Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 50:43
The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.
The Medes shall not be more prepared to destroy the Babylonians, than they shall be unprepared to make any resistance; as God will animate their enemies, so he will dispirit them, so as they shall faint upon the report of their coming, and be like a woman upon whom strong pangs of travail are.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
43. hands waxed feebleattemptedno resistance; immediately was overcome, as HERODOTUStells us.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them,…. Belshazzar, as Kimchi; he had the report brought him of the invasion of his land by them; of their approach to Babylon, and design upon it; and of their number, character, and force:
and his hands waxed feeble; as they did when he saw the handwriting upon the wall, Da 5:6;
anguish took hold of him, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail; a sudden panic seized him, and he was quite dispirited at once, as a woman in childbirth, when her pains come upon her, and there is no avoiding them; though when those who were with Gobrias and Gadates rushed in upon him, they found him standing up with his sword drawn z, but unable to defend himself against such a posse as came in upon him.
z Xenophon. Cyropaedia, l. 7. c. 23.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Prophet means by these words, that as soon as the report of war reached the Chaldeans, they would be so disheartened through fear as to become like a conquered people. As they had subjected to themselves many nations, they had acquired the name of being a warlike people; but the Prophet declares here that they would have no courage, and that therefore there would be no need of much valor to attack them, as they would of themselves give way and flee. The sum of what is said is, that the Persians and the Medes would gain the victory before they fought, for there would be no need of an attack, as their enemies would flee as being without any courage.
The Prophet at the same time intimates that in God’s hand are the hearts of men, as I have often said, so that they who seem to excel in great boldness, melt as wax in a moment. For no doubt the Chaldeans were not wanting in courage to fight until God had rendered them effeminate, so that they took to flight through fear as soon as they heard the report respecting their enemies. It is, indeed, true that this was not immediately the case, for we know that they had long sustained a siege, and that Belshazzar was slain in the night, while they were securely and joyfully feasting as in the greatest quietness and peace; but they were at length taken, so that they had neither wisdom nor confidence; for the king and his princes were slain, and the city was in a moment taken, as though all the men were turned into logs of wood or into statues of stone. It follows,—
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Jer 50:43 The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.
Ver. 43. The king of Babylon, &c. ] See Jer 6:24 Dan 5:6 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
his hands, &c. See fulfilment in Dan 5:6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
king: Jer 51:31, Isa 13:6-8, Isa 21:3, Isa 21:4, Dan 5:5, Dan 5:6
pangs: Jer 49:22, Jer 49:24
Reciprocal: 2Sa 4:1 – his hands Isa 13:7 – shall all Isa 13:8 – pangs Jer 4:31 – I have heard Jer 6:24 – anguish Jer 30:6 – every Jer 48:41 – as the heart Jer 51:29 – the land Jer 51:54 – General Eze 21:7 – all hands Mic 4:9 – for Mar 13:8 – sorrows
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 50:43. This verse has specific reference to Belshazzar and his plight when he saw the handwriting on the wall (see Dan 5:6),
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
50:43 The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands {d} became feeble: anguish took hold of him, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.
(d) Which is meant of Belshazzar, Dan 5:6 .
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
When the king of Babylon heard about the coming enemy, he would go limp with fear, like a woman about to give birth (cf. Jer 6:22-24). Compare the reaction of Belshazzar in Dan 5:6.