Jeremiah 51:11-21

11 Sharpen ye arrows, fill ye arrow cases; the Lord hath raised the spirit of the kings of Medes, and his mind is against Babylon, that he lose it, for it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple. The king of Medes is raised of the Lord against Babylon. (Sharpen ye the arrows, fill ye the quivers; the Lord hath raised the spirit of the kings of the Medes, and his mind is against Babylon, that he destroy it, for it is the vengeance of the Lord, the avenging of his Temple. The Lord hath raised up the king of the Medes against Babylon.)
12 Raise ye a sign on the walls of Babylon, increase ye [the] keeping, raise ye keepers, make ye ready ambushments; for the Lord thought, and did, whatever thing he spake against the dwellers of Babylon. (Raise ye up a sign on the walls of Babylon, increase ye the watch, raise ye up the watchmen, prepare ye ambushes; for the Lord thought, and did, whatever he spoke against the inhabitants of Babylon.)
13 A! thou Babylon, that dwellest on many waters, rich in thy treasures, thine end cometh, the foot measure of thy cutting down. (O! thou Babylon, that dwellest by many waters, rich in thy treasures, thy end cometh, and the full measure of thy cutting down.)
14 The Lord of hosts swore by his soul, that I shall fill thee with men, as with bruchuses, and a merry song shall be sung on thee. (The Lord of hosts swore by his soul, saying, I shall fill thee with men, like a swarm of locusts, and then a happy song shall be sung over thee.)
15 The Lord swore, which made [the] earth by his strength, (which) made ready the world by his wisdom, and stretched forth (the) heavens by his prudence.
16 When he giveth voice, waters be multiplied in heaven; which Lord raiseth clouds from [the] last of the earth, he made lightnings into rain, and brought forth wind of his treasures/of his treasuries. (When he giveth his voice, the waters be multiplied in the heavens; he raiseth up clouds from the ends of the earth, and maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his storehouses.)
17 Each man is made a fool of knowing, each weller together is shamed in a graven image; for his welling together is false, and a spirit is not in those. (Each person is made a fool by their own knowledge, and each welder is shamed by his cast idol, for his welding is false, or a sham, and breath is not in them.)
18 The works be vain, and worthy of scorn; they shall perish in the time of their visiting. (Their works be empty and futile, and worthy of scorn, or of mocking; they shall perish at the time of their reckoning.)
19 The part of Jacob is not as these things; for he that made all things is the part of Jacob, and Israel is the sceptre of his heritage; the Lord of hosts is his name. (The portion of Jacob is not like these things; for he who made all things is the portion of Jacob, and Israel is the sceptre of his inheritance; the Lord of hosts is his name.)
20 Thou hurtlest down to me the instruments of battle, and I shall hurtle down folks in thee, and I shall lose realms in thee; (Thou be the instruments of battle for me, and I shall hurtle down nations with thee, and destroy kingdoms with thee;)
21 and I shall hurtle down in thee an horse, and the rider thereof; and I shall hurtle down in thee a chariot, and the rider thereof; (and I shall hurtle down with thee a horse, and its rider; and I shall hurtle down with thee a chariot, and its rider, or its driver;)

Jeremiah 51:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 51

The former part of this chapter is a continuation of the prophecy of the preceding chapter, concerning the destruction of Babylon, Jer 51:1-58; the latter part of it contains a prophecy of Jeremiah sent to the captives in Babylon by the hand of Seraiah, with the copy of the above prophecy against Babylon, and an order to fasten a stone to it, and cast it into the river Euphrates, as a sign, confirming the utter and irreparable ruin of Babylon, Jer 51:59-64.

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