Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 50:9
For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows [shall be] as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.
9. an assembly of great nations ] such as Ararat, Minni, Ashkenaz. Cp. Jer 51:27 f.
an expert mighty man ] better than the mg. a mighty man that maketh childless. In the Heb. the two readings differ by the position of a dot.
none shall return ] Rightly mg. that returneth not.
in vain ] empty-handed, making the reference to be to the return of warriors with abundant spoil. Cp. 2Sa 1:22.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I will raise – Or, stir up.
An assembly of great nations – The Medo-Persian empire was as much an aggregate of discordant nations as that of Babylon.
From thence – From the north, i. e., by the great nations coming thence.
Return in vain – A proverbial expression for ill success (compare Isa 55:11). Here the skillful warrior returns not empty.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 9. An assembly of great nations] The army of Cyrus was composed of Medes, Persians, Armenians, Caducians, Sacae, c. Though all these did not come from the north yet they were arranged under the Medes, who did come from the north, in reference to Babylon.
Their arrows] They are such expert archers, that they shall never miss their mark.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He means the Medes and Persians, as it is expounded afterward.
Their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain; I will so direct their arrows, that every arrow they shoot shall pierce one or other. Or, (as some raffler choose to interpret it,) no soldier of that assembly of great nations that shall come up against Babylon shall return without some booty or other. The reason of the different reading noted in the margin is the difference of a point in the Hebrew, which if set on the right side of the letter, the word signifieth a destroyer; if on the left side, an expert man, as we translate it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. from thencethat is, fromthe north country.
expertliterally,”prosperous.” Besides “might,” “expertness”is needed, that an arrow may do execution. The Margin has adifferent Hebrew reading; “destroying,” literally,”bereaving, childless-making” (Jer15:7). The Septuagint and Syriac support EnglishVersion.
In vainwithout killinghim at whom it was aimed (2Sa1:22).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon,…. The work was of the Lord; it was he that would give a commission and a command to the enemies of Babylon; that would incline them, and stir them up, to come against her; that would direct their motions and guide them thither, so that it would assuredly be; wherefore it behooves the people of God to make haste out of it:
an assembly of great nations from the north country; the Medes and Persians, with their allies and auxiliaries which came with them from the north; as also a collection of Christian nations from the north of Europe against antichrist:
and they shall set themselves in array against her; draw up their army in form of battle, or prepare and dispose their instruments of war for the siege of Babylon:
from thence shall she be taken; on the north side, from which quarter the enemy should come; or from the place where their army is drawn up in battle array; or suddenly, and at once: so Babylon was destroyed by Cyrus; and the destruction of Rome, or mystical Babylon, will be sudden and at an unawares, Re 18:8;
their arrows [shall be] as of a mighty expert man; or “that bereaves” g women of their husbands, and parents of their children: the Medes and Persians were famous for archery, strong to draw the bow, and skilful to guide and direct the arrow. Strabo h says of Media major, that it sometimes furnished out thirteen thousand archers to the Elymaeans, or Persians, against the Susians and Babylonians;
none shall return in vain; not one of the arrows but shall do execution, kill a man: or “it”, or “he, which” or “who, shall not return in vain” i; the assembly of nations, or anyone of the archers or soldiers.
g “orbantis”, Pagninus, Vatablus, Piscator. h Geograph. l. 11. p. 361. i “quae non redibit frustra”, Schmidt; “quae non revertitur frustra”, De Dieu; “qui non redit vacuus”, Cocceius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| The Judgment of Babylon. | B. C. 595. |
9 For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain. 10 And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith the LORD. 11 Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls; 12 Your mother shall be sore confounded; she that bare you shall be ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert. 13 Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues. 14 Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD. 15 Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her. 16 Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land. 17 Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones. 18 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria. 19 And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead. 20 In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.
God is here by his prophet, as afterwards in his providence, proceeding in his controversy with Babylon. Observe,
I. The commission and charge given to the instruments that were to be employed in destroying Babylon. The army that is to do it is called an assembly of great nations (v. 9), the Medes and Persians, and all their allies and auxiliaries; it is called an assembly, because regularly formed by the divine will and counsel to do this execution. God will raise them up to do it, will incline them to and fir them for this service, and then he will cause them to come up, for all their motions are under his conduct and direction: he shall give the word of command, shall order them to put themselves in array against Babylon (v. 14), and then they shall put themselves in array (v. 9), for what God appoints to be done shall be done; and thence she shall be quickly taken; from their first sitting down before it they shall be still gaining ground against it till it be taken. God shall bid them shoot at her and spare no arrows (v. 14), and then their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man, that has both skill and strength, a good eye and a good hand (v. 9); none shall return in vain. When God gives commission he will give success. Nay, they are bidden not only to shoot at her (v. 14), but to shout against her (v. 15) with a triumphant shout, as those that are already sure of victory. Those whom God directs to shoot may do so with shouting, for they are sure not to miss the mark.
II. The desolation and destruction itself that shall be brought upon Babylon. This is here set forth in a great variety of expressions. 1. The wealth of Babylon shall be a rich and easy prey to the conquerors (v. 10): Chaldea shall be a spoil to all her destroyers, who shall enrich themselves by plundering her, and, which is strange, all that spoil her shall be satisfied; they shall have so much that even they themselves shall say that they have enough. 2. The country of Babylon shall be depopulated and lie uninhabited: It shall be wholly desolate (v. 13) to such a degree that every one who goes by shall triumph in her fall, and, instead of condoling with them, shall hiss at all her plagues, v. 13. 3. Their ancestors shall be ashamed of their cowardice, in fleeing from the first onset (v. 12), or, Your mother, Babylon itself, the mother-city, shall be confounded, when she sees herself deserted by those that should have been her guards. Thus the former ages of Christians may justly be confounded and ashamed to see how unlike them the latter ages are, and how wretchedly they have degenerated; and no sin brings a surer and sorer ruin upon persons, or people, than apostasy. 4. The great admirers of Babylon shall see it rendered very despicable: the last of kingdoms, the very tail of the nations, shall it be, a wilderness, a dry land, a desert, v. 11. The country that was populous shall be dispeopled, that was enriched with a fertile soil shall become barren. 5. The great city, the head of it, shall be quite ruined. Her foundations have fallen, and therefore her walls are thrown down; for how can the walls stand when divine vengeance is at the door and shakes the very foundations? It is the vengeance of the Lord, which nothing can contend with either in law or battle. 6. There shall not be left in Babylon so much as the poor of the land, for vine-dressers and husbandmen, as there was in Israel (v. 16): The sower shall be cut off from Babylon, and he that handles the sickle; the country shall be so emptied of people that there shall be none to till the ground and gather in the fruits of it. Harvest shall come, and there shall be no reapers; seed-time shall come, but there shall be no sower; God will do his part, but there shall be no men to do theirs. 7. All their auxiliary forces, which they have hired into their service, shall desert them, as mercenary men often do upon the approach of danger (v. 16): For fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people. This was threatened before concerning Egypt, ch. xlvi. 16.
III. The procuring provoking cause of this destruction. It comes from God’s displeasure; it is because of the wrath of the Lord that Babylon shall be wholly desolate (v. 13), and his wrath is righteous, for (v. 14) she hath sinned against the Lord, therefore spare no arrows. Note, It is sin that makes men a mark for the arrows of God’s judgments. An abundance of idolatry and immorality was to be found in Babylon, yet those are not mentioned as the reason of God’s displeasure against them, but the injuries they had done to the people of God, from a principle of enmity to them as his people. They have been the destroyers of God’s heritage (v. 11); herein indeed God made use of them for the necessary correction of his people, and yet it is laid to their charge as a heinous crime, because they designed nothing but their utter destruction. 1. What they did against Jerusalem they did with pleasure (v. 11): You were glad, you rejoice. God does not afflict his people willingly, and therefore takes it very ill if the instruments he employs afflict them willingly. When Titus Vespasian destroyed Jerusalem he wept over it, but these Chaldeans triumphed over it. 2. The spoils of Jerusalem they made use of to feed their own luxury: “You have grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls; your having conquered Jerusalem has made you very wanton and proud, easy to yourselves and formidable to all about you, and therefore you must be a spoil.” Those that have thus swallowed down riches must vomit them up again. Therefore they have given their hand (v. 15); they have surrendered themselves to the conqueror, have tamely yielded so that now you may take vengeance on her, now you may make reprisals and do unto her as she hath done. 3. They aimed at nothing less than the utter ruin of God’s Israel: Israel is a scattered sheep, as before (v. 6), that is not only barked at and worried by dogs, but even lions, the most potent adversaries, have roared upon him and driven him away, v. 17. One king of Assyria carried the ten tribes quite away and devoured them; another invaded Judah, and plundered and impoverished it, tore the fleece and flesh of this poor sheep; and now at last this Nebuchadnezzar, that is the terror and plague of all his neighbours, has taken advantage of the low condition to which he is reduced, and he has fallen upon him and broken his bones, has quite ruined him, and therefore the king of Babylon must be punished as the king of Assyria was, v. 18. Note, Those who pursue and prosecute the sins of their predecessors must expect to be pursued and prosecuted by their plagues; if they do as they did, let them fare as they fared.
IV. The mercy promised to the Israel of God, which shall not only accompany, but accrue from, the destruction of Babylon. 1. God will return their captivity; they shall be released out of their bondage, and brought again to their own habitation as sheep that were scattered to their own fold v. 19. They still retained a title to the land of Canaan; it is their habitation still. The discontinuance of their possession was not the destruction of their right. But now they shall recover the enjoyment of it again. 2. He will restore their prosperity; they shall not only live, but live comfortably, in their own land again; they shall feed upon Carmel and Bashan, the richest and most fruitful parts of the country. These sheep shall be gathered from the deserts to which they were dispersed, and put again into good pasture, which their soul shall be satisfied with though they shall come hungry to it, having been so long stinted, and straitened, and kept short, yet they shall find enough to satiate them and shall have hearts to be satiated with it. They enquired the way to Zion (v. 5), where God was to be served and worshipped. This was what they chiefly aimed at in their return; but God will not only bring them thither, but bring them also to Carmel and Bashan, where they shall abundantly feed themselves. Note, Those that return to God and their duty shall find true satisfaction of soul in so doing; and those that seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, that aim to make their habitation in Zion, the holy hill, shall have other things added to them, even all the comforts of Ephraim and Gilead, the fruitful hills. 3. God will pardon their iniquity; this is the root of all the rest (v. 20): In those days the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none. Not only the punishments of their iniquity shall be taken off, but the offence which it gave to God shall be forgotten, and he will be reconciled to them. Their sin shall be before him as if it had never been; it shall be blotted out as a cloud, crossed out as a debt, shall be cast behind his back; nay, it shall be cast into the depth of the sea, shall be no longer sealed up among God’s treasures, nor in any danger of appearing again or rising up against them. This denotes how fully God forgives sin; he remembers it no more. Note, Deliverances out of trouble are then comforts indeed when they are the fruits of the forgiveness of sin, Isa. xxxviii. 17. Judah and Israel were so fully forgiven when they were brought back out of Babylon that they are said to have received of the Lord’s hand double for all their sins, Isa. xl. 1. This may include also a thorough reformation of their hearts and lives, as well as a full remission of their sins. If any seek for idols or any idolatrous customs among them, after their return, there shall be none, they shall not find them; their dross shall be purely purged away, and by that it shall appear that their guilt is so; for I will pardon those whom I reserve; I will be propitious to them (so the word is) and that must be through him who is the great propitiation. Note, Those whose sins God pardons he reserves for something very great; for whom he justifies them he glorifies.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Vs. 9-13: SPOILERS SUMMONED AGAINST BABYLON
1. The Lord is here pictured as stirring up a confederation of northern nations who will defeat Babylon, (vs. 9, 3, Jer 51:1-2).
a. How marvelous the sovereignty of Jehovah in moving people who do not even know Him to discipline other nations – even Israel!
b. Their warriors do not draw the bow carelessly, or in vain; each arrow finds it mark!
2. She who has plundered many nations will now, herself, be plundered, (vs. 10-12).
a. Her plunder of the heritage of Jehovah (Jer 12:14) was with such light-hearted exultation that it is likened unto the wantonness of an unmuzzled heifer that is used for threshing (thus, becoming fat), and the neighing of stallions.
b. Now she is utterly disgraced, bankrupted and destroyed, (vs. 12).
3. Because of the Lord’s insatiable anger against her, Babylon (who once reigned as queen of the nations) is so utterly desolated as to be uninhabited, (Jer 25:12; Jer 34:22; Jer 51:26); those who pass by will be appalled, and will hiss at her plagues, (vs. 13; Jer 18:16; Jer 49:17).
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Here, again, God declares that enemies would come and overthrow the monarchy of Babylon; but what has been before referred to is here more clearly expressed. For he says, first, that he would be the leader of that war — that the Persians and Medes would fight under his authority. I, he says (the pronoun אנכי , anki, is here emphatical,) I am he, says God, who rouse and bring, and then he adds, an, assembly of great nations The Chaldeans, as we know, had devoured many kingdoms, for Babylon had subjugated all the neighboring nations. Except, then, this had been distinctly expressed, they might have disregarded the prophetic threatenings. But Jeremiah speaks here of the assembly of great nations, lest the Chaldeans, relying on their power, the largeness of the monarchy, and the multitude of their men, should promise themselves victory, and thus lie asleep in their indulgences. God then, in these words, shortly intimates that there would be ready at hand those who in number and power would surpass the Chaldeans.
He afterwards adds, They will set in order against her. Something is to be here supplied — that they would set the battle in order. Now, by this expression, the Prophet sets forth the boldness of the Persians and Medes, as they would be immediately ready for the conflict; they would not long consult, but quickly advance to the fight. In short, he refers to the quickness and boldness of the Persians and Medes, when he says, They shall set in order against her; for they who distrust their own strength, take convenient positions, or contrive ambushes, or withdraw for a time until they know all the plans of their enemies; but the Prophet says that the Persians would by no means be such, because they would be prepared for battle at the first onset, and have the army set in order against the Babylonians.
It follows, thence taken shall be Babylon. The word משם, mesham, means from that place. But the Prophet intimates that the Persians would become conquerors by one battle only, so that the Chaldeans would no more dare to resist. We indeed know that those once put to flight, do often prepare new forces and renew the battle; this is indeed usually the case, and it seldom happens that any one is conquered in one battle. But the Prophet here declares that Babylon would be taken at one time; as soon, he says, as the fight begins, the enemies shall not only overcome, but shall by one assault take Babylon, so as to make it captive.
We now, then, perceive the design of the Prophet; but, doubtless, this prophecy was a derision to the unbelieving, for he seemed to speak of a thing impossible: thus he sang a fable to the deaf. But God, however, did not without reason predict that Babylon would be so taken, that it would, as it were, in one moment fall into the hands of enemies. We said, indeed, yesterday, that it was long besieged and taken by treachery in the night; but we also said that this prophecy is not to be confined to one period; for Babylon was often taken. It was taken through the contrivance of Zopyrus, as we said yesterday, when it thought itself sufficiently strong to resist, and Darius had nearly despaired. We shall therefore find nothing inconsistent in this prophecy, when we consider how great and how supine was the security of that people even at the time when they were suddenly overthrown.
He now adds, Its arrows as of a valiant man; some render it, as of a bereaving man, because some put the point on the right side and some on the left. The word שכל, shecal, means to act prudently, to be prosperous, and also to be bereaved. But I agree with those who take the first sense, for it immediately follows, it shall not return in vain Those who render the word “bereaved,” understand thereby that the arrows of the Persians would be deadly or fatal. But the context does not correspond, for an explanation is afterwards given, that it would not return in vain. It seems, then, that by this word Jeremiah denotes their dexterity, as though he had said that the Persians would be so skillful in throwing arrows, that they would not discharge one arrow in vain; as those who are well exercised in that art always aim directly at an enemy, and never shoot their arrows here and there without effect. So then the Prophet says that the arrows of the Persians would be those of men shooting skillfully, who know how to take a right aim. (55) And he calls them valiant or strong; for it is not enough to send arrows straight against an enemy, except there be also nerve and strength to shoot them; for arrows might touch one, but not penetrate into his body, or hardly hurt his skin. But the Prophet refers to both these things — that arrows would be hurled with sufficient force to strike and wound the Chaldeans — and that they would also have always a direct aim, so that no one would miss its object. It afterwards follows, —
(55) Their arrows, like those of a skilful warrior — Blayney. In the next line there is an instance of לא being in the sense of none, — “None shall return empty,” or void; i.e., without effecting its purpose. See Isa 55:11. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9) An assembly of great nations from the north country.Like all the great monarchies of the East, the Medo-Persian kingdom, which was to be the destroyer of Babylon, was made up of a congeries of many different races. Herodotus (vii. 61-69), in his account of the army of Xerxes, names twenty-two, from the Medes and Persians at the head of the list to the Arabians and Ethiopians at its close.
From thence she shall be taken.The Hebrew adverb may be taken either of time or place. The latter, as referring to the region from which the assailants come, gives the better sense.
As of a mighty expert man.The marginal rendering, destroyer, follows the Vulgate and the Targum, and represents a various reading. There is no sufficient reason for rejecting the Authorised Version, which has the support of the LXX. and the Syriac versions.
None shall return in vain.Grammatically the words may refer either to the warrior or the arrow. The use of the same phrase in 2Sa. 1:22; Isa. 55:11 is perhaps in favour of the latter.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. I will raise Stir up.
An assembly of great nations A very just description of these heterogeneous oriental monarchies.
From thence From the place where these nations come together against her.
Their arrows Literally, his arrows, implying the union of all these peoples as one enemy.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Let not the Reader overlook still further testimonies of divine favor to his poor outcasts, in that the Lord sends enemies to destroy Babylon, because Babylon had wasted his people. Ye rejoiced, said the Lord, and were glad, ye destroyers of mine heritage! Oh! how full of grace this is! And do observe, Reader, moreover, that in the worst of times, Israel was still the Lord’s heritage, and the Lord de lights to own Israel. Oh! the blessedness of such unspeakable mercy! Deu 33:29 . And observe once more, the Lord in this passage calls Babylon’s oppression of his people sinning against him: agree ably to that sweet expression, whoso toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye. Zec 2:8 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 50:9 For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows [shall be] as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.
Ver. 9. From the north country. ] See on Jer 50:3 .
Their arrows shall be as a mighty expert man.
None shall return in vain.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
assembly = a gathered host, or convocation. great nations. Compare Isa 13:3, Isa 13:4.
mighty . . . man. Hebrew. gibbor. App-14.
expert = successful. Compare Jer 10:21; Jer 23:5.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I will raise: Jer 50:3, Jer 50:21, Jer 50:26, Jer 50:41, Jer 50:42, Jer 15:14, Jer 51:1-4, Jer 51:11, Jer 51:27, Jer 51:28, Ezr 1:1, Ezr 1:2, Isa 13:2-5, Isa 13:17, Isa 21:2, Isa 41:25, Isa 45:1-4
an assembly: The army of Cyrus was composed of Medes, Persians, Armenians, Caducians, Sace, etc.; all of which, arranged under the Medes, came from the north.
they shall: Jer 50:14, Jer 50:29
expert man: or, destroyer
none: 2Sa 1:22, Isa 13:18
Reciprocal: Num 24:8 – pierce Psa 127:4 – arrows Isa 13:5 – from a far Isa 21:9 – behold Jer 1:14 – Out of Jer 12:14 – against Jer 25:14 – many Jer 25:26 – all the kings Jer 27:7 – all Jer 49:14 – Gather Jer 51:48 – the spoilers Jer 51:53 – from Oba 1:1 – Arise
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 50:9. Before the Jews could go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans (or Babylonians), that nation must first be overcome by another. That was to be done by an assembly of great tuitions, which refers to the Medes and Persians. That force was to come against the empire that had been holding the Jews in captivity for 70 years.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 50:9-11. For, lo, I will raise against Babylon, &c. See Jer 50:41, and Jer 51:27. From thence, or, as , may be rendered, immediately, she shall be taken. Their arrows, &c. The Medes and Persians were famous for the use of the bow. And Chaldea shall be a spoil To all her destroyers, who shall enrich themselves by plundering her. All that spoil her shall be satisfied Namely, with spoil and plunder, for Chaldea, with Babylon its metropolis, was, at that time, the richest country in the world. Because ye were glad, &c. They rejoiced at the ruin of the Jews, a sin laid also to the charge of the Edomites, Oba 1:12. Though the Chaldeans were the executioners of Gods judgments upon the Jews, yet he punished them, because they were influenced in what they did purely by their own ambition and covetousness and acted with inhumanity and cruelty toward the conquered, though Providence directed their cruelties and oppressions, to the fulfilling its own ends and purposes. In like manner, God threatens to punish the king of Assyria after he had been the executioner of his judgments upon Jerusalem. Because ye are grown fat, &c. The insolence and rudeness of oppressors are often compared to the wantonness of full-fed cattle.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Yahweh promised to become active again for His people and to bring many great nations from the north against Babylon. After a battle, Babylon would fall. The enemy would be skillful in archery and would take many captives. The enemy would take so much plunder that he would be satisfied. The references to "many nations" and "the north" point to a future fulfillment, in addition to a partial past fulfillment.