Chapter L
Ver. 1^6. Babyi^on's coming Downfai,!, ; Israel's Kedemption. After the predictions of judgment to be Inflicted on other nations by Babylon, follows this one against Babylon itself, the longest prophecy, consisting of 100 verses. The date of its utteranci? was the fourth year of Zedekiah, when Seraiah, to whom it was committed, was sent to Babylon (ch. 51. 59, 60). The repetitions in it make it likely that It consists of prophecies uttered at different times, now collected by Jeremiah to console the Jews in exile, and to vindicate God's ways by exhibiting the final doom of Babylon, the enemy of the people of God, aft-er her long prosperity. The style, imagery, and dialogues prove its genuineness in opposition to those who deny this. It shows his faithfulness; though under
sin, as their adversaries thought; thei'e is still "a habitation" or refuge for them with the God of their fathers. 8. (Ch. 51. 6, 45; Isaiah 48. 20; Zechariah 2. 6, 7; Revelation 18.
4). Immediately avail yourselves of the opportunity of escape, be as . . . he-goats before . . . flocks—let each try to be foremost in returning, animating the weak, as he-goats lead the flock; such were the companions of Ezra (Ezra 1. 5, 6). 9. fi-om thence—t. e., from the north country, expert lit., prosperous. Besides "might," "expertness" is needed, that an arrow may do execution. The Margin has a difl'erent Hebrew reading; destroying,
lit., bereaving, childless-making (ch. 15. 7). LXX. and Syrian
Tlie Judgment of Baiylon, JEREMIAH L. and the Rc&loration of Isi-ad.
support English Version. In vnln—without killing him at wliom it was aimed (2 Sumuel 1.22). li. (Isaiah ^7.0.) groivM fat—and so, skip wantonly, at fi;i-ass — lat and frisky. But there is a«<lisagreeineiit of gender in Hebrew reading thus. The Keri reading is better: "a lieifer
Euphrates where it was defended into a different channel, and so entered the city by the dried-up channel at nighl, by the upper and lower gates (Daniel 5. 30, 31). 25. weapons of bis indignation—the Medes and Persians (Isaiah.
13. 5). 20. from the utmost border— I't;;., of the earth. Or, /rum all sides. [LunoviCL'S de Dieu.] storeliouses
tliresitint/ the strongest were used for lliresliing, and as the hxw did not allow tlieir mouth to be muzzled in threshing- (Deuteronomy 25. 4), they waxed wanton with eating. Itollow as bulls—rather, " neigh a.s steeds,' M., " strong ones," a poetical expression for steeds {Note, ch. 8.
or, " her houses filled with men and goods." [Michaelis.] When Cyrus took it, the provisions found there were enough to have lasted for many years, as heaps—make of the once glorious city heaps of ruins. Vast mounds of rubbish now mark the site of ancient Babylon. "Tread her as heaps of corn which are wont to be trodden down ia the threshing-floor." [Gkotiu.s.]27. bullocks-j. e.. princes and strong warriors (ch. 4G. 21 ; Psalm 22. 12; Isaiah 34. 7). go down to . . . slaughter—the slaughter-houses lay low beside the river; therefore it is said, "go down;" appropriate to Babylon on the Euphrates, the avenue through which the slaughterers entered the city. 28. declare In Zlon . . . temple—Some Jews "fleeing" from Babylon at
16). [Mauhek.] Di. Your motlicr—Babylon, tlie melrop-
olib' of the empire. Iiiiidcrmoat—marvellous change, that Babylon, once Ine queen of the world, should be now the hindermost of nations, and at last, becoming "a des-
ert,"' coase to be a nation ! 13. (Isaiah l.'j. 20.) 14. Summons to the Median army to attack Babylon, against
. . . Lord—by oppressing His people their cause is His
cau.se. Also by profaning His sacred vessels (Dan.iel .5. 2).
15. SSioHt—Inspirit one another to the onset with the
battle-cry. given . . . lian<l—an idiom for, submiJled to the conquerors (1 Chronicles 21*. 24, Margin; Lamentations
its fall shall tell in Judea how God avenged the cause of Zion and her temple that had been profaned (ch. 52. 13; Daniel 1. 2; 5. 2). 29. archers lit., very many and powei-- fnl ; hence the Hebrew word is used of archcis (Job 16. 13) from the multitude and force of their arrows, according to all that she hath done {yote, v. 15.) proiul against
5. 6). as siie Itatlk tlouv, do unto Uer—just retribution iu kind. She had destroyed many, so must she be destroyed (Psalm 187. 8). So as to spiritual Babylon (Revelation 18.
6. ) This is right, because "it is the vengeance of the Lord;" but this will not justify pci'i'a^e revenge in kind (Matthew 5. 44; Romans 12. li)-21); even the Old Testament law forbade this, though breathing a sterner spirit than the New Testament (E.xodus 2;J. 4, 5; Proverbs 25.21,22). IG. Baijyion had the extent rather of a nation than of a
tile Loril-not merely cruel towards men (Isaiah 47. 10). 30. (yotc. ch. 49. 2».) in tl»e streets—the Baliylonians were so discouraged by having lost some battles, that they retired within their walls and would notagain meet Cyrus In the
field. 31. most proud lit., piridc, i. e., man of pride ; the king of Babylon, visit—punish (v. 27). 33. Israel and
city. Therefore grain was grown within the city wall
. . . Judah were oppresse<l—He anticipates an objection, in order to answer it : Ye have been, no doubt, " oppressed," therefore ye despair of deliverance; but, remember your " Redeemer is strong," and therefore can and will deliver you. 34:. strong—as opposed to the power of Israel's opi)ressor (Revelation 18. 8). plead . . . cause—as their advocate. Image from a court of justice; appropriate aa God delivers His people not by mere might, but bj' righteousness. His plea against Satan and all their enemies la his own everlasting love, reconciling mercy and justice in the Redeemer's work and person (Micah 7. 9; Zechariah
sutticieiit to last for a long siege (AKtsxoTLE, Pol. 3.2; Pliny, 18. 17). Conquerors usually spare agriculturists, out iu tills case all alike were to be "cut oft." for fear of
. . . oppressing sword—because of the sword of the op-
pres.ior. every one to his people—from wliich tliey had been removed to Babylon from all quarters l)y the Chaldean conquerors (ch. 51. 9 ; Isaiah 13.14). 17. lioik«—hos-
tile kings (ch. 4. 7; 49.19). Assyria—(2 Kings 17. G, Siialmaneser; Ezra 4. 2, Esar-haddon.) Nebuclindnezsnr—(2 Kings 24. 10, 14.) 18. puuisli . . . king of Babylon— Nabonidus, or Labynitus. as . . . punislied . . . AsByrian—;-ieiiiiacherib and other kings [Grotius] (2 Kings
3. 1-5 ; 1 John '2. 1). give rest . . . disquiet—There is a play on the similarity of sounds in the two Hebrew verbs, to express more vividly the contrast: " that He may give quiet to the land of Judah (heretofore disquieted by Babylon); but disquiet to the inhabitants of Babylon (heretofore quietly secure)" (Isaiah 14. fj-S). 35-37. The repetition of "A sword" in the beginningof each verse, by the figure anaphora, heightens the effect; the reiterated judgment is universal ; the same sad stroke of the sword is upon each and all connected with guilty Babylon, wise men—(Isaiah
19. 371. i;». (Isaiah 65. 10; Ezekiel 34. 13, 14.) ao. The specification of "Israel," as well as Judah, shows the reference is to times yet to come, iniquity . . . iioiie—not merely idolatry, which ceased among the Jews ever since the Babylonian captivity, but cliiedy their rej(!ctiou of Messiah. As in acnncelled debt, itsliall be as it had never been ; God, for Christ's sake, shall treat them as innocent (ch. 31. 34). Without cleansing away of
sin, remission of punishment would be neither to the honour of God nor to the highest interests of the elect, wliom I reserve—the elect " remnant" (Isaiah 1. !)). The "residue" (Zechariah 14.2; 13.8.9). 21. Meratlialm—a symbolical name for Babylon, the doubli/ rebellions, viz., against Ood.
47. 13.) Babylon boasted tliat it was the peouliarseat of wisdom and wise men, especially in astronomy and astrology.
3<5. liars-those whom he before termed "wise men," he here calls "liars" (impostors), viz., the astrologers (cf. Isaiah 41. 25; Roinaivs 1. 21-25; 1 Corinthians 1. 20). 37. as women—tlivesled of all manliness (Nahum 3. 13). 38. d»-oug!it—Altering the pointing, this verse will begin as
Cf. V. 24, "thou hast striven against the Lord;" and. o. 29, "proud against the Lord." Tlie "doubly" refers to, first, the Assyrian's ojipression of Israel, next, the kindred Chalitean's oppression of ,Iudah (cf. v. 17-20, 33; especially
tliethri'e previous verses, "A sword." However, all the pointed MSS. read, "A drought," as English Version. Cyrus turned oil' the waters of the Euphrates into a new channel, and so marched through the dried-up bed into the city (ch. 51. 32). Babylonia once was famed for its corn, which often yielded from one to two hundred-fold.
V. 18). Pekod—(Ezekiel 23. 23); a chief province of As-
syria, in which Nineveli, now overthrown, once lay. But, as in Merrilliaint. the allusion is to the meaning of Pckod,
viz., visitation ; the inhabitants whose time of deserved visitation in punishment is come; not, however, without reference to the iiow Babylonian province, Pekod. The visitation on Babylon was a following up of that on Assyria, afier tlieia—even their posterity, and all that is
[lIiciiODOTU.s.l This was due to its network of watercourses from the Euphrates foi irrigation, traces of winch [LayaiidJ are seen still on all sides, but dry and barren (Isaiah 44. 27). tlieir idols—ZiV., terrors. They are mad after idols that are more calculated to frighten than to attract (ch.51. 41, 17, 52; Daniel 3. 1). Mere bugbears to frighten chiUlnMi with. :i'J. wild beasts of the desert wild cats, remarkable for their liowl. [BocirAUT.] wild beasts of the Ittlatula—jackals {note, Isaiah 13. 21). owls rather, female o.strirhes ; they ilelight in solitary places.
still left of Babylon, until the very name is extinct. (OKOTif.s.) Devastate the city, nr/<«?- Its Inhabitants have deserted il. all . . . 1 . . . commanded-by Isaiah (Isaiah
13. 1, Ac). lianimer— J. e., Baby Ion, so called because of its ponderous desli uctive power; justas " Martel," i. e., a little hammer, was the surname of a king of the Franks (Isaiah 14. 0). 24. I—Thou hast to do with God, not merely with men. taken . . . not aware—Heuodotus relates that one half of tlie city was taken before tliose In the other were "aware" of it. Cyrus turned the wateis of 556
Lit., daughters of crying, (,'f. as to spiritual Babylon, Revelation 18. 2. no luore inliabitrd for e\'er—the accumulation of phrases is to express the final and utter ex tiuo*
JEREMIAH LI.
against Babylon in Reum rjt of Israel.
The Seiere Judgment of God
tlon ofBabylon ; fulfilled notimmediately, but by degrees; l^rus took away its supremacy. Darius Hystaspes deprived it, when it bad rebelled, of its fortifications. Seleucus Nicanor removed its citizens and wealth to Seleucia, which lie founded in the neighbourhood; and the Parthians removed all tliat was left to Ctesiphon. Nothing but its walls was left under the Roman emperor Adrian. 40. (.Isaiah 13. 19.) Repeated from ch. 49. 18. 41-43. (Cf.
by Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2. 38) the head representing Babylon is of gold (cf. Isaiah 14. 4). 8, 9, Her friends and confederates, who buhold her fall, are invited to her aid. They reply, her case is incurable, and that they must leave her to her fate. 8. (Isaiah 21. 9; Revelation 14. 8; 18. 2,9.) balm—(Ch. 8.22; 46.11.) 9. We would have healed —We attempted to heal, her judgments her crimes provoking God's "Judgments." [Grotius.] rcacheth unto heaven—(Genesis 18. 21; Jonah 1. 2; Revelation 18. 5.) Even the heathen nations perceive that her awful fall must be God's judgment for her crying sins (Psalm 9. 16;
ch.C. 22-24.) The very language used to describe the calam-
ities which Babylon inflicted on Zion is that here employed to describe Babylon's own calamity Inflicted by the Jtedes. Retribution in kind, kings—the allies and Batraps of the various provinces of the Medo-Persian empire; Armenia, Hyrcaiiia, Lydia, &c. coasts—the remote parts. 42. cnicl—the cliaracter of the Persians, and even or Cyrus, notwithstanding his wish to be thought magnanimous (Isaiah 13. IS), like a man—so orderly and
64. 9). 10. Next after the speech of the confederates of Babylon, comes that of the Jews celebrating with thanksgivings the promise-keeping faithfulness of their covenant God. brought forth, Ac-(Psalm 37. 6.) our righteousness—not the Jews' merits, but God's faithfulness to Himself and to His covenant, which constituted the "righteousness" of His people, i. e., their justification in their controversy with Babylon, the cruel enemjof God and His people. Cf. ch. 23. 6, "The Lord our righteousness;" Micah 7. 9. 7'hcir righteousness is His righteousness, declare In Zion—(Psalm 102. 13-21.) 11. Make bright lit., pure. Polish and sharpen, gather lit., fill:
imitt'd is their "array," that the whole army moves to battle as one nia?!. (Grotics.] 43. hantls waxed feeble —attempted no resistance; immediately was overcome, as IlF.r.oDOTrs tells us. 44-46. Repeated mainly from
ch.49. 19-21. The identity of God's principle in His dealing
witli Edom, and in that with Babylon, is implied by the Bimilarity of language as to both. 46. cry . . . among the nations—In Edom's case it is, "at the cry the noise thereof was heard in the Rfd Sea." The change implies the wider extent to which the crash of Babylon's down-
i. e., gather in full number, so that none be wanting. So, "gave in full tale" (1 Samuel 18. 27). Gesexius, not so well, translates, " Fill with your bodies the shields" (cf. Song of Solomon 4. 4). He means to tell the Babylonians, Make what preparations you will, all will be in vain (cf. ch. 46.
fall shall be heard.
3-6). kings of . . . Medes—He names the Medes rather than the Persians, because Darius, or Cyaxares, was above Cyrus in power and the greatness of his kingdom, temple— (Ch. 50. 28.) 13. With all your efforts, your city shall be taken, standard—to summon the defenders together to any point threatened by the besiegers. 13. waters—(F.