Jeremiah 51
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
CONTINUATION OF THE PROPHECY AGAINST BABYLON BEGUN IN THE FIFTIETH CHAPTER. (Jer. 51:1-64) in the midst of them that rise . . . against me--literally, "in the heart" of them. Compare Psa 46:2, "the midst of the sea," Margin; Eze 27:4, "the heart of the seas"; Margin; Mat 12:40. In the center of the Chaldeans. "Against Me," because they persecute My people. The cabalistic mode of interpreting Hebrew words (by taking the letters in the inverse order of the alphabet, the last letter representing the first, and so on, Jer 25:26) would give the very word Chaldeans here; but the mystical method cannot be intended, as "Babylon" is plainly so called in the immediately preceding parallel clause. wind--God needs not warlike weapons to "destroy" His foes; a wind or blast is sufficient; though, no doubt, the "wind" here is the invading host of Medes and Persians (Jer 4:11; Kg2 19:7).
Open source ↗Thus saith the Lord, behold, I will raise up against Babylon,.... This is not a new prophecy, but a continuation of the former, and an enlargement of it. The Babylonians being the last and most notorious enemies of the Jews, their destruction is the longer dwelt upon; and as they were against the Lord's people the Lord was against them, and threatens to raise up instruments of his vengeance against them: and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me; that dwell in Babylon, the metropolis of the Chaldeans, the seat and centre of the enemies of God and his people. It is a periphrasis of the Chaldeans; and, so the Targum renders it, "against the inhabitants of the land of the Chaldeans;'' and so the Septuagint version, against the Chaldeans; and Jarchi and Kimchi observe that according to "athbash", a rule of interpretation with the Jews, the letters in "leb kame", rendered "the midst of them that rise up against me", answer to "Cashdim" or the Chaldeans; however they are no doubt designed; for they rose up against God, by setting up idols of their own; and against his people, by taking and carrying them captive: and now the Lord says he would raise up against them a destroying wind; a northern one, the army of the Modes and Persians, which should sweep away all before it. The Targum is, "people that are slayers; whose hearts are lifted up, and are beautiful in stature, and their spirit destroying.''
Open source ↗The particulars of this copious prophecy are dispersed and interwoven, and the same things left and returned to so often that it could not well be divided into parts, but we must endeavor to collect them under their proper heads. Let us then observe here, I. An acknowledgment of the great pomp and power that Babylon had been in and the use that God in his providence had made of it (Jer 51:7): Babylon hath been a golden cup, a rich and glorious empire, a golden city (Isa 14:4), a head of gold (Dan 2:38), filled with all good things, as a cup with wine. Nay, she had been a golden cup in the Lord's hand; he had in a particular manner filled and favoured her with blessings; he had made the earth drunk with this cup; some were intoxicated with her pleasures and debauched by her, others intoxicated with her terrors and destroyed by her. In both senses the New Testament Babylon is said to have made the kings of the earth drunk, Rev 17:2; Rev 18:3. Babylon had also been God's battle-axe; it was so at this time, when Jeremiah prophesied, and was likely to be yet more so, Jer 51:20. The forces of Babylon were God's weapons of war, tools in his hand, with which he broke in pieces, and knocked down, nations and kingdoms, - horses and chariots, which are so much the strength of kingdoms (Jer 51:21), - man and woman, young and old, with which kingdoms are replenished (Jer 51:22), - the shepherd and his flock, the husbandman and his oxen, with which kingdoms are maintained and supplied, Jer 51:23. Such havoc as this the Chaldeans had made when God employed them as instruments of his wrath for the chastising of the nations; and yet now Babylon itself must fall. Note, Those that have carried all before them a great while will yet at length meet with their match, and their day also will…
Open source ↗51:1-2 The destroyer selected by the Lord was Persia, led by Cyrus, who came against Babylon in 539 BC.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God עוּר (ʻûwr, H5782) — to wake (literally or figuratively) בָּבֶל (Bâbel, H894) — Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire יָשַׁב (yâshab, H3427) — properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to… לֵב (lêb, H3820) — the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the… קוּם (qûwm, H6965) — to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative) שָׁחַת (shâchath, H7843) — to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively) רוּחַ (rûwach, H7307) — wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively,…
Open source ↗שָׁלַח (shâlach, H7971) — to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications) בָּבֶל (Bâbel, H894) — Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire זוּר (zûwr, H2114) — to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be aforeigner, strange, profane;… זָרָה (zârâh, H2219) — to toss about; by implication, to diffuse, winnow בָּקַק (bâqaq, H1238) — to pour out, i.e. to empty, figuratively, to depopulate; by analogy, to spread out (as a… אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… רַע (raʻ, H7451) — bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral) סָבִיב (çâbîyb, H5439) — (as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without…
Open source ↗דָּרַךְ (dârak, H1869) — to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string abow (by treading on it in bending) קֶשֶׁת (qesheth, H7198) — a bow, forshooting (hence, figuratively, strength) or the iris עָלָה (ʻâlâh, H5927) — to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of… סִרְיֹן (çiryôn, H5630) — a coat of mail חָמַל (châmal, H2550) — to commiserate; by implication, to spare בָּחוּר (bâchûwr, H970) — properly, selected, i.e. a youth (often collective) חָרַם (châram, H2763) — to seclude; specifically (by a ban) to devote to religious uses (especially destruction);… צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);…
Open source ↗חָלָל (châlâl, H2491) — pierced (especially to death); figuratively, polluted נָפַל (nâphal, H5307) — to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or… אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) כַּשְׂדִּי (Kasdîy, H3778) — a Kasdite, or descendant of Kesed; by implication, a Chaldaean (as if so descended); also… דָּקַר (dâqar, H1856) — to stab; by analogy, to starve; figuratively, to revile חוּץ (chûwts, H2351) — properly, separate by awall, i.e. outside, outdoors
Open source ↗יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity אַלְמָן (ʼalmân, H488) — discarded (as a divorced person) יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh, H3063) — Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the… אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);… אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) מָלֵא (mâlêʼ, H4390) — to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively) אָשָׁם (ʼâshâm, H817) — guilt; by implication, a fault; also a sin-offering קָדוֹשׁ (qâdôwsh, H6918) — sacred (ceremonially or morally); (as noun) God (by eminence), an angel, a saint, a…
Open source ↗נוּס (nûwç, H5127) — to flit, i.e. vanish away (subside, escape; causatively, chase, impel, deliver) תָּוֶךְ (tâvek, H8432) — a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre בָּבֶל (Bâbel, H894) — Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire מָלַט (mâlaṭ, H4422) — properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness);… אִישׁ (ʼîysh, H376) — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term… נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in… דָּמַם (dâmam, H1826) — to be dumb; by implication, to be astonished, to stop; also to perish עָוֺן (ʻâvôn, H5771) — perversity, i.e. (moral) evil עֵת (ʻêth, H6256) — time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc. יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God נְקָמָה (nᵉqâmâh, H5360) — avengement, whether the act of the passion שָׁלַם (shâlam, H7999) — to be safe (in mind, body or estate); figuratively, to be (causatively, make) completed;… גְּמוּל (gᵉmûwl, H1576) — treatment, i.e. an act (of good or ill); by implication, service or requital
Open source ↗בָּבֶל (Bâbel, H894) — Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire זָהָב (zâhâb, H2091) — gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky כּוֹס (kôwç, H3563) — a cup (as a container), often figuratively, a lot (as if a potion); also some unclean… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) שָׁכַר (shâkar, H7937) — to become tipsy; in a qualified sense, to satiate with astimulating drink or… גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight… שָׁתָה (shâthâh, H8354) — to imbibe (literally or figuratively) יַיִן (yayin, H3196) — wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication הָלַל (hâlal, H1984) — to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make ashow, to…
Open source ↗בָּבֶל (Bâbel, H894) — Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire פִּתְאוֹם (pithʼôwm, H6597) — instantly נָפַל (nâphal, H5307) — to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or… שָׁבַר (shâbar, H7665) — to burst (literally or figuratively) יָלַל (yâlal, H3213) — to howl (with a wailing tone) or yell (with a boisterous one) לָקַח (lâqach, H3947) — to take (in the widest variety of applications) צְרִי (tsᵉrîy, H6875) — distillation, i.e. balsam מַכְאֹב (makʼôb, H4341) — anguish or (figuratively) affliction רָפָא (râphâʼ, H7495) — properly, to mend (by stitching), i.e. (figuratively) to cure
Open source ↗רָפָא (râphâʼ, H7495) — properly, to mend (by stitching), i.e. (figuratively) to cure בָּבֶל (Bâbel, H894) — Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire עָזַב (ʻâzab, H5800) — to loosen, i.e. relinquish, permit, etc. יָלַךְ (yâlak, H3212) — to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses) אִישׁ (ʼîysh, H376) — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term… אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) מִשְׁפָּט (mishpâṭ, H4941) — properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a… נָגַע (nâgaʻ, H5060) — properly, to touch, i.e. lay the hand upon (for any purpose; euphemistically, to lie with… שָׁמַיִם (shâmayim, H8064) — the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds… נָשָׂא (nâsâʼ, H5375) — to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative שַׁחַק (shachaq, H7834) — a powder (as beaten small); by analogy, a thin vapor; by extension, the firmament
Open source ↗יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God יָצָא (yâtsâʼ, H3318) — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and… צְדָקָה (tsᵉdâqâh, H6666) — rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue)… בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) סָפַר (çâphar, H5608) — properly, to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe,… צִיּוֹן (Tsîyôwn, H6726) — Tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of Jerusalem מַעֲשֶׂה (maʻăseh, H4639) — an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication,… אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with…
Open source ↗בָּרַר (bârar, H1305) — to clarify (i.e. brighten), examine, select חֵץ (chêts, H2671) — properly, a piercer, i.e. an arrow; by implication, a wound; figuratively, (of God)… מָלֵא (mâlêʼ, H4390) — to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively) שֶׁלֶט (sheleṭ, H7982) — probably a shield (as controlling, i.e. protecting the person) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God עוּר (ʻûwr, H5782) — to wake (literally or figuratively) רוּחַ (rûwach, H7307) — wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively,… מֶלֶךְ (melek, H4428) — a king מָדַי (Mâday, H4074) — Madai, a country of central Asia מְזִמָּה (mᵉzimmâh, H4209) — a plan, usually evil (machination), sometimes good (sagacity) בָּבֶל (Bâbel, H894) — Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire שָׁחַת (shâchath, H7843) — to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively) נְקָמָה (nᵉqâmâh, H5360) — avengement, whether the act of the passion הֵיכָל (hêykâl, H1964) — a large public building, such as a palace or temple
Open source ↗נָשָׂא (nâsâʼ, H5375) — to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative נֵס (nêç, H5251) — a flag; also a sail; by implication, a flagstaff; generally a signal; figuratively, a… חוֹמָה (chôwmâh, H2346) — a wall of protection בָּבֶל (Bâbel, H894) — Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire מִשְׁמָר (mishmâr, H4929) — a guard (the man, the post or the prison); a deposit (figuratively); also (as observed) a… חָזַק (châzaq, H2388) — to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong (figuratively, courageous, causatively… קוּם (qûwm, H6965) — to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative) שָׁמַר (shâmar, H8104) — properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to,… כּוּן (kûwn, H3559) — properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a… אָרַב (ʼârab, H693) — to lurk יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God זָמַם (zâmam, H2161) — to plan, usually in a bad sense עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application דָבַר (dâbar, H1696) — perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a…
Open source ↗שָׁכַן (shâkan, H7931) — to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively) רַב (rab, H7227) — abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality) מַיִם (mayim, H4325) — water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen אוֹצָר (ʼôwtsâr, H214) — a depository קֵץ (qêts, H7093) — an extremity; adverbially (with prepositional prefix) after בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) אַמָּה (ʼammâh, H520) — properly, a mother (i.e. unit of measure, or the fore-arm (below the elbow), i.e. a… בֶּצַע (betsaʻ, H1215) — plunder; by extension, gain (usually unjust)
Open source ↗יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);… שָׁבַע (shâbaʻ, H7650) — to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times) נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in… מָלֵא (mâlêʼ, H4390) — to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively) אָדָם (ʼâdâm, H120) — ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.) יֶלֶק (yeleq, H3218) — a devourer; specifically, the young locust עָנָה (ʻânâh, H6030) — properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond;… הֵידָד (hêydâd, H1959) — acclamation
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
If a ram’s horn sounds in a city, do the people not tremble? If calamity comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?
Although he flourishes among his brothers, an east wind will come— a wind from the LORD rising up from the desert. His fountain will fail, and his spring will run dry. The wind will plunder his treasury of every precious article.
For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “After His Glory has sent Me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye—
For behold, I stir up and bring against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the land of the north. They will line up against her; from the north she will be captured. Their arrows will be like skilled warriors who do not return empty-handed.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”
Summon the archers against Babylon, all who string the bow. Encamp all around her; let no one escape. Repay her according to her deeds; do to her as she has done. For she has defied the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.
Go up against the land of Merathaim, and against the residents of Pekod. Kill them and devote them to destruction. Do all that I have commanded you,” declares the LORD.
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “The sons of Israel are oppressed, and the sons of Judah as well. All their captors hold them fast, refusing to release them.
But it was uprooted in fury, cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up its fruit. Its strong branches were stripped off and they withered; the fire consumed them.
Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land, where I will cause him to fall by the sword.’”