Jeremiah 25:34-38

34 Weep and wail, you shepherds; roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock. For your time to be slaughtered has come; you will fall like the best of the rams.[a]
35 The shepherds will have nowhere to flee, the leaders of the flock no place to escape.
36 Hear the cry of the shepherds, the wailing of the leaders of the flock, for the LORD is destroying their pasture.
37 The peaceful meadows will be laid waste because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
38 Like a lion he will leave his lair, and their land will become desolate because of the sword[b] of the oppressor and because of the LORD’s fierce anger.

Jeremiah 25:34-38 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 25

This chapter contains a prophecy of the destruction of Judea by the king of Babylon; and also of Babylon itself, after the Jews' captivity of seventy years; and likewise of all the nations round about. The date of this prophecy is in Jer 25:1; when the prophet puts the Jews in mind of the prophecies that had been delivered unto them by himself and others, for some years past, without effect, Jer 25:2-7; wherefore they are threatened with the king of Babylon, that he should come against them, and strip them of all their desirable things; make their land desolate, and them captives for seventy years, Jer 25:8-11; at the expiration of which he in his turn shall be punished, and the land of Chaldea laid waste, and become subject to other nations and kings, Jer 25:12-14; and by a cup of wine given to all the nations round about, is signified the utter ruin of them, and who are particularly mentioned by name, Jer 25:15-26; which is confirmed by beginning with the city of Jerusalem, and the destruction of that, Jer 25:27-29; wherefore the prophet is bid to prophesy against them, and to declare the Lord's controversy with them, and that there should be a slaughter of them from one end of the earth to the other, Jer 25:30-33; upon which the shepherds, kings, and rulers of them, are called to lamentation and howling, Jer 25:34-38.

Cross References 11

  • 1. S Jeremiah 2:8; Zechariah 10:3
  • 2. S Jeremiah 6:26
  • 3. S Psalms 44:22; S Isaiah 34:6; Jeremiah 50:27; Jeremiah 51:40; Zechariah 11:4,7
  • 4. S Jeremiah 22:28
  • 5. S Job 11:20
  • 6. S Jeremiah 6:26
  • 7. S Jeremiah 23:1; Zechariah 11:3
  • 8. S Job 10:16; S Jeremiah 4:7
  • 9. Jeremiah 44:22
  • 10. Jeremiah 46:16; Jeremiah 50:16
  • 11. S Exodus 15:7; S Jeremiah 4:26

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Septuagint; Hebrew "fall and be shattered like fine pottery"
  • [b]. Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 46:16 and 50:16); most Hebrew manuscripts "anger"
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