Jeremiah 50:19-29

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.)
22 The voice of battle and (of) great sorrow (is) in the land.
23 How is the hammer of all (the) earth broken and all-defouled? how is Babylon turned into desert, among heathen men? (How the hammer of all the earth is broken and all-defiled! how Babylon is turned into a wilderness, among the heathen!)
24 Babylon, I have snared thee, and thou art taken, and thou knewest not; thou art found, and taken, for thou stirredest the Lord to wrath (for thou hast stirred the Lord to anger).
25 The Lord opened his treasure (house), and brought forth the vessels of his wrath; for why a work is to the Lord God of hosts in the land of Chaldees. (The Lord opened his treasure house, and brought forth the vessels of his anger; for the Lord God of hosts hath a work to do in the land of the Chaldeans.)
26 Come ye to it from the farthest ends, open ye, that they go out, that shall defoul it; take ye away stones from the way, and drive ye into heaps, and slay ye it, and nothing be residue. (Come ye against it from the farthest borders, and open ye it up, so that they go out, who defile it; take ye away stones from the way, and pile ye them up into heaps, and kill ye it, and let nothing be left alive there.)
27 Destroy ye all the strong men thereof, go they down into slaying; woe to them, for the day of them cometh, the time of visiting of them. (Destroy ye all its strong men, go they down to the slaughter; woe to them, for their day cometh, the time of their punishment.)
28 The voice of fleers, and of them that escaped from the land of Babylon, that they tell in Zion the vengeance of our Lord God, the vengeance of his temple. (Hear the voices of the fleers, and of those who escaped from the land of Babylon, as they tell out in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God, yea, the avenging of his Temple.)
29 Tell ye against Babylon to full many men, to all that bend bow. Stand ye together against it by compass, and let none escape; yield ye to it after his work, after all things which it did, do ye to it; for it was raised against the Lord, against the Holy of Israel. (Call ye against Babylon a great many men, yea, to all who bend the bow. Stand ye together against it all around it, and let no one escape; yield ye to it after its work, after all the things which it did, do ye to it; for it was raised up against the Lord, against the Holy One of Israel.)

Jeremiah 50:19-29 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.