Jeremiah 50:14

Translation
King James Version
Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD.
Ask
KJV (with Strong's)
Put yourselves in array H6186 against Babylon H894 round about H5439: all ye that bend H1869 the bow H7198, shoot H3034 at her, spare H2550 no arrows H2671: for she hath sinned H2398 against the LORD H3068.
Ask
Complete Jewish Bible
"Take your positions surrounding Bavel, all you whose bows are strung; shoot at her, spare no arrows; because she sinned against ADONAI.
Ask
Berean Standard Bible
Line up in formation around Babylon, all you who draw the bow! Shoot at her! Spare no arrows! For she has sinned against the LORD.
Ask
American Standard Version
Set yourselves in array against Babylon round about, all ye that bend the bow; shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against Jehovah.
Ask
World English Bible Messianic
Set yourselves in array against Babylon all around, all you who bend the bow; shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she has sinned against the LORD.
Ask
Geneva Bible (1599)
Put your selues in aray against Babel rounde about: all ye that bende the bowe, shoote at her, spare no arrowes: for shee hath sinned against the Lord.
Ask
Young's Literal Translation
Set yourselves in array against Babylon round about, All ye treading a bow, Shoot at her, have no pity on the arrow, For against Jehovah she hath sinned.
Ask
See also
Jeremiah 50:29Habakkuk 2:17Jeremiah 50:7Jeremiah 50:42Jeremiah 50:9Habakkuk 2:8Revelation 17:5
See on the biblical-era map
Prophecy Against Babylon
Prophecy Against Babylon View full PDF

Map © Biblica Open Bible Maps · CC BY-SA 4.0

In the KJVVerse 20,181 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Jeremiah 50:14 issues a profound divine command for a comprehensive and unsparing military assault against Babylon. It calls upon the nations to meticulously prepare and unleash a relentless, overwhelming barrage of arrows, holding nothing back in the destruction of the mighty empire. This severe decree is explicitly justified by Babylon's extensive and pervasive sin against the Lord, serving as a stark declaration of God's unwavering justice and His ultimate, righteous judgment against those who defiantly oppose His authority and oppress His chosen people.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Jeremiah 50:14 is strategically placed within a lengthy and powerful prophetic oracle against Babylon, encompassing chapters 50 and 51 of the book of Jeremiah. This section marks a significant thematic pivot in Jeremiah's prophecies. While much of the preceding book meticulously details Judah's impending judgment and subsequent exile at the hands of Babylon, these concluding oracles dramatically shift focus to declare God's imminent and decisive judgment upon Babylon itself. This divine reversal serves as a powerful assurance to Judah of eventual vindication and restoration, while simultaneously demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty over all nations, including the very empire He had previously used as an instrument of His wrath. The immediate verses within chapter 50 begin to describe the gathering of a coalition of nations against Babylon and the utter devastation that will befall it, setting the stage for the specific, unreserved military commands articulated in verse 14.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: This prophecy was delivered during a period when the Neo-Babylonian Empire, under the formidable leadership of Nebuchadnezzar II, stood at the zenith of its power. Babylon had successfully conquered Assyria, Egypt, and Judah, establishing itself as the undisputed dominant world power. Its capital city, Babylon, was legendary for its immense fortifications, the famed Hanging Gardens, and its towering ziggurat, all symbolizing its perceived invincibility and imperial might. The cultural context includes Babylon's pervasive polytheism and idolatry, its brutal military campaigns, and its systematic practice of deporting conquered peoples, including the Jewish exiles. The command to "put yourselves in array" and "bend the bow" vividly reflects the common military tactics of the ancient Near East, where archers played a critical and often decisive role in warfare, frequently forming the vanguard of an attacking force. The prophecy, though delivered during Babylon's ascendancy, foretells its eventual downfall, which historically occurred in 539 BC when Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered the city, fulfilling many of Jeremiah's precise predictions.
  • Key Themes: This verse profoundly contributes to several overarching themes found throughout Jeremiah and the broader biblical narrative. It powerfully underscores the theme of Divine Justice and Retribution, demonstrating unequivocally that God will not allow wickedness, especially the oppression of His covenant people, to go unpunished indefinitely. Babylon's impending judgment is a direct and righteous consequence of its profound sin against the Lord, echoing the timeless biblical principle that "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," declares the Lord, as articulated in Romans 12:19. Furthermore, the passage vividly highlights God's Sovereignty Over Nations, illustrating that He raises up and brings down empires according to His divine, overarching plan, a truth powerfully affirmed in passages like Daniel 2:21. The emphatic command to "spare no arrows" vividly portrays the Consequences of Sin, emphasizing the totality and severity of the judgment that inevitably awaits those who defiantly oppose God, reminding us that the wages of sin is death. Finally, this prophecy offers a powerful message of Vindication and Restoration for God's People, assuring Judah that despite their profound suffering and exile, God would ultimately bring justice upon their oppressors and faithfully fulfill His covenant promises.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Array (Hebrew, ʻârak', H6186): This word, H6186, is a primitive root meaning "to set in a row, i.e., arrange, put in order." In a military context, it specifically signifies the careful, disciplined, and strategic formation of troops for battle. The divine imperative "Put yourselves in array" instructs the attacking forces to meticulously organize their offensive against Babylon, emphasizing a deliberate, coordinated, and overwhelming military strategy rather than a disorganized skirmish. It speaks to the precision and divine orchestration of the impending judgment.
  • Spare (Hebrew, châmal', H2550): Is a primitive root meaning "to commiserate; by implication, to spare; have compassion, (have) pity." The negative command "spare no arrows" is a forceful and absolute injunction against any form of mercy, pity, or restraint in the assault. It conveys the total and unreserved nature of the impending judgment, indicating that the destruction of Babylon is to be complete and without reservation, leaving nothing undone to achieve its utter overthrow and desolation.
  • Sinned (Hebrew, châṭâʼ', H2398): Is a primitive root meaning "properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin." This word identifies the fundamental and ultimate reason for Babylon's severe judgment. Babylon's actions—particularly its arrogance, pervasive idolatry, and brutal, excessive treatment of God's people—constituted a direct and grievous offense against the Lord. Their "missing the mark" of God's righteousness, even as they served as an unwitting instrument of His initial judgment on Judah, led to their own forfeiture and condemnation by the divine standard of justice.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about": This is a direct, imperative command issued by God to the nations He is raising up to execute judgment against Babylon. "Put yourselves in array" (or "set yourselves in order") signifies a disciplined, strategic military formation, emphasizing a coordinated and encircling attack. "Round about" indicates a comprehensive siege, ensuring no escape and total encirclement of the formidable city, highlighting the inescapable nature of the impending doom.
  • "all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her": This clause specifies the primary offensive force: archers. In ancient warfare, archers were crucial for long-range attacks, softening defenses and inflicting casualties before close-quarters combat. The command to "shoot at her" is relentless, indicating a continuous and unceasing barrage of arrows, symbolizing the overwhelming and unremitting nature of the divine judgment.
  • "spare no arrows": This powerful and absolute phrase reinforces the intensity, totality, and ruthlessness of the attack. It is a command to use every available resource, to hold nothing back, and to show no mercy or restraint in the assault. It emphasizes that the judgment is to be complete, leaving no stone unturned in the destruction of Babylon, signifying the full measure of God's righteous wrath.
  • "for she hath sinned against the LORD." This final, crucial clause provides the ultimate and irrefutable justification for the severe judgment. Babylon's destruction is not arbitrary but a righteous recompense for its profound offenses. Its sins included overwhelming pride, pervasive idolatry, and especially its excessive cruelty and arrogance in dealing with God's people, going far beyond merely being an instrument of divine discipline to actively defying the God of Israel. This establishes the divine decree and moral basis behind the military action.

Literary Devices

Jeremiah 50:14 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of impending, decisive judgment. The dominant device is the Imperative Mood, evident in the direct, forceful commands: "Put yourselves in array," "shoot at her," and "spare no arrows." These commands create an undeniable sense of urgency and absolute divine authority, emphasizing that the judgment is not a mere suggestion but an unalterable decree. Metonymy is present where "bend the bow" and "shoot at her" stand for the entire military force and the comprehensive act of warfare itself, representing the full scope of the assault. The phrase "spare no arrows" functions as a form of Hyperbole, exaggerating the quantity of arrows to emphasize the relentless, overwhelming, and total nature of the assault. It suggests an continuous, unceasing barrage that will ensure the complete destruction of the city. Furthermore, the entire verse is a clear example of Cause and Effect, with Babylon's explicit "sin against the LORD" serving as the direct and righteous cause for the severe, divinely ordained judgment. Finally, Personification is subtly used as Babylon, a city and empire, is treated as a sentient entity capable of "sinning against the LORD" and being directly targeted for personal punishment, highlighting its moral culpability.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Jeremiah 50:14 stands as a profound declaration of God's sovereign justice, revealing that no nation, however mighty or seemingly invincible, can ultimately escape accountability for its actions, especially when those actions involve pervasive pride, idolatry, and the cruel oppression of God's people. This verse powerfully underscores the biblical principle that while God may use nations as instruments in His divine plan, He also holds those instruments fully accountable for their own moral choices and excesses. Babylon, which had previously served as God's "hammer" against Judah, now faces the full force of His righteous wrath precisely because its pride, idolatry, and cruelty went far beyond God's intended purpose, becoming a direct affront to His holiness and justice. The absolute nature of the command to "spare no arrows" speaks to the severity and totality of divine judgment when sin reaches its full measure, demonstrating that God is both infinitely patient and utterly just in His dealings with humanity.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Jeremiah 50:14, while a specific historical prophecy against ancient Babylon, carries timeless spiritual principles and profound implications for believers today. It serves as an enduring and powerful reminder that God is ultimately just, and no injustice, oppression, or defiant opposition to His will will go unaddressed in His perfect timing. For those who suffer under oppressive systems, unjust individuals, or the weight of worldly evil, this verse offers profound comfort and unwavering hope, assuring them that God sees their plight, God remembers their tears, and God will decisively act on behalf of the wronged. Conversely, it serves as a sobering warning to those in positions of power, influence, or even personal advantage, reminding them that accountability before God is universal, inescapable, and absolute. Our call as believers is not to wield literal arrows against nations, but to recognize the spiritual "Babylon" in our contemporary world—the pervasive systems of idolatry, materialism, pride, and injustice that actively oppose God's kingdom. We are called to stand against these forces with spiritual discernment, fervent prayer, unwavering truth, and a steadfast commitment to righteousness, understanding that our ultimate battle is spiritual, as profoundly described in Ephesians 6:12. We must continually examine our own hearts and the societal structures we inhabit for areas where we might be "sinning against the Lord," ensuring our lives and our collective actions align with His righteous and holy standards.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does the absolute nature of God's judgment against Babylon in this verse shape your understanding of divine justice and His character?
  • In what subtle or overt ways might we, as individuals or communities, be tempted to "sin against the Lord" through pride, self-sufficiency, or even passive acceptance of injustice?
  • What specific comfort or challenge does this prophecy offer to those who feel overwhelmed by the pervasive presence of injustice and evil in the world today?

FAQ

Why is Babylon being judged so severely, even though God used them to punish Judah?

Answer: While God indeed used Babylon as an instrument of His divine judgment against Judah for their idolatry and disobedience, Babylon's own actions went far beyond God's intended purpose. Babylon's overwhelming pride, pervasive idolatry, and particularly their excessive cruelty and blasphemous defiance against the God of Israel constituted their own egregious sin. They boasted in their own strength, attributed their victories to their false gods, and treated God's covenant people with exceptional brutality, even desecrating the sacred temple. Jeremiah 50:14 explicitly emphasizes that their destruction is "for she hath sinned against the LORD," highlighting that their judgment is a direct consequence of their own moral culpability and not merely a shift in God's strategy. This demonstrates God's ultimate sovereignty and perfect justice, holding even His instruments accountable for their wickedness and hubris, as described in Isaiah 10:12.

Who are "all ye that bend the bow" and who is commanding them?

Answer: "All ye that bend the bow" refers to the various nations that God would supernaturally raise up and orchestrate to execute His judgment against Babylon. Historically, this primarily refers to the Medes and Persians, led by Cyrus the Great, who conquered Babylon in 539 BC. The command to "Put yourselves in array" and "shoot at her" comes directly from the Lord Himself. This powerfully highlights God's absolute sovereignty over the nations; He is the one orchestrating these monumental events, calling forth armies and directing their actions to fulfill His prophetic word and execute His righteous judgment, as seen in Jeremiah 51:11.

What does "spare no arrows" signify in this context?

Answer: The phrase "spare no arrows" is a powerful and uncompromising military command signifying a total, relentless, and unreserved assault. It means that the attacking forces are to hold nothing back, to use every available arrow and every possible means of destruction until Babylon is utterly vanquished. Theologically, it profoundly emphasizes the completeness, severity, and finality of God's judgment. It implies that Babylon's sin has reached a critical point where divine wrath is to be poured out without any measure of pity or restraint, leading to its absolute and irreversible desolation, as foreshadowed in Jeremiah 51:25-26.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Jeremiah 50:14 describes a literal historical judgment on ancient Babylon, its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment resonates deeply with the New Testament's portrayal of spiritual warfare and the final, decisive triumph of God's eternal kingdom. Babylon, in its overwhelming pride, pervasive idolatry, and cruel oppression of God's people, serves as a powerful type of the world system that defiantly opposes God and His Christ across all ages. Just as God commanded earthly armies to "put yourselves in array" against literal Babylon, so too does He empower His church, the spiritual army of Christ, to engage in spiritual warfare against the forces of darkness. The command to "spare no arrows" finds its spiritual parallel in the believer's unwavering commitment to wield the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17) and to stand firm in the truth, dismantling strongholds of deception and sin not with carnal weapons but with divine power (2 Corinthians 10:4). Ultimately, the judgment against Babylon foreshadows the final and complete overthrow of all evil and rebellion against God, culminating in the glorious return of Christ. The Lamb of God, who came to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29), will return as the righteous Judge, executing perfect justice upon all who have "sinned against the LORD." The book of Revelation vividly portrays the ultimate, cataclysmic destruction of "Babylon the Great," the spiritual harlot and embodiment of worldly rebellion, at the hands of Christ and His heavenly armies, signifying the final triumph of God's righteous rule and the eternal vindication of His suffering people (Revelation 18:1-24). Thus, Jeremiah's prophecy points forward to the decisive and eternal victory of Christ over all spiritual and earthly powers that oppose God, ushering in His everlasting kingdom of righteousness and peace.

Copy as

Commentary on Jeremiah 50 verses 9–20

God is here by his prophet, as afterwards in his providence, proceeding in his controversy with Babylon. Observe,

I. The commission and charge given to the instruments that were to be employed in destroying Babylon. The army that is to do it is called an assembly of great nations (Jer 50:9), the Medes and Persians, and all their allies and auxiliaries; it is called an assembly, because regularly formed by the divine will and counsel to do this execution. God will raise them up to do it, will incline them to and fir them for this service, and then he will cause them to come up, for all their motions are under his conduct and direction: he shall give the word of command, shall order them to put themselves in array against Babylon (Jer 50:14), and then they shall put themselves in array (Jer 50:9), for what God appoints to be done shall be done; and thence she shall be quickly taken; from their first sitting down before it they shall be still gaining ground against it till it be taken. God shall bid them shoot at her and spare no arrows (Jer 50:14), and then their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man, that has both skill and strength, a good eye and a good hand (Jer 50:9); none shall return in vain. When God gives commission he will give success. Nay, they are bidden not only to shoot at her (Jer 50:14), but to shout against her (Jer 50:15) with a triumphant shout, as those that are already sure of victory. Those whom God directs to shoot may do so with shouting, for they are sure not to miss the mark.

II. The desolation and destruction itself that shall be brought upon Babylon. This is here set forth in a great variety of expressions. 1. The wealth of Babylon shall be a rich and easy prey to the conquerors (Jer 50:10): Chaldea shall be a spoil to all her destroyers, who shall enrich themselves by plundering her, and, which is strange, all that spoil her shall be satisfied; they shall have so much that even they themselves shall say that they have enough. 2. The country of Babylon shall be depopulated and lie uninhabited: It shall be wholly desolate (Jer 50:13) to such a degree that every one who goes by shall triumph in her fall, and, instead of condoling with them, shall hiss at all her plagues, Jer 50:13. 3. Their ancestors shall be ashamed of their cowardice, in fleeing from the first onset (Jer 50:12), or, Your mother, Babylon itself, the mother-city, shall be confounded, when she sees herself deserted by those that should have been her guards. Thus the former ages of Christians may justly be confounded and ashamed to see how unlike them the latter ages are, and how wretchedly they have degenerated; and no sin brings a surer and sorer ruin upon persons, or people, than apostasy. 4. The great admirers of Babylon shall see it rendered very despicable: the last of kingdoms, the very tail of the nations, shall it be, a wilderness, a dry land, a desert, Jer 50:12. The country that was populous shall be dispeopled, that was enriched with a fertile soil shall become barren. 5. The great city, the head of it, shall be quite ruined. Her foundations have fallen, and therefore her walls are thrown down; for how can the walls stand when divine vengeance is at the door and shakes the very foundations? It is the vengeance of the Lord, which nothing can contend with either in law or battle. 6. There shall not be left in Babylon so much as the poor of the land, for vine-dressers and husbandmen, as there was in Israel (Jer 50:16): The sower shall be cut off from Babylon, and he that handles the sickle; the country shall be so emptied of people that there shall be none to till the ground and gather in the fruits of it. Harvest shall come, and there shall be no reapers; seed-time shall come, but there shall be no sower; God will do his part, but there shall be no men to do theirs. 7. All their auxiliary forces, which they have hired into their service, shall ??desert them, as mercenary men often do upon the approach of danger (Jer 50:16): For fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people. This was threatened before concerning Egypt, Jer 46:16.

III. The procuring provoking cause of this destruction. It comes from God's displeasure; it is because of the wrath of the Lord that Babylon shall be wholly desolate (Jer 50:13), and his wrath is righteous, for (Jer 50:14) she hath sinned against the Lord, therefore spare no arrows. Note, It is sin that makes men a mark for the arrows of God's judgments. An abundance of idolatry and immorality was to be found in Babylon, yet those are not mentioned as the reason of God's displeasure against them, but the injuries they had done to the people of God, from a principle of enmity to them as his people. They have been the destroyers of God's heritage (Jer 50:11); herein indeed God made use of them for the necessary correction of his people, and yet it is laid to their charge as a heinous crime, because they designed nothing but their utter destruction. 1. What they did against Jerusalem they did with pleasure (Jer 50:11): You were glad, you rejoice. God does not afflict his people willingly, and therefore takes it very ill if the instruments he employs afflict them willingly. When Titus Vespasian destroyed Jerusalem he wept over it, but these Chaldeans triumphed over it. 2. The spoils of Jerusalem they made use of to feed their own luxury: "You have grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls; your having conquered Jerusalem has made you very wanton and proud, easy to yourselves and formidable to all about you, and therefore you must be a spoil." Those that have thus swallowed down riches must vomit them up again. Therefore they have given their hand (Jer 50:15); they have surrendered themselves to the conqueror, have tamely yielded so that now you may take vengeance on her, now you may make reprisals and do unto her as she hath done. 3. They aimed at nothing less than the utter ruin of God's Israel: Israel is a scattered sheep, as before (Jer 50:6), that is not only barked at and worried by dogs, but even lions, the most potent adversaries, have roared upon him and driven him away, Jer 50:17. One king of Assyria carried the ten tribes quite away and devoured them; another invaded Judah, and plundered and impoverished it, tore the fleece and flesh of this poor sheep; and now at last this Nebuchadnezzar, that is the terror and plague of all his neighbours, has taken advantage of the low condition to which he is reduced, and he has fallen upon him and broken his bones, has quite ruined him, and therefore the king of Babylon must be punished as the king of Assyria was, Jer 50:18. Note, Those who pursue and prosecute the sins of their predecessors must expect to be pursued and prosecuted by their plagues; if they do as they did, let them fare as they fared.

IV. The mercy promised to the Israel of God, which shall not only accompany, but accrue from, the destruction of Babylon. 1. God will return their captivity; they shall be released out of their bondage, and brought again to their own habitation as sheep that were scattered to their own fold Jer 50:19. They still retained a title to the land of Canaan; it is their habitation still. The discontinuance of their possession was not the destruction of their right. But now they shall recover the enjoyment of it again. 2. He will restore their prosperity; they shall not only live, but live comfortably, in their own land again; they shall feed upon Carmel and Bashan, the richest and most fruitful parts of the country. These sheep shall be gathered from the deserts to which they were dispersed, and put again into good pasture, which their soul shall be satisfied with though they shall come hungry to it, having been so long stinted, and straitened, and kept short, yet they shall find enough to satiate them and shall have hearts to be satiated with it. They enquired the way to Zion (Jer 50:5), where God was to be served and worshipped. This was what they chiefly aimed at in their return; but God will not only bring them thither, but bring them also to Carmel and Bashan, where they shall abundantly feed themselves. Note, Those that return to God and their duty shall find true satisfaction of soul in so doing; and those that seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, that aim to make their habitation in Zion, the holy hill, shall have other things added to them, even all the comforts of Ephraim and Gilead, the fruitful hills. 3. God will pardon their iniquity; this is the root of all the rest (Jer 50:20): In those days the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none. Not only the punishments of their iniquity shall be taken off, but the offence which it gave to God shall be forgotten, and he will be reconciled to them. Their sin shall be before him as if it had never been; it shall be blotted out as a cloud, crossed out as a debt, shall be cast behind his back; nay, it shall be cast into the depth of the sea, shall be no longer sealed up among God's treasures, nor in any danger of appearing again or rising up against them. This denotes how fully God forgives sin; he remembers it no more. Note, Deliverances out of trouble are then comforts indeed when they are the fruits of the forgiveness of sin, Isa 38:17. Judah and Israel were so fully forgiven when they were brought back out of Babylon that they are said to have received of the Lord's hand double for all their sins, Isa 40:2. This may include also a thorough reformation of their hearts and lives, as well as a full remission of their sins. If any seek for idols or any idolatrous customs among them, after their return, there shall be none, they shall not find them; their dross shall be purely purged away, and by that it shall appear that their guilt is so; for I will pardon those whom I reserve; I will be propitious to them (so the word is) and that must be through him who is the great propitiation. Note, Those whose sins God pardons he reserves for something very great; for whom he justifies them he glorifies.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 9–20. Public domain.
Copy as
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.
Copy as

Continue studying Jeremiah 50:14 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.

Read & Compare

Commentaries

Original Language & Research

Sermons, Hymns & Audio

TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.