Jeremiah 25:15

Authorized King James Version

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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.

Original Language Analysis

כִּ֣י H3588
כִּ֣י
Strong's: H3588
Word #: 1 of 24
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
כֹה֩ H3541
כֹה֩
Strong's: H3541
Word #: 2 of 24
properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now
אָמַ֨ר For thus saith H559
אָמַ֨ר For thus saith
Strong's: H559
Word #: 3 of 24
to say (used with great latitude)
יְהוָ֜ה the LORD H3068
יְהוָ֜ה the LORD
Strong's: H3068
Word #: 4 of 24
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
אֱלֹהֵ֤י God H430
אֱלֹהֵ֤י God
Strong's: H430
Word #: 5 of 24
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ of Israel H3478
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ of Israel
Strong's: H3478
Word #: 6 of 24
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
אֵלַ֔י H413
אֵלַ֔י
Strong's: H413
Word #: 7 of 24
near, with or among; often in general, to
קַ֠ח unto me Take H3947
קַ֠ח unto me Take
Strong's: H3947
Word #: 8 of 24
to take (in the widest variety of applications)
אֶת H853
אֶת
Strong's: H853
Word #: 9 of 24
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
כּ֨וֹס cup H3563
כּ֨וֹס cup
Strong's: H3563
Word #: 10 of 24
a cup (as a container), often figuratively, some unclean bird, probably an owl (perhaps from the cup-like cavity of its eye)
הַיַּ֧יִן the wine H3196
הַיַּ֧יִן the wine
Strong's: H3196
Word #: 11 of 24
wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication
הַחֵמָ֛ה of this fury H2534
הַחֵמָ֛ה of this fury
Strong's: H2534
Word #: 12 of 24
heat; figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever)
הַזֹּ֖את H2063
הַזֹּ֖את
Strong's: H2063
Word #: 13 of 24
this (often used adverb)
מִיָּדִ֑י at my hand H3027
מִיָּדִ֑י at my hand
Strong's: H3027
Word #: 14 of 24
a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v
וְהִשְׁקִיתָ֤ה thee to drink H8248
וְהִשְׁקִיתָ֤ה thee to drink
Strong's: H8248
Word #: 15 of 24
to quaff, i.e., (causatively) to irrigate or furnish a potion to
אֹתוֹ֙ H853
אֹתוֹ֙
Strong's: H853
Word #: 16 of 24
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
אֶת H853
אֶת
Strong's: H853
Word #: 17 of 24
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
כָּל H3605
כָּל
Strong's: H3605
Word #: 18 of 24
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
הַגּוֹיִ֔ם and cause all the nations H1471
הַגּוֹיִ֔ם and cause all the nations
Strong's: H1471
Word #: 19 of 24
a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
אֲשֶׁ֧ר H834
אֲשֶׁ֧ר
Strong's: H834
Word #: 20 of 24
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
אָנֹכִ֛י H595
אָנֹכִ֛י
Strong's: H595
Word #: 21 of 24
i
שֹׁלֵ֥חַ to whom I send H7971
שֹׁלֵ֥חַ to whom I send
Strong's: H7971
Word #: 22 of 24
to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
אוֹתְךָ֖ H853
אוֹתְךָ֖
Strong's: H853
Word #: 23 of 24
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ H413
אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃
Strong's: H413
Word #: 24 of 24
near, with or among; often in general, to

Analysis & Commentary

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. This vision of kôs hayyayin haḥēmâ (כּוֹס הַיַּיִן הַחֵמָה, the wine cup of fury/wrath) introduces one of Scripture's most powerful symbols for divine judgment. The cup represents God's righteous anger against sin, which must be consumed fully. The imagery appears throughout Scripture—Psalms 75:8, Isaiah 51:17-23, Habakkuk 2:16, and crucially in Gethsemane when Jesus prayed 'let this cup pass from me' (Matthew 26:39).

Jeremiah functions as priest administering this cup to the nations—a symbolic prophetic act representing God's judicial sentence. The phrase ʾel-kol-haggôyim ʾăsher ʾānōḵî shōlēaḥ ʿôṯĕḵā ʾălêhem (אֶל־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ אֹתְךָ אֲלֵיהֶם, to all the nations to whom I send you) emphasizes God's universal sovereignty. He judges not only covenant-breaking Israel but all nations according to their response to His moral law written on human conscience (Romans 1:18-32, 2:14-16). At the cross, Christ drank this cup fully on behalf of sinners (Mark 10:38-39), exhausting divine wrath against all who trust in Him.

Historical Context

This vision came during the fourth year of Jehoiakim (605 BC), the same year as Nebuchadnezzar's rise and the Battle of Carchemish. The 'cup of wrath' would be administered through Babylon's conquests over the next decades. The vision's symbolic nature (Jeremiah didn't literally travel to all these nations with a physical cup) represents the prophetic word going forth to pronounce judgment. The list of nations in verses 18-26 encompasses the entire ancient Near East, demonstrating God's comprehensive sovereignty.

Questions for Reflection

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