, originating with His chosen people in Jerusalem, will inevitably extend to all nations. The verse emphasizes that if even those uniquely privileged by God's presence will not escape punishment for their transgressions, then no one else in the world can expect to go unpunished when the Lord's universal wrath is unleashed. It underlines the principle that divine justice is absolute and inescapable, beginning with those who have the greatest light and responsibility.

Jeremiah 25 29 Context

Jeremiah 25:29 falls within a significant prophetic passage (Jer 25:15-38) detailing a universal judgment orchestrated by God. The immediate preceding verses (15-28) describe Jeremiah's prophetic action of making the nations drink from the "cup of the wine of My wrath." This symbolic action signifies their imminent destruction and desolation. The "city that is called by My name" (Jerusalem) is specifically mentioned first as the recipient of this wrath, emphasizing that God's judgment will commence with His own covenant people. Historically, Jeremiah's ministry spanned a period of severe moral decline in Judah, leading to its eventual conquest by Babylon. This chapter serves as a crucial prophecy concerning the seventy-year Babylonian captivity and a broader, more universal judgment that would follow. It challenges Judah's false security, born from the belief that their status as God's chosen people or their possession of the temple would shield them from divine retribution.

Jeremiah 25 29 Word analysis

• For behold (Hineh): A dramatic Hebrew particle that signifies a solemn and important announcement. It compels attention to the imminent and certain event being declared. It creates a sense of immediacy and draws the listener in.
• I begin to bring disaster (’ānōkhī maḥîl l'hāvī ra'ah): "I begin" (maḥîl) emphasizes God's deliberate initiation. The Hebrew word ra'ah means "evil," "calamity," or "adversity." Here, it directly refers to divine judgment or the destructive consequences that God Himself will inflict. It underscores that God is the active agent in this coming tribulation, not mere chance or human machination.
• on the city that is called by My name (‘al hā‘îr šehaššēm šellî niqrā‘ ‘āleyhā): This clearly refers to Jerusalem. Being "called by My name" signifies God's covenantal relationship with Jerusalem, His ownership, and the fact that His glory resided there in the temple. This special status, rather than exempting them, makes their rebellion all the more grievous and thus their judgment particularly severe.
• and shall you yourselves go unpunished? (W’atāttem hanāqô’ tināqû): A rhetorical question employing a strong emphatic negation, implying "Certainly not!" The verb nāqâ means "to be clean," "to be acquitted," "to be unpunished." The repeated use stresses the absolute certainty of punishment.
• You shall not go unpunished, (Lō’ tināqû): This directly answers the rhetorical question with an unequivocal "No." It reinforces the inescapable reality of their accountability before God's justice. There is no legal loophole or special plea that will spare them from the consequences of their actions.
• for I am calling for a sword (kî ḥerev ‘ānôkī qōrē’): The "sword" (ḥerev) is a prominent biblical metaphor for war, invasion, violence, and divine judgment and destruction. God "calling for" it signifies that He is actively summoning and commissioning these destructive forces, implying that the agents of this judgment (e.g., the Babylonians) are merely instruments in His sovereign hand.
• on all the inhabitants of the earth (‘al kol-yōšbê hā’āreṣ): This phrase indicates the universal scope of the coming judgment. While it begins in Jerusalem, it will not be confined there. "The earth" can refer to the whole world, or more often in this context, the land/region known to the Israelites, including surrounding nations and beyond. It highlights God's role as the universal Judge over all humanity.
• declares the Lord of hosts (n'um Yahweh Tz'va'ot): This is a standard prophetic formula emphasizing the divine origin and authoritative nature of the prophecy. "Lord of hosts" (Yahweh Tz'va'ot) is a majestic title depicting God as the supreme Commander of celestial and earthly armies. It speaks to His immense power, sovereign control, and His ability to accomplish all His purposes, including judgment.

• "I begin to bring disaster...unpunished?": This phrase group establishes a profound theological principle: divine judgment often begins with God's own people. It underscores that privilege (being God's chosen, having His temple) does not equate to immunity from consequences but rather heightens accountability. If His own household suffers, then no one else can expect to escape.
• "calling for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth": This phrase group expands the scope of judgment from the particular (Jerusalem) to the universal. It demonstrates God's sovereignty over all nations and His impartiality as a judge. The "sword" represents the divinely orchestrated means of carrying out this judgment, making it clear that all war and destruction are ultimately under His command and for His purposes.

Jeremiah 25 29 Bonus section

The concept of "judgment beginning at the house of God" (echoed in 1 Pet 4:17) signifies God's higher expectation and deeper indignation against sin among those who bear His name. It reveals that proximity to God does not grant impunity but increases responsibility. The discipline applied to His own people is a severe but necessary consequence of their covenant breaking and serves as a visible witness to the nations of God's holiness and justice. If Jerusalem, the religious and political center, could not evade judgment, it served as a powerful sign to the surrounding nations that they, too, would face God's reckoning. The universality of this judgment means that no one, irrespective of their relationship with God, can escape His righteous hand if they persist in unrighteousness, though the nature and purpose of judgment may differ for His people (discipline) and others (condemnation).

Jeremiah 25 29 Commentary

Jeremiah 25:29 is a potent declaration of God's impartial justice. It establishes the theological principle that divine judgment, when it arrives, starts with God's own household before encompassing the wider world. Jerusalem, the "city called by My name," with its covenant relationship and temple, had enjoyed immense spiritual privilege, yet its persistent sin demanded the gravest of consequences. The rhetorical question, "shall you yourselves go unpunished?" answered emphatically by "You shall not go unpunished," conveys the absolute certainty of their accountability. This is not merely punitive but redemptive, aiming to purify. The ultimate scope of this judgment extends universally, as God calls forth His "sword" upon "all the inhabitants of the earth." This indicates His absolute sovereignty over all nations and that their prosperity or demise are subject to His divine will and purpose. The title "Lord of hosts" affirms His boundless power to execute such a universal judgment, serving as a reminder that all humanity is subject to the judgment of the Almighty.