Jeremiah 50:21

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

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

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 50:21

Verse 21 The Prophet here undertakes the office of a herald, and animates the Persians and the Medes to make war with Babylon. This prophecy indeed never came to these nations, but we have stated why the Prophets proclaimed war and addressed at one time heathen nations, at another time the Jews — now one people, then another; for they wished to bring the faithful to the very scene of action, and connected the accomplishment with their predictions. By this mode of speaking, the Prophet then... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 50:1-46

Jeremiah 50:1-46 . AND 51. ON BABYLON . This attitude of reserve is not assumed without substantial grounds, derived from two sources—the epilogue ( Jeremiah 51:59-64 ) and the prophecy itself. First, as to the epilogue. It is clear that the words, "and they shall be weary," are out of place in Jeremiah 51:64 , and that they are wrongly repeated from Jeremiah 51:58 . But how came they to be repeated? Because, originally, the declaration, "Thus far are the words of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 50:21

The land of Merathaim; i.e. of double rebellion. Probably enough an actual geographical name may lie at the root of this singular expression; but we are not able at present to say what it was. The prophet has, at any rate, modified it in such a way as to convey a definite meaning, symbolic of the character of Babylon (comp. on Jeremiah 50:31 ). What was this meaning? According to Gesenius, there is an allusion to the two great blows inflicted on Israel and Judah by Assyria and Babylon... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 50:21-23

The hammer broken. Babylon was to be crushed by Persia—one hammer by another. As universal world powers, the rise and fall of these had immense importance, and they illustrate the duties and responsibilities of power. I. ALL POWER IS A STEWARDSHIP FROM GOD . The vast extent and influence of those empires, and the special mission divinely appointed them, cannot but impress one with a sense of special responsibility. There seems something supernatural in their very origin and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 50:21-28

The punishment of Babylon, corresponding to her crimes. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Jeremiah 50:21

The land of Merathaim - of double rebellion. Like Mitsraim, i. e., the two Egypts, Aram-Naharaim, i. e., Syria of the two rivers, or Mesopotamia, it is a dual. It may have been a real name; or - the dual ending being intensive - it may mean the land of very great rebelliousness.Pekod - Possibly a Babylonian town.Waste - Rather, slay, Jeremiah 50:27. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Jeremiah 50:21

Jeremiah 50:21. Go up against the land of Merathaim, and against Pekod Although these two words מרתים , Merathaim, and פקוד , Pekod, are considered by our translators as proper names; and the latter is so understood by the Chaldee paraphrast: yet all the other ancient versions agree in representing the former word as an appellative, and the latter as a verb. The former, which is the dual number of מרה , marah, may signify either bitterness, or rebellion; and Blaney thinks that... read more

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