Jeremiah 25:16They shall drink, and reel back and forth, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.
The setting
Jerusalem, 605 BC. Jeremiah stands in the temple courtyard, holding a symbolic cup while Babylonian armies gather on the horizon...
The emotion here: heartbroken but obedient to deliver terrible news
The original word
šāgaʿ (שָׁגַע) — to be mad, driven insane by terror and trauma
Why it matters
This prophecy came true exactly - nations literally went mad with fear as Babylon conquered
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 25:16
The 'sword' isn't just war - it's the psychological breakdown that follows conquest
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about alcohol, but the 'cup' is a metaphor for God's judgment that drives nations to madness through terror and trauma.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 25:16
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 25:16 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 25:16 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Yahweh. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is prophetic. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine judgment, chaos, war consequences. Notable phrases: drink and reel back and forth; be mad; because of the sword. This verse contains a promise of God. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 25:16 mean to you, today?
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