Jeremiah 50:11-21

11 For ye make full out joy, and speak great things, and ravish mine heritage; for ye be shed out as calves on herb, and lowed, or bellowed, as bulls. (Yea, ye rejoice, and speak great things, for ye robbed my inheritance; and ye run about like calves after the threshing, and low, or bellow, like bulls.)
12 Your mother is shamed greatly, and she that engendered you, is made even to dust; lo! she shall be the last among folks, and forsaken, without (a) way, and dry. (But your mother city shall be greatly shamed, and she who begat you, shall be made even to the dust; lo! she shall be the last among the nations, and deserted, and without a way, and dried up.)
13 For the wrath of the Lord it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be driven all into wilderness; each that shall pass by Babylon, shall wonder, and shall hiss on all the wounds thereof. (Because of the Lord's anger it shall not be inhabited, but all of it shall be driven, or made, into a wilderness; each person who shall pass by Babylon shall wonder, and shall hiss at all its wounds.)
14 All ye that bend bow, be made ready against Babylon by compass; overcome ye it, spare ye not arrows, for it sinned to the Lord. (All ye who bend bow, be made ready against Babylon all around it, or on every side; and then overcome ye it, spare ye not any arrows, for it hath sinned against the Lord.)
15 Cry ye against it, everywhere it gave (up the) hand; the foundaments thereof fell down, and the walls thereof be destroyed; for it is the vengeance of the Lord. Take ye vengeance of it; as it did, do ye to it. (Cry ye against it, yea, everywhere it threw up its hands; its foundations fell down, and its walls be destroyed; for it is the vengeance of the Lord. Take ye vengeance upon it; as it did, so do ye unto it.)
16 Lose ye a sower of Babylon, and him that holdeth a sickle in the time of harvest, from the face of [the] sword of the culver; each man shall be turned (again) to his people, and each man shall flee to his land. (Destroy ye each sower of Babylon, and him who holdeth a sickle at the time of harvest. Before the coming cruel sword, each man shall return to his own people, and each person shall flee to his own land.)
17 Israel is a scattered flock, lions casted out it; first (the) king (of) Assur ate it, (and) this last, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, did away the bones thereof. (Israel is a scattered flock, for the lions cast it out; first, the king of Assyria ate it, and then lastly, this Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, did away its bones.)
18 Therefore the Lord of hosts, God of Israel, saith these things, Lo! I shall visit (against) the king of Babylon, and his land, as I visited (against) the king of Assur; (And so the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saith these things, Lo! I shall punish the king of Babylon, and his land, like I punished the king of Assyria;)
19 and I shall bring again Israel to his dwelling place. Carmel and Bashan shall be fed, and his soul shall be [ful]filled in the hill of Ephraim, and of Gilead. (and I shall bring back Israel to his dwelling place. He shall feed, or shall graze, on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be fulfilled in the hills of Ephraim, and of Gilead.)
20 In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the wickedness of Israel shall be sought, and it shall not be; and the sin of Judah shall be sought, and it shall not be found; for I shall be merciful to them, which I shall leave (alive). (In those days, and at that time, saith the Lord, the wickedness of Israel shall be sought, but there shall be none; and the sin of Judah shall be sought, and it shall not be found; for I shall be merciful to them, whom I shall leave alive.)
21 Ascend thou on the land of the lords, and visit thou on the dwellers thereof; scatter thou, and slay those things, that be after them, saith the Lord; and do thou by all things which I commanded to thee. (Go thou up against the land of Merathaim, and attack thou the inhabitants of Pekod; scatter thou, and kill thou them, saith the Lord; and do thou by all the things which I commanded thee.)

Jeremiah 50:11-21 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.