Study Desk

Seventy Years of Captivity

The word came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim^(a) son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar^(b) king of Babylon.

So Jeremiah the prophet said to all the people of Judah^(c) and to all those living in Jerusalem:

For twenty-three years—from the thirteenth year of Josiah^(d) son of Amon king of Judah until this very day—the word of the Lord has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again,^(e) but you have not listened.^(f)

And though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets^(g) to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention.^(h)

They said, "Turn⁽ⁱ⁾ now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land^(j) the Lord gave to you and your ancestors for ever and ever.

Do not follow other gods^(k) to serve and worship them; do not arouse my anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you."

"But you did not listen to me," declares the Lord , "and you have aroused^(l) my anger with what your hands have made,^(m) and you have brought harm⁽ⁿ⁾ to yourselves."

Therefore the Lord Almighty says this: "Because you have not listened to my words,

I will summon^(o) all the peoples of the north^(p) and my servant^(q) Nebuchadnezzar^(r) king of Babylon," declares the Lord , "and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy^[a](s) them and make them an object of horror and scorn,^(t) and an everlasting ruin.^(u)

I will banish from them the sounds^(v) of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom,^(w) the sound of millstones^(x) and the light of the lamp.^(y)

This whole country will become a desolate wasteland,^(z) and these nations will serve^(aa) the king of Babylon seventy years.^(ab)

"But when the seventy years^(ac) are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon^(ad) and his nation, the land of the Babylonians,^[b] for their guilt," declares the Lord , "and will make it desolate^(ae) forever.

I will bring on that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written^(af) in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations.

They themselves will be enslaved^(ag) by many nations^(ah) and great kings; I will repay^(ai) them according to their deeds and the work of their hands."

This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, said to me: "Take from my hand this cup^(aj) filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send^(ak) you drink it.

When they drink^(al) it, they will stagger^(am) and go mad^(an) because of the sword^(ao) I will send among them."

So I took the cup from the Lord 's hand and made all the nations to whom he sent^(ap) me drink it:

Jerusalem^(aq) and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a ruin^(ar) and an object of horror and scorn,^(as) a curse^[c](at)—as they are today;^(au)

Pharaoh king^(av) of Egypt,^(aw) his attendants, his officials and all his people,

and all the foreign people there; all the kings of Uz;^(ax) all the kings of the Philistines^(ay) (those of Ashkelon,^(az) Gaza,^(ba) Ekron, and the people left at Ashdod);

Edom,^(bb) Moab^(bc) and Ammon;^(bd)

all the kings of Tyre^(be) and Sidon;^(bf) the kings of the coastlands^(bg) across the sea;

Dedan,^(bh) Tema,^(bi) Buz^(bj) and all who are in distant places^[d];^(bk)

all the kings of Arabia^(bl) and all the kings of the foreign people^(bm) who live in the wilderness;

all the kings of Zimri,^(bn) Elam^(bo) and Media;^(bp)

and all the kings of the north,^(bq) near and far, one after the other—all the kingdoms^(br) on the face of the earth. And after all of them, the king of Sheshak^[e](bs) will drink it too.

"Then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Drink, get drunk^(bt) and vomit, and fall to rise no more because of the sword^(bu) I will send among you.'

But if they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink^(bv), tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: You must drink it!

See, I am beginning to bring disaster^(bw) on the city that bears my Name,^(bx) and will you indeed go unpunished?^(by) You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword^(bz) on all^(ca) who live on the earth,^(cb) declares the Lord Almighty.'

"Now prophesy all these words against them and say to them: "‘The Lord will roar^(cc) from on high; he will thunder^(cd) from his holy dwelling^(ce) and roar mightily against his land. He will shout like those who tread^(cf) the grapes, shout against all who live on the earth.

The tumult^(cg) will resound to the ends of the earth, for the Lord will bring charges^(ch) against the nations; he will bring judgment^(ci) on all^(cj) mankind and put the wicked to the sword,^(ck)'" declares the Lord .

This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Look! Disaster^(cl) is spreading from nation to nation;^(cm) a mighty storm^(cn) is rising from the ends of the earth."^(co)

At that time those slain^(cp) by the Lord will be everywhere—from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned or gathered^(cq) up or buried,^(cr) but will be like dung lying on the ground.

Weep and wail, you shepherds;^(cs) roll^(ct) in the dust, you leaders of the flock. For your time to be slaughtered^(cu) has come; you will fall like the best of the rams.^[f](cv)

The shepherds will have nowhere to flee, the leaders of the flock no place to escape.^(cw)

Hear the cry^(cx) of the shepherds,^(cy) the wailing of the leaders of the flock, for the Lord is destroying their pasture.

The peaceful meadows will be laid waste because of the fierce anger of the Lord .

Like a lion^(cz) he will leave his lair, and their land will become desolate^(da) because of the sword^[g] of the oppressor^(db) and because of the Lord 's fierce anger.^(dc)

A Message to Baruch

When Baruch^(a) son of Neriah^(b) wrote on a scroll^(c) the words Jeremiah the prophet dictated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim^(d) son of Josiah king of Judah, Jeremiah said this to Baruch:

"This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch:

You said, ‘Woe^(e) to me! The Lord has added sorrow^(f) to my pain;^(g) I am worn out with groaning^(h) and find no rest.'⁽ⁱ⁾

But the Lord has told me to say to you, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will overthrow what I have built and uproot^(j) what I have planted,^(k) throughout the earth.^(l)

Should you then seek great^(m) things for yourself? Do not seek them.⁽ⁿ⁾ For I will bring disaster^(o) on all people,^(p) declares the Lord , but wherever you go I will let you escape^(q) with your life.'"^(r)

A Message About Egypt

This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations:^(a)

Concerning Egypt:^(b) This is the message against the army of Pharaoh Necho^(c) king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish^(d) on the Euphrates^(e) River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim^(f) son of Josiah king of Judah:

"Prepare your shields,^(g) both large and small, and march out for battle!

Harness the horses, mount the steeds! Take your positions with helmets on! Polish^(h) your spears, put on your armor!⁽ⁱ⁾

What do I see? They are terrified, they are retreating, their warriors are defeated. They flee^(j) in haste without looking back, and there is terror^(k) on every side," declares the Lord .

"The swift cannot flee^(l) nor the strong escape. In the north by the River Euphrates^(m) they stumble and fall.⁽ⁿ⁾

"Who is this that rises like the Nile, like rivers of surging waters?^(o)

Egypt rises like the Nile,^(p) like rivers of surging waters. She says, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy cities and their people.'^(q)

Charge, you horses! Drive furiously, you charioteers!^(r) March on, you warriors—men of Cush^[a](s) and Put who carry shields, men of Lydia^(t) who draw the bow.

But that day^(u) belongs to the Lord, the Lord Almighty— a day of vengeance^(v), for vengeance on his foes. The sword will devour^(w) till it is satisfied, till it has quenched its thirst with blood.^(x) For the Lord, the Lord Almighty, will offer sacrifice^(y) in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.^(z)

"Go up to Gilead and get balm,^(aa) Virgin^(ab) Daughter Egypt. But you try many medicines in vain; there is no healing^(ac) for you.

The nations will hear of your shame; your cries will fill the earth. One warrior will stumble over another; both will fall^(ad) down together."

This is the message the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon^(ae) to attack Egypt:^(af)

"Announce this in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol; proclaim it also in Memphis^(ag) and Tahpanhes:^(ah) ‘Take your positions and get ready, for the sword devours^(ai) those around you.'

Why will your warriors be laid low? They cannot stand, for the Lord will push them down.^(aj)

They will stumble^(ak) repeatedly; they will fall^(al) over each other. They will say, ‘Get up, let us go back to our own people^(am) and our native lands, away from the sword of the oppressor.'^(an)

There they will exclaim, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is only a loud noise;^(ao) he has missed his opportunity.^(ap)'

"As surely as I live," declares the King,^(aq) whose name is the Lord Almighty, "one will come who is like Tabor^(ar) among the mountains, like Carmel^(as) by the sea.

Pack your belongings for exile,^(at) you who live in Egypt, for Memphis^(au) will be laid waste^(av) and lie in ruins without inhabitant.

"Egypt is a beautiful heifer, but a gadfly is coming against her from the north.^(aw)

The mercenaries^(ax) in her ranks are like fattened calves.^(ay) They too will turn and flee^(az) together, they will not stand their ground, for the day^(ba) of disaster is coming upon them, the time^(bb) for them to be punished.

Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent as the enemy advances in force; they will come against her with axes, like men who cut down trees.^(bc)

They will chop down her forest," declares the Lord , "dense though it be. They are more numerous than locusts,^(bd) they cannot be counted.

Daughter Egypt will be put to shame, given into the hands of the people of the north.^(be)"

The Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "I am about to bring punishment on Amon god of Thebes,^(bf) on Pharaoh,^(bg) on Egypt and her gods^(bh) and her kings, and on those who rely^(bi) on Pharaoh.

I will give them into the hands^(bj) of those who want to kill them—Nebuchadnezzar king^(bk) of Babylon and his officers. Later, however, Egypt will be inhabited^(bl) as in times past," declares the Lord .

"Do not be afraid,^(bm) Jacob^(bn) my servant;^(bo) do not be dismayed, Israel. I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their exile.^(bp) Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid.

Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant, for I am with you,"^(bq) declares the Lord . "Though I completely destroy^(br) all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you but only in due measure; I will not let you go entirely unpunished."