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Jeremiah 25:16

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Jeremiah 25:16 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And they shall drink, and reel to and fro, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And they shall drink, and reel to and fro, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.
Jeremiah 25:16 — American Standard Version

Context — Jeremiah 25

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
13And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations.
14For many nations and great kings shall make bondmen of them, even of them; and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the work of their hands.
15For thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, unto me: take this cup of the wine of wrath at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.
16And they shall drink, and reel to and fro, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.
17Then took I the cup at Jehovah`s hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom Jehovah had sent me:
18[to wit], Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and a curse, as it is this day;
19Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;
← Jeremiah 25:15Jeremiah 25:17 →
← Full Chapter 25 Jeremiah Overview

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, etc.] The judgments foretold shall come upon them, whether they will or not; which will have such effects upon them, as intoxicating liquor has on drunken persons; make them shake and tremble, and reel to and fro, and toss and tumble about, and behave like madmen: because of the sword that I will send among them; this explains what is meant by the wine cup of fury, the sword of a foreign enemy that shall enter among them and destroy; and which would make them tremble, and be at their wits’ end, like drunken and mad men.”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“be moved--reel (Nah 3:11).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Be moved - Rather, stagger. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“25:16 Upon drinking from the cup (25:15), the nations would stagger as though drunken. They would be crazed by the warfare and would thus be unable to protect themselves. They would feel hopeless and helpless, and in their confusion, they would panic.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Jer 25:27, Jer 51:7, Jer 51:39; Lam 3:15, Lam 4:21; Eze 23:32-34; Nah 3:11; Rev 14:8, Rev 14:10; Rev 16:9-11, Rev 18:3 Jeremiah 25:17”
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Related study paths

Read Jeremiah 25 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification