Jeremiah 25

THE word that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehojakim the son of Josiah king of Judah The fourth year of Jehojakim, was seven years and odd moneths before Jeconiah or Jehojakin his Son was carried into Captivity, as appears from 2 Kings 23.36. and chap. 24.8, 15. and eighteen years before the taking of the City, and the more general Captivity; which argueth that this Prophesie is misplaced, and set after the former, whereas in order of time it was sixteen or seventeen years before it., that was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon This is said to be the first year of Nebuchadnezzar (called by Ptolomy, Nebopollassar.) It is said Dan. 1.1. that this Nebuchnadrezzar came up in the third year of Jehojakim; to which is answered. That the first year of Nebuchadnezzars reign must be understood of his absolute Reign, which concurred partly with the third, partly with the fourth year of Jehojakim, they say he was before a sharer in the Kingly Government with his Father, but this was the first year, that he had the name of King intirely given unto him..

The which Jeremiah the prophet spake to all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying That is the word concerned them all, and he spake it to so many of them as he met with in any publick assembly at Hierusalem or elsewhere.,

From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that is the three and twentieth year, We read chap. 1.2. that Jeremiah began to prophesie in the thirteenth year of Josiah. Iosiah reigned thirty one years, 2 Kin. 22.1. so that taking in the thirteenth year, Ieremiah prophesied nineteen years during the Life of Iosiah, to which adding the four of Iehojakims reign it maketh twenty three. the word of the LORD has come unto me, and I have spoken unto you rising early, and speaking but ye have not hearkned These twenty three years says the Prophet I have been a Preacher to you, and I have not been negligent in my work, but like men, that get up early in the morning to dispatch their business, so have I been in the discharge of my prophetical office..

And the LORD has sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, but ye have not hearkned, nor inclined your ear to hear Nor am I the only Prophet whom the Lord has sent you, and whom you have neglected and despised, God has sent you many more, and you have despised as many as he has sent though the Lord has made it his business to send you one after another from time to time. This contempt of the Lords messengers is made the proximate cause of Gods wrath coming upon this people, till there was no remedy, 2 Chron. 36.16..

They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land, that the LORD has given unto you and to your fathers, for ever and ever The substance both of their, and my Sermons has been to persuade you to leave off those sinful courses wherein you have lived, and which you might have amended by virtue of that common grace which I did not deny you. We have not differed in our Doctrine, to the practice of which you have also been incouraged both by them and me, with an assurance from God that if you did it, you should injoy this good Land, which the Lord promised, and gave to you and your Fathers, and you have now possessed from age to age.:

And go not after other gods Idols which indeed are no gods but so called by Idolaters. to serve them, and to worship them To pay any divine homage unto them., and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands And provoke me not to anger, by idols which are the work of mens hands, (no uncreated beings.) Or more generally any works which are contrary to the Law of God., and I will do you no hurt If you do this I will by my Providence do you no harm, you shall yet enjoy your own Land and prosper..

Yet he have not hearkned unto me Ye heard me, and other the Lords Prophets thus speaking to you, but you did not obey, and hearken., says the LORD, that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands As if you had done it on purpose to incense me against you, who am of my self slow to wrath, and must be provoked to execute vindicative justice by mens own wicked works. to your own hurt Which do not otherwise affect or hurt me, but are to their hurt who do them..

¶ Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, Because you have not heard my words That is because you have not hearkned to, and obeyed my words; for it is manifest they had heard Ieremiah and the other Prophets..

Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, says the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon my servant I will put it into the heart of all those Kings, whose Territories lye Northward of Iudea, and particularly into the Heart of Nebuchadrezzar the King of Babylon, who in this work shall be my servant though you will not be my Servants in obeying my commands, yet he shall serve me, chap. 27.6. and 43.10., and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof I will bring them, and their Armies up against this people, and I will put you out of hopes from your alliances with other Nations, for he shall first bring them under his command, thus we read, 2 Kings 24.7. that the King of Babylon, had invaded the Egyptian Dominions, and taken from the River Egypt, unto the River Euphrates, all that pertained to the King of Egypt., and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and a perpetual desolation.

Moreover, I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride I will take away all your mirth and jollity, whether used at weddings, or at any of your merry meetings, I will leave you nothing to rejoice in, your very wedding times, shall be times of mourning, and lamentation., the sound of the milstones, and the light of the candle Nay I will not only deprive you of your mirth, but of those things that are necessary for you, as necessary as Bread and Light, the Milstone shall not move, you shall not have the light so much as of a candle; see the like expressions, Revel. 18.22.1. God here threatens not only to take away their superfluities, and what he had hitherto lent them for their pleasure and delight, but also what they had for their necessary sustenance and to capacitate them to do their ordinary works..

And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years This prophesie is a famous prophesie in regard of its fixing the particular space of time in which the Jews abode in the Captivity of Babylon, viz. seventy years, when they determined we are plainly enough told, Ezra 1.1. in the first year of Cyrus the King of Persia, but when they commenced is more disputed, for we read of three carryings into that Captivity. The one in the third and fourth year of Iehojachim, when it should seem that Nebuchadrezzar, only carried away some few persons to be bred in his Court, amongst whom were Daniel and the Three Children, Dan. 1.1, 2, &c. A second seven years after in Ieconiahs time, 2 Kings 24.15, 16. The last and most general 11 years after, in the 11th. year of Zedekiah, it seemeth most probable that the seventy years must be reckoned from the second, for Ieremiah chap. 29.1, 2, 3. writings to those then in Captivity tells them that when seventy years should be accomplished, God would bring them back. This is confirmed by Ezekiel chap. 40.1. where the fourteenth year after the taking of the City is expresly said to be the twenty fifth year of their Captivity..

And it shall come to pass when the seventy years are accomplished Seventy years accounted from the time that the Jews were carried away in the time of Ieconiah or Iehojakin, 2 Kings 24.15, 16., that I will punish the King of Babylon, and that nation, says the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Caldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations This was fulfilled by Darius the King of Persia, Dan. 5.31 of these 70 Nebuchadnezzar reigned 36. 2 Kings 25.27. Evil-Merodach 32. and Belshazzar at least two, Dan. 8.1. Tho' God whose all the Creation is, and who is the Lord of all the Hosts of his Creatures does often make use of Heathens, and other wicked men to punish his own people, yet he will at last punish them, and ordinarily when he does punish them, it is with a more severe, and grievous destruction then that by which he punisheth his people, Isa. 27.7. thus he threatens to make the Caldeans a perpetual desolation..

And I will bring upon that land The Land of the Babylonians and Caldeans. all my words that I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations.

For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompence them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands God threatneth the destruction of that Monarchy by the Persia s, according to the proph s e of this Prophet, and declareth that their destruction was of themselves God did but recompence unto them their own deeds, and the works of their hands which is not to be restrained to their excesses in executing divine vengeance, and the cruelty they used to he I raelites, but more generally interpreted of all their wicked courses..

¶ For thus says the LORD God of Israel unto me, Take the wine-cup of this fury at my hand Gods judgements are often in Scripture expressed under the notion of a cup of hot and intoxicating drink, and their suffering is set out under the notion of drinking such a cup as Psal. 75.8. Iob 21.20. Isa. 51.17. Psal. 11.6. and 60.3. Lam. 4.21. Ezek. 23.32, 34. God made Ieremiah to see the appearance of such a cup in a Vision., and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it And bad him to carry it to the Nations to whom he sent him, to signifie to them that his wrath should be poured out on them, and they should drink of it..

And they shall drink and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them Whether they will or no they shall drink it and be disturbed, and be mad and rage like men overcome with Wine, because of those dreadful judgements which I shall send amongst them..

Then took I the cup at the LORDS hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me That is in the Vision, for it cannot be thought that the Lord made the Prophet to travel up and down to all the Nations afterward named, with a cup of Wine in his hand..

To wit Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, and astonishment, an hissing and a curse, as it is this day Judgment usually beginneth at the House of God, 1 Pet. 4.17. God has more known them and done them more good then other people, therefore their sins are higher provocations, and they are less excusable. By the Kings here mentioned are to be understood Iehojakim, Iehojakin and Zedekiah, these Princes with their People, God threatens to punish to astonishment, and so as men should mock at them, and curse them, which expressions we have before met with in the same cause. But here ariseth a doubt how the Prophet says (as it is this day) whereas this prophesie ver. 1. was in the fourth year of Iehojakim, but Ierusalem was not made such a desolation till the eleventh year of Zedekiah which was eighteen years after. Some think that though the thing were yet to come, yet the Prophet speaketh of it as past because of the certainty of it, which is but what is ordinary in the Prophetical Writings. Others think that these words were added after the Captivity of Ieremiah, writing over his former prophesies. Others from these words judge that this part of the chapter, was a prophesie at some other time following what was in the beginning of this chapter. Others think that he adds these words because the carrying into Captivity was at this time begun, though not compleated until the 11th. year of Zedekiah..

Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people The Egyptians being that people whom the Jews most trusted to for help, are named as the first to whom the Prophet was sent with the Wine-cup of Gods fury, to let the Jews know, that if they trusted to them, their confidence was vain; for they should themselves be destroyed, which was fulfilled within the twelve years after the death of Iosiah unto the time of Iehojachin as appears from 2 Kings 24.5. for the King of Egypt made Iehojachim King, 2 Kings 23.34..

And all the mingled people It is of no great moment to determine, whether God by the mingled People here mentioned intended the various Nations afterwards particularly expressed by their names, or some people that were not native Egyptians, but lived mingled with them or some other people of several Nations, who lived near Iudea or the Arabians., and all the kings of the land of Uz By the Kings of the and of Vz it is most probably judged are to be understood those Kings who ruled over that people who descended from Dis an. Gen. 36.28. and are judged to have inhabited some part of Arabia Petraea, near to Idumaea., and all the kings of the land of the Philistines The Cities of the Philistines are reckoned afterward., and Ashkelon and Azzah, and Ek on, and the remnant of Ashdod Azzah Ekron Ashded, and Ashkelon were our of them, the fifth which was Gath is not here named, vide 1 Sam. 6.17. it had a King in former times to whom David fled, 1 Sam. 21.10. but before this time it was destroyed, either by Psam tio s Father to Pharaoh Necho, or by Tartan Captain General to Sargon King of Assyria of whom read Isa. 20.1. that he took Ashdod, which may be the reason that here mention is made of no more then the remnant of Ashdod..

Edom The Edomites were the posterity of Esau the Son of Isaac, to whom God had given a Land which they inherited, and he would not suffer the Israelites to make their way through them by force, when they denyed them a passage through their Country, now he threatens their ruine, as also chap. 49.7. and Obadiahs prophesie was against them where their triumphing in the Captivity of the Jews, is mentioned as one thing that had provoked God against them., and Moab, and the children of Ammon The Moabites and Ammonites were descended from Lot, chap. 48. is an entire prophesie against Moab, they had lived in long prosperity as appears there ver. 12. so had the Ammonites against whom also Ieremiah prophesied particularly, chap. 49.1. to the 7..

And all the kings of Tyrus Tyrus was a strong City upon the Borders of the Tribe of Asher, Iosh. 19.29. 2 Sam. 24.7. a very rich City, and a Kingdom, with the King of which (who was Hyram) Solomon in his time traded much, 2 Chron. 2.3. Isaiah prophesied its ruine, Isaiah 23.1. so did Ezek. chap. 27.28, 29. it was destroyed by Nebuchadrezzar, Ezek. 29 18., and all the kings of Zidon Zidon was nigh to it therefore we shall ordinarily find Tyre and Zidon joined together in Scripture, both Isaiah and Ezekiel, as well as this Prophet prophesied their ruine., and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea By the Isles beyond the Seas, some understand Greece and Italy, others Rhodes, Cyprus and Creta, but others think Nebuchadnezzar never conquered these, and rather understand those parts of Syria that coasted upon the Midland Sea..

Dedan, and Tema Tema descended from Ishmael, Gen. 25.15. his posterity inhabited in Arabia, Isa. 21.14. where they are joined with those of Dedan., and Buz Buz was one of the posterity of Na or, Gen. 22.21. These were people mixed with the Saracens or Arabians., and all that are in the utmost corners That dwell in the corners or furthest parts of the World. Some interpret it of the fashion of their cutting their beards, as the Saracens did, v. Lev. 19.27. where God forbad his people that fashion., We read of a Dedan the issue of Cham, Gen. 10.7. The other the posterity of Abraham by Iokshan, Gen. 25.3. It seemeth to be a City of Idumaea, chap. 49.8.

And all the kings of Arabia There were several Kings in Arabia, 2 Chron. 9.14., and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert People of several Nations that were got together in the Desert, and had made to themselves several Kings or Chief Rulers..

And all the kings of Zimri Those descended from Zimran, Abrahams Son by Keturah Gen. 25.2. (the Zamarens as some think mentioned by Pliny,), and all the kings of Elam By the Elamites are meant the Persians descended from Sem, Gen. 10. 2. Elam is also mentioned Isai. 22.6. see also ch. 49.34., and all the kings of the Medes The Medes came from Madai the son of Iaphet, Gen. 10.2. they are usually joined with the Persians, Daniel 5.28..

And all the kings of the north, far and near All under the Government of the Caldeans, or (as others) all those Princes that have Dominions between the North and East., one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth That is in those parts of the World which were at that time known, with whom there was ordinary commerce., and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them And the King of Babylon who was last of all to drink of this cup of the Lords fury, that he is here meant is plain from chap 51.41. where Sh hach is thus interpreted, but why Babylon is called Sheshach is an harder question and not easily resolved. Those who think the Prophet gives Babylon here another name to avoid an odium from the King of Babylon, at this time their Enemy, neither consider the usual courage of this Prophet, nor that he speaks plainly enough chap. 51.14. where he mentioneth both Babylon and Sheshach, and expoundeth the latter by the former. It is thought that Babylon is called Sheshach from the name of an Idol called Shach which they worshipped, to whose honor they yearly kept a Festival for five days together, which they called Shace, and they say that during this festival Cyrus took Babylon But these are all incertain guesses, it is enough for us to know that by the King of Sheshach is meant the King of Babel, as the Prophet expounds himself, chap. 51.41..

Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel Drink ye and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send amongst you.

And it shall be if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus says the LORD of hosts, Ye shall certainly drink The meaning of these two verses is no more then this, God let Ieremiah in a Vision know that it was his will, that he should prophesie a certain, and inavoidable ruine to all these Nations, which was brought upon all the rest by the King of Babylon, whom God made his instrument to execute his vengeance upon them: and last of all upon the King of Babylon himself by Cyrus the King of Persia. This judgment which he telleth them should be by the Sword, he expresseth by the effects, falling and rising no more, and commands them to drink it to comport, with the metaphor of the Wine cup of Gods fury, mentioned ver. 15. The drinking of cups of heady intoxicating Wine ordinarily producing such effects, as puing and falling, &c. This cup of the Lords fury he assures them, they should not turn by, but should most certainly drink it..

For lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished By the City called by his name; or upon which his name was called, he means Ierusalem, elsewhere called the Holy City. The Apostle 1 Pet. 4.17. Speaketh much to this purpose, The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God, and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God. If God spareth not the green Tree, how shall he spare those that are dry and withered? Atheists, and leud and profane Persons have little reason to promise themselves an escape from Gods righteous judgment, when they see God not sparing those that make the highest profession of him, and stand in some relation to him.? ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth It is in vain for you to promise your selves an escape, for God is about to punish all your neighbours., says the LORD of hosts.

Therefore prophesie thou against them all these words, and say unto them Reveal my will unto them presently to revenge my self upon them, in words to this sense or purpose, tell them, that I who hitherto have been toward them as a Lamb will now be to them as a Lion, so Ioel 3.16. Amos 1.2. and 3.8. and, as a Lion, will roar from Heaven, for though the Temple be sometimes so called, yet the foregoing words from on high expound this term in this place otherwise., The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation i, he shall mightily roar upon his habitation Or in his habitation which is more likely to be understood in Heaven, (as the former,) then in Ierusalem as divers would have it, for God is here revealing his wrath against forreign Nations, upon some of which these judgments came after God had done roaring in or upon Ierusalem., he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth A shout, such as Souldiers use to give when they storm a City, or assault their Enemies to incourage their fellowes, and to dishearten their Enemies, like the shout of those that tread the Grapes, singing one to another, or rejoycing and triumphing in the Vintage..

A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth, for the LORD has a controversie with the nations There shall be such confusions and noises, as shall ring over all the World, for Gods quarrel is not against the Jews only, but other Nations also.: he will plead with all flesh Nor will be in any thing he does, act injustly, if they will join issue with him he will plead with them, and make it appear to all that he acteth righteously., he will give them that are wicked to the sword He will give up many to the Sword, but they shall be such only as by their wickedness have deserved it, recompensing to them their own works and evil doings., says the LORD.

Thus says the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up, from the coasts of the earth It is much the same thing which was said before, only repeated for the greater terrour in a variety of expressions. He tells them that the judgment should be like a contagion, going from one Nation to another, or like a fire catching hold of another house before the first is burned down, like a whirlwind that blows from all sides, cometh suddenly, and devoureth dreadfully..

And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered nor buried, they shall be dung upon the ground That t ose who should be slain by commission from the Lord in this time of his judgments, should be in all places, and so numerous, that there should be none left to lament for, or to bury the dead, but the dead bodies should lye and rot upon the surface of the earth, and be as muck to it. See the like phrases chap. 1.4..

¶ Howl ye shepherds and cry, and wallow your selves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock Shepherds and the principal of the flock, are in this place of the same significancy, by both he means the civil Rulers, so the word is used chap. 22.22. and 23.1. These he calls aforehand to bewail their face.: for the days of your slaughter, and of your dispersions are accomplished For the days were now come, when they should be slain and scattered., and ye shall fall like a plesant vessel And he tells them their fall should be like the fall of a chrystal glass, or some delicate tender vessel wh ch when it falleth breaketh in pieces and cannot again be set together..

And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape In ordinary dispensations of judgment there is some way left to escape and if there be any way of escape great men are likeliest to find it, but he telleth them that the greatest men should find no way to flee from or escape this terrible dispensation of God..

A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock shall be heard That is there shall be heard a great outcry of the Princes, and Rulers.: for the LORD has spoiled their pasture When they shall see how the Lord has spoiled the Cities in which, and their people upon which they have lived, and amongst whom they were wont to feed securely..

And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the LORD That is, the places where these great men were wont to live splendidly, and dwell peaceably and securely hall be as surely destroyed through the Lords anger, as if it were already done..

He has forsaken his covert as the lion God had before compared himself to a Lion, ver. 30. here he declares himself to be about to move like a Lion, who when he goeth out to seek his prey, leaveth his covert, vide chap. 50.44.: for their lands is desolate, because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger The effects of this rising up of God out of his covert is the desolation of the Land through the fierceness of the Enemy, caused from the fierce anger of God now ready to be poured out upon this people..