Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 51:14
The LORD of hosts hath sworn by himself, [saying], Surely I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillars; and they shall lift up a shout against thee.
14. I will fill, etc.] rather, Though I have filled thee (better, thou art filled) with men (i.e. innumerable inhabitants), as with locusts (viz. in point of numbers), they (the assailants) shall lift up, etc.
cankerworm ] the locust in its early (pupa) stage. Cp. Jer 51:27, where see note.
a shout ] the vintage song, See on Jer 25:30.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Rather, Surely I have filled thee with men as with locusts, and they shall sing over thee the vintage-song. The vintage-shout suggests the idea of trampling Babylon under foot, as the vintagers trample the grapes; a metaphor of the divine wrath.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 14. I will fill thee with men] By means of these very waters through the channel of thy boasted river, thou shalt be filled with men, suddenly appearing as an army of locusts; and, without being expected, shall lift up a terrific cry, as soon as they have risen from the channel of the river.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The Lord, that is able to bring to pass what he saith, hath sworn by his life, or by himself; see the like phrase Jer 22:5; 44:26; 49:13 Amo 4:2; 6:8; Isa 45:23; that is, the thing next mentioned shall come to pass as certainly as that there is a God in heaven, or that God liveth.
Surely I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillars; I will bring against thee a great army, that shall be like a swarm of caterpillars, and shall come against thee in such numbers as caterpillars use to come, and for the same end, to eat thee up and destroy thee; and as soldiers use do when they go on to fight their enemies, or to assault cities, they shall make a great shout against thee.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. by himselfliterally, “byHis soul” (2Sa 15:21;Heb 6:13).
fill . . . withcaterpillarslocusts (Na3:15). Numerous as are the citizens of Babylon, the invadersshall be more numerous.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The Lord hath sworn by himself, [saying],…. Or, “by his soul” or “life” q; which is himself, than which he cannot swear by a greater, Heb 6:13; and the certain performance of what he swears unto need not be doubted of; and indeed the design of the oath is to assure of the truth of the thing, about which, after this, there ought to be no hesitation:
surely I fill thee with men as with caterpillars; or “locusts” r; march in vast numbers, and make sad desolation where they come; and to which a numerous army may fitly be compared; and which are here meant, even the army of Cyrus, that should enter Babylon, and fill it, as it did. So the Targum,
“the Lord of hosts hath sworn by his word, if I fill them with armies of many people as locusts:”
and they shall lift up a shout against thee; as soldiers, when they make the onset in battle; or as besiegers, when they make their attack on a city; or as when grape gatherers bring in their vintage, or tread out their wine, to which the allusion is: it signifies that her enemies should get an entire victory, and triumph over her.
q “per animam suam”, Pagninus, Cocceius, Schmidt. r “ut, [vel] quasi brucho”, V. L. Cocceius, Montanus, Grotius, Schmidt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Prophet more fully confirms what he had said by introducing God as making an oath; and it is the most solemn manner of confirmation when God swears by his own name. But he speaks of God in the language of men when he says that he swears by his own soul; for it is a kind of protestation when men swear by their own souls, as though they laid down or pledged their own life. Whoever then swears by his own soul, means that as his own life is dear to him, he thus lays it down as a pledge, that were he to deceive by perjury, God would be an avenger and take it away. This is suitable to men, not to God; but what does not properly belong to God is transferred to him; nor is this uncommon, as we have seen it in other places. And the more familiar is the manner of speaking adopted by God, the more it ought to touch men when he makes himself like them, and in a manner assumes their person as though he lived in the midst of them.
But we must still remember why the Prophet introduces God as making an oath, even that all doubtfulness might be removed, and that more credit might be given to his prophecy; for it not only proceeded from God, but was also sealed by an oath. If I shall not fill Babylon, he says, with men as with locusts
The multitude of enemies is here opposed to the multitude of the citizens, which was very large. For we have said elsewhere that Babylon surpassed all other cities, nor was it less populous than if it were all extensive country. As then it was full of so many defenders, it might have been objected and said, “Whence can come such a number of enemies as can be sufficient to put to flight the inhabitants? for were a large army to enter, it would yet be in great danger in contending with so vast a multitude.” But the Prophet compares here the Persians and the Medes to locusts; and we know that Cyrus collected from various nations a very large army, nay, many armies. Fulfilled then was what had been predicted by the Prophet, for Cyrus made up his forces not only from one people, but he brought with him almost all the Medes, and also led many troops from other barbarous nations. Hence then it happened, that what had been said by Jeremiah was proved by the event.
He also adds, that they would be victorious; for by the vintage song, or shout, he no doubt means a song or shout of triumph. But this song, הידד, eidad, was then in use among the Jews. Then as they did after vintage sing in token of joy, so also conquerors, exulting after victory over their enemies, had a triumphant song. And the Greek translators have rendered it κέλευσμα , or κελευμα , which is properly the song of sailors; when they see the harbor they exult with joy and sing, because they have been delivered from the dangers of the Sea, and also have completed their sailing, which is always perilous, and have come to the harbor where they more fully enjoy life, where they have pleasant air, wholesome water, and other advantages. But the simple meaning of the Prophet is, that when the Persians and the Medes entered Babylon, they would become immediately victorious, so that they would exult without a contest and without any toil, and sing a song of triumph. The Prophet now confirms his prophecy in another way, even by extolling the power of God, —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(14) The Lord of hosts hath sworn by himself.This is, as in Jer. 49:13; Amo. 6:8, the most solemn form of affirmation. Compare Heb. 6:13, and Note on Jer. 49:13.
Surely I will fill thee with men, as with Caterpillers.Better, with grasshoppers or locusts, the fullest type of the swarms of the destroyer (Nah. 3:15). The Surely answers to the Hebrew For if, as giving the condition on which the shouting depends.
They shall lift up a shout against thee.The thought is the same as in Jer. 25:30. The shout is that of those who tread the grapes in the wine-press, and that, as in Isa. 63:2-3, is the received symbol of conquest and destruction.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. The Lord of hosts hath sworn The solemnity of oathtaking is employed in announcing this destruction.
By himself The margin is more exactly literal and more expressive, by his soul.
Caterpillars Rather, locusts.
Shall lift up a shout Literally, the vintage song. The “vintage song” is, in the nature of the case, a battle song, and suggests that the men with which Babylon is filled, trample her under foot, thus executing the wrath of God upon her.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 51:14. As with caterpillars Locusts.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jer 51:14 The LORD of hosts hath sworn by himself, [saying], Surely I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillers; and they shall lift up a shout against thee.
Ver. 14. Surely I will fill thee with men as with caterpillers. ] So they shall seem both for multitude and humming noise, barritu militari.
They shall lift up a shout against thee.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
by Himself = by His soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia.
caterpillers = locusts. Compare Joe 2:2. Nah 3:15.
they: i.e. the assailants.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
sworn: Jer 49:13, Amo 6:8, Heb 6:13
himself: Heb. his soul
as with: Jer 46:23, Jdg 6:5, Joe 1:4-7, Joe 2:3, Joe 2:4, Joe 2:25, Nah 3:15-17
lift up: Heb. utter, Jer 50:15
Reciprocal: Gen 22:16 – General Exo 32:17 – There is a noise Jer 51:27 – cause Eze 21:22 – to lift
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 51:14, The men with whom the city was to be filled were the Medes and Persians. (See Daniel 5.) Lift up a shout refers to the cry of victory that a successful army makes when it has taken possession of the enemy position.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Almighty Yahweh swore by Himself, the highest authority, that He would send invaders on Babylon, as thick and devastating as a locust plague, who would shout in victory over their foe.