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Texts -- Jeremiah 50:1-36 (NET)

Context
Judgment Against Babylon
50:1 The Lord spoke concerning Babylon and the land of Babylonia through the prophet Jeremiah . 50:2 “Announce the news among the nations ! Proclaim it! Signal for people to pay attention ! Declare the news! Do not hide it! Say : ‘Babylon will be captured . Bel will be put to shame . Marduk will be dismayed . Babylon’s idols will be put to shame . Her disgusting images will be dismayed . 50:3 For a nation from the north will attack Babylon . It will lay her land waste . People and animals will flee out of it. No one will inhabit it.’ 50:4 “When that time comes ,” says the Lord , “the people of Israel and Judah will return to the land together . They will come back with tears of repentance as they seek the Lord their God . 50:5 They will ask the way to Zion ; they will turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the Lord in a lasting covenant that will never be forgotten . 50:6 “My people have been lost sheep . Their shepherds have allow them to go astray . They have wandered around in the mountains . They have roamed from one mountain and hill to another. They have forgotten their resting place . 50:7 All who encountered them devoured them. Their enemies who did this said , ‘We are not liable for punishment! For those people have sinned against the Lord , their true pasture . They have sinned against the Lord in whom their ancestors trusted .’ 50:8 “People of Judah, get out of Babylon quickly! Leave the land of Babylonia ! Be the first to depart ! Be like the male goats that lead the herd . 50:9 For I will rouse into action and bring against Babylon a host of mighty nations from the land of the north . They will set up their battle lines against her. They will come from the north and capture her. Their arrows will be like a skilled soldier who does not return from the battle empty-handed . 50:10 Babylonia will be plundered . Those who plunder it will take all they want,” says the Lord . 50:11 “People of Babylonia, you plundered my people . That made you happy and glad . You frolic about like calves in a pasture . Your joyous sounds are like the neighs of a stallion . 50:12 But Babylonia will be put to great shame . The land where you were born will be disgraced . Indeed , Babylonia will become the least important of all nations . It will become a dry and barren desert . 50:13 After I vent my wrath on it Babylon will be uninhabited . It will be totally desolate . All who pass by will be filled with horror and will hiss out their scorn because of all the disasters that have happened to it. 50:14 “Take up your battle positions all around Babylon , all you soldiers who are armed with bows . Shoot all your arrows at her! Do not hold any back ! For she has sinned against the Lord . 50:15 Shout the battle cry from all around the city. She will throw up her hands in surrender. Her towers will fall . Her walls will be torn down . Because I, the Lord , am wreaking revenge , take out your vengeance on her ! Do to her as she has done ! 50:16 Kill all the farmers who sow the seed in the land of Babylon . Kill all those who wield the sickle at harvest time . Let all the foreigners return to their own people . Let them hurry back to their own lands to escape destruction by that enemy army . 50:17 “The people of Israel are like scattered sheep which lions have chased away . First the king of Assyria devoured them. Now last of all King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has gnawed their bones . 50:18 So I, the Lord God of Israel who rules over all , say : ‘I will punish the king of Babylon and his land just as I punished the king of Assyria . 50:19 But I will restore the flock of Israel to their own pasture . They will graze on Mount Carmel and the land of Bashan . They will eat until they are full on the hills of Ephraim and the land of Gilead . 50:20 When that time comes, no guilt will be found in Israel . No sin will be found in Judah . For I will forgive those of them I have allowed to survive . I, the Lord , affirm it!’” 50:21 The Lord says , “Attack the land of Merathaim and the people who live in Pekod ! Pursue, kill , and completely destroy them! Do just as I have commanded you! 50:22 The noise of battle can be heard in the land of Babylonia. There is the sound of great destruction . 50:23 Babylon hammered the whole world to pieces. But see how that ‘hammer ’ has been broken and shattered! See what an object of horror Babylon has become among the nations ! 50:24 I set a trap for you, Babylon ; you were caught before you knew it. You fought against me. So you were found and captured . 50:25 I have opened up the place where my weapons are stored . I have brought out the weapons for carrying out my wrath . For I , the Lord God who rules over all , have work to carry out in the land of Babylonia . 50:26 Come from far away and attack Babylonia! Open up the places where she stores her grain ! Pile her up in ruins ! Destroy her completely! Do not leave anyone alive ! 50:27 Kill all her soldiers ! Let them be slaughtered ! They are doomed , for their day of reckoning has come , the time for them to be punished .” 50:28 Listen ! Fugitives and refugees are coming from the land of Babylon . They are coming to Zion to declare there how the Lord our God is getting revenge , getting revenge for what they have done to his temple . 50:29 “Call for archers to come against Babylon ! Summon against her all who draw the bow ! Set up camp all around the city! Do not allow anyone to escape ! Pay her back for what she has done . Do to her what she has done to others. For she has proudly defied me, the Holy One of Israel . 50:30 So her young men will fall in her city squares . All her soldiers will be destroyed at that time ,” says the Lord . 50:31 “Listen ! I am opposed to you, you proud city,” says the Lord God who rules over all . “Indeed , your day of reckoning has come , the time when I will punish you. 50:32 You will stumble and fall , you proud city; no one will help you get up . I will set fire to your towns ; it will burn up everything that surrounds you.” 50:33 The Lord who rules over all says , “The people of Israel are oppressed . So too are the people of Judah . All those who took them captive are holding them prisoners. They refuse to set them free . 50:34 But the one who will rescue them is strong . He is known as the Lord who rules over all . He will strongly champion their cause . As a result he will bring peace and rest to the earth , but trouble and turmoil to the people who inhabit Babylonia . 50:35 “Destructive forces will come against the Babylonians ,” says the Lord . “They will come against the people who inhabit Babylonia , against her leaders and her men of wisdom . 50:36 Destructive forces will come against her false prophets ; they will be shown to be fools ! Destructive forces will come against her soldiers ; they will be filled with terror !

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Babylon

    [ebd] the Greek form of BABEL; Semitic form Babilu, meaning "The Gate of God." In the Assyrian tablets it means "The city of the dispersion of the tribes." The monumental list of its kings reaches back to B.C. 2300, and includes K...
    [nave] BABYLON City of Built by Nimrod, Gen. 10:10. In the land of Shinar, Gen. 10:10; 11:2. Tower of, Gen. 11:1-9. Capital of the kingdom of Babylon, Dan. 4:30; 2 Kin. 25:13; 2 Chr. 36:6, 7, 10, 18, 20. Gates of, Isa. 45:1, 2...

  • JEREMIAH (2)

    [isbe] JEREMIAH (2) - jer-e-mi'-a: 1. Name and Person 2. Life of Jeremiah 3. The Personal Character of Jeremiah 4. The Prophecies of Jeremiah 5. The Book of Jeremiah 6. Authenticity and Integrity of the Book 7. Relation to the Sept...

  • Exile

    [ebd] (1.) Of the kingdom of Israel. In the time of Pekah, Tiglath-pileser II. carried away captive into Assyria (2 Kings 15:29; comp. Isa. 10:5, 6) a part of the inhabitants of Galilee and of Gilead (B.C. 741). After the destruct...

  • Seraiah

    [ebd] soldier of Jehovah. (1.) The father of Joab (1 Chr. 4:13, 14). (2.) The grandfather of Jehu (1 Chr. 4:35). (3.) One of David's scribes or secretaries (2 Sam. 8:17). (4.) A Netophathite (Jer. 40:8), a chief priest of the time...

  • Church

    [nave] CHURCH, the collective body of believers. Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics Called in the O.T., The Congregation, Ex. 12:3, 6, 19, 47; 16:1, 2, 9, 10, 22; Lev. 4:13, 15; 10:17; 24:14. Called in the N.T., Church, Matt. 16:18; ...

  • Pekod

    [ebd] probably a place in Babylonia (Jer. 50:21; Ezek. 23:23). It is the opinion, however, of some that this word signifies "visitation," "punishment," and allegorically "designates Babylon as the city which was to be destroyed."
    [isbe] PEKOD - pe'-kod (peqodh): A name applied in Jer 50:21 and Ezek 23:23 to the Chaldeans. Various English Versions of the Bible (margins) in the former passage gives the meaning as "visitation."
    [smith] (visitation), an appellative applied to the Chaldeans. (Jeremiah 50:21; Ezekiel 23:23) Authorities are undecided as to the meaning of the term.
    [nave] PEKOD, name for Chaldea, Jer. 50:21; Ezek. 23:23.

  • Merathaim

    [ebd] double rebellion, probably a symbolical name given to Babylon (Jer. 50:21), denoting rebellion exceeding that of other nations.
    [isbe] MERATHAIM - mer-a-tha'-im (merathayim "double rebellion"): A name used for Babylon in Jer 50:21. According to Delitzsch it may be equivalent to the Babylonian Marratun, i.e. land by the nar Marratu, "the bitter river" (Persi...
    [smith] (double rebellion), The land of, alluding to the country of the Chaldeans, and to the double captivity which it had inflicted on the nation of Israel. (Jeremiah 50:21)
    [nave] MERATHAIM, probably a poetical name for Chaldea, Jer. 50:21.

  • Hammer

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. pattish, used by gold-beaters (Isa. 41:7) and by quarry-men (Jer. 23:29). Metaphorically of Babylon (Jer. 50:23) or Nebuchadnezzar. (2.) Heb. makabah, a stone-cutter's mallet (1 Kings 6:7), or of any workman (Judg....
    [isbe] HAMMER - ham'-er: The Hebrew maqqebheth, occurs in Jdg 4:21, where it refers to the mallet (probably wooden) used to drive tent-pins into the ground. The same word occurs in 1 Ki 6:7; Isa 44:12; Jer 10:4 as applied to a work...
    [nave] HAMMER, 1 Kin. 6:7; Isa. 41:7; Jer. 10:4. Figurative Jer. 23:29; 50:23.

  • Sickle

    [ebd] of the Egyptians resembled that in modern use. The ears of corn were cut with it near the top of the straw. There was also a sickle used for warlike purposes, more correctly, however, called a pruning-hook (Deut. 16:9; Jer. ...
    [isbe] SICKLE - sik'-'l (chermesh (Dt 16:9; 23:25), maggal; compare Arabic minjal (Jer 50:16; Joel 3:13); drepanon (Mk 4:29; Rev 14:14-19)): Although the ancients pulled much of their grain by hand, we know that they also used sick...
    [nave] SICKLE, an agricultural implement used for cutting grain, Deut. 23:25; Jer. 50:16; Mark 4:29. Figurative Of the judgments of God, Joel 3:13; Rev. 14:14-19.

  • Archer

    [ebd] a shooter with the bow (1 Chr. 10:3). This art was of high antiquity (Gen. 21:20; 27:3). Saul was wounded by the Philistine archers (1 Sam. 31:3). The phrase "breaking the bow" (Hos. 1:5; Jer. 49:35) is equivalent to taking ...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Merodach

    [isbe] MERODACH - me-ro'-dak, mer'-o-dak (merodhakh): The supreme deity of the Babylonians (Jer 50:2); the Nimrod of Gen 10:8-12; and among the constellations, Orion. See ASTRONOMY, sec. II, 11; BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA, RELIGION OF; ...
    [smith] (death), (Jeremiah 50:2) identical with the famous Babylonian Bel or Belus, the word being probably at first a mere epithet of the god, which by degrees superseded his proper appellation.
    [nave] MERODACH, a Babylonian idol, Jer. 50:2.

  • Carmel

    [ebd] a park; generally with the article, "the park." (1.) A prominent headland of Central Palestine, consisting of several connected hills extending from the plain of Esdraelon to the sea, a distance of some 12 miles or more. At ...
    [isbe] CARMEL - kar'-mel (karmel, or, with article, ha-karmel, "fruit garden"; Josephus, ho Karmelos, Karmelion oros): (1) A beautifully wooded mountain range running for about 13 miles in a south-easterly direction from the promon...
    [nave] CARMEL 1. A fertile and picturesque mountain in Palestine, Song 7:5; Isa. 33:9; 35:2; Jer. 46:18; 50:19; Amos 1:2. Forests of, 2 Kin. 19:23. Caves of, Amos 9:3; Mic. 7:14. An idolatrous high place upon; Elijah builds an a...

  • Sheep

    [isbe] SHEEP - shep: 1. Names: The usual Hebrew word is tso'n, which is often translated "flock," e.g. "Abel .... brought of the firstlings of his flock" (Gen 4:4); "butter of the herd, and milk of the flock" (Dt 32:14). The King J...
    [nave] SHEEP Offered in sacrifice, by Abel, Gen. 4:4; by Noah, Gen. 8:20; by Abraham, Gen. 22:13. See: Offerings. Required in the Mosaic offerings, See: Offerings. The land of Bashan adapted to the raising of, Deut. 32:14; Bozra...

  • Armory

    [isbe] ARMORY - ar'-mer-i: (1) ('otsar; thesauros): A storehouse (1 Ki 7:51; Neh 10:38), but employed figuratively of the stored-up anger of Yahweh which breaks forth in judgments (Jer 50:25). (2) (nesheq): Identical with Solomon's...
    [nave] ARMORY A place for the storage of armor, Neh. 3:19; Song 4:4; Isa. 22:8; 39:2. In different parts of the kingdom, 1 Kin. 10:17; 2 Chr. 11:12. See: Jerusalem. Figurative Jer. 50:25.

  • GOAT

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. 'ez, the she-goat (Gen. 15:9; 30:35; 31:38). This Hebrew word is also used for the he-goat (Ex. 12:5; Lev. 4:23; Num. 28:15), and to denote a kid (Gen. 38:17, 20). Hence it may be regarded as the generic name of th...
    [isbe] GOAT - got: 1. Names: The common generic word for "goat" is `ez (compare Arabic `anz, "she-goat"; aix), used often for "she-goat" (Gen 15:9; Nu 15:27), also with gedhi, "kid," as gedhi `izzim, "kid of the goats" (Gen 38:17),...

  • Pride

    [nave] PRIDE. Ex. 18:10, 11; Lev. 26:19; Deut. 8:11-14, 17-20; Judg. 9:14, 15; 1 Sam. 2:3-5; 1 Kin. 20:11; 2 Kin. 14:9, 10 2 Chr. 25:18, 19. Job 11:12; Job 12:2, 3; Job 13:2, 5; Job 15:1-13; Job 18:3, 4; Job 21:31, 32; Job 32:9-13...

  • Bel

    [ebd] the Aramaic form of Baal, the national god of the Babylonians (Isa. 46:1; Jer. 50:2; 51:44). It signifies "lord." (See BAAL.)
    [nave] BEL, a Babylonian god, Isa. 46:1; Jer. 50:2; 51:44.

  • Infidelity

    [nave] INFIDELITY. Gen. 3:1 v. 4.; Ex. 5:2; Ex. 14:11 v. 12;; Ex. 16:3, 7; Num. 14:27-34; 16:41; 21:5. Ex. 17:7; Num. 15:30 v. 31.; Deut. 29:19, 20 v. 21.; Deut. 32:15; 1 Kin. 20:28; 1 Kin. 22:24; 2 Kin. 2:23 v. 24.; 2 Chr. 30:6, ...

  • SIEGE

    [isbe] SIEGE - sej (matsor (Dt 28:52,53; 1 Ki 15:27; 2 Ki 25:2; Isa 29:3; Ezek 4:2); "to be besieged," "to suffer siege," ba-matsor bo' (Dt 20:19; 2 Ki 24:10; 25:2)): 1. In Early Hebrew History 2. In the Monarchy 3. Preliminaries t...
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  • [Jer 50:5] Come, Let Us Join With Faithful Souls
  • [Jer 50:5] Come, Let Us Use The Grace Divine

Questions

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God Leaves a Remnant

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The writer called the Timnite Samson's wife even though the engaged couple had not yet consummated their marriage (v. 15)."The usual length of a [wedding] celebration was seven days and the marriage was not consummated until ...
  • Ruth carried out Naomi's instructions exactly, further demonstrating her loyal love to her mother-in-law, and encouraged Boaz to pursue the possibility of marriage (vv. 6-9)."Note that the threshingfloor was a public place an...
  • Judah and Benjamin were the only tribes the writer mentioned because these were the tribes that made up the Southern Kingdom that had suffered exile in Babylon. Those who gave to the reconstruction project evidently included ...
  • The fact that Nehemiah did not move back to Susa when he finished the wall and secured the city shows that his concern was not primarily those projects. The larger goal of reestablishing the Jews in the land to which God had ...
  • The events of the Book of Esther took place during the Persian period of ancient history (539-331 B.C.) and during the reign of King Ahasuerus in particular (486-464 B.C.).Chronology of the Book of Esther483Ahasuerus' militar...
  • The king gave the Jews permission to defend themselves by killing their enemies. Evidently this meant that they not only met attack with resistance but in some cases initiated attack against those who they knew would destroy ...
  • "But it is just here, when everything is blackest, that his faith . . . like the rainbow in the cloud . . . shines with a marvelous splendor."89This short section contains probably the best known verses in the book (vv. 23-27...
  • Baxter, J. Sidlow. Explore the Book. 6 vols. London: Marshall, Morgan, and Scott, 1965.Bromiley, Geoffrey W. God and Marriage. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1980.Bullock, C. Hassell. An Introduction to the Poe...
  • The recurrence of the Hebrew word massa', translated "oracle"or "burden,"prescribes the boundaries of this section of text.140These chapters present the nations over which Immanuel is ruler, and they expand the idea of God's ...
  • This section of Isaiah on "The Lord's redemption of His servant [Israel]"(44:23-47:15) has included an announcement of redemption (44:23-28), the identification of the instrument of redemption, Cyrus (45:1-13), and a reminder...
  • Jeremiah's purpose was to call his hearers to repentance in view of God's judgment on Judah, which would come soon from an army from the north (chs. 2-45). Judgment was coming because God's people had forsaken Yahweh and had ...
  • The Book of Jeremiah is not theologically organized in the sense that it develops a certain theological emphasis as it unfolds, as Isaiah does. Rather it presents certain theological truths in greater or lesser degree through...
  • I. Introduction ch. 1A. The introduction of Jeremiah 1:1-3B. The call of Jeremiah 1:4-191. The promise of divine enablement 1:4-102. Two confirming visions 1:11-19II. Prophecies about Judah chs. 2-45A. Warnings of judgment on...
  • 1:4 The prophet now began speaking to his readers and telling them what the Lord had said to him. Throughout this book, an indication that the Lord had told Jeremiah something is often the sign of a new pericope, as here (cf....
  • The first series of prophetic announcements, reflections, and incidents that comprise this part of the book deals with Jeremiah's ministry to his own people.64The second main division of the book contains oracles against fore...
  • This prophecy about Israel's neighbors anticipates chapters 46-51, which contain oracles against Gentile nations.12:14 The Lord promised to judge Judah's neighbor nations that had robbed His people of what the Lord had given ...
  • 14:1 A message came to Jeremiah from Yahweh concerning some droughts (Heb. plural) that overtook Judah.241Droughts were a punishment for covenant violation in Israel (cf. Lev. 26:18-19; Deut. 28:23-24).14:2 Judah was in mourn...
  • The next five sections (vv. 1-4, 5-8, 9-11, 12-13, and 14-18) continue the theme of Judah's guilt from the previous chapter. These pericopes have obvious connections with one another, but they were evidently originally separa...
  • 29:1-3 Jeremiah sent a letter to all the Judahites who had gone into exile in Babylon with King Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) in 597 B.C. We do not know the date of its composition, but Jeremiah probably wrote it within a few years o...
  • 33:1 Jeremiah received another message from the Lord while he was still confined in the court of the guard (cf. 32:2).33:2 The Lord introduced Himself as the Creator and Establisher of the earth (cf. 32:17; Gen. 1). This was ...
  • This chapter on Egypt contains three separate prophecies that Jeremiah delivered about the fate of that nation. Their purpose seems to have been to discourage King Jehoiakim (609-598 B.C.) and the pro-Egyptian party in Judah ...
  • Jeremiah wrote almost as much about Babylon's future as he did about the futures of all the other nations in his other oracles combined. The length of this oracle reflects the great importance of Babylon in his ministry as we...
  • Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. London: Collier Macmillan Publishers; and New York: Macmillan Publishers Co., 1977.Albright, William Foxwell. The Archaeology of Palestine. Revis...
  • 21:1-2 Again the Lord told His prophet to speak a message of judgment against Jerusalem, the pagan sanctuaries, and the whole land of Israel (i.e., Judah). This would be a clarification of the figures used in the previous par...
  • Four messages announce God's judgment on Jerusalem for her unfaithfulness (vv. 22-27, 28-31, 32-34, 35).23:22-24 Because of her behavior the Lord promised to turn Oholibah's soldier-lovers against her, even the Babylonians, C...
  • It is appropriate that this section appears at this point in Ezekiel, between the messages announcing judgment on Judah and Jerusalem for sin (chs. 4-24) and the messages announcing future blessings for Israel (chs. 33-48). I...
  • An oracle is a message of judgment. Amos proceeded to deliver eight of these, seven against Israel's neighbors including Judah (1:3-2:5) and one against Israel (2:6-6:14).12The order is significant. The nations mentioned firs...
  • 4:1 Amos opened this second message as he did the first (ch. 3), with the cry, "Hear this word."He addressed the wealthy women of Samaria, calling them "cows of Bashan."Bashan was a very luxuriant region of Transjordan east a...
  • The second description of Nineveh's fall is more philosophical than the first one and ends with a statement by Yahweh that gives the reason for its fall (v. 13).2:8 Nineveh had been as placid as the waters around the city for...
  • 2:13 Zephaniah also prophesied the destruction of Assyria to Judah's north (really northeast) and her capital Nineveh (cf. Isa. 13:1-14:27; 21:1-10; Jer. 50-51). Since Nineveh fell to the combined forces of Babylonia, Media, ...
  • "The full fate of Israel is not recounted in the rejection of the good Shepherd God raised up to tend them. The complete tale of woe centers in their acceptance of the bad shepherd God will raise up to destroy them. The one d...
  • Jesus first explained the sphere and nature of the apostles' temporary ministry to Israel.10:5-6 The apostles were to limit their ministry to the Jews living in Galilee. They were not to go north or east into Gentile territor...
  • 3:17-18 If Peter's charges against his hearers were harsh (vv. 13-15), his concession that they acted out of ignorance was tender. Peter undoubtedly hoped that his gentle approach would win a reversal of his hearers' attitude...
  • 16:17 This final judgment has the greatest impact of all since the air into which the angel pours his bowl is what humans breathe.535The loud voice is probably once again God's since it comes from the throne in the heavenly t...
  • 17:7 The angel promised to interpret these revelations that were so baffling to John, particularly the mystery concerning the woman and the beast. More information about the beast follows in verses 7-14 and more about the wom...
  • 18:1 John next saw another scene on earth (Gr. Meta tauta eidon, "After these things I saw,"cf. 4:1). Another angel of the same kind as in 17:1 (i.e., one who descends from heaven to fulfill a special mission; cf. 10:1; 20:1)...
  • 18:4 Another voice from heaven instructed God's people to separate themselves from the system that the city symbolizes so they would avoid getting caught in her judgment. The being speaking is evidently an angel who speaks fo...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of Hosts is His name: He shall thoroughly plead their cause.'--Jer 50:34.AMONG the remarkable provisions of the Mosaic law there were some very peculiar ones affecting the next-of-kin. The n...
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