Jeremiah 51:1

God's Judgment on Babylon

1 This is what the Lord says: I am about to stir up a destructive wind^[a] against Babylon and against the population of Leb-qamai.^[b]

Jeremiah 51:1 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 51:1

Thus saith the Lord, behold, I will raise up against Babylon,
&c.] This is not a new prophecy, but a continuation of the former, and an enlargement of it. The Babylonians being the last and most notorious enemies of the Jews, their destruction is the longer dwelt upon; and as they were against the Lord's people the Lord was against them, and threatens to raise up instruments of his vengeance against them: and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against
me;
that dwell in Babylon, the metropolis of the Chaldeans, the seat and centre of the enemies of God and his people. It is a periphrasis of the Chaldeans; and, so the Targum renders it,

``against the inhabitants of the land of the Chaldeans;''

and so the Septuagint version, against the Chaldeans; and Jarchi and Kimchi observe that according to "athbash", a rule of interpretation with the Jews, the letters in "leb kame", rendered "the midst of them that rise up against me", answer to "Cashdim" or the Chaldeans; however they are no doubt designed; for they rose up against God, by setting up idols of their own; and against his people, by taking and carrying them captive: and now the Lord says he would raise up against them a destroying wind;
a northern one, the army of the Modes and Persians, which should sweep away all before it. The Targum is,

``people that are slayers; whose hearts are lifted up, and are beautiful in stature, and their spirit destroying.''

Jeremiah 51:1 In-Context

1 This is what the Lord says: I am about to stir up a destructive wind against Babylon and against the population of Leb-qamai.

2 I will send strangers to Babylon who will scatter her and strip her land bare, for they will come against her from every side in the day of disaster.

3 Don't let the archer string his bow; don't let him put on his armor. Don't spare her young men; completely destroy her entire army!

4 Those who were slain will fall in the land of the Chaldeans, those who were pierced through, in her streets.

5 For Israel and Judah are not left widowed by their God, the Lord of Hosts, though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.

Footnotes

• [a] Or stir up the spirit of a destroyer
• [b] a name for Chaldeans