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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Jeremiah 50:9–20. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
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.
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Summary
Jeremiah 50:16 delivers a potent prophetic declaration concerning the impending and comprehensive desolation of Babylon, the preeminent empire of its era. This verse vividly portrays the cessation of all agricultural activity and productivity within the land, symbolizing a complete collapse of its economic and societal foundations. Furthermore, it predicts the terrified scattering of its diverse foreign inhabitants and mercenaries, who, in dread of an invading "oppressing sword," would abandon the city and flee back to their native lands, signifying the irreversible unraveling of Babylon's imperial might and the dramatic reversal of its former glory.
Context
Literary Context
Jeremiah 50:16 is strategically positioned within a lengthy and detailed oracle against Babylon, encompassing chapters 50 and 51 of the book of Jeremiah. This extensive section marks a significant thematic shift within the prophet's message, moving from pronouncements of judgment against Judah and surrounding nations (as seen in Jeremiah 46-49) to the ultimate divine judgment against Babylon, the very instrument God used to chastise Judah. This oracle serves as a theological climax, powerfully demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty not only over His covenant people but over all nations, particularly those who have oppressed His chosen ones. The agricultural imagery in verse 16, depicting the cutting off of sowers and reapers, immediately follows declarations of Babylon's utter destruction and the call for nations to gather against it, thereby setting the stage for a profound reversal of fortunes where the once-proud oppressor becomes the utterly oppressed.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecy in Jeremiah 50-51 was delivered during a period when Babylon, under the Neo-Babylonian Empire led by King Nebuchadnezzar II, stood as the undisputed superpower of the ancient Near East. Having conquered Judah, destroyed Jerusalem, and exiled its people (circa 586 BC), Babylon was renowned for its immense wealth, formidable military, and highly advanced agricultural systems, sustained by the fertile Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Its population was a cosmopolitan mix of native Babylonians and peoples from conquered territories, many of whom served as mercenaries, laborers, or administrators. The imagery of the "sower" and "sickle" would have resonated deeply within an agrarian society, representing the very source of life, sustenance, and future prosperity. The "oppressing sword" directly foreshadows the Medo-Persian forces, who, under Cyrus the Great, would conquer Babylon in 539 BC, fulfilling this prophecy and leading to the eventual return of the Jewish exiles, as famously foretold in Jeremiah 29:10.
Key Themes
This verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes pervasive within Jeremiah and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it powerfully underscores the theme of Divine Judgment and Retribution, demonstrating that God holds even the most powerful empires accountable for their pride, idolatry, and especially their brutal oppression of His people. Secondly, it highlights the Impermanence of Earthly Power, vividly illustrating that Babylon's immense might, despite its grandeur and perceived invincibility, was ultimately transient and entirely subject to God's supreme decree. The agricultural imagery vividly portrays Utter Desolation and Cessation, signaling an end to the very lifeblood, productivity, and future of the land. Finally, the scattering of Babylon's diverse foreign inhabitants stands in stark Contrast to the future Restoration of God's People, foreshadowing the promised return of Judah from exile, a central message of hope found in Jeremiah's prophecies, particularly in passages like Jeremiah 30.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root signifies to "cut (off, down or asunder)," and by strong implication, "to destroy or consume." In the context of Jeremiah 50:16, the command to "cut off the sower" denotes a decisive, complete, and permanent termination of agricultural activity and, by extension, the very population and future viability of Babylon. It speaks to a divine decree of utter and irreversible destruction, not merely a temporary halt.
Derived from a primitive root meaning "to sow," this term refers to one who plants seeds. As a central and indispensable figure in an agrarian society, the sower represents productivity, the promise of future harvest, and the continuity of life itself. To "cut off the sower" is to sever the very possibility of future sustenance, growth, and population increase, symbolizing the complete desolation and depopulation of Babylon, rendering the land barren.
This primitive root means "to rage or be violent," and by implication, "to suppress" or "to maltreat." When applied to the "sword," as it is here, it emphatically highlights the brutal, violent, and destructive nature of the invading force. It underscores the profound terror and coercive power that would compel Babylon's inhabitants and foreign residents to flee, thereby emphasizing the severity and ruthlessness of the divine judgment enacted through this "oppressing sword."
Verse Breakdown
"Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest"
This opening command functions as a powerful prophetic declaration of imminent divine judgment. It signifies the complete and utter cessation of all agricultural activity, which formed the very foundation of Babylon's sustenance, wealth, and prosperity. By removing both the sower (who initiates the cycle of growth) and the one who handles the sickle (who gathers the fruits of labor), the prophecy indicates a total end to life, productivity, and future prospects within Babylon. The imagery vividly suggests that the once-fertile land will become barren, uncultivated, and ultimately uninhabited, unable to support any form of life.
"for fear of the oppressing sword"
This clause provides the immediate and terrifying catalyst for the predicted flight and subsequent desolation. The "oppressing sword" refers directly to the invading military force—specifically the Medo-Persians—which would bring about Babylon's dramatic downfall. The "fear" it instills is portrayed as so profound and overwhelming that it compels a mass exodus, highlighting the sheer terror, violence, and irresistible force accompanying God's righteous judgment against the proud empire.
"they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land"
This final clause describes the inevitable and widespread consequence of the impending invasion. "They" refers to the diverse foreign populations, including mercenaries, merchants, and exiles from various nations, who had been drawn to Babylon by its immense power, wealth, and opportunities. Their panicked flight signifies the complete unraveling of Babylon's multi-ethnic strength and the total collapse of its imperial structure. This mass scattering of foreign residents stands in stark contrast to the eventual, divinely orchestrated return of God's own people, Israel, to their homeland, underscoring the dramatic reversal of fortunes ordained by the sovereign God.
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 50:16 is exceptionally rich in Imagery and Symbolism, primarily drawing from the familiar agrarian life common in the ancient Near East. The "sower" and the one who "handleth the sickle" serve as vivid Metaphors for the very essence of life, productive labor, and future sustenance within a society. Their "cutting off" powerfully symbolizes the complete and utter desolation of Babylon, representing a profound reversal of its former abundance and a cessation of its population and vitality. The "oppressing sword" functions as a potent Symbol of the conquering military force and, more profoundly, as the instrument of divine judgment, emphasizing the violence, terror, and destructive power that would accompany Babylon's catastrophic fall. The phrase "they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land" employs Hyperbole to underscore the widespread, comprehensive, and panicked scattering of Babylon's foreign inhabitants, thereby emphasizing the total collapse of its imperial structure and the reversal of its previous policy of gathering and incorporating conquered peoples. The verse also implicitly uses Contrast, juxtaposing Babylon's once-mighty and populous state with its prophesied future of barrenness, abandonment, and desolation.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This verse powerfully articulates God's unwavering commitment to justice and His ultimate, unchallenged sovereignty over all nations. It demonstrates unequivocally that no earthly power, however formidable or seemingly invincible, is beyond His reach or exempt from His righteous judgment, especially when that power engages in pride, idolatry, and the cruel oppression of His people. The prophesied desolation of Babylon, vividly symbolized by the cessation of its agricultural life and the panicked scattering of its inhabitants, serves as a stark and enduring reminder of the transient nature of all worldly empires and the inherent futility of placing ultimate trust in human strength, military might, or material achievements. For those who are oppressed, marginalized, or suffering under tyrannical regimes, this prophecy offers a profound message of comfort and hope: God hears the cries of His suffering people and will act decisively, in His perfect timing, to bring about their deliverance and to hold their oppressors fully accountable, often using other nations as instruments of His divine will and justice.
Reflection and Application
Jeremiah 50:16 offers profound and enduring lessons for contemporary believers and societies. It calls us to reflect deeply on the transient nature of all human power, economic stability, and personal achievements, urging us to place our ultimate hope, security, and allegiance not in fleeting earthly empires or temporal successes, but in the eternal, just, and unshakable reign of God. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that God is actively and sovereignly involved in the affairs of nations, bringing down the proud and raising up the humble according to His righteous will. It challenges us, both as individuals and as communities, to critically examine our own lives and societal structures for any forms of oppression, injustice, or arrogant pride that might invite divine judgment. Furthermore, for those who feel oppressed, marginalized, or are suffering under various forms of spiritual, social, or political tyranny, this prophecy serves as a potent source of comfort and unyielding hope, assuring them that God sees their suffering, hears their cries, and will, in His perfect timing and wisdom, bring about justice and deliverance, just as He faithfully did for His covenant people in ancient Babylon.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who are "the sower" and "him that handleth the sickle" in this verse?
"The sower" and "him that handleth the sickle" are profoundly symbolic figures representing the agricultural workforce and, by extension, the entire productive capacity, economic vitality, and population of Babylon. In an ancient agrarian society, sowing and harvesting were not merely tasks but fundamental activities essential for survival, prosperity, and the very continuation of life. By commanding that these activities be "cut off," the prophecy signifies a complete, permanent cessation of life, productivity, and future prospects within Babylon. It implies that the once-fertile land will become desolate, uncultivated, and uninhabited, a stark and dramatic reversal of its former abundance and a powerful image of total destruction. This imagery emphatically underscores the comprehensive nature of God's judgment, affecting the very foundations of the empire's sustenance and existence.
What is the significance of "the oppressing sword" and the subsequent flight?
"The oppressing sword" refers to the invading military force that would conquer Babylon, historically identified as the Medo-Persian army under Cyrus the Great. The term "oppressing" highlights the violent, terrifying, and utterly destructive nature of this invasion, which would instill such profound fear that it would compel a mass exodus. The subsequent flight of "every one to his people, and every one to his own land" refers to the diverse foreign populations, including mercenaries, merchants, and exiles, who had settled in Babylon due to its imperial power, wealth, and opportunities. Their panicked scattering signifies the complete unraveling of Babylon's multi-ethnic strength and the total collapse of its imperial structure. This catastrophic event not only fulfilled God's righteous judgment against Babylon but also providentially paved the way for the return of God's own covenant people, Judah, from exile, as explicitly detailed in Ezra 1:1-4.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Jeremiah 50:16 speaks directly to the historical judgment upon ancient Babylon, its profound theological trajectory finds ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the decisive triumph of Jesus Christ over all oppressive powers and the establishment of His eternal, unshakable kingdom. The "oppressing sword" that brought down Babylon foreshadows the spiritual victory of Christ, who, through His cross, disarmed the principalities and powers of darkness, triumphing over them publicly (see Colossians 2:15). Just as Babylon's economic and societal foundations were "cut off" and rendered desolate, Christ's sacrificial death and glorious resurrection decisively cut off the dominion of sin and death, which had held humanity captive, offering true freedom and new life (see Romans 6:6-7). The scattering of Babylon's diverse foreign populations finds its redemptive counterpart in the glorious gathering of all peoples—every tribe, tongue, and nation—into the one body of Christ, forming a new spiritual Israel, united under His headship (see Revelation 7:9-10). The fleeting and transient nature of Babylon's earthly kingdom stands in stark, eternal contrast to the unshakable and everlasting kingdom of God, inaugurated by Christ, over which He reigns with all authority in heaven and on earth (see Hebrews 12:28 and Matthew 28:18). Ultimately, the judgment against Babylon points forward to the final, cosmic judgment of all unrighteousness and the full establishment of Christ's perfect reign, where justice will prevail eternally and His redeemed people will dwell securely in His presence, forever free from all oppression and fear.