預言被擄七十年
1猶大王約西亞的兒子約雅敬執政第四年，即巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒元年，耶和華告訴了耶利米有關猶大百姓的事。 2耶利米先知對猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民說： 3「從猶大王亞們的兒子約西亞執政第十三年，到今天已有二十三年。在這期間，我不斷把耶和華對我說的話傳給你們，你們卻充耳不聞。 4耶和華屢次差遣祂的僕人——眾先知警告你們，你們卻充耳不聞，毫不理會。 5他們對你們說，『要改邪歸正，停止作惡，以便可以永遠住在耶和華賜給你們和你們祖先的土地上。 6不要隨從、供奉、祭拜其他神明，不要製造神像惹耶和華發怒，免得祂懲罰你們。』」 7耶和華說：「然而，你們不聽我的話，製造神像惹我發怒，自招懲罰。」
8因此，萬軍之耶和華說：「由於你們不遵行我的命令， 9我要召集北方各族和我的僕人巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒，去攻擊這片土地和其中的居民以及周圍各國。我要徹底毀滅他們，使他們的下場很可怕、令人嗤笑、土地永遠荒涼。這是耶和華說的。 10我要使他們的歡樂聲、新郎新娘的歡笑聲、推磨聲和燈光都消失。 11整片土地要變得荒涼可怕，他們要臣服於巴比倫王七十年。 12七十年後，我要報應巴比倫王和他國民迦勒底人的罪，使他們的土地永遠荒涼。這是耶和華說的。 13我藉耶利米所說有關列國的預言都記在這書上了，我的話必應驗在他們的土地上。 14他們必受許多國家和強大君王的奴役，我要按他們的所作所為報應他們。」
上帝審判列國
15以色列的上帝耶和華對我說：「你從我手中接過這盛滿我烈怒的酒杯，到我差遣你去的國家給他們喝。 16他們喝了這杯烈怒後必東倒西歪、行為瘋狂，因為我要使戰禍臨到他們。」 17於是，我從耶和華手中接過杯，奉祂的差遣到列國去給他們喝。 18我給耶路撒冷和猶大的城邑，以及猶大的君王和官員喝這杯烈怒，使他們的城邑淪為廢墟，令人驚懼，被嘲笑和咒詛，正如今日一樣。 19喝這杯烈怒的還有埃及王法老及其王公大臣和全體百姓， 20他們當中所有的外族人，烏斯的眾王和統治亞實基倫、迦薩、以革倫以及亞實突餘民的非利士眾王， 21以東、摩押和亞捫人， 22泰爾的眾王、西頓的眾王和海島上的眾王， 23底但、提瑪、布斯和所有剃鬢髮的人， 24阿拉伯的眾王和荒野各族的諸王， 25心利的眾王、以攔的眾王和瑪代的眾王， 26北方諸王——無論遠近、一個接一個，以及天下萬國，最後是巴比倫王。 27耶和華對我說：「你要告訴他們，以色列的上帝——萬軍之耶和華說，『你們要喝這杯烈怒，喝得大醉、嘔吐、倒地不起，因為我要使戰爭臨到你們。』 28如果他們不肯從你手中接過杯來喝，你就告訴他們，萬軍之耶和華說，『你們必須喝！ 29看啊，我已在屬我的城中降下災禍，難道你們可以逃脫懲罰嗎？你們必逃不過懲罰，因為我要使戰爭臨到天下萬民。』這是萬軍之耶和華說的。 30耶利米啊，你要告訴他們這些預言，
『耶和華要在高天怒吼，
從祂的聖所發出雷鳴；
祂要向祂的子民怒吼，
向地上的居民吶喊，
好像踩踏葡萄的人一樣。
31耶和華的聲音傳到地極，
因為祂要指控列國，審判萬民，
使惡人喪身刀下。
這是耶和華說的。』」
32萬軍之耶和華說：
「看啊，災難正蔓延到列國，
有暴風從地極捲起。」
33到那日，遍地都是被耶和華殺戮的人，無人哀悼、收殮和埋葬，他們好像地上的糞便。
34你們這群牧人啊，要悲哀哭泣！
你們這群百姓的首領啊，
要在灰塵中傷心地打滾！
因為你們被宰殺、驅散的時候到了，
你們將像精美的器皿一樣被摔得粉碎。
35牧人必無路可逃，
百姓的首領必無處藏身。
36聽聽牧人的哭喊，
百姓首領的哀號吧，
因為耶和華正在毀滅他們的家園。
37因為耶和華的烈怒，
寧靜的草場變得一片荒涼。
38耶和華離開了祂的居所，
就像獅子離開了洞穴。
他們的土地因刀劍的蹂躪和耶和華的烈怒而一片荒涼。
Seventy years of captivity
1The word came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. 2So Jeremiah the prophet said to all the people of Judah and to all those living in Jerusalem: 3For twenty-three years – from the thirteenth year of Josiah 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, but you have not listened.
4And though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention. 5They said, ‘Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land the Lord gave to you and your ancestors for ever and ever. 6Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them; do not arouse my anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you.’
7‘But you did not listen to me,’ declares the Lord, ‘and you have aroused my anger with what your hands have made, and you have brought harm to yourselves.’
8Therefore the Lord Almighty says this: ‘Because you have not listened to my words, 9I will summon all the peoples of the north and my servant Nebuchadnezzar 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 destroy25:9 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them. them and make them an object of horror and scorn, and an everlasting ruin. 10I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, the sound of millstones and the light of the lamp. 11This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.
12‘But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians,25:12 Or Chaldeans for their guilt,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will make it desolate for ever. 13I will bring on that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations. 14They themselves will be enslaved by many nations and great kings; I will repay them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.’
The cup of God’s wrath
15This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: ‘Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. 16When they drink it, they will stagger and go mad because of the sword I will send among them.’ 17So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations to whom he sent me drink it:
18Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a ruin and an object of horror and scorn, a curse25:18 That is, their names to be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, to be seen by others as cursed – as they are today;
19Pharaoh king of Egypt, his attendants, his officials and all his people, 20and all the foreign people there;
all the kings of Uz;
all the kings of the Philistines (those of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the people left at Ashdod);
21Edom, Moab and Ammon;
22all the kings of Tyre and Sidon;
the kings of the coastlands across the sea;
23Dedan, Tema, Buz and all who are in distant places25:23 Or who clip the hair by their foreheads;
24all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the foreign people who live in the wilderness;
25all the kings of Zimri, Elam and Media;
26and all the kings of the north, near and far, one after the other – all the kingdoms on the face of the earth.
And after all of them, the king of Sheshak25:26 Sheshak is a cryptogram for Babylon. will drink it too.
27‘Then tell them, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: drink, get drunk and vomit, and fall to rise no more because of the sword I will send among you.” 28But if they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink, tell them, “This is what the Lord Almighty says: You must drink it! 29See, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears my Name, and will you indeed go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword on all who live on the earth, declares the Lord Almighty.”
30‘Now prophesy all these words against them and say to them:
‘ “The Lord will roar from on high;
he will thunder from his holy dwelling
and roar mightily against his land.
He will shout like those who tread the grapes,
shout against all who live on the earth.
31The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth,
for the Lord will bring charges against the nations;
he will bring judgment on all mankind
and put the wicked to the sword,” ’
declares the Lord.
32This is what the Lord Almighty says:
‘Look! Disaster is spreading
from nation to nation;
a mighty storm is rising
from the ends of the earth.’
33At that time those slain by the Lord will be everywhere – from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned or gathered up or buried, but will be like dung lying on the ground.
34Weep 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.25:34 Septuagint; Hebrew fall and be shattered like fine pottery
35The shepherds will have nowhere to flee,
the leaders of the flock no place to escape.
36Hear the cry of the shepherds,
the wailing of the leaders of the flock,
for the Lord is destroying their pasture.
37The peaceful meadows will be laid waste
because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
38Like a lion he will leave his lair,
and their land will become desolate
because of the sword25:38 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 46:16 and 50:16); most Hebrew manuscripts anger of the oppressor
and because of the Lord’s fierce anger.
