Jeremiah 50:24-34

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.)
30 Therefore young men thereof shall fall down in the streets thereof, and all men warriors thereof shall be still(ed) in that day, saith the Lord. (And so its young men shall fall down in its streets, and all its warriors shall die on that day, saith the Lord.)
31 Lo! thou proud, I to thee, saith the Lord of hosts, for thy day is come, the time of thy visitation. (Lo! O most proud, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts, for thy day is come, the time of thy punishment.)
32 And the proud shall fall, and shall fall down together, and none shall be, that shall raise him; and I shall kindle fire in the cities of him, and it shall devour all things in compass of it. (Yea, the proud one shall fall, and shall altogether fall down, and there shall be no one, who shall raise it up; and I shall kindle a fire in its cities, and it shall devour everything all around it.)
33 The Lord of hosts saith these things, The sons of Israel and the sons of Judah together suffer false challenge; all that took them, hold, they will not deliver them. (The Lord of hosts saith these things, The Israelites and the people of Judah be oppressed together; all they who took them captive, hold onto them, and they will not let them go.)
34 The again-buyer of them is strong, the Lord of hosts is his name; by doom he shall defend the cause of them, that he make the land afeared, and stir together the dwellers of Babylon. (But their Redeemer is strong, his name is the Lord of hosts; he shall justly defend their cause, and he shall trouble the inhabitants of Babylon, and make the land afraid/he shall justly defend their case, and make the land to rest, but he shall trouble the inhabitants of Babylon.)

Jeremiah 50:24-34 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.