Jeremiah 25:1-11 - Seventy Years Of Servitude

¹ Jehovah spoke his word to Jeremiah about all the people of Judah when Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, was in his fourth year as king. This was the first year that Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon. ² The prophet Jeremiah spoke to all the people of Judah and to everyone who lived in Jerusalem. He said: ³ Jehovah continued to speak his word to me for twenty-three years. This covered the time from when Josiah, son of Amon, was in his thirteenth year as king of Judah until today. I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened. ⁴ Jehovah has sent all his servants the prophets to you. Yet, you have not listened or paid attention to them. ⁵ The prophets said: Turn from your evil ways and the evil you have done, and live in the land that Jehovah permanently gave to you and your ancestors. ⁶ Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them. Do not make me furious about the idols your hands have shaped. Then I will not harm you.

⁷ You have not listened to me,' declares Jehovah. 'You have made me furious about the idols your hands have shaped. You have brought harm upon yourselves.'

⁸ This is what Jehovah of Hosts says: 'You did not listen to my words, ⁹ so I am going to send for all the families from the north. I will also send for my servant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, says Jehovah. I will bring the families from the north to attack this land, its people, and all these surrounding nations. I am going to destroy them and turn them into something terrible, something ridiculed, and something permanently ruined. ¹⁰ I will take from them the sounds of joy and happiness, the sounds of brides and grooms, the sound of mills, and the light of lamps. ¹¹ This whole land will be ruined and become a wasteland. These nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.'