Jeremiah 51:23

23 and I shall hurtle down in thee a shepherd and his flock; and I shall hurtle down in thee an earth-tiller and his yoke beasts; and I shall hurtle down in thee dukes and magistrates. (and I shall hurtle down with thee a shepherd and his flock; and I shall hurtle down with thee an earth-tiller, or a farmer, and his yoke beasts; and I shall hurtle down with thee rulers and magistrates.)

Jeremiah 51:23 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 51:23

And I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his
flock
Or, have broken; which Abarbinel thinks respects the Arabians particularly, who were shepherds, and dwelt in tents; but it rather signifies shepherds and their flocks in general; who were killed or scattered wherever his armies came, which spared none, even the most innocent and useful, and though unarmed: and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of
oxen;
with which he ploughed his ground: signifying by this, as well as the former, that those were not spared, by which kingdoms were supported and maintained, as shepherds and husbandmen: and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers;
by whom kingdoms and states are governed and protected.

Jeremiah 51:23 In-Context

21 and I shall hurtle down in thee an horse, and the rider thereof; and I shall hurtle down in thee a chariot, and the rider thereof; (and I shall hurtle down with thee a horse, and its rider; and I shall hurtle down with thee a chariot, and its rider, or its driver;)

22 and I shall hurtle down in thee man and woman; and I shall hurtle down in thee eld man and child; and I shall hurtle down in thee a young man and a virgin; (and I shall hurtle down with thee men and women; and I shall hurtle down with thee an old man and a child; and I shall hurtle down with thee a young man and a maiden;)

23 and I shall hurtle down in thee a shepherd and his flock; and I shall hurtle down in thee an earth-tiller and his yoke beasts; and I shall hurtle down in thee dukes and magistrates. (and I shall hurtle down with thee a shepherd and his flock; and I shall hurtle down with thee an earth-tiller, or a farmer, and his yoke beasts; and I shall hurtle down with thee rulers and magistrates.)

24 And I shall yield, saith the Lord, to Babylon, and to all the dwellers of Chaldea, all their evil, which they did in Zion, before your eyes. (And I shall yield recompense, saith the Lord, to Babylon, and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea, for all their evil, which they did in Zion, before your eyes.)

25 Lo! I, saith the Lord, to thee, thou hill bearing pestilence, which corruptest all [the] earth. I shall stretch forth mine hand on thee, and I shall unwrap thee from stones, and I shall give thee into an hill of burning. (Lo! I am against thee, saith the Lord, thou hill bearing pestilence, which corruptest all the earth. And I shall stretch forth my hand against thee, and I shall unwrap thee from thy stones, and I shall make thee into a burned down hill.)