Jérémie 51:3

3 Qu'on tende l'arc contre celui qui tend son arc, Contre celui qui est fier dans sa cuirasse! N'épargnez pas ses jeunes hommes! Exterminez toute son armée!

Jérémie 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.''

Jérémie 51:3 In-Context

1 Ainsi parle l'Eternel: Voici, je fais lever contre Babylone, Et contre les habitants de la Chaldée, Un vent destructeur.

2 J'envoie contre Babylone des vanneurs qui la vanneront, Qui videront son pays; Ils fondront de toutes parts sur elle, Au jour du malheur.

3 Qu'on tende l'arc contre celui qui tend son arc, Contre celui qui est fier dans sa cuirasse! N'épargnez pas ses jeunes hommes! Exterminez toute son armée!

4 Qu'ils tombent blessés à mort dans le pays des Chaldéens, Percés de coups dans les rues de Babylone!

5 Car Israël et Juda ne sont point abandonnés de leur Dieu, De l'Eternel des armées, Et le pays des Chaldéens est rempli de crimes Contre le Saint d'Israël.