Jeremiah 51:3

3 Don't give its soldiers time to shoot their arrows or to put on their armor. Do not spare the young men! Destroy the whole army!

Jeremiah 51:3 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 51:3

Against [him that] bendeth let the archer bend his bow
These are either the words of the Lord to the Medes and Persians, to the archers among them, to bend their bows and level their arrows against the Chaldeans, who had bent their bows and shot their arrows against others; or of the Medes and Persians stirring up one another to draw their bows, and fight manfully against the enemy: and against [him that] lifteth up himself in his brigandine;
or coat of mail; that swaggers about in it, proud of it, and putting his confidence in it, as if out of all danger. The sense is, that they should direct their arrows both against those that were more lightly or more heavily armed; since by them they might do execution among the one and the other: and spare ye not her young men;
because of their youth, beauty, and strength: destroy ye utterly all her host;
her whole army, whether officers or common soldiers; or let them be accoutred in what manner they will. The Targum is,

``consume all her substance.''

Jeremiah 51:3 In-Context

1 The Lord says, "I am bringing a destructive wind against Babylonia and its people.

2 I will send foreigners to destroy Babylonia like a wind that blows straw away. When that day of destruction comes, they will attack from every side and leave the land bare.

3 Don't give its soldiers time to shoot their arrows or to put on their armor. Do not spare the young men! Destroy the whole army!

4 They will be wounded and die in the streets of their cities.

5 I, the Lord God Almighty, have not abandoned Israel and Judah, even though they have sinned against me, the Holy One of Israel.