Book Read Free

The Skeptics Annotated Bible

Page 201

by Wells, Steve


  (25.15-29) God will force “all the kingdoms of the world” to drink “and be drunken.” Then he’ll kill everyone with a sword.

  15 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.

  (25.15) “Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.”

  16 And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.

  (25.16) “They shall drink … and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.”

  17 Then took I the cup at the LORD’S hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me:

  (25.17) “Then took I the cup at the LORD’s hand, and made all the nations to drink.”

  18 To wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as it is this day;

  (25.18) “Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah … to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as it is this day.”

  19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;

  (25.19) “Pharaoh … and all his people,”

  20 And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod,

  (25.20) “All the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod,”

  21 Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon,

  (25.21) “Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon,”

  22 And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea,

  (25.22) “All the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea,”

  23 Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that are in the utmost corners,

  (25.23) “Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that are in the utmost corners,”

  24 And all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert,

  (25.24) “All the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert,”

  25 And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes,

  (25.25) “All the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes,”

  26 And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.

  (25.26) “All the kings of the north, far and near … and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.”

  27 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.

  (25.27) “Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.”

  28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink.

  (25.28) “If they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink.”

  29 For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.

  (25.29) “I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD.”

  (25.30-32) God is really getting into all of this killing. He roars, he mightily roars, and shouts. He “pleads with all flesh” while a whirlwind roars and a noise can be heard everywhere on earth.

  30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.

  (25.30) “The LORD shall roar from on high … from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar … he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.”

  31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.

  (25.31) “A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD … will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.”

  32 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.

  (25.32) “Evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.”

  (25.33-38) God will kill so many people that the entire earth will be covered with their dead bodies. No one is to mourn them or even bury them; “they shall be dung upon the ground.”

  33 And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.

  (25.33) “The slain of the LORD shall be … from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.”

  34 Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.

  (25.34) “The days of your slaughter … are accomplished.”

  35 And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.

  (25.35) “The shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor … the flock to escape.”

  36 A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the LORD hath spoiled their pasture.

  (25.36) “An howling of the … flock, shall be heard: for the LORD hath spoiled their pasture.”

  37 And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

  (25.37) “The peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”

  38 He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.

  (25.38) “Their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.”

  JEREMIAH 26

  26 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying,

  2 Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD’S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:

  3 If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.

  (26.3) “That I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them”

  32 Does God repent?

  4 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,

  5 To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;

  6 Then will I make this house like
Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.

  7 So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.

  8 Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.

  9 Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

  10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king’s house unto the house of the LORD, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the LORD’S house.

  11 Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.

  12 Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.

  13 Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.

  (26.13) “The LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.”

  32 Does God repent?

  14 As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.

  15 But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

  16 Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.

  17 Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying,

  18 Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

  19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

  (26.19) “The LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them.”

  32 Does God repent?

  20 And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath-jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:

  21 And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt;

  22 And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt.

  23 And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

  24 Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

  JEREMIAH 27

  27 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

  (27.2-12) God tells Jeremiah to make a yoke, put it on his neck, and show it off to a long list of kings. The yoke is supposed to demonstrate how God wants them all to serve Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylon. Only God could come up with a plan like that.

  2 Thus saith the LORD to me; Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck,

  (27.2) “Thus saith the LORD to me; Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck.”

  3 And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah;

  (27.3) “Send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah.”

  4 And command them to say unto their masters, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say unto your masters;

  5 I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.

  6 And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.

  (27.6) “Now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.” God enslaved entire nations and forced them to serve Nebuchadnezzar, “his servant”. He even gave him all the wild animals and forced them to serve him.

  7 And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son’s son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.

  (27.7) “All nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son’s son.”

  8 And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

  (27.8) “The nation and kingdom which … will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.” Anyone who disobeys King Nebuchadnezzar will be punished “with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.”

  9 Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon:

  10 For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.

  11 But the nations that bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land, saith the LORD; and they shall till it, and dwell therein.

  (27.11) “The nations that bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land, saith the LORD.”

  12 I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.

  13 Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?

  14 Therefore hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.

  15 For I have not sent them, saith the LORD, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.

  16 Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD’S house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.

>   17 Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city be laid waste?

  18 But if they be prophets, and if the word of the LORD be with them, let them now make intercession to the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babylon.

  19 For thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that remain in this city,

  20 Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took not, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem;

  21 Yea, thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem;

  22 They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be until the day that I visit them, saith the LORD; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place.

  JEREMIAH 28

  (28.1-17) Hananiah vs. Jeremiah: Good Prophet, Bad Prophet

  (28.1-4) A new prophet shows up proclaiming the good news: God is going to break the yoke of Babylon and bring the people of Judah back home. His name was Hananiah.

  28 And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,

  2 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

  (28.1-2) “Hananiah … spake … saying … Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.”

  3 Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD’S house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon:

  4 And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the LORD: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

 

‹ Prev