Read & explore together
Seventy Years of Captivity
Jeremiah 25:1–14 is a prophetic word to Judah and Jerusalem explaining why judgement is coming. The passage also says Babylon’s rule will last for a set time, and that Babylon too will later face Yahweh’s judgement.
Understanding the passage
The setting of this message
The message is dated to a particular year and spoken by Jeremiah to all the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Jeremiah says Yahweh’s word had come to him for twenty-three years, and that Yahweh had also sent other prophets. The repeated problem in this passage is that the people did not listen.
Jeremiah 25:1–14Main takeaway
This passage teaches that Yahweh’s announced judgement answers persistent refusal to hear his word, and that even Babylon remains under his authority and judgement.
Explore the message
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A dated message to Judah and JerusalemThe passage begins by placing Jeremiah’s word in a specific year and directing it to all the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Explanation
The passage begins by placing Jeremiah’s word in a specific year and directing it to all the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Jeremiah says Yahweh’s word had come to him for twenty-three years, and he had spoken repeatedly. Yahweh had also sent other prophets, yet the people did not listen.
02What the people were called to doThe prophets’ message was a call to return from evil ways and evil doings. They were to stop going after other gods to serve and worship them.
Explanation
The prophets’ message was a call to return from evil ways and evil doings. They were to stop going after other gods to serve and worship them. Yahweh says this turning back mattered for life in the land and would mean he would do them no harm.
03Why judgement is announcedYahweh states the reason plainly: the people had not listened. Their actions had provoked him to anger, and this was to their own hurt.
Explanation
Yahweh states the reason plainly: the people had not listened. Their actions had provoked him to anger, and this was to their own hurt. Because they had not heard his words, Yahweh says he will bring the families of the north and Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon against the land, its inhabitants and surrounding nations.
04Seventy years and Babylon’s later punishmentThe coming judgement is described through the loss of ordinary joyful sounds and daily life, such as millstones and lamp light.
Explanation
The coming judgement is described through the loss of ordinary joyful sounds and daily life, such as millstones and lamp light. The land will become a desolation, and the nations will serve Babylon for seventy years. After that, Yahweh says he will punish the king of Babylon and that nation for their iniquity, and many nations and great kings will make bondservants of them.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What repeated response from the people explains why judgement is announced in this passage?
Look for the repeated statements that they did not listen to Jeremiah or to Yahweh’s other prophets.
02According to this passage, what specific changes was Yahweh calling the people to make?
Notice both parts of the call: turning from evil ways and refusing to follow, serve or worship other gods.
03What does the passage say will happen when the seventy years are accomplished?
Read carefully past the statement about serving Babylon, and note what Yahweh says he will do to the king of Babylon and that nation.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Jeremiah 25:1–14
1The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (this was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon),
2which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem:
3From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, these twenty-three years, Yahweh’s word has come to me, and I have spoken to you, rising up early and speaking; but you have not listened.
4Yahweh has sent to you all his servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them (but you have not listened or inclined your ear to hear),
5saying, “Return now everyone from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that Yahweh has given to you and to your fathers, from of old and even forever more.
6Don’t go after other gods to serve them or worship them, and don’t provoke me to anger with the work of your hands; then I will do you no harm.”
7“Yet you have not listened to me,” says Yahweh, “that you may provoke me to anger with the work of your hands to your own hurt.”
8Therefore Yahweh of Armies says: “Because you have not heard my words,
9behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,” says Yahweh, “and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations around. I will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual desolations.
10Moreover 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 lamp.
11This whole land will be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
12“It will happen, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,” says Yahweh, “for their iniquity. I will make the land of the Chaldeans desolate forever.
13I will bring on that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations.
14For many nations and great kings will make bondservants of them, even of them. I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the work of their hands.”