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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Jeremiah 51:1–58. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The particulars of this copious prophecy are dispersed and interwoven, and the same things left and returned to so often that it could not well be divided into parts, but we must endeavor to collect them under their proper heads. Let us then observe here,
I.An acknowledgment of the great pomp and power that Babylon had been in and the use that God in his providence had made of it (Jer 51:7):
Babylon hath been a golden cup, a rich and glorious empire, a golden city (Isa 14:4), a head of gold (Dan 2:38), filled with all good things, as a cup with wine. Nay, she had been a golden cup in the Lord's hand; he had in a particular manner filled and favoured her with blessings; he had made the earth drunk with this cup; some were intoxicated with her pleasures and debauched by her, others intoxicated with her terrors and destroyed by her. In both senses the New Testament Babylon is said to have made the kings of the earth drunk, Rev 17:2; Rev 18:3. Babylon had also been God's battle-axe; it was so at this time, when Jeremiah prophesied, and was likely to be yet more so, Jer 51:20. The forces of Babylon were God's weapons of war, tools in his hand, with which he broke in pieces, and knocked down, nations and kingdoms, - horses and chariots, which are so much the strength of kingdoms (Jer 51:21), - man and woman, young and old, with which kingdoms are replenished (Jer 51:22), - the shepherd and his flock, the husbandman and his oxen, with which kingdoms are maintained and supplied, Jer 51:23. Such havoc as this the Chaldeans had made when God employed them as instruments of his wrath for the chastising of the nations; and yet now Babylon itself must fall. Note, Those that have carried all before them a great while will yet at length meet with their match, and their day also will come to fall; the rod will itself be thrown into the fire at last. Nor can any think it will exempt them from God's judgments that they have been instrumental in executing his judgments on others.
II.A just complaint made of Babylon, and a charge drawn up against her by the Israel of God.
1. She is complained of for her incorrigible wickedness (Jer 51:9): We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed. The people of God that were captives among the Babylonians endeavoured, according to the instructions given them (Jer 10:11), to convince them of the folly of their idolatry, but they could not do it; still they doted as much as ever upon their graven images, and therefore the Israelites resolved to quit them and go to their own country. Yet some understand this as spoken by the forces they had hired for their assistance, declaring that they had done their best to save her from ruin, but that it was all to no purpose, and therefore they might as well go home to their respective countries; "for her judgment reaches unto heaven, and it is in vain to withstand it or think to avert it." 2. She is complained of for her inveterate malice against Israel. Other nations had been hardly used by the Chaldeans, but Israel only complains to God of it, and with confidence appeals to him (Jer 51:34, Jer 51:35): "The king of Babylon has devoured me, and crushed me, and never thought he could do enough ruin to me; he has emptied me of all that was valuable, has swallowed me up as a dragon, or whale, swallows up the little fish by shoals; he has filled his belly, filled his treasures, with my delicates, with all my pleasant things, and has cast me out, cast me away as a vessel in which there is no pleasure; and now let them be accountable for all this." Zion and Jerusalem shall say, "Let the violence done to me and my children, that are my own flesh, and pieces of myself, and all the blood of my people, which they have shed like water, be upon them; let the guilt of it lie upon them, and let it be required at their hands." Note, Ruin is not far off from those that lie under the guilt of wrong done to God's people.
III.Judgment given upon this appeal by the righteous Judge of heaven and earth, on behalf of Israel against Babylon.
he sits in the throne judging right, is ready to receive complaints, and answers (Jer 51:36): "I will plead thy cause. Leave it with me; I will in due time plead it effectually and take vengeance for thee, and every drop of Jerusalem's blood shall be accounted for with interest." Israel and Judah seemed to have been neglected and forgotten, but God had an eye to them, Jer 51:5. It is true their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. They were a provoking people and their sings were a great offence to God, as a holy God, and as their God, their Holy One; and therefore he justly delivered them up into the hands of their enemies, and might justly have abandoned them and left them to perish in their hands; but God deals better with them than they deserve, and, notwithstanding their iniquities and his severities, Israel is not forsaken, is not cast off, though he be cast out, but is owned and looked after by his God, by the Lord of hosts. God is his God still, and will act for him as the Lord of hosts, a God of power. Note, Though God's people may have broken his laws and fallen under his rebukes, yet it does not therefore follow that they are thrown out of covenant; but God's care of them and love to them will flourish again, Psa 89:30-33. The Chaldeans thought they should never be called to an account for what they had done against God's Israel; but there is a time fixed for vengeance, Jer 51:6. We cannot expect it should come sooner than the time fixed, but then it will come; he will render unto Babylon a recompence, for the avenging of Israel is the vengeance of the Lord, who espouses their cause; it is the vengeance of his temple, Jer 51:11, as before, Jer 50:28. The Lord God of recompences, the God to whom vengeance belongs, will surely requite (Jer 51:56), will pay them home; he will render unto Babylon all the evil they have done in Zion (Jer 51:24); he will return it in the sight of his people. They shall have the satisfaction to see their cause pleaded with jealousy. They shall not only live to see those judgments brought upon Babylon, but they shall plainly see them to be the punishment of the wrong they have done to Zion; any man may see it, and say, Verily there is a God that judges in the earth; for just as Babylon has caused the slain of Israel to fall, has not only slain those that were found in arms, but all without distinction, even all the land (almost all were put to the sword), so at Babylon shall fall the slain not only of the city, but of all the country, Jer 51:49. Cyrus shall measure to the Chaldeans the same that they measured to the Jews, so that every observer may discern that God is recompensing them for what they did against his people; but Zion's children shall in a particular manner triumph in it (Jer 51:10): The Lord has brought forth our righteousness; he has appeared in our behalf against those that dealt unjustly with us, and has given us redress; he has also made it to appear that he is reconciled to us and that we are yet in his eyes a righteous nation. Let it therefore be spoken of to his praise: Come and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God, that others may be invited to join with us in praising him.
IV.A declaration of the greatness and sovereignty of that God who espouses Zion's cause and undertakes to reckon with this proud and potent enemy, Jer 51:14. It is the Lord of hosts that has said it, that has sworn it, has sworn it by himself (for he could swear by no greater), that he will fill Babylon with vast and incredible numbers of the enemy's forces, will fill it with men as with caterpillars, that shall overpower it will multitudes, and need only to lift up a shout against it, for that shall be so terrible as to dispirit all the inhabitants and make them an easy prey to this numerous army. But who, and where, is he that can break so powerful a kingdom as Babylon? The prophet gives an account of him from the description he had formerly given of him, and of his sovereignty and victory over all pretenders (Jer 10:12-16), which was there intended for the conviction of the Babylonian idolaters and the confirmation of God's Israel in the faith and worship of the God of Israel; and it is here repeated to show that God will convince those by his judgments who would not be convinced by his word that he is God over all. Let not any doubt but that he who has determined to destroy Babylon is able to make his words good, for, 1. he is the God that made the world (Jer 51:15), and therefore nothing is too hard for him to do; it is in his name that our help stands, and on him our hope is built. 2. He has the command of all the creatures that he has made (Jer 51:16); his providence is a continued creation. He has wind and rain at his disposal. if he speak the word, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens (and it is a wonder how they hang there), fed by vapours out of the earth, and it is a wonder how they ascend thence. Lightnings and rain seem contraries, as fire and water, and yet they are produced together; and the wind, which seems arbitrary in its motions, and we know not whence it comes, is yet, we are sure, brought out of his treasuries. 3. The idols that oppose the accomplishment of his word are a mere sham and their worshippers brutish people, Jer 51:17, Jer 51:18. The idols are falsehood, they are vanity, they are the work of errors; when they come to be visited (to be examined and enquired into) they perish, that is, their reputation sinks and they appear to be nothing; and those that make them are like unto them. But between the God of Israel and these gods of the heathen there is no comparison (Jer 51:19): The portion of Jacob is not like them; the God who speaks this and will do it is the former of all things and the Lord of all hosts, and therefore can do what he will; and there is a near relation between him and his people, for he is their portion and they are his; they put a confidence in him as their portion and he is pleased to take a complacency in them and a particular care of them as the lot of his inheritance; and therefore he will do what is best for them. The repetition of these things here, which were said before, intimates both the certainty and the importance of them, and obliges us to take special notice of them; God hath spoken once; yea, twice have we heard this, that power belongs to God, power to destroy the most formidable enemies of his church; and if God thus speak once, yea, twice, we are inexcusable if we do not perceive it and attend to it.
V.A description of the instruments that are to be employed in this service.
God has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes (Jer 51:11), Darius and Cyrus, who come against Babylon by a divine instinct; for God's device is against Babylon to destroy it. They do it, but God devised it, he designed it; they are but accomplishing his purpose, and acting as he directed. Note, God's counsel shall stand, and according to it all hearts shall move. Those whom God employs against Babylon are compared (Jer 51:1) to a destroying wind, which either by its coldness blasts the fruits of the earth or by its fierceness blows down all before it. This wind is brought out of God's treasuries (Jer 51:16), and it is here said to be raised up against those that dwell in the midst of the Chaldeans, those of other nations that inhabit among them and are incorporated with them. The Chaldeans rise up against God by falling down before idols, and against them God will raise up destroyers, for he will be too hard for those that contend with him. These enemies are compared to fanners (Jer 51:2), who shall drive them away as chaff is driven away by the fan. The Chaldeans had been fanners to winnow God's people (Jer 15:7) and to empty them, and now they shall themselves be in like manner despoiled and dispersed.
VI.An ample commission given them to destroy and lay all waste.
Let them bend their bow against the archers of the Chaldeans (Jer 51:3) and not spare her young men, but utterly destroy them, for the Lord has both devised and done what he spoke against Babylon, Jer 51:12. This may animate the instruments he employs, but assuring them of success. The methods they take are such as God has devised and therefore they shall surely prosper; what he has spoken shall be done, for he himself will do it; and therefore let all necessary preparations be made. This they are called to, Jer 51:27, Jer 51:28. Let a standard be set up, under which to enlist soldiers for this expedition; let a trumpet be blown to call men together to it and animate them in it; let the nations, out of which Cyrus's army is to be raised, prepare their recruits; let the kingdoms of Ararat, and Minni, and Ashkenaz, of Armenia, both the higher and the lower, and of Ascania, about Phrygia and Bithynia, send in their quota of men for his service; let general officers be appointed and the cavalry advance; let the horses come up in great numbers, as the caterpillars, and come, like them, leaping and pawing in the valley; let them lay the country waste, as caterpillars do (Joe 1:4), especially rough caterpillars; let the kings and captains prepare nations against Babylon, for the service is great and there is occasion for many hands to be employed it.
VII.The weakness of the Chaldeans, and their inability to make head against this threatening destroying force.
When God employed them against other nations they had spirit and strength to act offensively, and went on with admirable resolution, conquering and to conquer; but now that it comes to their turn to be reckoned with all their might and courage are gone, their hearts fail them, and none of all their men of might and mettle have found their hands to act so much as defensively. They are called upon here to prepare for action, but it is ironically and in an upbraiding way (Jer 51:11): Make bright the arrows, which have grown rusty through disuse; gather the shields, which in a long time of peace and security have been scattered and thrown out of the way (Jer 51:12); set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, upon the towers on those walls, to summon all that owed suit and service to that mother-city, now to come in to her assistance; let them make the watch as strong as they can, and appoint the sentinels to their respective posts, and prepare ambushes for the reception of the enemy. This intimates that they would be found very secure and remiss, and would need to be thus quickened (and they were so to such a degree that they were in the midst of their revels when the city was taken), but that all their preparations should come to no purpose. Whoever will may call them to it, but they shall have no heart to come at the call, Jer 51:29. The whole land shall tremble, and sorrow (a universal consternation) shall seize upon them; for they shall see both the irresistible arm and the irreversible counsel and decree of God against them. They shall see that God is making Babylon a desolation, and therein is performing what he has purposed; and then the mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight, Jer 51:30. God having taken away their strength and spirit, so that they have remained in their holds, not daring so much as to peep forth, the might both of their hearts and of their hands fails; they become as timorous as women, so that the enemy has, without any resistance, burnt her dwelling-places and broken her bars. It is to the same purport with Jer 51:56-58. When the spoiler comes upon Babylon her mighty men, who should make head against him, are immediately taken, their weapons of war fail them, every one of their bows is broken and stands them in no stead. Their politics fail them; they call councils of war, but their princes and captains, who sit in council to concert measures for the common safety, are made drunk; they are as men intoxicated through stupidity or despair; they can form no right notions of things; they stagger and are unsteady in their counsels and resolves, and dash one against another, and, like drunken men, fall out among themselves. At length they sleep a perpetual sleep, and never awake from their wine, the wine of God's wrath, for it is to them an opiate that lays them into a fatal lethargy. The walls of their city fail them, Jer 51:58. When the enemy had found ways to ford Euphrates, which was thought impassable, yet surely, think they, the walls are impregnable, they are the broad walls of Babylon or (as the margin reads it), the walls of broad Babylon. The compass of the city, within the walls, was 385 furlongs, some say 480, that is, about sixty miles; the walls were 200 cubits high, and fifty cubits broad, so that two chariots might easily pass by one another upon them. Some say that there was a threefold wall about the inner city and the like about the outer, and that the stones of the wall, being laid in pitch instead of mortar (Gen 11:3), were scarcely separable; and yet these shall be utterly broken, and the high gates and towers shall be burnt, and the people that are employed in the defence of the city shall labour in vain in the fire; they shall quite tire themselves, but shall do no good.
VIII.The destruction that shall be made of Babylon by these invaders.
1.It is a certain destruction; the doom has passed and it cannot be reversed; a divine power is engaged against it, which cannot be resisted (Jer 51:8): Babylon is fallen and destroyed, is as sure to fall, to fall into destruction, as if it were fallen and destroyed already; though when Jeremiah prophesied this, and many a year after, it was in the height of its power and greatness. God declares, God appears against Babylon (Jer 51:25): Behold, I am against thee; and those cannot stand long whom God is against. He will stretch out his hand upon it, a hand which no creature can bear the weight of nor withstand the force of. It is his purpose, which shall be performed, that Babylon must be a desolation, Jer 51:29.
2.It is a righteous destruction. Babylon has made herself meet for it, and therefore cannot fail to meet with it. For (Jer 51:25) Babylon has been a destroying mountain, very lofty and bulky as a mountain, and destroying all the earth, as the stones that are tumbled from high mountains spoil the grounds about them; but now it shall itself be rolled down from its rocks, which were as the foundations on which it stood. It shall be levelled, its pomp and power broken. It is now a burning mountain, like Aetna and the other volcanoes, that throw out fire, to the terror of all about them. But it shall be a burnt mountain; it shall at length have consumed itself, and shall remain a heap of ashes. So will this world be at the end of time. Again (Jer 51:33), "Babylon is like a threshing-floor, in which the people of God have been long threshed, as sheaves in the floor; but now the time has come that she shall herself be threshed and her sheaves in her; her princes and great men, and all her inhabitants, shall be beaten in their own land, as in the threshing-floor. The threshing-floor is prepared. Babylon is by sin made meet to be a seat of war, and her people, like corn in harvest, are ripe for destruction," Rev 14:15; Mic 4:12.
3.It is an unavoidable destruction. Babylon seems to be well-fenced and fortified against it: She dwells upon many waters (Jer 51:13); the situation of her country is such that it seems inaccessible, it is so surrounded, and the march of an enemy into it so embarrassed, by rivers. In allusion to this, the New Testament Babylon is said to sit upon many waters, that is, to rule over many nations, as the other Babylon did, Rev 17:15. Babylon is abundant in treasures; and yet "thy end has come, and neither they waters nor thy wealth shall secure thee." This end that comes shall be the measure of thy covetousness; it shall be the stint of thy gettings, it shall set bounds to thy ambition and avarice, which otherwise would have ben boundless. God, by the destruction of Babylon, said to its proud waves, Hitherto shall you come, and no further. Note, if men will not set a measure to their covetousness by wisdom and grace, God will set a measure to it by his judgments. Babylon, thinking herself very safe and very great, was very proud; but she will be deceived (Jer 51:53): Though Babylon should mount her walls and palaces up to heaven, and though (because what is high is apt to totter) she should take care to fortify the height of her strength, yet all will not do; God will send spoilers against her, that shall break through her strength and bring down her height.
4.It is a gradual destruction, which, if they had pleased, they might have foreseen and had warning of; for (Jer 51:46) "A rumor will come one year that Cyrus is making vast preparations for war, and after that, in another year, shall come a rumour that his design is upon Babylon, and he is steering his course that way;" so that when he was a great way off they might have sent and desired conditions of peace; but they were too proud, too secure, to do that, and their hearts were hardened to their destruction.
5.Yet, when it comes, it is a surprising destruction: Babylon has suddenly fallen (Jer 51:8); the destruction came upon them when they did not think of it and was perfected in a little time, as that of the New Testament Babylon - in one hour, Rev 18:17. The king of Babylon, who should have been observing the approaches of the enemy, was himself at such a distance from the place where the attack was made that it was a great while ere he had notice that the city was taken; so that those who were posted near the place sent one messenger, one courier, after another, with advice of it, Jer 51:31. The foot-posts shall meet at the court from several quarters with this intelligence to the king of Babylon that his city is taken at one end, and there is nothing to obstruct the progress of the conquerors, but they will be at the other end quickly. They are to tell him that the enemy has seized the passes (Jer 51:32), the forts or blockades upon the river, and that, having got over the river, he has set fire to the reeds on the river side, to alarm and terrify the city, so that all the men of war are affrighted and have thrown down their arms and surrendered at discretion. The messengers come, like Job's, one upon the heels of another, with these tidings, which are immediately confirmed with a witness by the enemies' being in the palace and slaying the king himself, Dan 5:30. That profane feast which they were celebrating at the very time when the city was taken, which was both an evidence of their strange security and a great advantage to the enemy, seems here to be referred to (Jer 51:38, Jer 51:39): They shall roar together like lions, as men in their revels do, when the wine has got into their heads. They call it singing; but in scripture-language, and in the language of sober men, it is called yelling like lions' whelps. It is probable that they were drinking confusion to Cyrus and his army with loud huzzas. Well, says God, in their heat, when they are inflamed (Isa 5:11) and their heads are hot with hard drinking, I will make their feasts, I will give them their portion. They have passed their cup round; now the cup of the Lord's right hand shall be turned unto them (Hab 2:15, Hab 2:16), a cup of fury, which shall make them drunk that they may rejoice (or rather that they may revel it) and sleep a perpetual sleep; let them be as merry as they can with that bitter cup, but it shall lay them to sleep never to wake more (as Jer 51:57); for on that night, in the midst of the jollity, was Belshazzar slain.
6.It is to be a universal destruction. God will make thorough work of it; for, as he will perform what he has purposed, so he will perfect what he has begun. The slain shall fall in great abundance throughout the land of the Chaldeans; multitudes shall be thrust through in her streets, Jer 51:4. They are brought down like lambs to the slaughter (Jer 51:40), in such great numbers, so easily, and the enemies make no more of killing them than the butcher does of killing lambs. The strength of the enemy, and their invading them, are here compared to an irruption and inundation of waters (Jer 51:42): The sea has come up upon Babylon, which, when it has once broken through its bounds, there is no fence against, so that she is covered with the multitude of its waves, overpowered by a numerous army; her cities then become a desolation, an uninhabited uncultivated desert, Jer 51:43.
7.It is a destruction that shall reach the gods of Babylon, the idols and images, and fall with a particular weight upon them. "In token that the whole land shall be confounded and all her slain shall fall and that throughout all the country the wounded shall groan, I will do judgment upon her graven images," Jer 51:47 and again Jer 51:52. All must needs perish if their gods perish, from whom they expect protection. Though the invaders are themselves idolaters, yet they shall destroy the images and temples of the gods of Babylon, as an earnest of the abolishing of all counterfeit deities. Bel was the principal idol that the Babylonians worshipped, and therefore that is by name here marked for destruction (Jer 51:44): I will punish Bel, that great devourer, that image to which such abundance of sacrifices are offered and such rich spoils dedicated, and to whose temple there is such a vast resort. He shall disgorge what he has so greedily regaled himself with. God will bring forth out of his temple all the wealth laid up there, Job 20:15. His altars shall be forsaken, none shall regard him any more, and so that idol which was thought to be a wall to Babylon shall fall and fail them.
8.It shall be a final destruction. You may take balm for her pain, but in vain; she that would not be healed by the word of God shall not be healed by his providence, Jer 51:8, Jer 51:9. Babylon shall become heaps (Jer 51:37), and, to complete its infamy, no use shall be made even of the ruins of Babylon, so execrable shall they be, and attended with such ill omens (Jer 51:26): They shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations. People shall not care for having any thing to do with Babylon, or whatever belonged to it. Or it denotes that there shall be nothing left in Babylon on which to ground any hopes or attempts of raising it into a kingdom again; for, as it follows here, it shall be desolate for ever. St. Jerome says that in his time, though the ruins of Babylon's walls were to be seen, yet the ground enclosed by them was a forest of wild beasts.
IX.Here is a call to God's people to go out of Babylon.
It is their wisdom, when the ruin is approaching, to quit the city and retire into the country (Jer 51:6): "Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and get into some remote corner, that you may save your lives, and may not be cut off in her iniquity." When God's judgments are abroad it is good to get as far as we can from those against whom they are levelled, as Israel from the tents of Korah. This agrees with the advice Christ gave his disciples, with reference to the destruction of Jerusalem. Let those who shall be in Judea flee to the mountains, Mat 24:16. It is their wisdom to get out of the midst of Babylon, lest they be involved, if not in her ruins, yet in her fears (Jer 51:45, Jer 51:46): Lest your heart faint, and you fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land. Though God had told them that Cyrus should be their deliverer, and Babylon's destruction their deliverance, yet they had been told also that in the peace thereof they should have peace, and therefore the alarms given to Babylon would put them into a fright, and perhaps they might not have faith and consideration enough to suppress those fears, for which reason they are here advised to get out of the hearing of the alarms. Note, Those who have not grace enough to keep their temper in temptation should have wisdom enough to keep out of the way of temptation. But this is not all; it is not only their wisdom to quit the city when the ruin is approaching, but it is their duty to quit the country too when the ruin is accomplished, and they are set at liberty by the pulling down of the prison over their heads. This they are told, Jer 51:50, Jer 51:51 : "You Israelites, who have escaped the sword of the Chaldeans your oppressors, and of the Persians their destroyers, now that the year of release has come, go away, stand not still; hasten to your own country again, however you may be comfortably seated in Babylon, for this is not your rest, but Canaan is." 1. He puts them in mind of the inducements they had to return: "Remember the Lord afar off, his presence with you now, though you are here afar off from your native soil; his presence with your fathers formerly in the temple, though you are now afar off from the ruins of it." Note, Wherever we are, in the greatest depths, at the greatest distances, we may and must remember the Lord our God; and in the time of the greatest fears and hopes it is seasonable to remember the Lord. "And let Jerusalem come into your mind. Though it be now in ruins, yet favour its dust (Psa 102:14); though few of you ever saw it, yet believe the report you have had concerning it from those that wept when they remembered Zion; and think of Jerusalem until you come up to a resolution to make the best of your way thither." Note, When the city of our solemnities is out of sight, yet it must not be out of mind; and it will be of great use to us, in our journey through this world, to let the heavenly Jerusalem come often into our mind. 2. He takes notice of the discouragement which the returning captives labour under (Jer 51:51); being reminded of Jerusalem, they cry out, "We are confounded; we cannot bear the thought of it; shame covers our faces at the mention of it, for we have heard of the reproach of the sanctuary, that is profaned and ruined by strangers; how can we think of it with any pleasure?" To this he answers (Jer 51:52) that the God of Israel will now triumph over the gods of Babylon, and so that reproach will be for ever rolled away. Note, The believing prospect of Jerusalem's recovery will keep us from being ashamed of Jerusalem's ruins.
X.Here is the diversified feeling excited by Babylon's fall, and it is the same that we have with respect to the New Testament Babylon, Rev 18:9, Rev 18:19.
1.Some shall lament the destruction of Babylon. There is the sound of a cry, a great outcry coming from Babylon (Jer 51:54), lamenting this great destruction, the voice of mourning, because the Lord has destroyed the voice of the multitude, that great voice of mirth which used to be heard in Babylon, Jer 51:55. We are told what they shall say in their lamentations (Jer 51:41): "How is Sheshach taken, and how are we mistaken concerning her! How is that city surprised and become an astonishment among the nations that was the praise, and glory, and admiration of the whole earth!" See how that may fall into a general contempt which has been universally cried up.
2.Yet some shall rejoice in Babylon's fall, not as it is the misery of their fellow-creatures, but as it is the manifestation of the righteous judgment of God and as it opens the way for the release of God's captives; upon these accounts the heaven and the earth, and all that is in both, shall sing for Babylon (Jer 51:48); the church in heaven and the church on earth shall give to God the glory of his righteousness, and take notice of it with thankfulness to his praise. Babylon's ruin is Zion's praise.
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Summary
Jeremiah 51:23 delivers a stark prophetic declaration of God's comprehensive judgment against Babylon, portraying its utter and irreversible dismantling through an unnamed divine instrument. This verse vividly illustrates the total collapse of Babylonian society, from its foundational agricultural and pastoral sectors to its military and political leadership, emphasizing that no part of the oppressive empire would escape divine retribution. It underscores the absolute sovereignty of God in orchestrating the downfall of even the most formidable earthly powers, ensuring their complete fragmentation.
Context
Literary Context
Jeremiah 51:23 is strategically placed within a lengthy and detailed oracle against Babylon, encompassing chapters 50 and 51. This extended prophecy serves as a powerful theological reversal, as Babylon, previously God's instrument of judgment against Judah, now faces its own comprehensive destruction. Specifically, verses 20-23 of chapter 51 present a striking and ironic metaphor: Babylon, once God's "hammer" to shatter nations, is now itself destined to be shattered. The preceding verses detail Babylon's egregious pride, pervasive idolatry, and brutal oppression of other nations, particularly Judah, thereby establishing the divine justification for the severe judgment described. The insistent repetition of the phrase "break in pieces" throughout these verses intensifies the imagery of total devastation, linking this verse directly to the broader theme of divine recompense and the complete dismantling of Babylon's power.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecy against Babylon was delivered during a period when Babylon stood as the preeminent global superpower, having conquered Judah and forcibly exiled its people to Mesopotamia. The "thee" in this verse refers to the divinely appointed instrument through which God would execute this judgment, historically identified as the Medes and Persians under the leadership of Cyrus the Great, who ultimately conquered Babylon in 539 BC. This pivotal historical event served as a powerful validation of Jeremiah's prophetic words, demonstrating God's sovereign control over the rise and fall of nations and empires. The specific societal roles enumerated – "shepherd," "husbandman," "captains," and "rulers" – represent the full spectrum of Babylonian society, from the general populace and their agricultural base to the military and political elite. Their collective "breaking in pieces" signifies the complete unraveling of Babylon's societal fabric, its economic sustenance, its military might, and its capacity for self-governance, reflecting the profound and debilitating reality of a conquered and utterly dismantled nation.
Key Themes
This verse profoundly contributes to several key themes woven throughout the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it powerfully highlights Divine Sovereignty in Judgment, emphasizing that God is the ultimate orchestrator of history, raising up and bringing down empires according to His righteous will. This truth is echoed in Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, where earthly kingdoms are shown to be transient and subject to God's ultimate authority. The repeated declaration, "I will also break in pieces with thee," underscores God's direct and active agency in orchestrating Babylon's downfall. Secondly, it illustrates Total and Comprehensive Destruction, signifying that Babylon's judgment would be absolute, sparing no segment of its society, from the common people to the highest authorities. This all-encompassing nature of judgment is a recurring motif in prophecies against oppressive nations, signifying a complete end to their tyrannical reign. Thirdly, it speaks to Retributive Justice, where Babylon, which had violently "broken in pieces" other nations and cruelly oppressed God's people, would now suffer a similar, divinely imposed fate. This principle of divine recompense resonates deeply with the broader biblical understanding that God repays the wicked according to their deeds.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root, translated "break in pieces," carries a powerful and violent connotation of shattering, dashing to pieces, or scattering. Its insistent repetition in Jeremiah 51:20-23 emphasizes the thorough, irreversible, and destructive nature of God's judgment against Babylon. It implies a complete fragmentation, leaving nothing intact, signifying the utter demolition of Babylon's power, structure, and very existence as a formidable empire.
While primarily meaning "to tend a flock" or "to pasture," this root, translated "shepherd," also extends to "to rule" or "to associate with." In this context, "shepherd" represents the leadership and caretakers of the populace, encompassing both civil and possibly religious authorities. The breaking of the shepherd and his flock signifies the dismantling of the entire social order, from those who lead to those who are led, indicating a complete societal breakdown.
Derived from an unused root meaning "to superintend," this term, translated "rulers," refers to a prefect or governor of a province. Alongside "captains" (pechâh), it denotes the highest echelons of military and political authority within the Babylonian empire. Their destruction signifies the complete overthrow of the established governmental and military structures, leaving the empire without leadership, defense, or administrative capacity.
Verse Breakdown
"I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock;"
This initial clause sets the tone for the comprehensive description of Babylon's imminent downfall. The "shepherd" symbolizes the leaders, governors, and those responsible for the welfare and direction of the people, while the "flock" represents the general populace under their care. God declares His intent to shatter this fundamental societal unit, indicating the collapse of both leadership and the common people, leading to widespread societal chaos and dissolution.
"and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen;"
This second clause extends the judgment to the agricultural foundation of Babylonian society. The "husbandman" (farmer) and his "yoke of oxen" represent the productive capacity, the very means of sustenance, and the economic base of the empire. Their destruction signifies the ruin of Babylon's economy, its ability to feed itself, and the devastation of its rural and working classes, ensuring a complete and utter collapse from the ground up that impacts daily life.
"and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers."
The final clause targets the military and political elite, the very pillars of Babylon's power. "Captains" refer to military commanders or provincial governors, while "rulers" denote high-ranking officials or prefects. This signifies the dismantling of Babylon's instruments of power – its formidable military might and its sophisticated administrative structure. The judgment is thus shown to be total, affecting every stratum and function of Babylonian society, from the common citizen and the economic base to the highest echelons of military and political authority.
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 51:23 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to underscore the severity and totality of God's judgment against Babylon. The most prominent is Anaphora, the deliberate repetition of the phrase "I will also break in pieces with thee" at the beginning of each successive clause. This insistent repetition creates a powerful, rhythmic, and almost hammering effect, mirroring the very act of shattering it describes and emphasizing the divine resolve and comprehensive nature of the destruction. Furthermore, the verse skillfully utilizes Merism, a rhetorical device where two contrasting or complementary parts of a whole are used to represent the whole itself. By listing "the shepherd and his flock," "the husbandman and his yoke of oxen," and "captains and rulers," the prophet effectively covers the entire spectrum of Babylonian society – from its pastoral and agricultural roots to its military and political leadership. This signifies that no one, and no part of the empire, would be exempt from the impending judgment. Finally, Symbolism is profoundly evident in the choice of societal roles: the "shepherd" symbolizes leadership and care, the "husbandman" represents the foundational agricultural economy, and "captains and rulers" embody the military and governmental authority. The breaking of these symbolic figures vividly conveys the complete dismantling of Babylon's social, economic, and political structures.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jeremiah 51:23 profoundly illustrates God's absolute sovereignty over human history and His unwavering commitment to justice. It reveals that no empire, however mighty or oppressive, can ultimately defy the divine will. Babylon, which had been God's instrument for judging Judah, now faces its own judgment, demonstrating that God holds all nations accountable for their actions, particularly their pride, idolatry, and cruelty towards His people. This passage serves as a potent reminder that earthly power is transient and subject to the ultimate authority of the Almighty, offering both a solemn warning to the proud and a profound hope to the oppressed that divine justice will ultimately prevail.
Reflection and Application
Jeremiah 51:23 offers timeless truths that resonate deeply with believers today, providing both comfort and a challenging call to action. It serves as a powerful affirmation of God's unwavering justice, assuring us that He sees all injustice, hears the cries of the oppressed, and will ultimately bring every oppressive system and every act of prideful defiance to account. This truth provides immense comfort and hope for those suffering under tyranny, economic exploitation, or any form of systemic evil, reminding us that no earthly power is beyond God's reach or immune to His judgment. Conversely, this verse stands as a stark warning to those in positions of power, whether political, economic, or spiritual: all authority is ultimately derived from God, and those who wield it unjustly will face divine reckoning. True strength and lasting influence are found not in oppression or self-aggrandizement, but in righteousness, humility, and faithful stewardship of the power entrusted to us. This verse calls us, as followers of God, to trust in His ultimate control over history and to actively align ourselves with His purposes of justice and righteousness in our own spheres of influence, working for the good of all and standing against injustice wherever we encounter it.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who is "thee" in Jeremiah 51:23, and why is this instrument left unnamed?
The "thee" in Jeremiah 51:23 refers to the instrument God would use to execute His devastating judgment against Babylon. While not explicitly named in this specific verse, the broader context of Jeremiah 50-51, along with historical fulfillment, identifies this instrument primarily as the Medes and Persians under the leadership of Cyrus the Great. God often uses human agents and nations as instruments of His divine will, as seen in Isaiah's prophecy concerning Cyrus. Leaving the instrument unnamed in this particular verse might serve to emphasize that the power, initiative, and ultimate authority for Babylon's destruction come solely from God, making the human agent secondary to His sovereign purpose. It highlights God's absolute control over history, raising up and bringing down empires as He sees fit, demonstrating that no earthly power can withstand His decree.
What does the repeated phrase "break in pieces" signify for Babylon's fate?
The repeated phrase "break in pieces" (from the Hebrew root nâphats) signifies a complete, violent, and irreversible destruction. It is not merely a defeat or a weakening, but a shattering, a dashing into fragments, and a scattering that leaves nothing intact. For Babylon, this meant the utter dismantling of its entire societal structure, from its leadership and military (captains and rulers) to its agricultural base (husbandman and his yoke of oxen) and its general populace (shepherd and his flock). This comprehensive imagery underscores that Babylon's power, pride, and oppressive systems would be utterly annihilated, leaving no remnant of its former glory or strength. This reflects God's promise to utterly destroy Babylon as a just recompense for its arrogance and cruelty.
How does this ancient prophecy against Babylon apply to contemporary issues of power, justice, and oppression?
This ancient prophecy holds profound and enduring contemporary relevance. Firstly, it serves as a timeless reminder that God is sovereign over all nations and history, and no earthly power, however formidable or oppressive, can ultimately escape His judgment. This offers immense hope to those suffering under tyrannical regimes or systemic injustice, assuring them that God sees their plight and will act in His perfect timing. Secondly, it calls those in positions of power, whether political, economic, or social, to profound humility and accountability. The destruction of Babylon's entire societal structure warns against the dangers of pride, idolatry, and the abuse of authority, teaching that true lasting strength comes from righteousness and justice, not from oppression or self-aggrandizement. Finally, it encourages believers to trust in God's ultimate plan for justice and to actively participate in seeking righteousness in their own spheres, knowing that God will ultimately bring all things to account, as promised in Revelation's vision of the fall of "Babylon the Great", which symbolizes all worldly systems opposed to God.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Jeremiah 51:23 directly prophesies the historical downfall of ancient Babylon, its profound themes of divine sovereignty, comprehensive judgment against oppressive systems, and the ultimate triumph of justice find their ultimate and most complete Christ-centered fulfillment. Jesus Christ is the ultimate and true "shepherd" of God's people, the righteous King who will finally break in pieces all oppressive powers and establish His eternal, unshakeable kingdom. The judgment against Babylon serves as a powerful foreshadowing of the ultimate judgment of all unrighteousness and every system that stands in opposition to God's righteous reign, a judgment that culminates in Christ's triumphant return. Just as Babylon's economic, social, and political structures were shattered, so too will all earthly systems of injustice, rebellion, and human pride be brought to nothing before the reigning Christ, to whom all authority in heaven and on earth has been given. The "breaking in pieces" of the shepherd, husbandman, captains, and rulers of Babylon points to the dismantling of all human authority that resists God, making way for the singular, unchallenged reign of the Lamb of God, who is King of kings and Lord of lords. Through His atoning sacrifice and victorious resurrection, Christ has already triumphed over and disarmed the spiritual powers of darkness, and in His second coming, He will bring full and final judgment upon all forms of "Babylon" – the symbolic representation of all worldly systems opposed to God – ushering in a new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells eternally, as promised in 2 Peter 3:13.