Jeremiah 5:17

Translation
King James Version
And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And they shall eat up H398 thine harvest H7105, and thy bread H3899, which thy sons H1121 and thy daughters H1323 should eat H398: they shall eat up H398 thy flocks H6629 and thine herds H1241: they shall eat up H398 thy vines H1612 and thy fig trees H8384: they shall impoverish H7567 thy fenced H4013 cities H5892, wherein thou H2007 trustedst H982, with the sword H2719.
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Complete Jewish Bible
They will eat up your harvest and your bread, they will eat up your sons and your daughters, they will eat up your flocks and your herds, they will eat up your vines and your fig trees; with the sword they will beat down your fortified cities, in which you trust.
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Berean Standard Bible
They will devour your harvest and food; they will consume your sons and daughters; they will eat up your flocks and herds; they will feed on your vines and fig trees. With the sword they will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust.”
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American Standard Version
And they shall eat up thy harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat; they shall eat up thy flocks and thy herds; they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig-trees; they shall beat down thy fortified cities, wherein thou trustest, with the sword.
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World English Bible Messianic
They shall eat up your harvest, and your bread, which your sons and your daughters should eat. They shall eat up your flocks and your herds. They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees. They shall beat down your fortified cities, in which you trust, with the sword.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And they shall eate thine haruest and thy bread: they shall deuoure thy sonnes and thy daughters: they shall eate vp thy sheepe and thy bullocks: they shall eate thy vines and thy figge trees: they shall destroy with the sworde thy fenced cities, wherein thou didest trust.
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Young's Literal Translation
And it hath consumed thy harvest and thy bread, They consume thy sons, and thy daughters, It consumeth thy flock, and thy herd, It consumeth thy vine, and thy fig-tree, It maketh poor thy fenced cities, In which thou art trusting--by the sword.
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See also
Leviticus 26:16Deuteronomy 28:33Lamentations 2:2Jeremiah 50:17Jeremiah 8:16Jeremiah 50:7Deuteronomy 28:30
In the KJVVerse 19,076 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Jeremiah 5:17 powerfully prophesies the comprehensive and devastating judgment awaiting Judah due to their pervasive unfaithfulness and idolatry. The verse describes an invading foreign nation, acting as God's instrument, that will utterly consume Judah's agricultural produce, livestock, and vital resources, leaving nothing for their families. Furthermore, this enemy will dismantle the very fortifications and cities in which Judah had foolishly placed their trust, demonstrating the futility of relying on human strength rather than divine protection. This pronouncement underscores the severe consequences of national rebellion against God's covenant and highlights the absolute nature of divine retribution.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Jeremiah 5 forms a pivotal section within Jeremiah's early prophecies, delivered during the tumultuous reigns leading up to the Babylonian exile. This chapter specifically details God's profound indictment against Judah for their widespread apostasy, moral corruption, and persistent refusal to repent. Following a series of rhetorical challenges to Judah's spiritual integrity and a lament over their stubbornness (e.g., Jeremiah 5:1-9), the Lord declares His intention to bring a powerful, ancient, and previously unknown nation against them as a divine instrument of judgment (Jeremiah 5:15). Verse 17 elaborates on the specific and comprehensive nature of this impending destruction, moving from the general threat to the precise economic and military ruin that will befall Judah. It serves as a concrete manifestation of the covenant curses outlined in the Mosaic Law for disobedience, particularly those found in Deuteronomy 28:33-57.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Jeremiah prophesied during a period of immense geopolitical upheaval, marked by the decline of the Assyrian Empire and the ascendance of Babylon as the dominant regional power. Despite the reforms initiated by King Josiah, the people of Judah had largely reverted to widespread idolatry, social injustice, and spiritual complacency. Their trust had shifted from their covenant God, Yahweh, to alliances with foreign powers (such as Egypt) and their own formidable military defenses, particularly their numerous fortified cities. Agriculturally, Judah was an agrarian society, heavily reliant on harvests (grain, grapes, figs) and livestock (flocks and herds) for sustenance, trade, and economic stability. The "fenced cities" (fortified cities) were considered impregnable strongholds, representing their primary defense against invaders. The prophecy of an enemy "eating up" these vital resources and destroying these cities would have evoked profound fear and a sense of utter vulnerability, as it described the complete dismantling of their societal and economic infrastructure, leading inevitably to famine, subjugation, and national collapse.
  • Key Themes: Jeremiah 5:17 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Jeremiah. Firstly, it highlights the theme of Divine Judgment and Retribution, demonstrating that God's patience has limits and that unrepentant sin inevitably leads to severe, divinely orchestrated consequences. This judgment is not arbitrary but a righteous response to Judah's persistent rebellion and covenant unfaithfulness, as further elaborated in Jeremiah 5:25. Secondly, the verse emphasizes Total Devastation and Loss, using repetitive language ("eat up") to convey the absolute stripping away of all resources—from basic sustenance to the very means of production—signifying complete economic collapse and famine. This imagery underscores the thoroughness of God's judgment. Thirdly, it underscores the theme of Misplaced Trust, revealing the profound futility of Judah's reliance on their physical fortifications and military might ("fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst") rather than on the Lord, who alone is their true protector and source of security, as articulated in Psalm 20:7. Finally, the mention of the "sword" points to the theme of Invasion and Conquest, explicitly foretelling the military defeat and occupation by a foreign power, historically fulfilled by the Babylonian Empire, which God uses as His instrument of wrath (Jeremiah 25:9).

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • eat up (Hebrew, ʼâkal', H398): This primitive root signifies consumption, but in this context, it carries a strong connotation of voracious, destructive devouring. Its repeated use ("eat up thine harvest," "eat up thy bread," "eat up thy flocks," "eat up thy vines") emphasizes the totality and rapaciousness of the enemy's actions, leaving nothing behind. It's not mere consumption for sustenance, but a complete stripping away, leading to utter destitution and famine. The verb implies a comprehensive and insatiable destruction.
  • fenced (Hebrew, mibtsâr', H4013): Derived from a root meaning "to cut off" or "to fortify," this word refers to a fortification, a castle, or a fortified city. These were considered Judah's primary defensive structures, built for security and protection against invaders. The mention of them here highlights the irony and futility of their strength when faced with divine judgment, as these seemingly impregnable strongholds would offer no refuge or defense against the instrument of God's wrath.
  • trustedst (Hebrew, bâṭach', H982): This root means "to hide for refuge," "to trust," "to be confident or sure." It denotes a deep reliance and confidence placed in something or someone. In Jeremiah 5:17, it points to Judah's misplaced confidence in their material and military defenses rather than in the Lord. This reveals a profound spiritual failure, a breach of covenant loyalty, and a fundamental misunderstanding of true security. Their trust in human constructs would prove to be a false and ultimately devastating hope.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat": This opening clause immediately establishes the economic devastation, targeting the most fundamental aspects of sustenance: the grain harvest and daily bread. The poignant addition "which thy sons and thy daughters should eat" highlights the tragic human cost, emphasizing that even the food intended for the most vulnerable members of society would be seized, leading to widespread famine, starvation, and profound suffering among families. This detail appeals directly to the listener's empathy.
  • "they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds": Moving beyond agricultural produce, the prophecy extends to the destruction of Judah's livestock. Flocks (sheep and goats) and herds (cattle) represented significant wealth, primary food sources (meat and milk), and essential labor (for plowing and transport). Their consumption signifies a complete obliteration of animal resources, further crippling the economy and ensuring a deep, pervasive famine that would affect every household.
  • "they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees": This clause specifies the destruction of two key fruit-bearing plants, which were not only staple foods but also symbols of prosperity, blessing, and peace in ancient Israel (1 Kings 4:25). Vines produced grapes for wine, and fig trees provided a staple fruit. Their destruction indicates not only a loss of current produce but also the long-term ruin of agricultural capacity, ensuring that future harvests would also be impossible, leaving the land barren and unproductive for years to come.
  • "they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword." This final clause shifts from economic ruin to military conquest and the dismantling of Judah's perceived security. "Impoverish" (Hebrew râshash) implies demolishing, making destitute, or utterly destroying. The "fenced cities" represent Judah's military strongholds and centers of population, which they relied upon for defense and refuge. The phrase "wherein thou trustedst" directly indicts their misplaced faith in human fortifications over divine protection. The "sword" is the explicit instrument of this destruction, signifying a violent military invasion that would utterly dismantle their defenses, bring about their complete subjugation, and leave them utterly vulnerable.

Literary Devices

Jeremiah 5:17 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of impending judgment with vivid impact. The most prominent is Repetition, specifically of the phrase "they shall eat up." This anaphora creates a relentless, almost rhythmic, emphasis on the comprehensive and insatiable nature of the invading enemy's destruction. It builds a sense of overwhelming loss, leaving no aspect of Judah's livelihood untouched, from their crops to their livestock and fruit trees. Hyperbole is also present in the cumulative effect of this destruction, suggesting a complete and utter stripping away of all resources, which, while perhaps not literally every single item, effectively conveys the absolute totality and severity of the ruin. The phrase "which thy sons and thy daughters should eat" is a poignant use of Pathos, appealing directly to the reader's emotions by highlighting the suffering of innocent children and families, making the judgment more visceral, tragic, and personally impactful. Finally, the stark contrast between the seemingly impregnable "fenced cities" and their ultimate "impoverishment with the sword" serves as a powerful form of Irony, exposing the profound futility of human reliance on physical defenses and material security when divine judgment is at hand. The very objects of their misplaced trust become the instruments of their downfall.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Jeremiah 5:17 serves as a stark reminder of God's unwavering justice and the severe consequences of covenant infidelity. It illustrates the profound principle that when a people persistently rejects the Lord and places their trust in worldly securities, God will, in His righteous judgment, allow those very securities to be stripped away. This divine judgment is not arbitrary but a just and holy response to Judah's deep-seated rebellion, widespread idolatry, and pervasive moral decay, directly fulfilling the curses outlined in the Mosaic Covenant against disobedience. The verse underscores God's absolute sovereignty over nations, demonstrating His ability to raise up and bring down empires as instruments of His divine will, even against His own covenant people when they stray from His path. It highlights the inherent danger of misplaced trust, teaching that true security, lasting provision, and ultimate refuge come only from a right, obedient, and trusting relationship with the Almighty, not from material wealth, military might, or human ingenuity.

  • Deuteronomy 28:48 - Foreshadows the very economic devastation and subjugation described in Jeremiah 5:17 as a consequence of disobedience.
  • Psalm 118:8-9 - Contrasts reliance on man and princes with trusting in the Lord, directly addressing the theme of misplaced trust in human strength.
  • Hosea 8:7 - Speaks of sowing the wind and reaping the whirlwind, illustrating the direct cause-and-effect relationship between spiritual rebellion and catastrophic judgment.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Jeremiah 5:17 calls us to a profound and searching self-examination regarding the true objects of our trust and the sincerity of our walk with God. In a world that often prioritizes financial security, material possessions, career achievements, and personal independence, this verse stands as a powerful prophetic warning: anything that replaces God as our ultimate source of security, provision, and identity is a false idol, destined to fail and be "eaten up" when tested by life's inevitable storms or divine judgment. Do we, like ancient Judah, place our confidence in our "fenced cities"—our careers, our savings, our social status, our physical health, our intellectual prowess, or even our perceived control over our lives—rather than in the unfailing faithfulness of God? The devastating imagery in the verse reminds us that true and lasting security is found only in a vibrant, obedient, and trusting relationship with the Lord. It compels us to repent of any misplaced trusts, to re-evaluate our priorities in light of eternity, and to align our lives fully with God's will, understanding that His protective hand is our only true and unshakeable refuge. This passage urges us to cultivate a heart of radical dependence on Him, recognizing that all blessings flow from His grace and that His judgment, though severe, is always just and ultimately redemptive, designed to call His people back to Himself.

Questions for Reflection

  • What are the "fenced cities" in my life—the things I trust in more than God for security, provision, or identity?
  • How does the imagery of "eating up" resources challenge my sense of material security and comfort, prompting me to re-evaluate my priorities?
  • In what specific ways might I be exhibiting spiritual complacency or misplaced trust, similar to Judah's unfaithfulness described here?
  • What practical steps can I take this week to deepen my trust in God and lessen my reliance on worldly things and my own perceived strength?

FAQ

Why is God's judgment so severe in this passage?

Answer: God's judgment in Jeremiah 5:17 is severe because it is a direct and righteous response to Judah's prolonged and pervasive unfaithfulness, idolatry, and covenant breaking. Despite repeated warnings and calls to repentance from prophets like Jeremiah, the people of Judah stubbornly refused to turn back to the Lord, instead embracing false gods and engaging in widespread social injustice and moral corruption. The severity of the judgment reflects the gravity of their sin and God's holy character. It also serves as a fulfillment of the curses outlined in the Mosaic Covenant (e.g., Deuteronomy 28:15-68) for disobedience, demonstrating that God takes His covenant seriously and that there are real, devastating consequences for rebellion against His righteous standards. The "eating up" of resources and destruction of cities symbolizes the complete dismantling of a society that had rejected its divine foundation and its only true source of life and blessing.

What does "impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst" mean for us today?

Answer: This phrase highlights the perennial danger of misplaced trust. For ancient Judah, "fenced cities" represented their military strength, physical security, and national pride—their ultimate defense against enemies. They trusted in these human constructs more than in God. For us today, "fenced cities" can represent anything in which we place our ultimate security, confidence, or hope apart from God. This could include financial wealth, a successful career, social status, political power, personal abilities, intellectual prowess, or even human relationships. The timeless message is that anything we trust in more than God is ultimately vulnerable and can be "impoverished" or stripped away. Psalm 146:3 reminds us, "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help." The verse calls us to examine where our true trust lies and to shift our ultimate reliance to God, who alone is an unfailing refuge, an unshakeable foundation, and our faithful provider.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Jeremiah 5:17, with its stark depiction of judgment and the stripping away of false securities, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not in the direct experience of such judgment by believers, but profoundly in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The "sword" of judgment that fell upon Judah for their sin and misplaced trust ultimately fell upon Christ on the cross. He became the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, bearing the full weight of God's righteous wrath against humanity's unfaithfulness, so that all who trust in Him might be spared from the judgment their own sin deserves (Isaiah 53:5-6). Furthermore, the misplaced trust of Judah in their "fenced cities" points to humanity's universal tendency to seek security and provision in worldly things and self-reliance. Christ, however, offers a true and eternal security that no earthly power or circumstance can "eat up" or "impoverish." He is the solid rock upon which we can build our lives, ensuring that when the storms come, our house will not fall (Matthew 7:24-27). He is the true bread of life that satisfies spiritual hunger and offers eternal sustenance (John 6:35), and the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His flock, ensuring their ultimate safety, provision, and eternal life (John 10:11, 28). In Christ, the devastating judgment foreshadowed in Jeremiah 5:17 is transformed into a promise of abundant life, unshakeable peace, and an eternal kingdom for all who place their trust in Him alone (Colossians 1:13-14).

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Commentary on Jeremiah 5 verses 10–19

We may observe in these verses, as before,

I. The sin of this people, upon which the commission signed against them is grounded. God disowns them and dooms them to destruction, Jer 5:10. But is there not a cause? Yes; for, 1. They have deserted the law of God (Jer 5:11): The house of Israel and the house of Judah, though at variance with one another, yet both agreed to deal very treacherously against God. They forsook the worship of him, and therein violated their covenants with him; they revolted from him, and played the hypocrite with him. 2. They have defied the judgments of God and given the lie to his threatenings in the mouth of his prophets, Jer 5:12, Jer 5:13. They were often told that evil would certainly come upon them; they must expect some desolating judgment, sword or famine; but they were secure and said, We shall have peace, though we go on. For, (1.) They did not fear what God is. They belied him, and confronted the dictates even of natural light concerning him; for they said, "It is not he, that is, he is not such a one as we have been made to believe he is; he does not see, or not regard, or will not require it; and therefore no evil shall come upon us." Multitudes are ruined by being made to believe that God will not be so strict with them as his word says he will; nay, by this artifice Satan undid us all: You shall not surely die. So here: Neither shall we see sword nor famine. Vain hopes of impunity are the deceitful support of all impiety. (2.) They did not fear what God said. The prophets gave them fair warning, but they turned it off with a jest: "They do but talk so, because it is their trade; they are words of course, and words are but wind. It is not the word of the Lord that is in them; it is only the language of their melancholy fancy or their ill-will to their country, because they are not preferred." Note, Impenitent sinners are not willing to own any thing to be the word of God that makes against them, that tends either to part them from, or disquiet them in, their sins. They threaten the prophets: "They shall become wind, shall pass away unregarded, and thus shall it be done unto them; what they threaten against us we will inflict upon them. Do they frighten us with famine? Let them be fed with the bread of affliction." So Micaiah was, Kg1 22:27. "Do they tell us of the sword? Let them perish by the sword," Jer 2:30. Thus their mocking and misusing God's messengers filled the measure of their iniquity.

II. The punishment of this people for their sin. 1. The threatenings they laughed at shall be executed (Jer 5:14): Because you speak this word of contempt concerning the prophets, and the word in their mouths, therefore God will put honour upon them and their words, for not one iota or tittle of them shall fall to the ground, Sa1 3:19. Here God turns to the prophet Jeremiah, who had been thus bantered, and perhaps had been a little uneasy at it: Behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire. God owns them for his words, though men denied them, and will as surely make them to take effect as the fire consumes combustible material that is in its way. The word shall be fire and the people wood. Sinners by sin make themselves fuel to that wrath of God which is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men in the scripture. The word of God will certainly be too hard for those that contend with it. Those shall break who will not bow before it. 2. The enemy they thought themselves in no danger of shall be brought upon them. God gives them their commission (Jer 5:10): "Go you up upon her walls, mount them, trample upon them, tread them down. Walls of stone, before the divine commission, shall be but mud walls. Having made yourselves masters of the walls, you may destroy at pleasure. You may take away her battlements, and leave the fenced fortified cities to lie open; for her battlements are not the Lord's he does not own them and therefore will not protect and fortify them." They were not erected in his fear, nor with a dependence upon him; the people have trusted to them more than to God, and therefore they are not his. When the city is filled with sin God will not patronise the fortifications of it, and then they are paper walls. What can defend us when he who is our defence, and the defender of all our defences, has departed from us? Num 14:9. What is not of God cannot stand, not stand long, nor stand us in any stead. What dreadful work these invaders should make is here described (Jer 5:15): Lo, I will bring a nation upon you, O house of Israel! Note, God has all nations at his command, does what he pleases with them and makes what use he pleases of them. And sometimes he is pleased to make the nations of the earth, the heathen nations, a scourge to the house of Israel, when that has become a hypocritical nation. This nation of the Chaldeans is here said to be a remote nation; it is brought upon them from afar, and therefore will make the greater spoil and the longer stay, that the soldiers may pay themselves well for so long a march. "It is a nation that thou hast had no commerce with, by reason of their distance, and therefore canst not expect to find favour with." God can bring trouble upon us from places and causes very remote. It is a mighty nation, that there is no making head against, an ancient nation, that value themselves upon their antiquity and will therefore be the more haughty and imperious. It is a nation whose language thou knowest not; they spoke the Syriac tongue, which the Jews at that time were not acquainted with, as appears, Kg2 18:26. The difference of language would make it the more difficult to treat with them of peace. Compare this with the threatening, Deu 28:49, which it seems to have a reference to, for the law and the prophets exactly agree. They are well armed: Their quiver is as an open sepulchre; their arrows shall fly so thick, hit so sure, and wound so deep, that they shall be reckoned to breathe nothing but death and slaughter: they are able-bodied, all effective, mighty men, Jer 5:16. And, when they have made themselves masters of the country, they shall devour all before them, and reckon all their own that they can lay their hands on, Jer 5:17. (1.) They shall strip the country, shall not only sustain, but surfeit, their soldiers with the rich products of this fruitful land. "They shall not store up (then it might possibly by retrieved), but eat up thy harvest in the field and thy bread in the house, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat." Note, What we have we have for our families, and it is a comfort to see our sons and daughters eating that which we have taken care and pains for. But it is a grievous vexation to see it devoured by strangers and enemies, to see their camps victualled with our stores, while those that are dear to us are perishing for want of it: this also is according to the curse of the law, Deu 28:33. "They shall eat up thy flocks and herds, out of which thou hast taken sacrifices for thy idols; they shall not leave thee the fruit of thy vines and fig-trees." (2.) They shall starve the towns: "They shall impoverish thy fenced cities" (and what fence is there against poverty, when it comes like an armed man?), "those cities wherein thou trustedst to be a protection to the country." Note, It is just with God to impoverish that which we make our confidence. They shall impoverish them with the sword, cutting off all provisions from coming to them and intercepting trade and commerce, which will impoverish even fenced cities.

III. An intimation of the tender compassion God has yet for them. The enemy is commissioned to destroy and lay waste, but must not make a full end, Jer 5:10. Though they make a great slaughter, yet some must be left to live; though they make a great spoil, yet something must be left to live upon, for God has said it (Jer 5:18) with a non obstante - a nevertheless to the present desolation: "Even in those days, dismal as they are, I will not make a full end with you;" and, if God will not, the enemy shall not. God has mercy in store for his people, and therefore will set bounds to this desolating judgment. Hitherto it shall come, and no further.

IV. The justification of God in these proceedings against them. As he will appear to be gracious in not making a full end with them, so he will appear to be righteous in coming so near it, and will have it acknowledged that he has done them no wrong, Jer 5:19. Observe, 1. A reason demanded, insolently demanded, by the people for these judgments. They will say "Wherefore doth the Lord our God do all this unto us? What provocation have we given him, or what quarrel has he with us?" As if against such a sinful nation there did not appear cause enough of action. Note, Unhumbled hearts are ready to charge God with injustice in their afflictions, and pretend they have to seek for the cause of them when it is written in the forehead of them. But, 2. Here is a reason immediately assigned. The prophet is instructed what answer to give them; for God will be justified when he speaks, though he speaks with ever so much terror. He must tell them that God does this against them for what they have done against him, and that they may, if they please, read their sin in their punishment. Do not they know very well that they have forsaken God, and therefore can they think it strange if he has forsaken them? Have they forgotten how often they served gods in their own land, that good land, in the abundance of the fruits of which they ought to have served God with gladness of heart? and therefore is it not just with God to make them serve strangers in a strange land, where they can call nothing their own, as he has threatened to do? Deu 28:47, Deu 28:48. Those that are fond of strangers, to strangers let them go.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–19. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 15 and following) Behold, I will bring upon you a nation from afar, O house of Israel, says the Lord: a strong nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language you will not understand, nor will you know what it speaks. Its quiver is like an open tomb, all mighty warriors. And it will devour your crops and your bread; it will devour your sons and daughters; it will devour your flocks and herds; it will devour your vineyards and fig trees; and it will crush your fortified cities, in which you trust, with the sword. However, in those days, says the Lord, I will not make an end of you. Not much later, and not falsely believed, the Prophets will speak to you in vain, but now I will bring upon you the nation of the Babylonians, who will come from afar: a strong nation, as it is written in Hebrew, Ethan (Gen. X), an ancient nation, once ruled by the giant Nimrod. Whose language you will not understand, as it is written in Hebrew: you will not understand what they say: for it is the solace of evil, if you have those enemies whom you can ask, and who understand your prayers. And what follows: Her quiver is like an open grave; it is not referred to as Babylon in the Septuagint edition, but it signifies the armory. There is no doubt that the kingdom of the Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes, and Persians is extremely skilled in archery. And it also describes the devastation of the land of Judah, the slaughter of sheep, the herding away of livestock, the destruction of cities and walls, because they are all captured by the enemy sword, and yet in such great evils He does not destroy them completely; but He preserves the remaining ones, either those who were led into Babylon and sent back to cultivate the land of Judah, or those who, after the heat of persecution, have kept the faith of the Lord through flight or confession.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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