Jeremiah 25:20
and all the mixed tribes among them; all the kings of the land of Uz and all the kings of the land of the Philistines (Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod);
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The phrase "remnant of Ashdod" is more than just a descriptive detail; it’s a stark indicator of historical devastation. Ashdod, one of the major Philistine cities, had been so severely weakened by a prolonged siege that only a fraction of its former self remained, highlighting the devastating reach of the coming judgment.
Jeremiah is delivering a prophecy about God's impending judgment, which will be poured out like a cup of fury on all nations. This passage lists many of the distant kingdoms and peoples, including a "mingled people" and various kings from Uz and the Philistine cities of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Ashdod, which had been significantly weakened by sieges. The inclusion of these specific groups highlights the wide reach of God's justice, extending far beyond Judah's immediate neighbors.
Jeremiah lists 'all the mingled people' alongside specific kings and nations. Who are these 'mingled people,' and why are they grouped with these rulers in God's decree?
The term 'mingled people' (Hebrew: erebh) in Jeremiah 25:20 likely refers to a diverse collection of foreign groups, possibly mercenaries or resident aliens, who were part of the broader political and military landscape of the region.
Diverse Loyalties, Shared Fate
The prophecy names the land of Uz and the Philistine cities. What makes these specific regions significant players in Jeremiah's message of judgment?
Jeremiah's mention of the 'land of Uz' and the Philistine cities—Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Ashdod—grounds his prophecy in the immediate geopolitical realities of his time. These weren't abstract enemies, but tangible powers surrounding Judah.
The Shadow of the Philistines
Understand the original words
she'erith · Hebrew Noun
Those who remain or are left over; biblically, it often refers to a small, surviving portion of a people after a greater catastrophe or judgment has occurred.
This prophecy against the nations, including the diminished Philistine cities, occurs in the context of Babylonian expansion and the weakening of Egyptian influence, setting the stage for Jerusalem's ultimate destruction.
c. 630 BC
Psammetichus I besieges Ashdod
The Egyptian king Psammetichus I lays siege to the Philistine city of Ashdod for twenty-nine years, significantly weakening it and leaving only a remnant.
c. 610-609 BC
Pharaoh Necho II's campaigns
Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt, likely employing foreign mercenaries, campaigns in the region, influencing the political landscape of the Levant.
605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's first campaign
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon begins his military campaigns, marking the rise of Babylonian power and setting the stage for future conquests.
c. 600 BC— this verse
The Land of Uz and Philistine cities
The prophecy mentions the land of Uz (likely in northern Arabia or near Edom) and the remaining Philistine cities (Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod), all subject to future judgment.
This passage describes the Assyrian king Sargon capturing Ashdod, explaining the context of Ashdod being a 'remnant' in Jeremiah's time due to prior destruction.
Ezekiel 30:5This verse lists various foreign peoples and mercenaries associated with Egypt, paralleling the 'mingled people' mentioned in Jeremiah's prophecy.
Lamentations 4:21This verse directly references the land of Uz in the context of Edom's suffering, reinforcing its geographical and historical connection to the region mentioned in Jeremiah.
1 Samuel 6:17This passage lists the five major Philistine cities, highlighting that Gath, not mentioned in Jeremiah's list, was likely diminished or destroyed before this prophecy.
Exodus 12:38This verse mentions a 'mixed multitude' leaving Egypt with the Israelites, providing an earlier biblical precedent for the concept of 'mingled people' or mixed populations.
gillJeremiah 25:20: "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,"
And all the mingled people,.... Not the Arabians, who are mentioned afterwards, Jeremiah 25:24 ; but rather a mixed people in the land of Egypt, such as came out of it along with the Israelites; or were near it, and bordered upon it, as the Targum; which renders it, all the bordering kings; or rather a…
pooleJeremiah 25:20: "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,"
It is of no great moment to determine whether God by the mingled people, here mentioned, intended the various nations afterwards particularly expressed by their names, or some people that were not native Egyptians, but lived mingled with them, or some other people of several nations who lived near Jude…
The phrase "remnant of Ashdod" is more than just a descriptive detail; it’s a stark indicator of historical devastation. Ashdod, one of the major Philistine cities, had been so severely weakened by a prolonged siege that only a fraction of its former self remained, highlighting the devastating reach of the coming judgment.
Jeremiah is delivering a prophecy about God's impending judgment, which will be poured out like a cup of fury on all nations. This passage lists many of the distant kingdoms and peoples, including a "mingled people" and various kings from Uz and the Philistine cities of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Ashdod, which had been significantly weakened by sieges. The inclusion of these specific groups highlights the wide reach of God's justice, extending far beyond Judah's immediate neighbors.
Jeremiah is delivering a prophecy about God's impending judgment, which will be poured out like a cup of fury on all nations. This passage lists many of the distant kingdoms and peoples, including a "mingled people" and various kings from Uz and the Philistine cities of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Ashdod, which had been significantly weakened by sieges. The inclusion of these specific groups highlights the wide reach of God's justice, extending far beyond Judah's immediate neighbors.
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The Enigmatic Land of Uz
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its temple, exiling many Judeans to Babylon, a climactic event in Jeremiah's prophecy.
"and all the mixed tribes among them; all the kings of the land of Uz and all the kings of the land of the Philistines (Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod);" — The phrase "remnant of Ashdod" is more than just a descriptive detail; it’s a stark indicator of historical devastation. Ashdod, one of the major Philistine cities, had been so severely weakened by a…
