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Jeremiah 51:5

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

For Israel [hath] not [been] forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the Lord of hosts,.... That is, not totally and finally; for though they might seem to be forsaken, when carried captive by their enemies, yet they were not in such sense as a woman is deprived of her husband when dead, and she is become a widow, as the word (d) used may signify; or...

Jeremiah 51:6

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Flee out of the midst of Babylon,.... This is said either to such as were there of other nations upon trade and business, as Kimchi, to get out of it as fast as they could, that they might not be consumed; or to the Israelites, as Jarchi, the Jews that were captives there. This is applied to the people of God in mystical Babylon, Revelation 18:4;...

Jeremiah 51:7

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Babylon [hath been] a golden cup in the hand of the Lord,.... Either so called from the liquor in it, being of a yellow colour, or pure as gold, as the Jewish commentators generally; or from the matter of it, being made of gold, denoting the grandeur, splendour, and riches of the Babylonian empire; which, for the same reason, is called the head of...

Jeremiah 51:8

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed,.... Or "broken" (g); even into shivers, as a cup is; for when it had been used to answer the purposes designed by the Lord, he let it fall cut of his hands at once, and it was broken; or rather he dashed it in pieces, as a potter's vessel. The destruction of Babylon was brought about in a very short time,...

Jeremiah 51:9

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed,.... These are either the words of the friends of Babylon of her auxiliaries and allies, who did all they could to defend her against the Persians, but to no purpose; it was not in their power to help her; the time of her destruction was come, and there was no avoiding it; or of the prophets and...

Jeremiah 51:10

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness,.... Or "righteousnesses" (i) this, as Kimchi observes, is spoken in the person of the Israelites; not as though the Jews had done no iniquity, for which they were carried captive; they had committed much, and were far from being righteous in themselves, but were so in comparison of the Chaldeans; and...

Jeremiah 51:11

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Make bright the arrows,.... Which were covered with rust; scour them of it; anoint them with oil, as armour were wont to be; make them neat, clean, and bright, that they may pierce the deeper; hence we read of a "polished shaft", or arrow, one made bright and pure, Isaiah 49:2; agreeably to this some render the word "sharpen the arrows" (k); so...

Jeremiah 51:12

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon,.... This is not said to the Medes and Persians, to put up a flag on the walls of Babylon, as a sign of victory, as Kimchi, Abarbinel, and others think; for as yet the city is not supposed to be taken by what follows; but rather to the Babylonians, to set up an ensign on their walls, to gather the...

Jeremiah 51:13

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

O thou that dwellest upon many waters,.... Here Babylon is addressed, either by the Lord, or by the prophet, or the godly Jews; who is described by her, situation, which was by the great river Euphrates; which being branched out into several canals or rivers, both ran through it, and encompassed it; hence mention is made of the rivers of Babylon,...

Jeremiah 51:14

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

The Lord hath sworn by himself, [saying],.... Or, "by his soul" or "life" (q); which is himself, than which he cannot swear by a greater, Hebrews 6:13; and the certain performance of what he swears unto need not be doubted of; and indeed the design of the oath is to assure of the truth of the thing, about which, after this, there ought to be no...

Jeremiah 51:15

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding. The Targum prefaces the words thus, "these things saith he who hath made the earth, c.'' The verses Jeremiah 51:16 are the same with Jeremiah 10:12. God is described by his sovereignty, power, and wisdom and the...

Jeremiah 51:16

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

When he uttereth [his] voice, [there is] a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. [See comments on Jeremiah 10:13].

Jeremiah 51:17

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Every man is brutish by [his] knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image [is] falsehood, and [there is] no breath in them. [See comments on Jeremiah 10:14].

Jeremiah 51:19

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

The portion of Jacob [is] not like them; for he [is] the former of all things: and [Israel is] the rod of his inheritance: the Lord of hosts [is] his name. [See comments on Jeremiah 10:16].

Jeremiah 51:20

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Thou [art] my battle axe [and] weapons of war,.... This is said by the Lord, either to Cyrus, as some, to which our version inclines, whom God made use of as an instrument to subdue nations and kingdoms, and destroy them; see Isaiah 45:1; or rather Babylon, and the king of it, who had been the hammer of the earth, Jeremiah 50:23; as it may be...

Jeremiah 51:21

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider,.... Or, "have broken": meaning the cavalry of an army, wherein lies its chief strength: and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider; which were also used in war.

Jeremiah 51:22

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And with thee also will I break in pieces man and woman,.... Or, "have broken"; having no respect to any sex, and to the propagation of posterity: and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; not sparing men of any age, however useful they might be, the one for their wisdom, the other for their strength: and with thee will I break in pieces...

Jeremiah 51:23

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock,.... Or, have broken; which Abarbinel thinks respects the Arabians particularly, who were shepherds, and dwelt in tents; but it rather signifies shepherds and their flocks in general; who were killed or scattered wherever his armies came, which spared none, even the most innocent...

Jeremiah 51:24

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

And I will render unto Babylon, and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea,.... Or, "but I will render" (w), c. though I have made this use of Babylon, she shall not be spared, but receive her just recompense of reward not the city of Babylon only, but the whole land of Chaldea, and all the inhabitants of it: all their evil that they have done in Zion,...