Jeremiah 50:5-15

5 and they shall ask the way. Hither the faces of them shall come, and they shall be set to the Lord with bond of peace everlasting, which shall not be done away by any forgetting. (and they shall ask the way to Zion. They shall come here, and they shall be joined to the Lord with an everlasting covenant, which shall not be done away with by any forgetting.)
6 My people is made a lost flock, the shepherds of them deceived them, and made them to go unstably in (the) hills; they passed from (a) mountain into a little hill (they passed from mountain to little hill), they forgot their bed.
7 All men that found (them), ate them, and the enemies of them said, We sinned not, for that they sinned to the Lord, the fairness of rightfulness, and to the Lord, the abiding of their fathers. (All those who found them, ate them, and their enemies said, We sinned not, for they have sinned against the Lord, the Beauty of righteousness, yea, against the Lord, their forefathers? hope.)
8 Go ye away from the midst of Babylon, and go ye out of the land of Chaldees, and be ye as kids before the flock. (Go ye away from the midst of Babylon, and go ye out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be ye like the goat-kids leading the flock.)
9 For lo! I shall raise (up), and bring into Babylon the gathering together of great folks, from the land of the north; and they shall be made ready against it, and it shall be taken in the day; the arrow(s) thereof (shall be) as of a strong man, a slayer, (and they) shall not turn again [void].
10 And Chaldea shall be into prey, all that destroy it (all who destroy it), shall be [ful]filled, saith the Lord.
11 For ye make full out joy, and speak great things, and ravish mine heritage; for ye be shed out as calves on herb, and lowed, or bellowed, as bulls. (Yea, ye rejoice, and speak great things, for ye robbed my inheritance; and ye run about like calves after the threshing, and low, or bellow, like bulls.)
12 Your mother is shamed greatly, and she that engendered you, is made even to dust; lo! she shall be the last among folks, and forsaken, without (a) way, and dry. (But your mother city shall be greatly shamed, and she who begat you, shall be made even to the dust; lo! she shall be the last among the nations, and deserted, and without a way, and dried up.)
13 For the wrath of the Lord it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be driven all into wilderness; each that shall pass by Babylon, shall wonder, and shall hiss on all the wounds thereof. (Because of the Lord's anger it shall not be inhabited, but all of it shall be driven, or made, into a wilderness; each person who shall pass by Babylon shall wonder, and shall hiss at all its wounds.)
14 All ye that bend bow, be made ready against Babylon by compass; overcome ye it, spare ye not arrows, for it sinned to the Lord. (All ye who bend bow, be made ready against Babylon all around it, or on every side; and then overcome ye it, spare ye not any arrows, for it hath sinned against the Lord.)
15 Cry ye against it, everywhere it gave (up the) hand; the foundaments thereof fell down, and the walls thereof be destroyed; for it is the vengeance of the Lord. Take ye vengeance of it; as it did, do ye to it. (Cry ye against it, yea, everywhere it threw up its hands; its foundations fell down, and its walls be destroyed; for it is the vengeance of the Lord. Take ye vengeance upon it; as it did, so do ye unto it.)

Jeremiah 50:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 50

This and the following chapter contain a long prophecy concerning the destruction of Babylon; and which is expressed in such language, that it may be, and is to be, accommodated to the destruction of mystical Babylon; and several passages in the book of the Revelation are borrowed from hence; and it is intermixed with promises and prophecies of the deliverance of God's people from thence, and of the conversion of the Jews, and the restoration of them to their own which will be at that time; see Jer 50:4,5,8,19,20,33,34. The destruction of Babylon in general is proclaimed and declared, and the manner and cause of it, Jer 50:1-13; then the enemies of Babylon are stirred up and animated to proceed against her, and execute the judgments of God upon her, Jer 50:14-30. Next follows the Lord's controversy with her, because of her pride and oppression of his people; and threatens her with the sword, drought, and utter destruction, Jer 50:31-40; and then a description is given of her enemies, that should be the instruments of her destruction, Jer 50:41-44; and the chapter is closed with observing, that this is all according to the counsel and purpose of God, Jer 50:45,46.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.