Jeremiah says that for twenty-three years he has spoken but the people have not listened. Because of this, Babylon will rule for seventy years, and then be punished. God gives Jeremiah a cup of wrath to make all nations drink.
1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah , that was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon ;
2 The which Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah , and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem , saying ,
3 From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah , even unto this day , that is the three and twentieth year , the word of the LORD hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking ; but ye have not hearkened .
4 And the LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets , rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened , nor inclined your ear to hear .
5 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 hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever :
6 And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands ; and I will do you no hurt .
7 Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the LORD ; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt .
8 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts ; Because ye have not heard my words ,
9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north , saith the LORD , and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon , my servant , and will bring them against this land , and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about , and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment , and an hissing , and perpetual desolations .
10 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 , the sound of the millstones , and the light of the candle .
11 And this whole land shall be a desolation , and an astonishment ; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years .
12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished , that I will punish the king of Babylon , and that nation , saith the LORD , for their iniquity , and the land of the Chaldeans , and will make it perpetual desolations .
13 And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book , which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations .
14 For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds , and according to the works of their own hands .
15 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand , and cause all the nations , to whom I send thee, to drink it.
16 And they shall drink , and be moved , and be mad , because of the sword that I will send among them.
17 Then took I the cup at the LORD'S hand , and made all the nations to drink , unto whom the LORD had sent me:
18 To wit, Jerusalem , and the cities of Judah , and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation , an astonishment , an hissing , and a curse ; as it is this day ;
19 Pharaoh king of Egypt , and his servants , and his princes , and all his people ;
20 And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz , and all the kings of the land of the Philistines , and Ashkelon , and Azzah , and Ekron , and the remnant of Ashdod ,
21 Edom , and Moab , and the children of Ammon ,
22 And all the kings of Tyrus , and all the kings of Zidon , and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea ,
23 Dedan , and Tema , and Buz , and all that are in the utmost corners ,
24 And all the kings of Arabia , and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert ,
25 And all the kings of Zimri , and all the kings of Elam , and all the kings of the Medes ,
26 And all the kings of the north , far and near , one with another , and all the kingdoms of the world , which are upon the face of the earth : and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.
27 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith 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 among you.
28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink , then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts ; Ye shall certainly drink .
29 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 .
30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words , and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high , and utter his voice from his holy habitation ; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation ; he shall give a shout , as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth .
31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth ; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations , he will plead with all flesh ; he will give them that are wicked to the sword , saith the LORD .
32 Thus saith 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 .
33 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 .
34 Howl , ye shepherds , and cry ; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock : for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished ; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel .
35 And the shepherds shall have no way to flee , nor the principal of the flock to escape .
36 A voice of the cry of the shepherds , and an howling of the principal of the flock , shall be heard: for the LORD hath spoiled their pasture .
37 And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the LORD .
38 He hath forsaken his covert , as the lion : for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor , and because of his fierce anger .