Jeremiah 51:56

56 for a ravener came [up]on it (for a robber came upon it), that is, [up]on Babylon; and the strong men thereof be taken, and the bow of them withered, for the strong venger, the Lord, yielding [again] shall yield.

Jeremiah 51:56 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 51:56

Because the spoiler is come upon her, [even] upon Babylon,
&c.] That is, Cyrus, with his army: and her mighty men are taken;
unawares, by surprise: everyone of their bows is broken;
they had no strength to withstand the enemy, and were obliged to yield at once; lay down their arms, and submit: for the Lord God of recompences shall surely requite;
that God to whom vengeance belongs, and will recompense it; who is a God of justice and equity, the Judge of all the earth; he will render tribulation to them that trouble his; and requite his enemies and the enemies of his people, in a righteous manner, for all the evil they have done, as literal, so mystical Babylon; see ( Revelation 18:6-8 ) .

Jeremiah 51:56 In-Context

54 The voice of a crier of Babylon, and great sorrow of the land of Chaldees, (The sound of crying in Babylon, and the sound of great sorrow in the land of the Chaldeans,)
55 for the Lord destroyed Babylon, and lost of it a great voice; and the waves of them shall sound as many waters. The voice of them gave sound, (for the Lord destroyed Babylon, yea, destroyed its great voice; and the waves of the attacking armies shall sound like many waters. Their voices made a great noise,)
56 for a ravener came [up]on it (for a robber came upon it), that is, [up]on Babylon; and the strong men thereof be taken, and the bow of them withered, for the strong venger, the Lord, yielding [again] shall yield.
57 And I shall make drunken the princes thereof, and the wise men thereof, the dukes thereof, and the magistrates thereof, and the strong men thereof; and they shall sleep everlasting sleep, and they shall not be awaked, saith the king, the Lord of hosts is name of him. (And I shall make drunk its princes, and its wise men, and its leaders, and its magistrates, and its strong men; and they shall sleep an everlasting sleep, and they shall never awaken, saith the King, the Lord of hosts is his name.)
58 The Lord God of hosts saith these things, That broadest wall of Babylon shall be [under]mined with [under]mining, and the high gates thereof shall be burnt with fire; and the travails of peoples shall be to nought, and the travails of heathen men shall be into fire, and shall perish. (The Lord God of hosts saith these things, That most broad wall of Babylon shall be undermined with undermining, and its high gates shall be burned down; and all the labours of the peoples shall be for nothing, and all the labours of the heathen shall be but for the fire, for they shall all perish.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.