Jeremiah 25:1–14

The Seventy-Year Exile

25 This is the word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim n son of Josiah, king of Judah (which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon). 2 The prophet Jeremiah spoke concerning all the people of Judah and all the residents of Jerusalem as follows: 3 “From the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon, o king of Judah, until this very day—23 years—the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken to you time and time again, p q but you have not obeyed. 4 The Lord sent all His servants the prophets to you time and time again, r but you have not obeyed or even paid attention. s t 5 He announced, ‘Turn, each of you, from your u evil way of life and from your evil deeds. v w Live in the land the Lord gave to you and your ancestors long ago and forever. x 6 Do not follow other gods to serve them and to worship them, y and do not provoke Me to anger by the work of your hands. z Then I will do you no harm.

7 “ ‘But you would not obey Me’—this is the Lord’s declaration—‘in order that you might provoke Me to anger by the work of your hands and bring disaster on yourselves.’

8 “Therefore, this is what the Lord of * Hosts says: ‘Because you have not obeyed My words, 9 I am going to send for all the families of the north’ a—this is the Lord’s declaration—‘and send for My servant b Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I will bring them against this land, against its residents, and against all these surrounding nations, and I will * completely destroy them and make them a desolation, c a derision, and ruins forever. d 10 I will eliminate the sound of joy and gladness from them—the voice of the groom and the bride, e the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 This whole land will become a desolate ruin, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for 70 years. f 12 When the 70 years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation’—this is the Lord’s declaration—‘the land of the Chaldeans, for their * guilt, and I will make it a ruin forever. g 13 I will bring on that land all My words I have spoken against it, all that is written in this book that Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations. 14 For many nations and great kings will enslave them, and I will repay them according to their deeds h and the work of their hands.’ ”