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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 50:21-32

Here, 1. The forces are mustered and commissioned to destroy Babylon, and every thing is got ready for a descent upon that potent kingdom: Go up against that land by Merathaim, the country of the Mardi, that lay part in Assyria and part in Armenia; and go among the inhabitants of Pekod, another country (mentioned Ezek. 23:23) which Cyrus took in his way to Babylon. The forces of Cyrus are called to go up against Babylon (Jer. 50:21), to come against her from the utmost border. Let all come... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 50:21

Go up against the land of Merathaim ,.... Thought to be the country of the Mardi, which lay part of it in Assyria, and part of it in Armenia; expressed in the dual number, because one part of it lay on one side the Tigris, and the other on the other side. Cyrus, with his army of Medes and Persians, is here called upon; who, according to Herodotus, passed through Assyria to Babylon: and so it may be agreeably rendered, "go by the land of Merathaim"; or the country of the Mardi. Many... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 50:22

A sound of battle is in the land ,.... In the land of the Chaldeans, as it is expressed in the Septuagint and Arabic versions; the noise of warriors, the clashing of arms, and sound of trumpets, both of the enemy entered into the land, and of the Chaldeans arming themselves in their own defence: and of great destruction ; in the same land; or in Babylon, as Abarbinel supplies it; this is the consequent of the former. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 50:23

How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken !.... The Targum is, "how is the king cut down and broken that moved the whole earth!' The king of Babylon, or the kingdom of Babylon, which was like a hammer for its hardness and strength; and being an instrument, in the hand of God, of beating to pieces and destroying the kingdoms and nations around it; but is now destroyed itself. These are the words either of the prophet, or rather of the people of other nations, wondering... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 50:24

I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon ,.... Retorting to the stratagem that Cyrus used, in draining the river Euphrates, and marching his army up through it into the midst of the city of Babylon, and took it by surprise, while the inhabitants at night were feasting and revelling: this is said to be a snare laid by the Lord, because it was according to the counsel of his will, and through his directing and overruling providence: and thou wast not aware ; of what... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 50:25

The Lord hath opened his armoury ,.... Alluding to the manner of kings, who have some particular edifice built for an armoury; see Song of Solomon 4:4 ; wherein are provided and laid up all sorts of armour, small and great, which are fetched out from thence, in time of need. This armoury is to be understood of Media and Persia, and other parts, from whence a mighty army, well accoutred, was brought by the powerful providence of God; and indeed the whole world is his armoury, from whence he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 50:26

Come against her from the utmost border ,.... Or, "from the end" F1 מקץ "a fine", Vatablus, Montanus, Schmidt; "a fine terrae", Piscator; "ab extremis finibus", Tigurine version, Grotius. ; from the end of the earth; from the Persian gulf, and the Caspian sea, on which the Persians and Medes bordered; from the most distant countries; for the Medes and Persians, who are here called unto, brought others along with them in their army from places still more remote; for this is not to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 50:27

Slay all her bullocks ,.... Or, "all her mighty ones", as the Targum and Vulgate Latin version; her princes and great men, as Jarchi, Kimchi, and Abarbinel; compared to bullocks for their strength, fatness, and fierceness; see Psalm 22:12 ; this may well be applied to the slaughter of kings, captains, and mighty men, at the battle of Armageddon, Revelation 19:18 ; let them go down to the slaughter ; to the place slaughter, as oxen do, insensible, and whether they will or not: woe... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 50:28

The voice of them that flee and escape out the land of Babylon ,.... The Jews that were captives in Babylon, upon the taking of it, took that opportunity to flee out Of it, and make their escape to their own land, which some of them might do before the proclamation of Cyrus; whose voice declaring to their brethren in Judea what God had done to Babylon, and rejoicing at it, was as if it was heard by the prophet in vision, or under a spirit of prophecy; this also is true of them who will be... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 50:21

Go up against the land of Merathaim - and against the inhabitants of Pekod - No such places as these are to be found any where else; and it is not likely that places are at all meant. The ancient Versions agree in rendering the first as an appellative, and the last as a verb, except the Chaldee, which has Pekod as a proper name. Dr. Blayney translates: - "Against the land of bitternesses, go up: Upon it, and upon its inhabitants, visit, O sword!" Dr. Dahler renders thus: - "March... read more

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