25:9 tribes of the north. Babylon and her allies (1:15; 6:1).

Nebuchadnezzar . . . my servant. See also 27:6. He is God’s “servant” in the sense of being appointed as an agent of His judgment. In the same way Cyrus is called God’s “anointed” for the purpose of releasing the exiles to return to their land (Is. 45:1).

surrounding nations. See vv. 19–26. The judgment on Judah is only the beginning of a general judgment.