Jeremiah 51:47

47 That is why the days are coming when I will punish Babylon's idols. The whole country will be put to shame, and all its soldiers will lie dead.

Jeremiah 51:47 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 51:47

Therefore, behold, the days come that I will do judgment on
the graven images of Babylon
Because of the connection of these words, some understand ( Jeremiah 51:46 ) of the report of the deliverance of the Jews time after time; and yet nothing came of it, which disheartened them; and they were used more cruelly, and with greater violence, by the Chaldeans and their kings, one after another; and "therefore" the following things are said; but the particle may be rendered "moreover" F14, as some observe; or "surely", certainly, of a truth, as in ( Jeremiah 5:2 ) ; the time is hastening on, the above things being done, when judgment shall be executed, not only upon Bel the chief idol, ( Jeremiah 51:44 ) ; but upon all the idols of the Chaldeans; which should be broke to pieces, and stripped of everything about them that was valuable; the Medes and Persians having no regard to images in their worship; though Dr. Prideaux F15 thinks that what is here said, and in ( Jeremiah 51:44 ) ; were fulfilled by Xerxes, when he destroyed and pillaged the Babylonian temples: and her whole land shall be confounded;
the inhabitants of it, when they see their images destroyed, in which they trusted for their safety: and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her;
in the midst of Babylon; where the king and his army were shut up, and dared not move out; and where they were slain when the army of Cyrus entered.


FOOTNOTES:

F14 (Nkl) "praeterea"; so Gataker.
F15 Connexion, par. 1. B. 2. p. 101. B. 4. p. 242, 243.

Jeremiah 51:47 In-Context

45 "Leave it, my people! Run for your lives! Run from the burning anger of the LORD.
46 Don't lose courage or be afraid when rumors are heard in the land. One rumor comes one year; another rumor comes the next year. Rumors of violence are in the land. Rumors that one ruler will fight against another are in the land.
47 That is why the days are coming when I will punish Babylon's idols. The whole country will be put to shame, and all its soldiers will lie dead.
48 Then heaven and earth and everything in them will rejoice over Babylon, because destroyers from the north will attack it," declares the LORD.
49 Because the people of Babylon have killed many Israelites and because they have killed many people throughout the earth, Babylon must fall.
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