Jeremiah 33:4

4 The houses in this city and the palaces of the kings of Judah have been torn down to be used against the dirt ramps and weapons of the Babylonians. This is what the LORD God of Israel says about this:

Jeremiah 33:4 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 33:4

For thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel
The destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, which was now fulfilling, is here mentioned as a pledge of the accomplishment of spiritual blessings after spoken of; and to assure the prophet, that as he would with his own eyes see the fulfilment of the prophecies he had delivered out in the name of the Lord concerning that, so likewise as certainly would the other be brought to pass: concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the
kings of Judah, which were thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;
by "the mounts", which the Chaldeans raised without the city; or by the engines they placed there, by which they cast out stones into the city, to the demolishing of the houses in it; not in common only, but particularly the houses of the king and nobles, which they especially directed their shot at; and by "the sword", hammers, axes, and mattocks, for which sometimes this word is used, when they entered into the city. Though some render the words, "which are thrown down for mounts, and for the sword" ^F18; that mounts might be made of them within, on which the Jews might fight and defend themselves against the Chaldeans. So the Targum,

``which they pulled down, and threw up mounts to strengthen the wall, against those that kill with the sword;''

and so Jarchi interprets it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (brxh law twlloh la) "ad aggeres et vastitatem", Tigurine version; "in missilia catapultaria, et in gladium", Junius & Tremellius; "ad catapultas, et ad gladium", so some in Calvin.

Jeremiah 33:4 In-Context

2 "I made [the earth], formed it, and set it in place. My name is the LORD. This is what the LORD says:

3 Call to me, and I will answer you. I will tell you great and mysterious things that you do not know.

4 The houses in this city and the palaces of the kings of Judah have been torn down to be used against the dirt ramps and weapons of the Babylonians. This is what the LORD God of Israel says about this:

5 The people of Israel fought the Babylonians. Now their houses are filled with the bodies of their own people I killed in my anger and my fury. I will hide my face from this city because of its wickedness.

6 "But I will heal this city and restore it to health. I will heal its people, and I will give them peace and security.