Chapter LI
Ver. 1-64. Contixuatiojt of the Prophecy against Babyi-on begun in chap. 50. 1. In tlie midst of them that rise . . . against me lit., in the heart of them, &c.
32, 36; Note, Isaiah 21. 1.) The Euphrates surrounded the
Cf. Psalm 46. 2, " the midst of the sea," Margin, "theheart of the seas;" Ezekiel 27. 4, Margin; Matthew 12. 40. In the centre of the Chaldeans. "Against me," because they persecute my people. The cabalistic mode of Interpreting Hebrew words (by taking the letters in the Inverse order of tlie alphabet, the last letter representing the first, and 80 on, ch. 25. 26) would give the very word Chaldeans here; but tlie mystical method cannot be intended, as " Babylon" is plainly so called in the immediately preceding parallel clause, wind—God needs not warlike weapons
city, and being divided into many channels foimed Islands. Cf. as to spiritual Babylon " waters," i. «., "many peoples," Revelation 17. 1, 15. A large lake also was near Babylon, measure lit,, cubit, Vfhich was tlie most common measure, and therefore is used for a measure in gen-
eral. The time for putting a limit to thy covetousness. [Gesenius.] There is no "and" in the Hebrew: translate, " thine end, the retribution for thy covetousness." [Grotius.] Mauber takes the image to be from weaving: " the cubit where thou art to be cut off;" for the web is cut off, when the required number of cxibits is completed (Isaiah .38. 12). 14. by himself— by His soul (2 Samuel
to " destroy" His foes ; a wind or blast is suflicient ; though,
110 doubt, the "wind" here is the invading host of Medes and Persians (ch. 4. 11; 2 Kings 19. 7). a. fanners—(iVote,
15. 21; Hebrews 6. 13). till . . . with caterpillars—locusts (Nahum 3. 15). Numerous as are the citizens of Babylon, the Invaders shall be more numerous. 15-19. Repeated from ch. 10. 12-16 ; except that " Israel" is not in the Hebrew of V. 19, which ought, tlierefore, to be translated, "He is the Former of all things, and (therefore) of the rod of His inheritance" (i. e., of the nation peculiarly his own). In ch. 10. the contrast is between the idols and God; here it
ch. 15. 7.) The fanners separdte the wheat from the chaff; 80 God's judgments shall sweep away guilty Babylon as chaff (Psalm 1. 4). 3. Against him that bendeth viz., the
botv, i.e., the Babylonian archer, let tlie archer bend—
i.e., the Persian archer (ch. 50. 4). The Chaldean version and .Terome, by changing the vowel points, read, "Let
not him (the Babylonian) who behdeth his bow bend it." But the close of the verse is addressed to the Median invaders, therefore it is more likely that the first part of the verse is addressed to them, as in English Version, not to the Babylonians, to warn them against resistance as vain, as In the Chaldean version. The word bend is thrice repeated: "Against him that bendeth let him that bendeth bend,"
is between the power of populous Babylon and that of God: "JTiow dwellest upon many waters" (v. 13); but God can, by merely "uttering His voice," create "many waters" (v. 16). The "earth" (in its material aspect) is the result of His "power;" the "world" (viewed in its orderly system) is the result of His "wisdom," &c. (u. 15). Such an Almighty Being can be at no loss for resources to effect His purpose against Babylon. 20. (Note, ch. 50. 23.) "Break in pieces" refers to the "hammer" there (cf. Nahum 2. 1, Margin). The club also was often used by ancient warriors. 22. old and young—(2 Chronicles 3<i. 17.) 24. The detail of particulars (v. 20-23) is in order to express the Indiscriminate slaughters perpetrated by Bal)ylon on Zion, which, in Just retribution, are all to befall herself
to imply the utmost straining of the bow. 4. {Notes, ch.
49. 26 ; 50. 30, 37.) 5. forsakena widow (Hebrew). Is-
rael is not severed from her husband, Jehovah (Isaiah 54.
5-7), by a perpetual divorce, though . . . sin—though the land of Israel has been filled with sin, t. e., with the punishment of their sin, devastation. But, as the Hebrew means for, or and thenfore, not though, translate, "and therefore their (tlie Chaldeans') land has been filled with
(the penal consequences of) their sin." [Grotius.] 6. Warning to the Israelite captives to flee from Babylon,
(ch. 50, 15, 29). In your sight—addressed to the Jews. 25. destroying mountain—called so, not from its position,
lest they should be involved in the punishment of her "Iniquity." So as to spiritual Babylon and her captives (Revelation IH. 4). 7. Babylon Is compared to a cup, because she was the vessel In the hand of God, to make drunken with His vengeance the other peoples (ch. 13. 12;
for it lay low (11.13; Genesis 11. 2, 9), but from its eminence above other nations, manv of wliicli it had "destroyed ;"
also, because of its lofty palaces, towers, hanging gardens resting on arches, and walls, fifty roynl cubitus broad and two hundred liigli. roll thee down from the rocks—i.e., from thy roek-like fortifications and walls, burnt mountain—(Revelation 8. 8.) A volcano, which, after 657
25. 15, 16). Cf. as to spiritual Babylon, Revelation 14. 8; 17.
4. The cup Is termed "golden," to express the splendour and opulence of Babylon ; whence also in the Image seen
The Severe Judgment of God JEREMIAH LI. against Babylon, in Revenge of Israel,
14. 15, 18). Si. me—Zion speaks. Her groans are what bring down retriliution in kind on Babylon (ch. 50. 17; Psalm 102. 13, 17, 20). empty vessel—he has drained me out. dragon — the serpent often "swallows" its prey whole. Or a sea monster. [Grotius.] filled Ills belly . . . cast uic out—lilie a beast, which, having "filled" himself to .satiety, "casts out" liie rest. [Calvin.] After filling all his storehouses with my goods, he has cast me out of this land. [Giiorius.) 35. my tleshwhich Nebuchadnezzar hath "devoured" (y. 31). Zion thus calls her kinsmen (Romans 11. 14) slain throughout the country or carried captives to Babylon. [Grotius.] Or, as " my blood" follows, it and " my tlesh" constitute the whole man: Zion, in its totality, its citizens, and all its substance, have been a prey to Babylon's violence (Psalm 137. 8). 36. plead . . . cause—(Ch. oU 34.) sea—the Euphrates (t>. 13; ch. 50. 38). Cf. Isaiah 19. 5, " sea," i. e., the Nile (Isaiah 21. 1). 37. (Ch.
having spent itself In pouring Its "destroying" lava on
all tlie country around, falls into the vacuum, and becomes extinct, the surrounding "rocks" alone marking where the crater had been. Such was the appearance of Babylon after its destruction, and as the pumice stones of the volcano are left in their place, being unlit for building, so Babylon should never rise from its ruins. 30. comer . . . stone . . . foundations—The corner-stone was'lhe most important one in the building, the foundation-stones came next in importance (Ephesians 2. 20). So the sense is, even as there sliall be no stones useful for building left of thee, so no leading pri/jce, or governors, shall come forth from thy inhabitants. 37. (Ch. 50. 29.) As in i: 12 the Babylonians were told to "set up the standard," so here her foes are told to do so: the latter, to good purpose; the former, iu vain. Ararat—Upper or Ma,jor Armenia, the regions about Mount Ararat. Mlnnl—Lower or Lesser Armenia. Rawlinson .says that Van was the capital of Minni. It was conquered by Tettarrassa, the general of Tetembar II., the Assyrian king whose wars are recorded on the black obelisk now in the British Museum. AscUenaz — a descendant of Japhct (Genesis 10. 3), who gave his name to tlie sea now called the Black Sea; the region bordering on it is probably here meant, viz., Asia Minor, including places named Ascnnin in Phrygia and Bithynia. Cyrus had subdued Asia Minor and the neighbouring regions, and from these drew levies iu proceeding against Babylon, rowgli caterpillars—the horsemen in multitude, and iu appearance bristling witli javelins and with crests, resemble "rough caterpillars." or locusts of the hairy-crested kind (Nahum
50. 2t), 39 ; Revelation 18. 2). 38, 39. The capture of Babylon was ellected on the night of a festival in honour of its idols, roar . . . yell— the Babylonians were shouting in drunken revelry (cf. Daniel 5. 4). 39. In their heat I will make tlieir feasts—In the midst of their being lieatetl with wine I will give tlieni" their" potions,—averydiU'e rent cup to drink, but one which is their due, the wine-cup of my stupefying wrath (ch. 25. 15; 49. 12; Isaiah 51. 17; Lamentations 4. 21). rejoice, aikd sleep . . . perpetual, itc—that they may exult, and iu the midst of their jubilant exultation .sleep the sleep of death {v. 57 ; Isaiah 21. 4. 6). 41. Slieshaeh—Babylon (cf. Note, ch. 25. 26). Called so from the goddess Sliach, to whom a five days' festival was kept, during which, as in the Roman Saturnalia, the most unbridled licentiousness was permitted; slaves ruled their masters, and iu every house one called Zogan, arrayed in a royal garment, was chosen to rule all the rest. He calls Babylon "Sheshach," to imply that it was during this feast the city was taken. [Scaliger.] 43. The sea—The host of Median invaders. The image (cf. ch. 47. 2; Isaiah
3. 15). 3«. kings of . . . Jledes—(i'. 11.) The satraps and tributary kings under Darius, or Cyaxares. liis dominion —the king of Media's dominion. 39. land shall tremble
. . . every purpose of . . . Lord shall be performed— elegant antithesis between the trembling of tlie land or earth, and tlie stability of "every purpose of the Lord"
8. 7, 8) is appropriately taken from the Euphrates, which, overflowing in spring, is like a "sea" near Babylon {v, 13)
(cf. Psalm 46. 1-3). 30. forborne to tight—for the city was not taken by force of arms, but by stratagem, according to tlie counsel given to Cyrus by two eunuchs of Belshazzar who deserted, remained in . . . holds—not daring to go forth to fight; many, with Nabonidus, withdrew to the fortified city Borsippa. 31. (JV'ofc, ch. 50, 24.) One post—One courier after another shall announce the capture of the city. Tlie couriers despatched from the walls, where Cyrus enters, shall "meet" those sent by the king.
32, 3ti). 4:3. Her cities—The cities, her dependencies. So, "Jerusalem and the cities tliereof" (ch. 34. I). Or, Ihe "cities
" are the inner and outer cities, the two parts .into which Babylon was divided by the Euphrates. [Gkot. us,] 44. Bel . . . swallowed—in allusion to the manysacii-
fices to the idol which its priests pretended it swallowed at night; or rather, the precious gifts taken from other nations and offered to it (wjiich it is said to have "swallowed;" cf. "devoured," "swallowed," v. 34; ch. 50. 17), wiiich it should have to disgorge (cf. v. 13; ch. 50. 37). Of these gifts were the vessels of Jehovah's temple in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 36. 7 ; Daniel 1. 2). The restoration of these, as foretold here, is recorded, Ezra 1. 7-11. flow—as a river; fitly depicting the influx of pilgrims of all "nations'' to tlie idol. 45, 46. (Note, v. 6.) 46. And lest—Cf., lor tiie same ellipsis. Genesis 3. 22; Exodus 13. 17; Deutex'- onomy 8. 12. " And in order that your heart may not faint at the (first) rumour" (of war), I will give you some intimation of the time. In the first " year" there shall " come a rumour" that Cyrus is preparing for war against Babylon. "After tliat, in another year, shall come a rumour,"
Their confused running to and fro would result from the sudden panic at the entrance of Cyrus into the city, which he had so long besieged ineffectually; the Babylonians had laughed at his attempts, and were feasting at tlie time without fear, taken at one end — which was not known for a long time to the king and his courtiers feasting in tlie middle of the city ; so great was its extent that, wlicn the city was already three days in the enemy's hands, the fact was not known in some parts of the city. [Akistoti.e, Pol. 3. 2.] 33. passages are stopped — tlie guarded fords of the Euphrates are occupied by tlie enemy (Note, cli. 50. 3S). reeds . . . burned— the marsh. After draining off the river, Cyrus "burned" the stockade of dense tVec-Iike "reeds" on its banks, forming the outworks of the city's fortifications. The Iniriiiiig of these would give the appearance of the marsh or river Itself being on " fire." .13. like b threslting-floor, it Is time to thresh her—rather, " like a threshing-floor at the time of Uucsliiiig," or "at the time when it is trodden." The treading, or threshing, is here put before the harvest, out of the natural order, because the prominent thought is the treading down or destruction of Baiiylon. In the East the treading out of the corn took place only at liarvest-time. B.abylon is like a threshing-floor not trodden for a long time; l)ut the time of harvest, when her citizens shall be trodden under foot, shall come. [Cai^vin.] " Like a threshing-floor full of corn, so is Babylon now full of riches, but the time of harvest shall come, when all her prosperity shall be cut off." [Ludovicus de Dieu.] Gkotius distinguishes the "harvest" from the " tlireshlng ;" the lormer is the slaying of her citizens, the latter the plunging and destruction of the city (cf. Joel 3. 13; Uevelatlon 558
viz., that Cyrus is approaching, and has already entered Assyria. Then is your time to "go out" 45). Babylon was taken the following or third year of Belsliazzar's reign. [Grotius.] violence in the laud — of Babylon (Psalm 7. 10). ruler against ruler—or, " ruler upon ruler," a continual change of rulers in a short space. Belshazzar and Nabonidus, supplanted by Darius or Cyaxares, who
is succeeded by Cyrus. 47. Grotius translates, "Because llien (viz., on tlie third year) tlie time shall have come, that," <fcc. confoundetl—at seeing their gods powerless to lielp them, her slain— In retribution for " JsraeP* slain" (V. 49) who fell by her hand. GuoTius translates, "lior dancers," as in Judges 21.21,23; 1 Samuel IS. 6, the same Hebrew word is translated, alluding to the dancing revelry of the festival during which Cyrus took Babylon. 48. heaven . . . cnrth . . . sing for Babylon- (Isaiah
II. 7-13; 44. 23; Revelation 18. 20.) 49. caused ... to fall — lit., has been for the falling, i. e., as Babj-lon made
Jern.ridh Delivers lh!s Pr.jphecy to Semiak. JEREMIAH LII. Jermalem Besieged and Takert,
the Euphrates, a symbol of Bahj-lon's fate, no doubt ha retained llii' siih.slaucc in memory, so as to l)e able orally
this its one aim to fill nil places with the slain of Israel,
so at liiil)ylon shall all the slain of thai whole hmd
to comnumicate il to his country men. went with Zedekiah— Ratlier, "in l)ehaH of Zedckiah;" sent by Zede-
(not as E:i(/li.'sh Verxlon, "of all the enrlh"). [JIaUKER.] Henukiwox traiishites, "Babylon also shall fall, ye
slain of Isrnol. Those also of Babylon shall fall, O ye
kiali to api)i'ase Nebuchadnezzar's anger at his revolt. [Calvin.] fourth year—so tliat Jercmiali's prediction
Slain of all the eai-th." But, "in the niidst of her," v.
of Bal)ylon's downlall was thus solrmnly written, and sealed by a symbolical action, six whole years before the capture of Jerusalem by t!ie Babylonians, quiet prince
47, plainly answers to "at Babylon," v. -I'J, Enfjlish Ver-
tion. 50. esicnpetl . . . sword— i-fz., of the Meiles. So
great will he the slaughter that even some of God's people
—CI'. 1 Chronicles 22. 9, "a man of rest." Seralah was not one of the courtiers hostile to God's prophets, but "quiet" and docile; ready to execute Jeremiah's commission, notwithstanding the risk attending it. Glassiu.s translates, "prince of Menuchah" (cf. 1 Clironicles 2.52, Margin). Mauker translates, "commander of the caravan," on whom it devolved to appoint the resting-place for the
shall be involved in it, as they had deserved, afar off— though ye are banished far olT from where ye used formerly to worship God. let Jcrnsalem come Into your mind—whilst in exile remember your temple and city,
60 as to prefer th<-m to all the rest of the world wherever ye may be (Isaiah 02. 6). 51. The prophet anticipates the Jews' reply; I know you will say in despair, "We are confounded," &<. " Wherefore (God saith to you) behold,
night. £«f/Z(s7i Fe?-«ion suits the context best. 01. read not in public, for the Chaldeans would not have understood Hebrew; but in private, as is to be inferred from
I will," &c. (V. 52). [Calvin.] I prefer taking v. 51 as the prayer which the .Tews are directed to otter in exile {v. 50), "let Jerusjilem come into your mind" (and say in prayer
his addressing himself altogether to God {v. 02). [CALvm.] 62. O Lord, thou—and not merely Jeremiah or any man
to God), "We are fonfounded." This view is confirmed by Psalm 44.15,18; 79.4; 102.17-20; Isaiah 62.6,7. for strangers—the " reproach," which especially has stung
is the author of . this propliecy; I therefore here in thy presence embrace as true all that I read. 63. bind a stone, (tc—(Revelation IS. 21.) So the Phoceans in leaving
us, IS when they taunted us with the fact that they had burned the temple, our peculiar glory, as though our re-
their country, when about to found Marseilles, threw lead into the sea, binding themselves not to return till the lead should swim. 64. they shall be weary—the Babylonians shall be worn out, so as not to be able to recover their strength. Thus far . . . Jeremiah—Hence it is to be inferred that tlie last chapter is not included in Jeremiah's writings, but was added by some inspired man, mainly from 2 Kings 24. 18 to ch. 25., to explain and confirm what precedes. [Calvin.]
ligion was a thing of naught. 53. Wherefore—Because
of these sighs of the Jews directed to God (v. 21). I . . . jiidgment upon . . . Images—in opposition to the Babylonian taunt that Jehovah'.s religion was a thing of naught, since they had burned His temple (v. 51): I will show that, though I have thus visited the Jews' neglect
of me, yet those gods of Babylon cannot save themselves, much less their votaries, who shall "through all her land" lie and "groan" with wounds. 53. Cf. Obadiah 4
as to Edom (Amos 9. 2). TKoiigh . . . yet from me—We