Israel is a scattered sheep - i. e., is like a flock which has been scared and driven in all directions, for lions have chased him.First the king ... - Rather, the first lion “ate him, even the king of Assyria; and this one, the last, heath picked his bones, even Nebuchadrezzar etc.” The constant wasting of the land by the Assyrians had so lessened the number of Israel, that Nebuchadnezzar had but the bones to pick. read more
Jeremiah 50:17. Israel is a scattered sheep See note on Jeremiah 50:6. The lions have driven him away As a lion coming among a flock of sheep scatters them one from another; so have these foreign invaders, enemies cruel as lions, served my people. First, the king of Assyria hath devoured him Namely, Shalmaneser, who carried away the ten tribes into captivity, whence they never in general returned. And last this Nebuchadrezzar hath broken his bones Hath entirely ruined Judah and... read more
Jeremiah 50:18. Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon, and his land God may justly punish those who do the things that he hath commanded them to do, if they do them not in that manner in which he directs, or, if what they do be not done in obedience to his command, but for the satisfaction of their own lusts: which was the case, as with the king of Assyria, Isaiah 10:5-7, so also with the king of Babylon; as I have punished the king of Assyria Some refer this to the punishment of... read more
A message concerning Babylon (50:1-46)Finally, Jeremiah sees that the nation that God used to punish Judah will itself be punished. Bel, or Merodach (Marduk), the chief god of Babylon, will be powerless to save Babylon when the attack comes (50:1-3).Since the Judeans will by this time have humbly repented before God, the downfall of Babylon will give them the opportunity to return to the land where their ancestors once lived (4-5). (When Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon in 539 BC, he promptly... read more
Israel. Now a united nation. See note on Jeremiah 50:4 . last. See note on "hindermost", Jeremiah 50:12 . read more
the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 7:3 . read more
"Israel is a hunted sheep; the lions have driven him away; first, the king of Assyria devoured him; and now at last Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon hath broken his bones. Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria. And I will bring Israel again to his pasture, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon the hills of Ephraim and in Gilead. In those... read more
Jeremiah 50:17. Israel is a scattered sheep— See Jeremiah 50:6. "As a lion coming among a flock of sheep scatters them one from another; so have these foreign invaders served my people." See chap. Jer 2:15 Jeremiah 5:6. Instead of, A scattered sheep, Houbigant reads, a dispersed flock; and he reads the latter part of the verse thus, First the king of Assyria devoured him, and last this Nebuchadrezzar—hath eaten up his bones; the first lion devoured his flesh, the last his bones. read more
17. lions—hostile kings (Jeremiah 4:7; Jeremiah 49:19). Assyria— (Jeremiah 49:19- :, Shalmaneser; Ezra 4:2, Esar-haddon). Nebuchadnezzar— (2 Kings 24:10; 2 Kings 24:14). read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 50:17
Israel is a scattered sheep, etc. Here a pause in the discourse occurs. The prophet returns to the present condition of Israel, who is likened to a sheep scared away from its fold by lions. The ruin wrought by the lions is described first as "devouring" and then as "breaking the bones" of Israel—in either case it is complete destruction, but the completeness is more emphasized by the second figure. In fact, when the "ten tribes" were carried captive, the elements of the theocracy still... read more