Lexical Summary rishoni: First, former, primary Original Word: רִאשׁנִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance first From ri'shown; first -- first. see HEBREW ri'shown NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom rosh Definition first NASB Translation first (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [רִאשֹׁנִי] adjective first; — feminine singular הַשָּׁנָה הָרִאשֹׁנִית Jeremiah 25:1 the first year; but rd נָה-, Gie Du Köii.1,225. Topical Lexicon Biblical Usage רִאשׁנִי occurs once in the Old Testament, at Jeremiah 25:1, where it marks “the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.” Its solitary use highlights an inaugural moment that reshaped Judah’s history and frames the prophetic words that follow. Historical Context Jeremiah 25:1 stands at the hinge between the fading Davidic monarchy under Jehoiakim and the rising Babylonian empire under Nebuchadnezzar. In 605 BC Babylon defeated Egypt at Carchemish and was acknowledged as the dominant world power. The verse reads, “This is the word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah (which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon)”. By inserting רִאשׁנִי, Scripture pinpoints the precise historical watershed—Nebuchadnezzar’s accession—that gives urgency and credibility to Jeremiah’s warnings. Prophetic Significance 1. Anchor for Jeremiah’s Timeline. The “first year” notation becomes a chronological anchor for the judgments pronounced in Jeremiah 25:8-14. The prophet can later refer back to this fixed point (for example, Jeremiah 46:2) to show that events unfolded exactly as foretold. Doctrinal Insights • Divine Sovereignty over Nations. The term marks Babylon’s “first” year, but from heaven’s perspective it is the beginning of a divinely appointed era to discipline Judah and, eventually, to humble Babylon itself (Jeremiah 25:12). Ministry Application • Preachers can draw attention to God’s meticulous oversight of history; specific dates in Scripture invite confidence that the Lord likewise orders modern events. Eschatological Echoes Just as רִאשׁנִי marks the first year of Babylon’s ascendancy, Revelation 17–18 describes the final fall of “Babylon the Great.” The initial Babylon judged Judah; the final Babylon persecutes the church. Both epochs affirm the pattern of temporary human dominion followed by divine judgment and ultimate deliverance for God’s people. Devotional Reflection Jeremiah ministered during seismic political change. By rooting his prophecy in Nebuchadnezzar’s first year, he reminds readers that every “first”—new job, new government, new crisis—lies inside the Lord’s plan. The believer may therefore pray with confidence, “My times are in Your hands” (Psalm 31:15). Summary רִאשׁנִי, though appearing only once, serves as a theological pivot that situates Jeremiah’s warnings, validates biblical chronology, and proclaims God’s sovereign authorship of history. Forms and Transliterations הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ית הראשנית hā·ri·šō·nîṯ haRishoNit hārišōnîṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 25:1 HEB: הִ֗יא הַשָּׁנָה֙ הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ית לִנְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֖ר מֶ֥לֶךְ NAS: of Judah (that was the first year KJV: of Judah, that [was] the first year INT: he year was the first of Nebuchadnezzar king 1 Occurrence |
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