268 TRANSLATION, NOTES, AND COMMENTSAshdod. Next in line were Edom, Moab, and the Ammonites, then the kings
of Tyre and Sidon, and with them all the kings of the Phoenician colonies
across the Mediterranean. The cup was then passed to desert Arabs-Dedan,
Terna, Buz, the people with strange haircuts, the kings of Arabia, and kings
of mixed races inhabiting the desert. The kings of Zimri and the kings of
Elam and Media were also given the cup; then kings of the north, far and
near. One passed to the next, and in the end all nations on the face of the
earth were made to drink. Last, but not least, Sheshak, whom the people will
recognize as being Babylon, had to drink the cup.
The oracles following contain Yahweh's word to the nations as they are given
the cup. Jeremiah speaks the word. Oracle I is a curse given as the wine is pre-
sented: "Drink and be drunk, yes, vomit and fall, and you shall never rise be-
fore the sword that I am sending among you." Yahweh then tells Jeremiah that
the nations will refuse the cup. Not a surprise. But he is to say that they must
drink. Yahweh says that if he begins to work harm in his own city, how can they
expect to escape punishment? They will be unable to answer, so Yahweh him-
self will answer. They will not escape, for Yahweh is calling forth a sword
against all peoples of the earth.
While Jeremiah's vision report and the divine oracles concern the nations of
the world, his audience is primarily Judahite (Cassuto l 973c: 219) and only
secondarily the distant nations who may or may not hear what is said. The en-
tire passage fits well the date given in 25:1, Jehoiakim's fourth year, 605 B.C.
The Battle of Carchemish, which was fought and won by Babylon in this year,
will make it clear to many that a worldwide campaign against the nations is in
the offing. The destruction of Ashkelon and Ekron by Nebuchadnezzar in the
year following will convince some doubters but probably not all. How far
things will go is anyone's guess. Jeremiah, however, is beginning to preach to
the nations about this time. The Egypt oracles can be dated to 605; the Moab
oracles to 604 or later, and the Babylon oracles to 597-594 B.C.
When the present passage is heard in tandem with what precedes, the point
will be reinforced that Babylon is judging the nations of the world, but in the
end it too will be judged.
3. Yahweh Will Roar from on High (25:30-31)
25 30 And you, you shall prophesy to them all these words, and you shall say
to them:
Yahweh will roar from on high
and from his holy abode he will utter his voice
He will roar mightily against his pasture
a shout like the treaders will ring out
to all the inhabitants of the earth(^31) The uproar has reached the end of the earth
for Yahweh has a case against the nations