Jeremiah 52
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CHAPTER 52
The Fall of Jerusalem (52:1–30)
(2 Kings 24:18–20; 25:1–26)
1–3 See 2 Kings 24:18–20 and comment.
4–30 See 2 Kings 25:1–26 and comment.
Jehoiachin Released (52:31–34)
(2 Kings 25:27–30)
31–34 See 2 Kings 25:27–30 and comment.
1 For a detailed account of Judah’s history during Jeremiah’s lifetime, see 2 Kings Chapters 22–25.
2 In verse 5, the word prophet in Hebrew means “one who has been called”; Jeremiah’s “calling” was to be God’s spokesman.
3 We are quick to say of another believer: “He or she doesn’t have the necessary gifts or ability to perform a certain task.” Yes, concerning natural gifts and abilities, we may be correct; but in evaluating others, let us never forget that it is the Lord who is the primary enabler of His servants. One can imagine a modern Christian leader saying to the young Jeremiah: “No, you are just not cut out to be a prophet; you should do something else”!
4 The northern kingdoms included Babylon and its allies. Babylon itself was located east of Judah, but any Babylonian invasion would have to come from the north because of the impassable desert that lay between Babylon and Judah.
5 For a discussion of idolatry, see Exodus 20:3–6; 34:15–16; Deuteronomy 4:28 and comments.
6 An embryo is not “part of the mother’s body”; it is a separate human being, precious to God.
7 For further discussion on the subject of God’s call, see Exodus 3:4–6; Isaiah 6:8 and comments.
8 The account of the division of Israel into northern and southern kingdoms following the death of Solomon is found in 1 Kings Chapter 12.
9 For further discussion concerning the covenant between God and Israel, see Exodus 19:5–6 and comment; Word List: Covenant.
10 Jacob, the forefather of the twelve tribes of Israel, was given the name Israel after he had wrestled with an angel of the Lord (Genesis 32:28). The names Jacob and Israel are used interchangeably in the Old Testament, both for the forefather himself and for the nation he fathered.
11 Canaan, the “promised land,” belonged to God (as does the whole earth), and thus in verse 7 He calls it His inheritance. He gave the Israelites the use of it, but the ultimate ownership was His (Leviticus 25:23). The Israelites themselves were also called God’s “inheritance”; they too belonged to Him (Deuteronomy 9:29).
12 For the meaning of “redeem,” see Exodus 13:11–16 and comment; Word List: Redemption.
13 In Old Testament times, to forcibly shave a person’s head was to humiliate and despise that person. Egypt’s Pharaoh figuratively “shaved Judah’s head” when he killed Josiah, Judah’s king (see 2 Kings 23:29).
14 In verse 18, the Shihor is the Nile River in Egypt, and the River is the Euphrates River in Assyria (present–day northern Iraq).
15 In verse 19, God says: “Your wickedness will punish you.” Punishment inevitably follows sin and wickedness. Therefore, it can be said that “wickedness will punish the wicked.”
16 The Canaanites practiced ritual prostitution as part of their pagan worship. Their shrines were located under trees and on hilltops, called “high places” in the Old Testament.
17 Just as we prove the genuineness of our repentance by our deeds, so also do we prove the genuineness of our faith by our deeds (James 2:14,17–18).
18 In the rest of this chapter, the name Israel refers to the northern kingdom, not to the original united Israel. As has been true elsewhere in the Old Testament, the context helps the reader determine which “Israel” is being referred to.
19 This “repentance” in pretense refers to the halfhearted and superficial reforms carried out during the reign of Josiah. Josiah did his best to eliminate idolatry from the land (2 Kings 23:1–25), but the people did not truly repent and change their ways.
20 The “remnant” would be chosen on the basis of people’s individual response to God’s call to repentance; those who refused to repent would be excluded.
21 The name of the Lord (verse 17) is equivalent to the Lord Himself; His “name” stands for His person and His attributes.
22 The ark disappeared when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C., and it has never been found or replaced.
23 For further discussion of atonement and of the old and new covenants, see Leviticus 1:1–4; Exodus 24:1–8; Jeremiah 31:31–34 and comments; Word List: Atonement, Covenant.
24 As we have seen throughout the book of Isaiah, Jeremiah’s prophecy in verses 14–18 relates to both the near and distant future. The prophecy was partially fulfilled when the Jewish exiles returned to Jerusalem from Babylon in 538 B.C.; even then God’s people began to be reunited, because the returning exiles included the faithful remnants of both Israel and Judah. However, this prophecy of Jeremiah will be completely fulfilled only when Christ’s kingdom is fully established. At this present time, Christ’s kingdom is in the process of being established through His church, through believers who are obedient to His Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20).
For further discussion concerning the fulfillment of prophecy in the near and distant future, see Isaiah 35:1–4 and comment.
25 In verses 19–25, it seems that God is continuing to use the name Israel to refer to the northern kingdom.
26 Because these “gods” were powerless to act, their worshipers presented them with ever–increasing offerings in the vain hope of receiving a favorable response; they even offered up their children to these gods (see Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 16:3; 21:6). The worship of false gods is costly, both materially and spiritually.
27 A common oath in Old Testament times was, “As surely as the LORD lives” (verse 2). The person swearing this oath was swearing by the highest possible being—the Lord Himself—and he was inviting the Lord’s judgment if what he swore was not true.
28 For a discussion of circumcision and consecration, see Genesis 17:9–13; Exodus 29:1–9 and comments; Word List: Circumcision, Consecration.
29 The “day of the Lord” is any day in which God intervenes decisively in human affairs to bring either judgment or blessing. For further discussion, see Joel 1:15; 2:28–32 and comments.
30 God is the “ultimate cause” of everything that happens in the universe, but He Himself does not sin nor does He cause others to sin (see James 1:13–15).
31 It may seem to us unjust that God would “punish” good people along with the bad. But inevitably, when God judges nations as such, innocent people suffer along with everyone else. Nations can only be judged in this world; individuals who suffer unduly in this life will be amply rewarded in the next. For further discussion on the subject of suffering, see Job: Introduction; Psalms 22:1–2; 44:9–22 and comments.
32 Throughout the book of Jeremiah, some sections contain the Lord’s actual words spoken through Jeremiah; these sections are enclosed in quotation marks. Other sections, however, are not direct quotations of the Lord; rather, they are Jeremiah’s own inspired writing. But we must remember that Jeremiah’s “own” writing is also the Lord’s word. The Lord is always the ultimate “speaker” in Scripture, whether He is speaking directly or indirectly.
33 In the Old Testament, the word “fool” often denotes one who is ungodly and immoral (see Proverbs 1:7 and comment).
34 One reason the Lord keeps addressing both Judah and Israel is that many faithful Israelites from the northern kingdom had moved to Judah before the northern kingdom was destroyed. Thus, in a sense, Judah represented the “whole nation.”
35 Jacob (Israel, the northern kingdom) no longer existed as a nation in Jeremiah’s time; but because many of its people had moved south to Judah before the northern kingdom fell, God is correct to address the people of both kingdoms together.
36 Benjamin and Judah were the two tribes that constituted the southern kingdom in Jeremiah’s time.
37 After harvesting a crop, there is always a small portion (remnant) that is missed and remains in the field or on the vine. In ancient Israel, poor people were allowed to gather this remnant for their own needs; this was called “gleaning.” Here the Babylonians are being told to glean the remnant that is left over after their “harvesting” of Jerusalem.
38 God always gives us ample warning before He punishes us.
39 God is always at work refining His people (see Isaiah 1:25; 1 Peter 1:6–7); as long as He sees some good “metal” in us, He will keep on purifying it. If He finds nothing but hardness and rebellion, He will reject us.
40 The tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) itself was not destroyed; it was salvaged and eventually brought to the new temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:3–4).
41 Ephraim was the largest tribe of the northern kingdom; indeed, the northern kingdom was often called “Ephraim,” as in verse 15. The northern kingdom had been thrust into exile by the Assyrians a century earlier (2 Kings 17:20).
42 Topheth signifies “fireplace”; it was the site where child sacrifices took place, and it was located just outside Jerusalem in the Valley of Ben Hinnom (verse 31). The name “Ben Hinnom” became “Gehenna” in the Greek language, a word translated as “hell” in the New Testament, a place of fiery eternal punishment for all who do not put their faith in Christ the Savior.
43 In our day we must ponder what God thinks about the “sacrifice” of unborn lives to the gods of convenience, pleasure, and “freedom of choice.” Will the nation that permits such sacrifice end up becoming desolate, as happened to Judah?
44 For further discussion of the Lord’s testing of His people, see Exodus 15:25–27 and comment.
45 The people of Judah no doubt wept and mourned when Jerusalem fell and they were carried into exile; but they wept and mourned for their loss and not for their sin. If they had repented of their sin, they would not have had to weep for their loss.
46 For further discussion of the evil of idolatry, see Exodus 20:3–6; 34:15–16; Deuteronomy 4:28 and comments.
47 Almost all of the Old Testament was originally written in the Hebrew language. Aramaic, which is related to Hebrew, was the international and diplomatic language of the Middle East in Jeremiah’s time. It was also the language spoken by Christ.
48 Something similar happened to Jesus’ first followers in Jerusalem; only when persecution drove them out of the city did the early church begin to spread. After that, wherever the Christians went, they became Christ’s witnesses (Acts 8:1).
49 For a discussion on the subject of praying against one’s enemies, see Psalms 3:7; 10:15; 109:6–20 and comments.
50 Jeremiah was on intimate terms with God; he felt free to ask questions about God’s reasoning, God’s justice. But he never questioned God’s righteousness. We too can reason with God, but we must not strive with Him.
51 Perath (verse 4) was probably located several miles from Jerusalem.
52 The people hoped for light, but they would find darkness instead (verse 16). Throughout Scripture, light and darkness are metaphors for salvation and judgment, life and death. In particular, “darkness” represents separation from God, a separation brought about by man's hardness of heart (Ephesians 4:18) and his love of evil.
53 The king and queen mother referred to in verse 18 are Jehoiachin and his mother Nehushta (2 Kings 24:8). They were captured by Nebuchadnezzar and taken into exile in Babylon (2 Kings 24:12,15).
54 The statement in verse 19 that “all” Judah would be carried into exile is rhetorical; the word “all” here means all leaders and people of influence (see 2 Kings 24:4; 25:11–12).
55 For further discussion on the subject of hardness of heart, see Exodus 4:21; Psalm 95:6–11 and comments.
56 For a discussion of burnt offerings and grain offerings, see Leviticus 1:1–17; 2:1–16 and comments.
57 The Lord doesn’t have physical eyes that overflow with tears (verse 17). Throughout Scripture, the Lord’s feelings and actions are described in human terms, because those are the only terms we understand. For further discussion on the subject of anthropomorphism, see footnotes to comments on Genesis 8:21–22; Exodus 3:7–9.
58 Some rituals required the mourner to cut himself or shave his head (verse 6); the law forbade this (Deuteronomy 14:1), but it was apparently practiced anyway.
59 In Hebrew the Lord is called “Yahweh.” Yahweh, then, is the name of Israel’s Lord. In many English translations (including the NIV), the word LORD is written in small capitals to indicate that Yahweh is meant.
60 Flint was one of the hardest stones known in ancient times.
61 The horns of the altar (verse 1) were upright projections at each of the altar’s four corners (Exodus 27:2). Here Jeremiah is referring to pagan altars where the people of Judah offered sacrifices.
62 For further discussion of idolatry, see Exodus 20:3–6; 34:15–16; Deuteronomy 4:28 and comments.
63 For further comments on verses 5–8, see Psalm 1:1–6 and comment.
64 The term any work does not refer to charitable acts or to service for the Lord.
65 David was the king who truly established Israel as a godly nation. After the death of his son Solomon, Israel was divided into a northern and a southern kingdom. David’s descendants continued to reign in the southern kingdom, Judah. They were the kings who sat on David’s throne during Jeremiah’s lifetime (verse 25).
66 For additional discussion of the relationship between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility, see Exodus 17:10–13; Esther 4:12–14 and comments.
67 Judah was all that was left of the house of Israel; the northern kingdom had been destroyed a century earlier.
68 For a discussion of the conditional nature of God’s covenant promises, see Exodus 19:5–6 and comment.
69 Earlier Jeremiah had acted out a similar sign involving a linen belt (Jeremiah 13:1–11). Such signs were acted out in order to confirm Jeremiah’s message of coming judgment.
70 Many of us know fellow believers who are discouraged and who complain about their circumstances; let us be patient with them. Let us be sympathetic and supportive; let us put ourselves in their place. When we do, we are helping precious servants of God—maybe someone like Jeremiah.
71 Verse 12 is almost the same as Jeremiah 11:20.
72 Notice that Jeremiah did not curse his parents; the law of Moses prohibited that (Exodus 21:17).
73 Even as God’s final judgment on Judah is about to fall, He still makes a way for people to escape. He is intent on saving a remnant of His people (see Isaiah 10:20–23; Jeremiah 3:14; 5:18). Ultimately, God’s punishments are given to purify and restore, not to annihilate. But to benefit from His punishments we must accept them and not resist them. That was the choice facing the people of Judah: to accept or to resist.
74 In verse 13, the first two times the Hebrew word you appears, it is feminine singular; it refers to Jerusalem personified. The third you is plural, and refers to the people of Jerusalem.
75 In verse 3, Jeremiah repeats the words he spoke to Zedekiah in Jeremiah 21:12.
76 In verse 5, God says, “I swear by myself that this palace will become a ruin.” In biblical times it was customary to confirm one’s oath by swearing in the name of someone greater than oneself. However, when God swears an oath He does so in His own name, for there is no one greater for Him to swear by (see Genesis 22:16; Hebrews 6:13).
77 Josiah had died some years earlier while fighting the Egyptians (2 Kings 23:29). His body was carried back to Jerusalem where it was laid to rest in peace and honor (2 Kings 23:30).
78 Jehoiakim became king after his brother Shallum was exiled (2 Kings 23:34).
79 Many people say they are not sure what God’s will is for their lives; they are not getting “clear signals.” In most cases, they are not getting signals because they haven’t committed themselves to doing God’s will—no matter what His will might turn out to be; they have placed conditions on their service for God. Only when they have promised in advance to obey God—no matter what—will they know His will and be able to follow His path for their lives.
80 In 2 Kings 24:6, the writer says that Jehoiakim rested with his fathers, which simply means that he died. No burial is mentioned.
81 The term “Messianic age” can mean the entire period between the first and second comings of Christ. More commonly, however, it refers to the final stage of history associated with the return of Christ; this is its usual meaning in this commentary. We should keep in mind that for the Old Testament writers, the Messianic age was simply “sometime in the future.” They did not know there would be a 2,000–year (or more) interval between the first and second comings of the Messiah. This interval, in which we are now living, is often called the “Church age.” For further discussion, see comment on Isaiah 32:14–18 and footnote to comment; Jeremiah 30:1–3 and comment.
82 In verses 25–27, Jeremiah is not saying that God doesn’t reveal His word through dreams (see Numbers 12:6; Joel 2:28). He is only saying that dreams can be easily misinterpreted, and that these ungodly prophets were falsely claiming their dreams were coming from God.
83 An oracle is a message or statement that is thought to be divine. In Hebrew, the word “oracle” can also mean “burden.”
84 God calls Nebuchadnezzar His servant only in the sense that he “serves” as God’s agent of judgment—even though he doesn’t know it.
85 Several other starting points for the seventy–year period have been proposed. Furthermore, some scholars believe the “seventy years” is a round number rather than a precise number.
86 In verse 18, the elders quote from Micah 3:12.
87 In verses 19–20, Jeremiah mentions some of the temple articles that Nebuchadnezzar did not take away when he carried Jehoiachin into exile: the pillars, the Sea, the moveable stands and the other furnishings (see 1 Kings 7:15–37). Because Judah did not submit to Nebuchadnezzar, all these remaining articles were indeed carried off during the final siege of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:13–15)just as Jeremiah had prophesied.
88 Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom, but the name “Samaria” was often applied to the whole kingdom as well. Likewise, Ephraim was the largest tribe of the northern kingdom, but its name too was often used for the whole kingdom.
89 When the northern kingdom was formed after Solomon’s death, its first king, Jeroboam, discouraged his subjects from worshiping at the Jerusalem temple; he set up two golden calves for them to worship instead (1 Kings 12:26–30).
90 For the meaning of redeem, see Exodus 13:11–16 and comment; Word List: Redemption.
91 Rachel was Jacob’s favorite wife (Genesis 29:30); she was the mother of Joseph (Genesis 30:2224) and the grandmother of Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:1), founders of the two largest tribes in northern Israel. The town of Ramah (verse 15) was eight kilometers north of Jerusalem. The people of Judah passed through Ramah on their way to exile in Babylon (Jeremiah 40:1).
Matthew quotes verse 15 and says that the prophecy about Rachel’s weeping—Israel’s mourning—was again fulfilled when Herod ordered the killing of Jewish boys in the vicinity of Bethlehem, which would include Ramah (Matthew 2:16–18).
92 The last line of verse 22—a woman will surround a man—may be a proverbial saying about something new and amazing. It could also portray a woman protecting her male child—as Rachel might protect her children. Some Bible scholars have suggested it may refer to the incarnation of Christ, when the woman (Mary) surrounded or enclosed the man Jesus in her womb.
93 It is true that a father’s sins will have a harmful effect on his children (see Exodus 20:5); but God punishes us for our own sins, not the sins of our parents (see Deuteronomy 24:16).
94 For further discussion of the old and new covenants, see Exodus 19:5–6; 24:1–8 and comments; Word List: Covenant; General Article: Covenants and Dispensations.
95 Animal sacrifices were the basis of the old covenant. But with the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, animal sacrifices are no longer needed to atone for our sin, to cleanse us from sin; indeed, animal sacrifices never did completely cleanse people from sin (see Hebrews 10:1–18). For further discussion on the subject of atonement and sacrifices, see Exodus 25:17–22; 27:1–8; Leviticus 1:1–4 and comments; Word List: Atonement.
96 Jerusalem was indeed rebuilt after the Jews returned from exile (see books of Ezra and Nehemiah).
97 In the last line of verse 40, the Lord says that Jerusalem will never again be uprooted or demolished. However, we know that Jerusalem was “demolished” by the Romans in 70 A.D., an event that Jesus Himself predicted (Mark 13:1–2). Therefore, the Jerusalem the Lord is referring to in verses 38–40 cannot simply mean the Jerusalem rebuilt by the post–exilic Jews under Ezra and Nehemiah. The Lord must also be referring to a symbolic or spiritual Jerusalem, perhaps to the new Jerusalem mentioned by the Apostle John in Revelation 21:2.
98 Documents have been preserved in such jars for as long as 2,000 years; the Dead Sea scrolls are one example.
99 Verse 19 is repeated from Jeremiah 17:10; for similar statements, see 1 Corinthians 3:8; Ephesians
6:8.
100 Verses 34–35 are repeated from Jeremiah 7:30–31. Molech (verse 35) was the Ammonite god to whom children were sacrificed (Leviticus 18:21).
101 As was the case in Jeremiah Chapters 30–31, the promises given in verses 36–41 apply in a preliminary way to the returning exiles, but they apply more fully to believers in Christ. The restoration of Old Testament Israel described here by Jeremiah is but a foreshadowing of the restoration Christ has accomplished for us by taking away our sins, giving us new hearts, and reconciling us to God (see Jeremiah 31:31–34; 2 Corinthians 5:17–20). But the greatest restoration of all is still to come, when both Jews and Gentiles will be joined together in the Messianic kingdom at Christ’s second coming.
102 In verse 16, the Lord says: “This is the name by which it (Jerusalem) will be called: The LORD our Righteousness.” According to Jeremiah 23:6, this is also the name by which he (the King) will be called. Thus Jerusalem is going to be identified with the Messiah and reflect His righteousness. In a similar way, the church is identified with Christ because it reflects His righteousness (1 Corinthians 12:12).
103 In verse 18, the Lord says that there will always be a priest to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings and to present sacrifices (see Leviticus Chapters 1–3). When Christ sacrificed His own body on the cross, He made any further sacrifices unnecessary. His sacrifice was once for all (Hebrews 10:10–18).
104 Christ’s priesthood was of a higher order than the Levitical priesthood. He was certainly qualified to fulfill God’s promise that the Levites would never fail to have a man to serve before God as a priest (verse 18).
105 In Hebrew, the words two kingdoms can also be translated as “two families”—that is, the royal family of David (representing Judah) and the priestly family of Levi (representing Israel).
106 In Old Testament times, a covenant was confirmed by cutting an animal in two, after which the parties to the covenant would walk between the two halves of the animal. This symbolized the taking of an oath that if either party broke the covenant, that party would agree to submit to a fate equivalent to that of the severed animal (see Genesis 15:9–10,17–18).
107 Note that the events of these next two chapters take place early in the reign of Jehoiakim (verse 1); thus they predate the events described in Jeremiah Chapters 30–34 by seventeen years.
108 About 250 years before Jeremiah’s time, Jonadab (also spelled Jehonadab) had helped King Jehu eliminate Baal worship from the northern kingdom (2 Kings 10:15–17,23–28).
109 The scroll Jeremiah dictated probably contained Jeremiah Chapters 1–26 and 46–51; the scroll would have been the “first edition” of the book of Jeremiah.
110 Jehoiakim’s father Josiah had reacted quite differently to hearing the words of the Lord (see 2 Kings 22:11).
111 Jehoiakim’s son Jehoiachin did “sit” on the throne for three months, but he never truly reigned; he was quickly carried off to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar (see 2 Kings 24:8–12). After that, Jehoiachin’s uncle, Zedekiah, became king (2 Kings 24:17).
112 Christ too found more faith among the Gentiles than He found among the Jews (Matthew 8:10; 15:28).
113 According to Jeremiah 40:1, Jeremiah was discovered bound in chains among all the captives being taken into exile. Apparently, after Jeremiah had initially been placed under Gedaliah’s care, he mingled with the captives being carried into exile in order to counsel and comfort them. He was then mistakenly chained along with the captives. When the mistake was recognized, Jeremiah was released.
114 For an explanation of why Jeremiah was bound in chains even after Nebuchadnezzar had ordered his officers to protect him, see footnote to comment on Jeremiah 39:11–14.
115 Ahikam had been instrumental in saving Jeremiah’s life some years earlier (Jeremiah 26:24).
116 When Ishmael went to meet the pilgrims, he pretended to be weeping, as if to share their sorrow (verse 6). Again he used trickery; he trapped them in the town of Mizpah, and then slaughtered all but ten of them and threw their bodies in a cistern (verse 7). In verse 9, Jeremiah identifies the cistern as one made by Asa king of Judah as part of some defenses he was building (1 Kings 15:22). A cistern was necessary for storing water during times of siege.
117 For further discussion on the subject of divine guidance, see comment on Numbers 9:17–23 and footnote to comment; Psalm 32:8–10 and comment.
118 Jeremiah’s prophecy came true:according to archeological evidence, Nebuchadnezzar attacked Egypt in 568 B.C. It can be assumed that he did not spare Johanan and the Jews who had fled from Judah.
119 Baruch’s brother Seraiah was a staff officer of King Zedekiah (Jeremiah 51:59); their father was Neriah (verse 1). Thus we know that Baruch came from a respectable family. At times he may have been tempted to serve Zedekiah instead of the unpopular Jeremiah. Yet he gave up the chance for advancement and stayed with Jeremiah. In so doing, he chose well: “advancement” under Zedekiah would most likely have meant death; by staying with Jeremiah, he saved his life—and made a lasting and important contribution to the Lord, and to us: the book of Jeremiah.
120 Isaiah Chapters 13–23 contain similar prophecies against various nations that at one time or another were enemies of Israel.
121 Carchemish was a strategic town located on the Euphrates River (verse 2). In 605 B.C., the fourth year of Jehoiakim’s reign, the Egyptian army advanced against the Babylonians. Nebuchadnezzar’s victory over Pharaoh Neco at Carchemish made Babylon the dominant power in the Middle East (see 2 Kings 24:7). Neco was the Pharaoh who killed Josiah king of Judah, and set the ungodly Jehoiakim on Judah’s throne (2 Kings 23:29,34).
122 For other prophecies about Egypt, see Isaiah Chapters 19–20; Ezekiel Chapters 29–32.
123 Gaza and Ashkelon (verses 1,5) were two of the five main cities of the Philistines. Philistia was located west of Judah along the Mediterranean coast. For other prophecies about the Philistines, see Isaiah 14:28–32; Ezekiel 25:15–17.
124 Moab was located just east of the Dead Sea. The Moabites were descended from Lot, Abraham’s nephew (Genesis 19:36–37). Though they were “cousins” of the Israelites, they remained hostile to Israel throughout most of their history.
Most of the cities and towns named in this chapter were located within Moab or in territory controlled by Moab. For other prophecies about Moab, see Isaiah Chapters 15–16; Ezekiel 25:8–11.
125 In biblical times, idols were seized and taken captive along with those who worshiped them (see Isaiah 46:1–2).
126 The Ammonites, like the Moabites, were descended from Lot (Genesis 19:36–38). Ammon was located east of the Jordan River and north of Moab. Its capital city was Rabbah (verse 2)—now called Amman, the capital of present–day Jordan. For other prophecies about Ammon, see Ezekiel 25:1–7.
127 Edom—also called Esau (verses 8,10)—was located south of Judah. It was inhabited by descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother (Genesis 36:1,8–9). So the Edomites were “first cousins” of the Israelites, which made their hostility to Israel all the more displeasing to God. For other prophecies concerning Edom, see Isaiah 21:11–12; Ezekiel 25:12–14.
128 For another prophecy against Damascus, see Isaiah Chapter 17.
129 In verse 31, the nation at ease probably includes Kedar, Hazor, and other small kingdoms of northern Arabia.
130 The Elamites were among those who gathered in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost and heard the followers of Christ speaking in their own Elamite language (Acts 2:9,11). Surely some of them became believers that day—a foretaste of the restoration still to come.
131 For another prophecy against Babylon, see Isaiah Chapters 13–14.
132 Throughout the book of Jeremiah, Babylon ordinarily stands for the Babylonian nation (Babylonia), of which Babylon was the capital city. In verses 1–3, the Lord refers primarily to the city; Babylon the city was indeed captured by the Persians under Cyrus in 539 B.C.
133 In previous chapters, the nation from the north was always Babylon; now that Babylon is being judged, it is Persia that has become the “nation from the north,” the agent of judgment. In verse 9, Persia is referred to as an alliance of great nations, some of which are mentioned in Jeremiah 51:27–28.
134 Babylonia is the name of the Babylonian nation.
135 Assyria was conquered by an alliance of Medes and Babylonians in 609 B.C.
136 The prophecy in verse 20 will be completely fulfilled only in the Messianic age.
137 Media was located in what is today northwest Iran. Under Cyrus (Isaiah 45:1), the Medes and their allies joined the Persians to form the Persian Empire, which became God’s instrument of judgment against Babylon.
138 In verse 13, the Babylonians are called those who live by many waters; the “many waters” are the Euphrates River and its elaborate system of irrigation canals.
139 In verse 41, Sheshach is a code name for Babylon.
140 Babylon was not immediately destroyed during Cyrus’ invasion; he actually spared much of the country. The complete destruction came later.
141 In Revelation Chapters 17–18, the Apostle John used the name “Babylon” to refer to a powerful political, economic and religious system, or empire. He was referring primarily to the Roman Empire, which in his day had become the “new Babylon.”
142 For further discussion of idolatry, see Exodus 20:3–6; 34:15–16; Deuteronomy 4:28 and comments.
143 In the last line of verse 64, the compiler of Jeremiah’s prophecies (most likely Baruch) writes: The words of Jeremiah end here. The last chapter in the book is a historical appendix taken almost verbatim from 2 Kings 24:18–20; 25:1–30.