Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 51:40
I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats.
40. lambs rams he-goats ] Cp. Jer 50:27; Isa 34:6.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Lambs … rams … he goats – i. e., all classes of the population (see Isa 34:6 note).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
That is, they shall be destroyed before they are aware of it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter,…. To the place of slaughter; who shall be able to make no more resistance than lambs. This explains what is meant by being made drunk, and sleeping a perpetual sleep, even destruction and death:
like rams with he goats; denoting the promiscuous destruction of the prince and common people together.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This is a comparison different from the former, when the Prophet said that they would be like lions, but as to roaring only. But he now shows how easy would that ruin be when it should please God to destroy the Babylonians. Then as to their cry, they were like lions; but as to the facility of their destruction, they were like lambs led to the slaughter. God does not mean here that they would be endued with so much gentleness as to give themselves up to a voluntary death; but he means, that however strong the Babylonians might have previously been, and however they might have threatened all other nations, they would then be women in courage, and be led to the slaughter as though they were lambs or rams.
This is a comparison which occurs often in the prophets, for sacrifices were then daily made; and then the prophets considered the destruction of the ungodly as a kind of sacrifice; for as sacrifices were offered under the Law as evidences of piety and worship, so when God appears as a judge and takes vengeance on the reprobate, it is the same as though he erected an altar, and thus exhibited an evidence of the worship that is due to him; for his glory and worship is honored, yea, and celebrated by such sacrifices. Then the destruction of all the ungodly, as we have said, may be justly compared to sacrifices; for in such instances the glory of God shines forth, and this is what especially belongs to his worship. It at length follows, —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(40) I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter . . .The figure is changed, and the revellers appear as themselves destined to be the victims of the slaughter-house (Jer. 48:15; Jer. 50:27). As the bullocks of Jer. 50:27 are the chosen warriors, so the lambs, sheep, he-goats represent the different classes of the population of Babylon (Isa. 34:6; Eze. 39:18). All alike are given over to the sword.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 51:40 I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats.
Ver. 40. I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter. ] All that which followeth here to the end of this oration is no less easy than elegant in holding forth the power, justice, and truth of God in fulfilling this prophecy exactly, though serveral years after.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 50:27, Psa 37:20, Psa 44:22, Isa 34:6, Eze 39:18
Reciprocal: Jer 48:15 – gone Act 8:32 – as a Rom 8:36 – as sheep
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The Babylonians, formerly lion-like (Jer 51:38), would fall like lambs, rams, and goats to the slaughter.