Jeremiah 50:3

3 A nation from the north will attack Babylon and make it like an empty desert. No one will live there; both people and animals will run away."

Jeremiah 50:3 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 50:3

For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her
The Medes and Persians, which under Cyrus were one nation; and which not only lay north of Judea, where this prophecy came, but of Babylon, against which they were to come; and might lay more north to it, before the enlargement of their dominions; and besides, Cyrus came through Assyria to Babylon, which lay north of it; see ( Isaiah 41:25 ) . Thus, as Rome Pagan was sacked and taken by the Goths and Vandals, that came out of the north; so Rome Papal, and the antichristian states, will be destroyed by the Christian princes of the north, or those who have embraced what the Papists call the northern heresy; tidings out of the north shall trouble antichrist, ( Daniel 11:44 ) ; which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein;
that is, in process of time; for this desolation was not made at once; it was begun by Cyrus, made greater by Darius, and completed by Seleucus Nicator; they shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast;
or, "from man to beast" ^F4; such as were not slain should either flee away or be carried captive; so that in time none should remain, either of man or beast; see ( Isaiah 13:19-22 ) ; and for the accomplishment of it on mystical Babylon see ( Revelation 18:2 Revelation 18:21-23 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 (hmhb dew Mdam) "ab homine et usque ad animal", Pagninus, Montanus; "ad bestiam", Schmidt.

Jeremiah 50:3 In-Context

1 This is the message the Lord spoke to Baby- lon and the Babylonian people through Jeremiah the prophet.

2 "Announce this to the nations. Lift up a banner and tell them. Speak the whole message and say: 'Babylon will be captured. The god Bel will be put to shame, and the god Marduk will be afraid. Babylon's gods will be put to shame, and her idols will be afraid!'

3 A nation from the north will attack Babylon and make it like an empty desert. No one will live there; both people and animals will run away."

4 The Lord says, "At that time the people of Israel and Judah will come together. They will cry and look for the Lord their God.

5 Those people will ask how to go to Jerusalem and will start in that direction. They will come and join themselves to the Lord. They will make an agreement with him that will last forever, an agreement that will never be forgotten.