Westminster Annotations, Jeremiah · Chapter 51
CHAP. LI.
Vers. 1. AGainst them that dwell in the mi…st of them] Heb. in the heart of them. as Psal. 46. 3.
that rise up against me] Chap. 50. 29.
a destroying wind] The Medes and Persians, who like a whirlwind, shall sweep away the Chaldeans; as the Chaldeans did the Jews, Chap. 4. 11, 12.
V. 2. fanners, that shall fanne her] As I fanned my people by her, Chap. 15. 7.
shall empty her land] As she emptied their land, vers. 34. See Chap. 48. 12.
against her round about] Chap. 46. 5. & 49. 5, 29.
V. 3. Against him that bendeth] Heb. treadeth. Chap. 50. 14.
let the archer bend his bow] Heb. let the treader tread his bow to bend it.
V. 4. the slain shall fall, &c.] Or, the wounded. Chap. 37. 10. Isa. 13. 15.
V. 5. Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts, &c.] Or, Israel is not a widow, nor Judah severed from his God, from the Lord of hosts. Though for her sinne she was left a while, yet is she not utterly forsaken, as a widow, whose husband is deceased; or wholly cast off, as one divorced. Isa. 50. 1. & 54. 5, 6. Jer. 3. 1. Lam. 1. 1.
though their land was filled with sinne against the holy One of Israel] Or, with desolation from the holy One of Israel. Though they have deserved to be irrecoverably destroyed for their sinnes, wherewith they defiled and filled the whole land, Chap. 16. 18. Or, though by the just judgement of God their land hath been laid wast and desolate, Chap. 4. 20, 27.
V. 6. Flee out of the midst of Babylon] Or, out of Babylon. as Chap. 44. 7. & 50. 37.
and deliver every man his soul] Or, himself. Matth. 16. 25, 26. Implying, that there should be no safety to any that should stay there, Isa. 13. 15. Chap. 50. 8. Vers. 45. Rev. 18 4.
be not cut off] Or, lest ye be cut off in her punishment. as Gen. 4. 13. & 19. 15.
the time of the LORDS vengeance] Vers. 11. Isa. 59. 17, 18.
V. 7. Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORDS hand] By whom he poured forth his wrath, on whom he pleased, Psal. 75. 8. Rev. 17. 4.
that made all the earth drunken] The wine of Gods wrath did so, poured out by her hand, Chap. 25. 15. Rev. 14. 10.
the nations are mad] By reason of the affliction, that from her they have sustained, Chap. 25. 16.
V. 8. Babylon is suddenly fallen] Isa. 21. 9. Rev. 4. 18. & 18. 2.
and destroyed] Heb. broken. Chap. 50. 22.
howl for her] Rev. 18. 9,—19.
take balme for her pain] Or, grief. Use all the means ye can to help her: all shall be to no purpose. Chap. 8. 22. & 46. 11.
V. 9. We would have healed Babylon] The speech of those that had assisted her, and served under her.
but she is not healed] Or, could not be healed. as Chap. 2. 23. and 9. 10. We have done our best; but all in vain: our onelyonly way now is to shift for our selves, Isa. 13. 14. Chap. 46. 16.
her judgement reacheth unto heaven, &c.] Her punishment and calamitie is exceeding great, Psal. 36. 5. proportionable to her sinne, Revel. 18. 5. Ezra 9. 6. too great to be holpen by any humane helps.
V. 10. The LORD hath brought forth our righteousnesse, &c.] The speech of Gods people, acknowledging Gods goodnesse in righting them against her, Psal. 37. 6. Mic. 7. 9. and enciting to praise him for it, Chap. 50. 28. Revel. 15. 3, 4. and 16. 5,—7. and 19. 1, 2, 5.
V. 11. Make bright the arrows] Heb. make pure. Chap. 4. 11. Spoken to Babylon, in derision. So vers. 12.
gather the shields] Heb. fill them. Chap. 4. 5.
the LORD hath raised up the spirit, &c.] Ezra 1. 1.
of the kings of the Medes] Vers. 28.
his device is against Babylon] Vers. 29.
the vengeance of the LORD] Vers. 6. Chap. 50. 28.
the vengeance of his temple] For the wrong done him, as in his people, so especially in his Temple, in the profaning and destroying of it. Chap. 52. 13, 17. Dan. 1. 2. & 5. 23.
V. 12. Set up the standard] Chap. 50. 2.
make the watch strong] Use all the means ye can to prevent danger; to escape destruction: but they shall not avail, Vers. 9. 11.
prepare the ambushes] Heb. liers in wait.
V. 13. that dwellest upon many waters] That art situate upon the great river Euphrates: (which ranne about it and through it) and rulest over many mightie people, Rev. 17. 1, 15.
the measure of thy covetousnesse] Heb. cubite. the most usuall measure among those people, Gen. 6. 15. Exod. 25. 10. The stint that God hath precisely limited out thereunto: and which therefore thou shalt not exceed, Gen. 15. 16. Matth. 23. 32. 1 Thes. 2. 16.
V. 14. The LORD of hosts] Amos 6. 8.
hath sworn by himself] Heb. by his soul. as vers. 6.
I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillers] Or, locusts. or, rough flies. With multitudes of thine enemies and their forces. vers. 27.
they shall lift up a shout] Heb. utter. vers. 55. a shout, Or, an alarm. Chap. 25. 30. & 48. 33.
V. 15. He hath made the earth, &c.] Or, Even he that made, &c. to wit, hath sworn, vers. 14. See Chap. 10. 12, &c.
V. 16. there is a multitude] Or, noise. Isai. 63. 15.
he causeth the vapours to ascend, &c.] Psal. 135 7.
V. 17. Every man is brutish by his knowledge, &c.] Or, is more brutish then to know. See Chap. 10. 14.
V. 18. in the time of their visitation] When God shall come to execute judgement both on them and their worshippers, Chap. 48. 7. & 49. 3. & 50. 2.
V. 19. The portion of Jacob, &c.] Chap. 10. 16.
is not like them] The true God, the God of Israel, is not like those idols: for he can save his, and help, when all things seeme desperate: and he is able to effect, whatsoever he saith; to do whatsoever he will have done, Psal. 115. 3. & 135. 6.
V. 20. Thou art my battel-ax] Or, hast been. Thou Babylon, hast been thus: as Chap. 50. 23. or, Thou Cyrus, with thine armies, shalt so be. So Isa. 10. 5, 15.
with thee] Or, in thee. or, by thee.
will I break] Or, have I broken.
will I destroy] Or, have I destroyed.
V. 21. will I break] Or, have I broken. so after here; and vers. 22. 23.
V. 22. old and young] 2 Chron. 36. 17.
V. 23. the shepherd and his flock, &c.] Men of all sorts and ranks, great and small, Chap. 50. 16.
V. 24. And] Or, But. as vers. 9. Isa. 29. 13.
all their evill that they have done in Zion] Chap. 50. 15. 29.
in your sight] Psal. 79. 10.
V. 25. Behold, I am against thee] Chap. 50. 31.
O destroying] Isa. 14. 6.
mountain] Not that Babylon stood on an hill: but so tearmed for her high stately buildings, and her strong for…ifications: in regard whereof she seemed as impregnable, as if she had been so situate, Zec. 4. 7.
I will stretch out mine hand upon thee] Chap. 6. 12. & 15. 6.
roll thee down from the rocks] Thy strong holds and fortresses, and thy loftie towrs, that threaten heaven, Gen. 11. 4. Dan. 4. 11, 30. Vers. 53.
will make thee a burnt mountain] Or, burning mountain. Heb. mountain of burning. Deut. 29. 23. Alluding to those mountains of sulphurie matter, that burn continually, and with the ashes and cinders issuing from them wast and spoil all the countrey round about them: or, to the heapes of ashes and cinders, that cities so burnt and ruined leave behind them, Chap. 50. 26.
V. 26. they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations] Nothing shall be left whole in thee, whereon to raise thee up to a new estate again: thou shalt never be reedified. vers. 64.
thou shalt be desolate for ever] Heb. everlasting desolations. Chap. 25, 12. Ezek. 35. 9.
V. 27. Set ye up a standard] To assemble those people, that are to serve against Babylon: as Isa. 5. 26. Chap. 50. 2.
prepare the nations] Heb. sanctifie them. Isa. 13. 3. Chap. 6. 4.
the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ash…henaz] Armenia, the higher, and the lower; and Scythia, or Asia the lesse, Gen. 8. 4. & 10. 3. for of divers nations did Cyrus his army consist.
cause the horses to come up] Or, raise, or, advance.
as the rough caterpillers] Or, lo…usts. or, great flies. Either for mumber or multitude, as caterpillers and locusts, vers. 14. Judg. 6. 5. Nahum 3. 15. or, leaping and prancing, as locusts and grashoppers use to leap and skip, Joel 2. 5. Nahum 2. 16.
V. 28. Pr…pare against her] Heb sanctifie. vers. 27.
the nations with the kings of the Medes, &c.] Darius and Cyrus: or, Kings for Princes, as Chap. 46. 25. & 50. 41. Vers. 11. with those sundry nations, that served under them, vers. 27.
V. 29. the land shall tremble and sorrow] The people of Chaldea, shall quake for fear, and be in pain as a woman in travell, Isa. 13. 8. Chap. 50. 43.
every purpose of the LORD shall be performed] Isa. 14. 27. Vers. 11.
V. 30. they have remained in their holds] They dare not stirre out, 1 Sam. 14. 11.
they became as women] Isa. 19. 16. Nahum 3. 13. Heb. shall be unto women. or, shall become women. Shall be so affected, so timerous and heartlesse as if they were turned into women, or were women indeed, and not men: the phrase is the same with that Exod. 4. 3, 4. So Chap. 50. 37.
they have burnt her dwelling places] Or, her dwelling places are burnt. as Chap. 49. 20.
her barres are broken] The barres of her gates, as well of her forts and palaces, as of her citie, Psal. 107. 16. & 147. 13. Pro. 18. 19. Isa. 45. 2.
V. 31. One post shall run to meet another, &c.] So spatious was the citie, and so suddenly surprised at a festivall, that the surprisall was not soon generally known; it was three dayes, say some authors, ere the report of the taking of it on the one side, came to those on the other side; some good space of time, ere to those in the midst of the citie. Herodot. lib. 1. Aristot. politic. l. 3. c. 2.
to shew the king of Babylon that his citie is taken] Chap. 50. 43.
at one end] On the one side: where Cyrus, by diverting the course of the river, had made way for surprisall of it.
V. 32. the passages] Judg. 12. 5.
are stopped] Or, seized. Chap. 40. 10. & 50. 46.
the reeds they have burnt with fire] Or, meers. or pools. Psal. 114. 8. Isa. 14. 23. The meers, or places where the water before stood, are as drie, as if they were burnt up with fire. Chap. 50. 38.
the men of warre are affrighted] Vers. 30.
V. 33. The daughter of Babylon] Isa. 47. 1.
is like a threshing-floore] The citie and state of Babylon is to be thrown down, and levelled; made even and plain, vers. 15. as a thresthing-floore is against harvest time; that her Princes and people may be threshed in her, Isa. 21. 10. Joel 3. 14. Chap. 50. 26.
it is time to thresh her] Or, in the time that he thresheth her. Heb. to tread: or, he treadeth her. Judg. 20. 43.
the time of her harvest shall come] Her sinne is come to the height, vers. 13. Gen. 15. 16. she is ripe for judgement: ready to be reaped and threshed, Joel 3. 13. Rev. 14. 15.
V. 34. Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, &c.] Gods people complain of Babylons crueltie towards them, Chap. 50. 17.
he hath made me an emptie vessel] Chap. 48. 12. Vers. 2.
he hath swallowed me up like a dragon] Or, whale. Isa. 27. 1. As a great whale swalloweth down the l…sser fish and frie, Hab. 1. 13, 14.
he hath filled his belly with my delicates] Job 15. 20, 23.
V. 35. The violence done to me] Heb. my violence. Gen. 16. 5. So Judg. 9. 24. Joel 3. 19.
and to my flesh] Or, remainder.
shall the inhabitant of Zion say] Heb. inhabitresse. Chap. 10. 17. and 48. 19.
my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea] Vengeance befall her; or, is now by God mine avenger (Chap. 50. 34.) his just judgement come upon her; for the wrong and crueltie that she hath done unto me, Psal. 137. 8, 9. See the like phrase, Gen 16. 5. Matth. 27. 25.
V. 36. I will plead thy cause] Not by words, but by deeds, Chap. 50. 34. I will right the wrongs done thee; and execute judgement upon her for thee, vers. 10. Psal. 35. 1. & 43. 1. Mic. 7. 9. Lam. 3. 58.
take vengeance for thee] Heb. avenge thy vengeance. that is, the violence and crueltie done unto thee, Lam. 3. 60.
I will dry up her sea] Her great stream of the river Euphrates, vers. 32. Sea for river, or lake, Matth. 4. 13, 18. & 8. 24. & 17. 24. Joh. 21. 1. as river for sea, Jon. 2. 4. See Isa. 44. 27.
V. 37. Babylon shall become heaps, &c.] Isa. 13. 22. & 34. 13. Chap. 49 33. & 50. 39.
an astonishment] Vers. 41.
V. 38. They shall rore together like lions] The Babylonians at their drunken feast. Or, the enemie at the surprisall of them, vers. 14. Chap. 48. 33.
they shall yell] Or, shake. or, rouse themselves. Isa. 33. 9.
V. 39. In their heat I will make their feasts] Or, when they are hot, I will dispose their drinkings. When they are heated with wine, Isa. 5. 11. I will temper and tender them such a potion, as shall make them so drunk, that they shall sleep with it their last sleep. Alluding to Belshazzars banquet, at which the citie was taken, and the King with his guests slain, Dan. 5. 1, 2, 30. Isa. 21. 5. See Herodotus lib. 1. and Xenophon lib. 7.
that they may rejoyce] Or, make merry. or, re…ell it. Isa. 22. 2.
and sleep a perpetuall sleep] Heb. a sleep of perpetuitie. vers. 57.
V. 40. I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter] Chap. 50. 27. Chap. 12. 3.
with he-goats] Or, and he-goats. Psal. 68. 30. Isa. 34. 7.
V. 41. How, &c.] Spoken by way of wonderment: as Chap. 50. 23.
is Sheshach taken] Babylon, Chap. 25. 26. so called of an idoll there worshipped: whose feast they were then celebrating, when the citie was surprised. Of this feast see Berosus in Athenaeus lib. 14. & Dion Chrysost. orat. 4.
the praise of the whole earth] The citie so famous over the whole world, Chap. 49. 25. Lam. 2. 15.
an astonishment among the nations] Vers. 37.
V. 42. The sea is come up upon Babylon] An answer to the former question: that it is not to be marvelled, if she be thus surprised and spoiled, when a whole sea of enemies, to wit, Cyrus his vast armie, is broken in upon her. So Isa. 8. 8. & 59. 19. Chap. 50. 44. Vers. 55. Lam. 2. 13.
V. 43. a drie land and a wildernesse, &c.] Chap. 2. 6. & 9. 12.
V. 44. I will punish] Heb. visit upon. vers. 47.
Bel in Babylon] Babylons chief idol, Isa. 46. 1. Chap. 50. 2.
I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up] The spoils of the Babylonians, which they had fleeced other people of: ascribed to Bel, either because they attributed their victories and conquests to him: as Judg. 11. 24. and 16. 23. Or, because of their booties and spoils taken in warre, rich presents were usually offered unto that idoll: yea the vessels of Gods house were carried into his temple, 2 Chron. 36. 7. Dan. 1, 2. from whence afterward they were restored, Ezra 1. 7. & 5. 14.
the nations shall not flow together any more unto him] Chap. 31. 12. They shall not flock to Babylon, as they had wont to do, when she was in the height of her imperiall state; nor resort to Bel her idol, and his temple, as then they did.
the wall of Babylon shall fall] Vers. 58. Chap. 50. 15.
V. 45. My people, go ye out of the midst of her, &c.] Chap. 50. 8. Rev. 18. 4.
deliver ye every man his soul] Or, himself. vers. 6.
from the fierce anger of the LORD] Chap. 4. 8.
V. 46. lest your heart faint] Or, see that your hearts faint not. or, let not your hearts faint as Gen. 3. 22. be not faint-hearted. Heb. be soft; or, tender. Isa. 7. 4. 2 King. 22. 19. Job. 23. 16.
a rumour shall both come one yeer] Or, For (as Isa. 53. 2.) a rumour shall come one yeer. For the first yeer came tidings of Cyrus his setting forth for Babylon: but he stayed by the way, by the difficultie of passage through Assyria, in regard of great rivers. Herodot. lib. 1.
and after that in another yeer shall come a rumour, and violence in the land] The next yeer: when he pierced into Chaldea; sat down before Babylon; and took it by force.
ruler against ruler] Cyrus against Belshazzar.
V. 47. I will do judgement] Heb. visit. vers. 44.
all her slain shall fall in the midst of her] Or, lie in the midst of her. as 1 Sam 31. 8. Lam. 2. 21.
V. 48. Then the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing, &c.] All the creatures in heaven and earth shall seem to rejoyce at the ruine of Babylon; as eased of the heavie pressures, that the whole world sustained by her oppressions: or, as applauding Gods just judgement in avenging of the wrongs done to his people by her, Psal. 96. 11,-13. and 98. 7,-9. Isa. 44. 23. & 49. 13. Chap. 40. 23. Vers. 20,-23, 25.
from the north] Chap. 50. 3.
V. 49. As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall: so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth] Or, Both Babylon, or, Babylon also, is to fall, O yee slain of Israel, and with Babylon shall fall the slain of the countrey. Not of the citie alone, but of the whole State: as it was with Gods people, Chap. 4. 27, 29.
V. 50. Ye that have escaped the sword] Either of the Chaldeans, when they destroyed Jerusalem: or of the Medes and Persians, when they surprised Babylon, being there in captivitie, Chap. 44. 28. Ezek. 6. 5.
stand not still] Or, stay not. Heb. stand not. Gen. 45. 1. Chap. 4. 6.
remember the LORD afarre off] In Babylon: farre off from his seat at Jerusalem, Isa. 39. 3.
let Jerusalem come into your mind] Heb. up upon your heart. Chap. 3. 16. Psal. 137. 1, 5.
V. 51. We are confounded, &c.] The lament of Gods people, at the very mention and remembrance of Jerusalem, and her present condition, Psal. 44. 15, 16. & 137. 1,-6.
we have heard reproch] Psal. 31. 11, 13. and 89. 50, 51. and 123. 3, 4.
shame hath covered our faces] Psal. 69. 7.
strangers are come into the sanctuaries] Num. 1. 51. Lam. 2. 10.
V. 52. I will do judgement] Heb. visit. Vers. 44. 47.
V. 53. Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, &c.] Obad. 4. Though her walls were as high as heaven, Gen. 11. 4. Deut. 1. 28. and they are reported by some to have been two hundred foot, by others, two hundred cubits high. See Herodot. lib. 1. & Plin. lib. 6. cap. 26. See also Chap. 50. 15. Vers 25. 44. 58.
V. 54. and great destruction] Or, and of great destruction. Heb. breach. or, breaking. Chap. 50. 22.
V. 55. the great voyce] Which multitudes of people had wont to make in her, Chap. 48. 45. Vers. 44.
when her waves do rore like great waters] Heb. and their waves do. or, shall rore, &c. The waves of that sea, which shall break in upon her, vers. 42. whose shout shall succeed in the stead of the fore-mentioned noise, vers. 14. Chap. 50. 42.
a noise] Or, a tumultuous noise. vers. 24.
V. 56. Because] Or, For. or, when.
the spoiler is come upon her] Vers. 53. Chap. 48. 8.
every one of their bows is broken] Chap. 49. 35.
the LORD God of recompenses] Vers. 6.
shall surely requite] Heb. requiting requite. Exod. 31. 36.
V. 57. I will make drunk her princes, &c.] I will make them drunk with the cup of my wrath: Chap. 25. 26. yet withall alluding to that drunken feast, at which they were surprised and slain. vers. 39.
they shall sleep a perpetuall sleep] Heb. a sleep of perpetuitie. Chap. 48. 15. Vers. 39.
V. 58. The broad walls of Babylon] Or, the walls of broad Babylon. The walls are reported by some to have been fifty foot, by others, fiftie cubits thick: the citie being built square, a hundred and twenty furlongs wide. See on vers. 53.
shall be utterly broken] Or, made naked. Heb. breaking down broken down. or, stripping stript. Made bare of defendants. Or, laid levell with the ground, Chap. 50. 15. Vers. 44.
the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be wearie] The people shall labour for vanitie (so the Hebrew) and the folk, untill they tire themselves, for the fire. as some are said to breed children for the sword, Job 27. 14. and Ephraim for the murderer, Hos 9. 13. See Isa. 66. 23. Hab. 2. 13. Thus all the pains, that people have taken, wearying and wearing out themselves about the building of Babylon, shall be in vain, and produce nothing but fewel for the fire, vers. 25.
V. 59. when he went with Zedekiah] Or, on the behalf of, or, from Zedekiah: as Gen. 4. 1. & 44. 4. & 49. 25. Exod. 9. 29. Being sent by him in ambassage to the King of Babylon, to treat with him about some affairs of State; some seven yeers before the generall captivitie. See Chap. 29. 3.
this Seraiah was a quiet prince] Heb. a prince of rest. One that laboured, in likelihood, to make peace and work some reconcilement between Zedekiah and Nebuchadnezzar: as 1 Chron. 22. 9. a man of rest; for one that liveth peaceably and quietly. Or, prince of Menucha. a place in Judah, 1 Chron. 2. 52. Or, chief Chamberlain. one that hath charge of the Kings rest, or chamber wherein he resteth. See Isa. 57. 2.
V. 60. Jeremiah wrote in a book] Heb. one book. as Exod. 16. 33.
V. 61. When thou comest to Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words] Or, and shalt have beheld the citie, then shalt thou reade all these words. Or, thou shalt then look upon this book, or, roll; and shalt read all these words.
V. 62. Then shalt] Or, And shalt say.
neither man nor beast] Heb. from man to beast. Chap. 50. 3.
it shall be desolate for ever] Heb. desolations. Vers. 26. Chap. 48. 34.
V. 63. cast it into the midst of Euphrates] Or, into Euphrates. as vers. 6. This is alluded by the milstone said to be cast by the Angel into the sea, Rev. 18. 11.
V. 64. and they shall be weary] Or, though they weary themselves. vers. 56. Chap. 9. 5. Although they tire themselves out never so much in contending to restore her: as Mal. 1. 4.
Thus farre are the words of Jeremiah] To wit, written by the Prophet himself. So that the Chapter following seemeth after to have been added unto this book of his Prophecies, by some other holy man of God, (as the last Chapter of Deuteronomie to the writings of Moses) for the further illustration and fuller confirmation of the complement of some things therein contained.