Jeremiah 50:15-25

15 Shout against her on every side! She surrenders, her towers fall, her walls are torn down. Since this is the vengeance of the LORD, take vengeance on her; do to her as she has done to others.
16 Cut off from Babylon the sower, and the reaper with his sickle at harvest. Because of the sword of the oppressor let everyone return to their own people, let everyone flee to their own land.
17 “Israel is a scattered flock that lions have chased away. The first to devour them was the king of Assyria; the last to crush their bones was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.”
18 Therefore this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “I will punish the king of Babylon and his land as I punished the king of Assyria.
19 But I will bring Israel back to their own pasture, and they will graze on Carmel and Bashan; their appetite will be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.
20 In those days, at that time,” declares the LORD, “search will be made for Israel’s guilt, but there will be none, and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare.
21 “Attack the land of Merathaim and those who live in Pekod. Pursue, kill and completely destroy[a] them,” declares the LORD. “Do everything I have commanded you.
22 The noise of battle is in the land, the noise of great destruction!
23 How broken and shattered is the hammer of the whole earth! How desolate is Babylon among the nations!
24 I set a trap for you, Babylon, and you were caught before you knew it; you were found and captured because you opposed the LORD.
25 The LORD has opened his arsenal and brought out the weapons of his wrath, for the Sovereign LORD Almighty has work to do in the land of the Babylonians.

Jeremiah 50:15-25 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 50

This and the following chapter contain a long prophecy concerning the destruction of Babylon; and which is expressed in such language, that it may be, and is to be, accommodated to the destruction of mystical Babylon; and several passages in the book of the Revelation are borrowed from hence; and it is intermixed with promises and prophecies of the deliverance of God's people from thence, and of the conversion of the Jews, and the restoration of them to their own which will be at that time; see Jer 50:4,5,8,19,20,33,34. The destruction of Babylon in general is proclaimed and declared, and the manner and cause of it, Jer 50:1-13; then the enemies of Babylon are stirred up and animated to proceed against her, and execute the judgments of God upon her, Jer 50:14-30. Next follows the Lord's controversy with her, because of her pride and oppression of his people; and threatens her with the sword, drought, and utter destruction, Jer 50:31-40; and then a description is given of her enemies, that should be the instruments of her destruction, Jer 50:41-44; and the chapter is closed with observing, that this is all according to the counsel and purpose of God, Jer 50:45,46.

Cross References 35

  • 1. Jeremiah 51:14
  • 2. S 2 Kings 25:4; S Jeremiah 51:44,58
  • 3. ver 28; S Isaiah 10:3; Isaiah 63:4; Jeremiah 51:6
  • 4. ver 29; Psalms 137:8; Revelation 18:6
  • 5. Jeremiah 51:24; Habakkuk 2:7-8
  • 6. S Jeremiah 25:38
  • 7. S Isaiah 13:14
  • 8. Jeremiah 51:9
  • 9. S Leviticus 26:33; S Psalms 119:176
  • 10. S 2 Kings 24:1; S Jeremiah 2:15
  • 11. S Jeremiah 5:17
  • 12. S Deuteronomy 4:27; S 2 Kings 15:29; 2 Kings 17:6
  • 13. S Numbers 24:8; Lamentations 3:4
  • 14. Jeremiah 51:34; 2 Kings 24:10,14
  • 15. S 2 Kings 24:17; S 2 Kings 25:7
  • 16. S Isaiah 10:12
  • 17. Ezekiel 31:3; Zephaniah 2:13
  • 18. S Jeremiah 31:10; Ezekiel 34:13
  • 19. Jeremiah 31:14
  • 20. S Jeremiah 31:5; Jeremiah 33:12
  • 21. Micah 7:14; Zechariah 10:10
  • 22. S Psalms 17:3
  • 23. Psalms 103:12; S Isaiah 38:17; Ezekiel 33:16; Micah 7:18,19; Zechariah 3:4,9
  • 24. S Isaiah 33:24; Jeremiah 31:34
  • 25. S Genesis 45:7; Isaiah 1:9; Isaiah 10:20-22; S Romans 9:27
  • 26. Ezekiel 23:23
  • 27. Jeremiah 4:19-21; Jeremiah 51:54
  • 28. S Isaiah 10:5
  • 29. Jeremiah 51:25
  • 30. S Isaiah 14:16
  • 31. Jeremiah 51:12; Daniel 5:30-31
  • 32. Jeremiah 51:31
  • 33. Job 9:4
  • 34. S Isaiah 13:5
  • 35. Jeremiah 51:25,55

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verse 26.
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