Jeremiah 51

36. plead . . . cause--( Jeremiah 50:34 ).
sea--the Euphrates ( Jeremiah 51:13 , Jeremiah 50:38 ). Compare Isaiah 19:5 , "sea," that is, the Nile ( Isaiah 21:1 ).

37. ( Jeremiah 50:26 Jeremiah 50:39 , Revelation 18:2 ).

38, 39. The capture of Babylon was effected on the night of a festival in honor of its idols.
roar . . . yell--The Babylonians were shouting in drunken revelry (compare Daniel 5:4 ).

39. In their heat I will make their feasts--In the midst of their being heated with wine, I will give them "their" potions,--a very different cup to drink, but one which is their due, the wine cup of My stupefying wrath ( Jeremiah 25:15 , 49:12 , Isaiah 51:17 , Lamentations 4:21 ).
rejoice, and sleep . . . perpetual, &c.--that they may exult, and in the midst of their jubilant exultation sleep the sleep of death ( Jeremiah 51:57 , Isaiah 21:4 Isaiah 21:5 ).

41. Sheshach--Babylon (compare Note, see Jeremiah 25:26 ); called so from the goddess Shach, to whom a five days' festival was kept, during which, as in the Roman Saturnalia, the most unbridled licentiousness was permitted; slaves ruled their masters, and in every house one called Zogan, arrayed in a royal garment, was chosen to rule all the rest. He calls Babylon "Sheshach," to imply that it was during this feast the city was taken [SCALIGER].

42. The sea--the host of Median invaders. The image (compare Jeremiah 47:2 , Isaiah 8:7 Isaiah 8:8 ) is appropriately taken from the Euphrates, which, overflowing in spring, is like a "sea" near Babylon ( Jeremiah 51:13 Jeremiah 51:32 Jeremiah 51:36 ).

43. Her cities--the cities, her dependencies. So, "Jerusalem and the cities thereof" ( Jeremiah 34:1 ). Or, the "cities" are the inner and outer cities, the two parts into which Babylon was divided by the Euphrates [GROTIUS].

44. Bel . . . swallowed--in allusion to the many sacrifices to the idol which its priests pretended it swallowed at night; or rather, the precious gifts taken from other nations and offered to it (which it is said to have "swallowed"; compare "devoured," "swallowed," Jeremiah 51:34 , Jeremiah 50:17 ), which it should have to disgorge (compare Jeremiah 51:13 , Jeremiah 50:37 ). Of these gifts were the vessels of Jehovah's temple in Jerusalem ( 2 Chronicles 36:7 , Daniel 1:2 ). The restoration of these, as foretold here, is recorded in Ezra 1:7-11 .
flow--as a river; fitly depicting the influx of pilgrims of all "nations" to the idol.

46. And lest--Compare, for the same ellipsis, Genesis 3:22 , Exodus 13:17 , Deuteronomy 8:12 . "And in order that your heart may not faint at the (first) rumor" (of war), I will give you some intimation of the time. In the first "year" there shall "come a rumor" that Cyrus is preparing for war against Babylon. "After that, in another year, shall come a rumor," namely, that Cyrus is approaching, and has already entered Assyria. Then is your time to "go out" ( Jeremiah 51:45 ). Babylon was taken the following or third year of Belshazzar's reign [GROTIUS].
violence in the land--of Babylon ( Psalms 7:16 ).
ruler against ruler--or, "ruler upon ruler," a continual change of rulers in a short space. Belshazzar and Nabonidus, supplanted by Darius or Cyaxares, who is succeeded by Cyrus.

47. GROTIUS translates, "Because then (namely, on the third year) the time shall have come that," &c.
confounded--at seeing their gods powerless to help them.
her slain--in retribution for "Israel's slain" ( Jeremiah 51:49 ) who fell by her hand. GROTIUS translates, "her dancers," as in Judges 21:21 Judges 21:23 , 1 Samuel 18:6 , the same Hebrew word is translated, alluding to the dancing revelry of the festival during which Cyrus took Babylon.

48. heaven . . . earth . . . sing for Babylon--( Isaiah 14:7-13 , 44:23 , Revelation 18:20 ).

49. caused . . . to fall--literally, "has been for the falling," that is, as Babylon made this its one aim to fill all places with the slain of Israel, so at Babylon shall all the slain of that whole land (not as English Version, "of all the earth") [MAURER]. HENDERSON translates, "Babylon also shall fall, ye slain of Israel. Those also of Babylon shall fall, O ye slain of all the earth." But, "in the midst of her," Jeremiah 51:47 , plainly answers to "at Babylon," Jeremiah 51:49 , English Version.

50. escaped . . . sword--namely, of the Medes. So great will be the slaughter that even some of God's people shall be involved in it, as they had deserved.
afar off--though ye are banished far off from where ye used formerly to worship God.
let Jerusalem come into your mind--While in exile remember your temple and city, so as to prefer them to all the rest of the world wherever ye may be ( Isaiah 62:6 ).

51. The prophet anticipates the Jews' reply; I know you will say in despair, "We are confounded," &c. "Wherefore (God saith to you) behold, I will," &c. ( Jeremiah 51:52 ) [CALVIN]. I prefer taking Jeremiah 51:51 as the prayer which the Jews are directed to offer in exile ( Jeremiah 51:50 ), "let Jerusalem come into your mind" (and say in prayer to God), "We are confounded." This view is confirmed by Psalms 44:15 Psalms 44:16 , 79:4 , 102:17-20 , Isaiah 62:6 Isaiah 62:7 .
for strangers--The "reproach," which especially has stung us, came when they taunted us with the fact that they had burned the temple, our peculiar glory, as though our religion was a thing of naught.

52. Wherefore--because of these sighs of the Jews directed to God ( Jeremiah 51:21 ).
I . . . judgment upon . . . images--in opposition to the Babylonian taunt that Jehovah's religion was a thing of naught, since they had burned His temple ( Jeremiah 51:51 ): I will show that, though I have thus visited the Jews neglect of Me, yet those gods of Babylon cannot save themselves, much less their votaries, who shall "through all her land" lie and "groan" with wounds.

53. We are not to measure God's power by what seems to our perceptions natural or probable. Compare Obadiah 1:4 as to Edom ( Amos 9:2 ).

55. great voice--Where once was the great din of a mighty city. there shall be the silence of death [VATABLUS]. Or, the "great voice" of the revellers ( Jeremiah 51:38 Jeremiah 51:39 , Isaiah 22:2 ). Or, the voice of mighty boasting [CALVIN], (compare Jeremiah 51:53 ).
her waves--"when" her calamities shall cause her to give forth a widely different "voice," even such a one as the waves give that lash the shores ( Jeremiah 51:42 ) [GROTIUS]. Or, "when" is connected thus: "the great voice" in her, when her "waves," &c. (compare Jeremiah 51:13 ). CALVIN translates, "their waves," that is, the Medes bursting on her as impetuous waves; so Jeremiah 51:42 . But the parallel, "a great voice," belongs to her, therefore the wave-like "roar" of "their voice" ought also belong to her (compare Jeremiah 51:54 ). The "great voice" of commercial din, boasting, and feasting, is "destroyed"; but in its stead there is the wave-like roar of her voice in her "destruction" ( Jeremiah 51:54 ).

56. taken--when they were least expecting it, and in such a way that resistance was impossible.

57. ( Jeremiah 51:39 , Daniel 5:1 , &c.).

58. broad walls--eighty-seven feet broad [ROSENMULLER]; fifty cubits [GROTIUS]. A chariot of four horses abreast could meet another on it without collision. The walls were two hundred cubits high, and four hundred and eighty-five stadia, or sixty miles in extent.
gates--one hundred in number, of brass; twenty-five on each of the four sides, the city being square; between the gates were two hundred and fifty towers. BEROSUS says triple walls encompassed the outer, and the same number the inner city. Cyrus caused the outer walls to be demolished. Taking the extent of the walls to be three hundred and sixty-five stadia, as DIODORUS states, it is said two hundred thousand men completed a stadium each day, so that the whole was completed in one year.
labour . . . in the fire--The event will show that the builders of the walls have "labored" only for the "fire" in which they shall be consumed, "In the fire" answers to the parallel, "burned with fire." Translate, "shall have labored in vain," &c. Compare Job 3:14 , "built desolate places for themselves," that is, grand places, soon about to be desolate ruins. Jeremiah has in view here Habakkuk 2:13 .

59-64. A special copy of the prophecy prepared by Jeremiah was delivered to Seraiah, to console the Jews in their Babylonian exile. Though he was to throw it into the Euphrates, a symbol of Babylon's fate, no doubt he retained the substance in memory, so as to be able orally to communicate it to his countrymen.
went with Zedekiah--rather, "in behalf of Zedekiah"; sent by Zedekiah to appease Nebuchadnezzar's anger at his revolt [CALVIN].
fourth year--so that Jeremiah's prediction of Babylon's downfall was thus solemnly written and sealed by a symbolical action, six whole years before the capture of Jerusalem by the Babylonians.
quiet prince--Compare 1 Chronicles 22:9 , "a man of rest." Seraiah was not one of the courtiers hostile to God's prophets, but "quiet" and docile; ready to execute Jeremiah's commission, notwithstanding the risk attending it. GLASSIUS translates, "prince of Menuchah" (compare 1 Chronicles 2:52 , Margin). MAURER translates, "commander of the caravan," on whom it devolved to appoint the resting-place for the night. English Version suits the context best.

61. read--not in public, for the Chaldeans would not have understood Hebrew; but in private, as is to be inferred from his addressing himself altogether to God ( Jeremiah 51:62 ) [CALVIN].

62. O Lord, thou--and not merely Jeremiah or any man is the author of this prophecy; I therefore here in Thy presence embrace as true all that I read.

63. bind a stone, &c.--( Revelation 18:21 ). So the Phoceans in leaving their country, when about to found Marseilles, threw lead into the sea, binding themselves not to return till the lead should swim.

64. they shall be weary--The Babylonians shall be worn out, so as not to be able to recover their strength.
Thus far . . . Jeremiah--Hence it is to be inferred that the last chapter is not included in Jeremiah's writings but was added by some inspired man, mainly at 2 Kings 24:18-25:30' to explain and confirm what precedes [CALVIN].