What does 'mad' mean in Jeremiah 51:7?
In Jeremiah 51:7, 'mad' means mentally affected, not angry. The nations drank of Babylon's wine and therefore became mentally affected—intoxicated in mind. The term describes the mental disturbance produced by Babylon's intoxicating influence, not ordinary anger. It is a condition of the mind, not merely emotion.
Les explains that Jeremiah 51:7 says Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand that made all the earth drunken, and the nations drank of her wine, so they are mad. He stresses that 'mad' here is not angry but mentally affected. Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar and his son and grandson ruled the then-known civilized earth, so 'whole earth' means the inhabited earth at that time. Les sees both a near and far view: ancient Babylon fell suddenly to the Medes and Persians, while the end-time Babylon—the worldwide system of economy, politics, and religion—will also come under God's wrath and be suddenly destroyed. The madness is the mental effect of drinking Babylon's intoxicating wine.
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.