Jeremiah 51:53

51:53 Even if Babylon climbs high into the sky ¹ 

and fortifies her elevated stronghold, ² 

I will send destroyers against her,” ³ 

says the Lord. ⁴ 

Jeremiah 12:12

12:12 A destructive army ⁵  will come marching

over the hilltops in the desert.

For the Lord will use them as his destructive weapon ⁶ 

against ⁷  everyone from one end of the land to the other.

No one will be safe. ⁸ 

[51:53]  ¹ tn Or “ascends [into] heaven.” Note the use of the phrase in Deut 30:12; 2 Kgs 2:11; and Amos 9:2.

[51:53]  ² tn Heb “and even if she fortifies her strong elevated place.”

[51:53]  ³ tn Heb “from me destroyers will go against her.”

[51:53]  ⁴ tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”

[12:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “destroyers.”

[12:12]  ⁶ tn Heb “It is the Lord’s consuming sword.”

[12:12]  ⁷ tn Heb “For a sword of the Lord will devour.” The sword is often symbolic for destructive forces of all kinds. Here and in Isa 34:6; Jer 47:6 it is symbolic of the enemy armies that the Lord uses to carry out destructive punishment against his enemies, hence the translation “his destructive weapon.” A similar figure is use in Isa 10:5 where the figure is more clearly identified; Assyria is the rod/club that the Lord will use to discipline unfaithful Israel.

[12:12]  ⁸ tn Heb “There is no peace to all flesh.”