Jeremiah 50:3

3 For a nation from the north will come against her; it will make her land a desolation. No one will live in it; both man and beast will flee.”

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 word that the LORD spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon and the land of the Chaldeans:

2 “Announce and declare to the nations; lift up a banner and proclaim it; hold nothing back when you say, ‘Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is shattered, her images are disgraced, her idols are broken in pieces.’

3 For a nation from the north will come against her; it will make her land a desolation. No one will live in it; both man and beast will flee.”

4 “In those days and at that time, declares the LORD, the children of Israel and the children of Judah will come together, weeping as they come, and will seek the LORD their God.

5 They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and join themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.