Jeremiah 50:9

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].

Jeremiah 50:9 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 50:9

For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon,
&c.] The work was of the Lord; it was he that would give a commission and a command to the enemies of Babylon; that would incline them, and stir them up, to come against her; that would direct their motions and guide them thither, so that it would assuredly be; wherefore it behooves the people of God to make haste out of it: an assembly of great nations from the north country;
the Medes and Persians, with their allies and auxiliaries which came with them from the north; as also a collection of Christian nations from the north of Europe against antichrist: and they shall set themselves in array against her;
draw up their army in form of battle, or prepare and dispose their instruments of war for the siege of Babylon: from thence shall she be taken;
on the north side, from which quarter the enemy should come; or from the place where their army is drawn up in battle array; or suddenly, and at once: so Babylon was destroyed by Cyrus; and the destruction of Rome, or mystical Babylon, will be sudden and at an unawares, ( Revelation 18:8 ) ; their arrows [shall be] as of a mighty expert man;
or "that bereaves"

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 women of their husbands, and parents of their children: the Medes and Persians were famous for archery, strong to draw the bow, and skilful to guide and direct the arrow. Strabo ^F8 says of Media major, that it sometimes furnished out thirteen thousand archers to the Elymaeans, or Persians, against the Susians and Babylonians; none shall return in vain;
not one of the arrows but shall do execution, kill a man: or "it", or "he, which" or "who, shall not return in vain" ^F9; the assembly of nations, or anyone of the archers or soldiers.
F7 (lykvm) "orbantis", Pagninus, Vatablus, Piscator.
F8 Geograph. l. 11. p. 361.
F9 (Mqyr bwvy al) "quae non redibit frustra", Schmidt; "quae non revertitur frustra", De Dieu; "qui non redit vacuus", Cocceius.

Jeremiah 50:9 In-Context

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.)