Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land.
Cut off {H3772} the sower {H2232} from Babylon {H894}, and him that handleth {H8610} the sickle {H4038} in the time {H6256} of harvest {H7105}: for fear {H6440} of the oppressing {H3238} sword {H2719} they shall turn {H6437} every one {H376} to his people {H5971}, and they shall flee {H5127} every one {H376} to his own land {H776}.
Cut off the sower from Bavel and the reaper with sickle at harvest-time. For fear of the destroying sword everyone returns to his own people, each one flees to his own land.
Cut off the sower from Babylon, and the one who wields the sickle at harvest time. In the face of the oppressor’s sword, each will turn to his own people, each will flee to his own land.
Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land.
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Isaiah 13:14
And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land. -
Jeremiah 51:9
We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up [even] to the skies. -
Jeremiah 46:16
He made many to fall, yea, one fell upon another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword. -
Joel 1:11
Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished. -
Jeremiah 51:23
I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers. -
Amos 5:16
¶ Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing [shall be] in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing. -
Jeremiah 25:38
He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.
Jeremiah 50:16 is part of a significant prophetic oracle against Babylon, detailing its impending destruction. This chapter, along with Jeremiah 51, vividly describes the downfall of the superpower that had enslaved Judah.
Context of Jeremiah 50:16
The book of Jeremiah primarily addresses the Kingdom of Judah before and during the Babylonian exile. While much of Jeremiah warns Judah of impending judgment due to their idolatry and disobedience, chapters 46-51 contain prophecies against various foreign nations, with Babylon receiving the most extensive condemnation. Jeremiah 50 predicts Babylon's complete desolation, orchestrated by God as an act of justice for its arrogance and its cruel treatment of God's people, Israel.
Historically, this prophecy was fulfilled when the Medo-Persian empire, under King Cyrus, conquered Babylon in 539 BC, leading to the eventual return of the Jewish exiles to their homeland, as prophesied in Jeremiah 29:10 and Ezra 1:1.
Key Themes and Messages
Linguistic Insights
The imagery of the "sower" and the one "that handleth the sickle" are common biblical metaphors for agricultural activity, representing life, sustenance, and the future. By cutting these off, the prophecy indicates a complete end to Babylon's vitality and population. The "oppressing sword" refers to the conquering military force, emphasizing the violent and decisive nature of the judgment that would befall Babylon.
Practical Application
Jeremiah 50:16 offers timeless truths for all generations: