Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
JEREMIAH LI. against Babylon in Reum rjt of Israel.
The Seiere Judgment of God tlon of Babylon ; fulfilled notimmediately, but by degrees; lrus 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 calamities 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 downi. 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.
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 general. 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). Israel 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