Jeremia 51:11

11 Ja, schärft nun die Pfeile wohl und rüstet die Schilde! Der HERR hat den Mut der Könige in Medien erweckt; denn seine Gedanken stehen wider Babel, daß er sie verderbe. Denn dies ist die Rache des HERRN, die Rache seines Tempels.

Jeremia 51:11 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 51:11

Make bright the arrows
Which were covered with rust; scour them of it; anoint them with oil, as armour were wont to be; make them neat, clean, and bright, that they may pierce the deeper; hence we read of a "polished shaft", or arrow, one made bright and pure, ( Isaiah 49:2 ) ; agreeably to this some render the word "sharpen the arrows" {k}; so the Targum. The word has the signification of "choosing"; but, as Gussetius observes F12, whether the direction be to choose the best arrows, or to scour clean and polish them, the end is the same; namely, to have such as are most fit for use. Joseph Kimchi derives the word from another, which signifies a feather; and so renders it, "feather the arrows" F13; that they may fly the swifter. These and what follow are either the words of God, or of the prophet; or, as some think, of the Jews about to return to Judea, whose words are continued, exhorting the Medes and Persians to go on with the war against the Chaldeans; but they rather seem to be addressed to the Chaldeans themselves, putting them upon doing these things; and suggesting, that when they had done all they could, it would be to no purpose: gather the shields;
which lay scattered about and neglected in time of peace: or, "fill" them; fill the hands with them; or bring in a full or sufficient number; since there would be now occasion for them, to defend them against the enemy. The Targum, and several versions, render it, "fill the quivers" F14; that is, with arrows; and so Jarchi: or, "fill the shields" F15; that is, with oil; anoint them, as in ( Isaiah 21:5 ) ; the Lord hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes;
of Cyaxares, or Darius the Mede, and of Cyrus, who succeeded his uncle as king of Media; and indeed the army that came against Babylon was an army of Medes joined by the Persians, Cyrus being employed as general of it by his uncle. The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, read it, "the spirit of the king of the Medes"; with which the following clause seems to agree: for his device [is] against Babylon, to destroy it;
the device of the king of the Medes, Darius; or rather the device of the Lord, who stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes; put it into their hearts to fulfil his will; and gave them wisdom and skill, courage and resolution, to do it; and as he will to the kings of the earth against mystical Babylon, ( Revelation 17:16 Revelation 17:17 ) ; because it [is] the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple;
his vengeance on Babylon, for the destruction of his temple, and the profanation of it; see ( Jeremiah 50:28 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F11 (Myuxh wrbh) "acuite sagittas", V. L. Castalio; "exacuite", Montanus.
F12 Ebr. Comment. p. 148.
F13 "Ponite pennas in sagittis", so some in Vatablus.
F14 (Myjlvh walm) (plhroute tav faretrav) , Sept. "implete pharetras", V. L. Castalio, So Syr. this version is prefered by Gussetius, Ebr. Comment. p. 860, 945.
F15 "Implete scuta, scil. oleo", Stockius, p. 1098.

Jeremia 51:11 In-Context

9 Wir heilen Babel; aber sie will nicht heil werden. So laßt sie fahren und laßt uns ein jeglicher in sein Land ziehen! Denn ihre Strafe reicht bis an den Himmel und langt hinauf bis an die Wolken.
10 Der HERR hat unsre Gerechtigkeit hervorgebracht; kommt, laßt uns zu Zion erzählen die Werke des HERRN, unsers Gottes!
11 Ja, schärft nun die Pfeile wohl und rüstet die Schilde! Der HERR hat den Mut der Könige in Medien erweckt; denn seine Gedanken stehen wider Babel, daß er sie verderbe. Denn dies ist die Rache des HERRN, die Rache seines Tempels.
12 Ja, steckt nun Panier auf die Mauern zu Babel, nehmt die Wache ein, setzt Wächter, bestellt die Hut! denn der HERR gedenkt etwas und wird auch tun, was er wider die Einwohner zu Babel geredet hat.
13 Die du an großen Wassern wohnst und große Schätze hast, dein Ende ist gekommen, und dein Geiz ist aus!
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