Yirmeyah 50:16

16 Cut off the sower from Bavel, and him that reapeth with the magal (sickle) in the time of katzir; for fear of the oppressing cherev they shall turn every ish to his people, and they shall flee every ish to his own land.

Yirmeyah 50:16 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 50:16

Cut off the sower from in Babylon, and him that handleth the
sickle in the time of harvest
Both sower and reaper: the walls of Babylon took in a large compass of land, where there were corn fields; and which, as Curtius ^F19 observes, would yield a sufficiency to hold out a siege against an enemy; but being taken, the husbandman would not be spared, as used to be, but should be cut off, and so none to till the ground, or to reap what was upon it; and thus, in course, would be, desolate, as before threatened. The Targum understands this in a figurative sense,

``destroy the king out of Babylon, and take hold of the sword in the time of slaughter;''

and Cocceius interprets the sower of any doctor or bishop in mystical Babylon, and the reaper of such that gather the fruits, and exact obedience; see ( Revelation 18:14 Revelation 18:22 ) ; for fear of the oppressing sword;
of the Medes and Persians: they shall turn everyone to his people, and they shall flee everyone
to his own land;
not those of other nations, as the Jews, who were detained captives there, as Kimchi thinks; for these were not in such fear of the Persians, nor did they flee because of them; but were let go by them, and sent into their own land honourably: but either such who, of other nations, were come to traffic at Babylon; or rather the auxiliaries of other nations, who were either hired or forced into the service of Babylon; these, finding the city taken, would make the best of their way into their own country.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Hist. l. 5. c. 1.

Yirmeyah 50:16 In-Context

14 Put yourselves in array against Bavel all around; all ye that bend the keshet, shoot at her, spare no khetz (arrow); for she hath sinned against Hashem.

15 Shout against her all around; she hath surrendered her yad; her bulwarks are fallen, her chomot (walls) are torn down; for it is the vengeance of Hashem; take vengeance upon her; just as she hath done, do unto her.

16 Cut off the sower from Bavel, and him that reapeth with the magal (sickle) in the time of katzir; for fear of the oppressing cherev they shall turn every ish to his people, and they shall flee every ish to his own land.

17 Yisroel is a seh pezurah (scattered sheep); the aryot (lions) have driven him away; first Melech Ashur (King of Assyria) hath devoured him; and last this Nevuchadretzar Melech Bavel hath broken his atzmot.

18 Therefore thus saith Hashem Tzva’os Elohei Yisroel: Hineni, I will punish Melech Bavel and his land, as I have punished Melech Ashur.