They come from a far country, from the end of heaven
The east, as Kimchi observes; the Targum is, from the ends of the earth; the furthermost parts of it, as Persia and Media were: the former is bounded on the south side by the main ocean; and the latter, part of it by the Caspian sea; and between Babylon and these kingdoms lay the large kingdom of Assyria; so that this army might be truly said to come from a far country: [even] the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation;
the Medes and Persians, who were the instruments of his wrath and vengeance against Babylon; just as Assyria is called the rod of his anger, ( Isaiah 10:5 ) with these he is said to come, because this army was of his gathering, mustering, ordering, and directing, in his providence; the end and design of which was, to destroy the whole land;
not the whole world, as the Septuagint render it; but the whole land of Chaldea, of which Babylon was the metropolis. The Targum is,
``to destroy all the wicked of the earth.''