1, 9, 21, 35The judgment of Babylon. 4, 17, 33The redemption of Israel.
1THE word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans 1by Jeremiah the prophet.
1 Hebr. by the hand of.
2Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and 2set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon 3is taken, 4Bela is confounded, 5Merodach is broken in pieces; 6her 7idols are confounded, her 8images are broken in pieces.
2 To rouse everyone to observation, and especially to summon God’s own people together as by a sign or signal, and to declare them of this strange and otherwise incredible prophecy concerning the certain fall and ruin of Babel, together of the redemption of God’s people, to His glory and to the comfort of all believers. The phrase is taken from matters connected to war.
3 That is, it shall be as surely taken, as if it were done already. Also in the sequel.
4 The most important idol of the Babylonians. See Isa. 46:1; Jer. 51:44.
a Isa. 46:1; Jer. 51:44.
5 This seems also to have been a name of an idol, although there are also some kings of Babel mentioned who have carried that name (see Isa. 39:1) probably to the honor of this idol. As the children of Israel frequently used the Name of God, Jah and El, in their own names, so did the Babylonians likewise make use of the names of their idols, Bel and Nebo or Nebu, etc.
6 Of the city Babel.
7 See of the Hebrew word 1 Sam. 31 on verse 9; 2 Sam. 5 on verse 21.
8 See Lev. 26 on verse 30.
3For out of the 9north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall 10remove, they shall depart, both 11man and beast.
9 Understand the Persians and the Medes, who were situated northward from Chaldea, by whom this judgment of God would begin and further prosecuted from time to time, even to a final and total desolation.
10 As Jer. 9:10.
11 Hebr. from man to beast. A phrase which signifies utter desolation. See Jer. 4:25; 9:10.
4¶In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of 12Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and 13weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God.
12 Forasmuch as this promise may concern the outward deliverance from the captivity of Babel, we may understand this of those who, being left of the ten tribes in the land, were afterwards carried away captive to Babel with those of Judah and Benjamin, and would return home out of captivity with them. See 1 Chron. 9:3; Neh. 11 on verse 3. Concerning the spiritual, which is the most important thing here intended, see Jer. 3:18 with the annotations.
13 Because of their unworthiness, and God’s great and undeserved mercy.
5They shall ask the way to Zion with their 14faces thitherward, saying, 15Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD 16in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.
14 That is, they shall go straight forward towards Zion, without looking back; where their heart is, that way shall they make haste.
15 Other, they shall come and be joined to the LORD, or, Join yourselves to the LORD.
16 Or, the everlasting covenant shall not be forgotten. Hebr. covenant of eternity. See Jer. 31:31, 32, 33.
6My people hath been lost sheep: their 17shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their 18restingplace.
17 Ecclesiastical and political rulers.
18 As the flocks were wont to have their resting-places, where they lie down. The sense is, that God’s people were bereaved both of spiritual and corporal prosperity and rest; as is declared in the sequel.
7All that found them have 19devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the 20habitationb of justice, 21even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.
19 Compare Deut. 7 on verse 16; Psalm 14 on verse 4. Also Jer. 51:34.
20 Namely in Judea and especially in Jerusalem, where God and His people dwelt, and where God had manifested true righteousness. See Jer. 31:23.
b Jer. 31:23.
21 Or, there, although, the LORD hath been the expectation of their fathers, that is, He in Whom their forefathers have hoped (see Jer. 14:8), whose footsteps they at present had not followed, and therefore were justly punished by Him, and likewise plagued by us, they want to say, mockingly.
8Removec out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the 22he goats 23before the flocks.
c Isa. 48:20; Jer. 51:6; Rev. 18:4.
22 Going on boldly and undauntedly, as the he goats do march courageously and undauntedly before the flock.
23 Hebr. before the face of the flock.
9¶For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in 24array against her; from thence she shall be taken: 25their arrows shall be as of a 26mighty expert man; none shall return 27in vain.
24 Or, shall prepare themselves against her. Also verse 14.
25 Of the aforesaid assembly.
26 Or, experienced. Other, of a valiant man that bereaveth others of children, that is, who cuts off the young men or the youth.
27 None of their arrows shall be shot in vain. Compare 2 Sam. 1:22. Or, that (namely, mighty man) returneth not empty, without the overthrow of his enemy.
10And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be 28satisfied, saith the LORD.
28 Be filled with booty and spoil.
11Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O 29ye destroyers of mine 30heritage, because ye are grown 31fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as 32bulls;
29 Or, plundering, or, when ye plunderest.
30 Of the land of Canaan, and of My people.
31 Or, art grown, increased in body as a young heifer, that goes to feed in young tender grass.
32 As Jer. 47:3.
12Your 33mother shall be sore confounded; she that bare you shall be ashamed: behold, the 34hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.
33 Babylon, the capital city of Chaldea.
34 That is, she has become the most vile, base and miserable among all nations. Hebr. the hindmost part.
13Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: everyd one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and 35hiss at all her plagues.
d Jer. 49:17.
35 Or, whistle. See Jer. 18:16.
14Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that 36bend the bow, shoot 37at her, spare no 38arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD.
36 Hebr. tread.
37 Or, in, against.
38 Hebr. arrow.
15Shout against her round about: she hath given her 39hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, 40do unto her.
39 That is, submitted herself to the Persians and the Medes. See 2 Chron. 30:8 with the annotation.
40 As verse 29.
16Cut off the 41sower from Babylon, and him that handleth 42the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the 43oppressing sword 44they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land.
41 Even the husbandmen, who, for the most part, are unarmed, and yet are very necessary in the land.
42 That is, the reaper.
43 Compare Jer. 25:38; 46:16, with the annotations.
44 Or, they shall turn, flee, etc., namely, those who were come out of other countries to dwell there (as in a very rich country) or those whom they had brought into bondage, or it may be that they were to come to help them.
17¶Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of 45Assyria hath 46devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his 47bones.
45 Or, Asshur, namely, Pul, Tiglath-pileser and Shalmaneser. See 2 Kings 15:19, 20, 29; 16:7; 17:3, etc.
46 As verse 7.
47 Hebr. as if one said: hath boned or unboned him, that is, has utterly destroyed and made him powerless.
18Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will 48punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the kinge of Assyria.
48 With punishments. See Gen. 21 on verse 1.
e 2 Kings 19:35, 37; Isa. 37:36, 38.
19And I will bring Israel 49again to his habitation, and he shall feed on 50Carmel and 51Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead.
49 This may somewhat be applied to the corporal, but it refers principally to the spiritual gathering unto the church of God by the Messiah, as above often.
50 Both are situated in a very fat and fruitful fields and being famous for them. Of Bashan see Deut. 32 on verse 14; Psalm 22 on verse 12. Of Carmel see 1 Kings 18 on verse 19, and another Carmel 1 Sam. 25:2, etc., where Nabal had his sheep; even the word karmel is also used generally to signify a fruitful region. See Jer. 2 on verse 7.
5150 Both are situated in a very fat and fruitful fields and being famous for them. Of Bashan see Deut. 32 on verse 14; Psalm 22 on verse 12. Of Carmel see 1 Kings 18 on verse 19, and another Carmel 1 Sam. 25:2, etc., where Nabal had his sheep; even the word karmel is also used generally to signify a fruitful region. See Jer. 2 on verse 7.
20In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be 52sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I 53reserve.
52 The Lord wants to say, that He shall be fully reconciled with His people by the Messiah Jesus Christ. Compare Jer. 31:34; 33:8, etc.
53 Compare Isa. 10:22; Rom. 9:27, 28, 29.
21¶Go up 54against the land of 55Merathaim, even against it, and against the inhabitants of 56Pekod: waste and 57utterly destroy after them, saith the LORD, and do according to all that I have commanded thee.
54 God’s charge to king Cyrus concerning his marching up against Babel. Compare Isa. 45:1, etc.
55 Many translate this with land of the rebellions or rebels, namely, of the Babylonians, who had been rebellious and bitter against God and His people. See verses 24 and 29. Or, of the two rebels, namely, of the Assyrians and Babylonians. Others hold it to be a proper name of a certain land in Assyria, where a certain people, called Mardi, have lived, and meaning that God here gives charge and instruction to king Cyrus to march up through Merathaim and Pekod, and to waste and destroy whatsoever was situated behind these countries.
56 See Ezek. 23:23, where also mention is made of this country.
57 See Deut. 2 on verse 34. Also verse 26.
22A sound of battle is in the land, and of great 58destruction.
58 See Jer. 4 on verse 6.
2359How is the 60hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is Babylon become a 61desolation among the nations!
59 A question arising from an admiration; as Jer. 51:41.
60 The Babylonian, by whom God had executed His judgments upon many nations, whom He by him as with an hammer had smitten and dashed in pieces. Compare Isa. 41:7; Jer. 25 on verse 9; 51:20.
61 Or, astonishment.
2462I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also 63taken, O Babylon, 64and thou wast not aware: thou art 65found, and also caught, because thou hast 66striven against the LORD.
62 This is God’s answer to the previous question that proceeded from admiration at a thing which seemed to be impossible unto men.
63 As a great wild beast.
64 That is, unawares, so thou didst not think or didst not expect it; for, Cyrus, having diverted the river Euphrates, invaded the city unawares by night. Compare verse 38; Dan. 5:30.
65 That is, caught, overtaken. Compare Jer. 2:26.
66 That is, hast fought against God, Whose people thou hast plagued. This manner of speech is also found fully in Deut. 2:9, 24, etc.
25The LORD hath opened his 67armoury, and hath brought forth the 68weapons of his indignation: for this is the 69work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.
67 That is, treasury.
68 That is, arms or weapons, which He will use for the execution of His righteous and terrible judgment upon Babel; also Isa. 13:5. Compare Psalm 7:12, 13, etc.
69 As Jer. 48:10.
26Come against 70her from the 71utmost border, open her storehouses: 72cast her up as heaps, and 73destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.
70 Namely, Babel, or, against it, namely, the land of the Chaldeans; also in the sequel.
71 Of the earth; or, of the land, so that thou begin from the end. Other, from that, or against that her end is at hand, or, because of the end; this may be also compared with Jer. 51:31.
72 As the threshing oxen tread on the corn. Compare Isa. 21:10; Jer. 51:33. Other, cast her up as heaps, that is, make great heaps of the slain; or cast all on an heap, make them mere heaps cast up.
73 As verse 21.
2774Slay all her 75bullocks; let them 76go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their 77day is come, the time of their visitation.
74 In the Hebrew there is a word used as if a man would say: sword it, that is, smite, kill with the sword.
75 That is, rich, mighty, proud dunces. Compare Psalm 22:12; 68:30, etc.
76 As Jer. 48:15.
77 That is, the time of their punishment, ordained for them by God. See Psalm 37 on verse 13. Also verse 31.
28The voice of them 78that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his 79temple.
78 Of the Jews who would escape from there to publish the wonderful work of God.
79 Which God exercised on the Chaldeans, because they had destroyed and burnt the temple, 2 Kings 25:9. Also Jer. 51:11.
29Call together the 80archers against Babylon: all ye that 81bend the bow, camp against it round about; 82let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, 83do unto her: for she hath been proud against the LORD, against the 84Holy One of Israel.
80 As such is the Hebrew word also taken Gen. 49:23; Job 16:13. See also Psalm 18 on verse 14.
81 Hebr. tread.
82 Hebr. let there be to them, or they have no escape.
83 As verse 15.
84 See Psalm 71 on verse 22.
30Therefore shall her youngf men fall in the streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD.
f Jer. 49:26.
31Behold, I am 85against thee, O thou 86most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy 87day is come, the time that I will visit thee.
85 See Jer. 21 on verse 13.
86 Hebr. insolence, haughtiness, high-mindedness. See of such use of the Hebrew language Job 35 on verse 13. The meaning is: Who is so proud as that he is or may be called the self-opinionated one; also in the next verse.
87 As verse 27.
32And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.
33¶Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go.
34Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall 88throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the 89land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
88 Hebr. pleading plead. See Psalm 35 on verse 1. Also Jer. 51:36.
89 The land of the Jews, or His church principally; and further other lands that were plagued by Babel.
35¶A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.
36A sword is upon the 90liars; and they shall dote:g a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed.
90 Or, inventers of lies. Understand soothsayers, stargazers, whereof Chaldea was full. Also Isa. 44:25.
g say, think, or do foolishly*
37A sword is upon 91their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the 92mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as 93women: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.
91 The feminine gender (used here for the most part) is here twice changed into the masculine; this may be applied either to the king or to his people.
92 Soldiers and other common people, consisting of all kinds of nations.
93 Fainthearted and defenseless. Also Jer. 51:30. Compare Isa. 19:16; Nahum 3:13, etc.
3894A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land 95of graven images, and they are 96mad upon their 97idols.
94 Compare the annotation on verse 24.
95 Full of idolatry, which they commit with carved images.
96 As mad, frantic people. See of the Hebrew word Psalm 5 on verse 5.
97 Hebr. terrors. As such idols may justly be called, because some of them are of a terrible shape, and do generally bring terror to the idolaters. As they elsewhere for a similar cause are called sorrows. See 2 Sam. 5 on verse 21. By the same name emim certain giants have been formerly called, by reason of their terribleness. See Gen. 14:5; Deut. 2:10, with the annotations. And such kind of men were wont to usurp authority and dominion over others, and consequently after the custom of the Gentiles to be made into idols. Without a doubt Nimrod was also such a person, the first founder of the Assyrian and Babylonian monarchy. See Gen. 6:4; 10:8.
39Therefore the 98wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there, and the 99owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more 100inhabited for ever; neither shall it be 101dwelt in 102from generation to generation.
98 Hebr. tsiim and iim; the first has its name from dry waste places, the other of islands. See Isa. 13:21, 22 with the annotations.
99 Hebr. ostriches’ daughters. Other, young owls.
100 See of such use of the Hebrew word Jer. 17 on verse 6.
10199 See of such use of the Hebrew word Jer. 17 on verse 6.
102 Hebr. unto generation and generation.
40Ash God 103overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man abide 104there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.
h Gen. 19:25; Jer. 49:18.
103 Hebr. As God’s overthrow of Sodom, etc. Compare Jer. 49:18.
104 In Babel.
41Behold, a people shalli come from the 105north, and a great nation, and 106many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the 107earth.
i Jer. 6:22.
105 See on verse 3.
106 Or, mighty.
107 Or, of the land. See Jer. 6:22, 23, 24, where there is a similar prophecy of Babel’s arrival against Judah, as here of the Medes and the Persians against Babel. See the annotations there.
42They shall hold the bow and the lance:j they are cruel, and will not shew mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one 108put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.
j spear, javelin
108 Namely, the people; or, every one of them is prepared, as Jer. 6:23, of Babel against the daughter of Zion.
43The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguishk took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.
k Jer. 49:24.
44109Behold,l he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the habitation of the strong: but I 110will make them suddenly run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for whomis like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?
109 See Jer. 49:19 and the following verses to the 22nd verse; where almost in the very same words is prophesied of the expedition of the king of Babel against Edom, which are here used of Cyrus his march against Babel, to signify that it would be done again unto Babel, as she had done unto other nations. See the annotations there and compare Rev. 18:6.
l Jer. 49:19, etc.
110 Namely, the Babylonians from Babel.
m Job 41:1; Jer. 49:19.
45Therefore hear ye the counseln of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them.
n Jer. 49:20.
46At the 111noise of the taking of Babylon the eartho is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.
111 Or, report. Hebr. voice.
o Jer. 49:21.