Jehova spiritum regum Mediae, quia super Babylonem cogitatio ejus ad perdendum
JOHN CALVIN
protection of God.
The Prophet now exhorts the faithful to gratitude; he would have them at the same time to rise up to the hope of deliverance, and to cherish the promises which he had given them, when he says, Come, as though he would set before their eyes the gift of redemption. He also shows the end, even that the people were to celebrate the grace of God, as though he had said, that the people, after having obtained mercy, ought to have this in view, to worship God again in his Temple; as though he had said, that when God restored his Church, his pure and true worship should, at the same time, be restored; for the design of his grace is religion, and not the honor or dignity of the people. This is the reason why he says, Come and let us declare in
Sion the work of Jehovah our God. Now, when Peter treats of a better redemption, he says, that those who are delivered from the kingdom of darkness ought to set forth the unspeakable praises of God. (1 Peter 2:9.) We must then understand, that
God has appeared to us as a Redeemer, in the person of his only-begotten Son, in order that we may celebrate his mercy, which we have experienced, according also to what is said in the song of Zacharias,
delivered us from the hand of our enemies, that we may all our life worship him in holiness.'' (Luke 1:74, 75)
It now follows, ---
Jeremiah 51:11
11. Make bright the arrows; gather together the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.
11. Polite sagittas (parate, ad verbum,) implete (vel, perficite) clypeos; suscitat
Jehova spiritum regum Mediae, quia super Babylonem cogitatio ejus ad perdendum eam, quia ultio Jehovae haec, ultio Templi ejus.
These words might have been addressed to the Medes as well as to the Babylonians. If the latter meaning be approved, that is, that the Prophet addresses the
Babylonians, the words are a taunt, as though he had said, that they were to no purpose spending their labors in preparing their armies, because God would be stronger than they, and that the Medes would carry on war under his banner and authority.
Nor would what I have also stated, be unsuitable, that is, that the Prophet bids the
Medes to prepare themselves and to put on their arms, that they might fight courageously against the Babylonians. 445
He now adds the main thing, --- that the kings of the Medes would come against
Babylon, because they had been called from above; and he mentions the word spirit, that he might more fully express that men's minds are ruled and turned by the secret power of God, and also that whatever power or boldness is found in them, proceeds altogether from God; as though he had said, that God would so prepare the Medes and the Persians, that he would not only strengthen their arms, hands, and feet, for the war, but would also lead them, and overrule their passions --- that he would, in
445The second clause in the versions and the Targ. is, "Fill the quivers," i.e., with arrows. But the word means "shields:" hence some render the verb in the sense of filling up or completing. "Complete the shields," i.e., their number, or rather, more consistently with sharpening or polishing the arrows, "Fill up," or mend, "the shields." So Venema and Parkhurst. — Ed.