Jeremiah 50:41

Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.

Behold, a people {H5971} shall come {H935} from the north {H6828}, and a great {H1419} nation {H1471}, and many {H7227} kings {H4428} shall be raised up {H5782} from the coasts {H3411} of the earth {H776}.

"Look! A people is coming from the north; a great nation and many kings are being stirred up from the ends of the earth.

Behold, an army is coming from the north; a great nation and many kings are stirred up from the ends of the earth.

Behold, a people cometh from the north; and a great nation and many kings shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

Commentary

Jeremiah 50:41 is part of a sweeping prophetic oracle (Jeremiah 50-51) detailing the impending destruction of Babylon, the mighty empire that had previously conquered Judah. This verse specifically describes the formidable invading force God would raise up to execute His judgment.

Context

The book of Jeremiah contains extensive prophecies against various nations, but chapters 50 and 51 are uniquely dedicated to Babylon. Though Babylon had been God's instrument for punishing Judah for its sins (Jeremiah 25:9), its own pride, idolatry, and cruelty meant it would not escape divine retribution. The phrase "a people shall come from the north" is a recurring motif in Jeremiah, often signifying the instrument of God's judgment. In this specific context, it refers to the Medes and Persians, who, under Cyrus the Great, would conquer Babylon in 539 BC. This direction, "from the north," was consistently associated with impending doom for Judah and its enemies in Jeremiah's prophecies (Jeremiah 1:14). The mention of "a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth" signifies a vast coalition or the widespread reach of the Medo-Persian empire, gathering forces from diverse and distant regions to fulfill God's decree against Babylon.

Key Themes

  • Divine Sovereignty: This verse powerfully illustrates God's absolute control over nations and historical events. He raises up and casts down empires according to His divine purpose, demonstrating that no earthly power is beyond His reach (Daniel 2:21).
  • Prophetic Fulfillment: The precision of this prophecy, later fulfilled by Cyrus the Great and the Medo-Persians, underscores the reliability and truthfulness of God's Word. It reinforces the biblical principle that what God declares will surely come to pass.
  • Justice and Retribution: Babylon, which had acted with arrogance and cruelty against God's people and other nations, now faces its own reckoning. God's justice ensures that wickedness and injustice, even by powerful empires, will not go unpunished indefinitely.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "coasts of the earth" (Hebrew: qatswe ha'arets) literally means "ends of the earth" or "uttermost parts of the land." This emphasizes the vastness and diversity of the forces God would gather against Babylon, indicating that the invaders would come from far-flung, remote regions, not merely neighboring adversaries.

Practical Application

For believers today, Jeremiah 50:41 offers profound reassurance and a sober warning:

  • God's Unwavering Control: In a world often marked by geopolitical instability and the rise and fall of nations, this passage reminds us that God remains sovereign over all global affairs. His ultimate plans will prevail, providing comfort and peace amidst uncertainty.
  • Accountability of Nations: This prophecy serves as a powerful reminder that all nations, leaders, and systems are ultimately accountable to God. Pride, injustice, and rebellion against God's moral order will eventually face divine judgment.
  • Trust in God's Word: The historical fulfillment of prophecies like this one strengthens faith in the Bible's reliability and God's faithfulness to His promises and warnings. It encourages us to trust that His Word is true and His purposes will be accomplished.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 51:27

    Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillers.

  • Jeremiah 51:28

    Prepare against her the nations with the kings of the Medes, the captains thereof, and all the rulers thereof, and all the land of his dominion.

  • Jeremiah 50:9

    ¶ For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows [shall be] as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.

  • Isaiah 13:2

    Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

  • Isaiah 13:5

    They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, [even] the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

  • Jeremiah 6:22

    Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.

  • Jeremiah 6:23

    They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they [are] cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.
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