PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

(The parentheses represent poetic literary units)

READING CYCLE THREE (see introductory section)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary,which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. There is little historical evidence for an invasion of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar II.

1. fragment of Nebuchadnezzar annals from the 37^th year (568-567 b.c.)

2. Herodotus

3. Ezekiel 29:19-21

B. The invasion may have been a punitive raid which, after initial success, was suspended. After this the political relationship between Egypt and Neo-Babylon improved.

C. There was another military campaign against Egypt by Nabonidus (550-539 b.c.) in the closing days of the Neo-Babylonian Empire which lasted ten years.

D. Chapters 43 and 44 are a literary unit but deal with two different groups of Judean refugees.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 44:1-10
¹The word that came to Jeremiah for all the Jews living in the land of Egypt, those who were living in Migdol, Tahpanhes, Memphis, and the land of Pathros, saying, ²"Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, 'You yourselves have seen all the calamity that I have brought on Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah; and behold, this day they are in ruins and no one lives in them, ³because of their wickedness which they committed so as to provoke Me to anger by continuing to burn sacrifices and to serve other gods whom they had not known, neither they, you, nor your fathers. ⁴Yet I sent you all My servants the prophets, again and again, saying, "Oh, do not do this abominable thing which I hate." ⁵But they did not listen or incline their ears to turn from their wickedness, so as not to burn sacrifices to other gods. ⁶Therefore My wrath and My anger were poured out and burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, so they have become a ruin and a desolation as it is this day. ⁷Now then thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, "Why are you doing great harm to yourselves, so as to cut off from you man and woman, child and infant, from among Judah, leaving yourselves without remnant, ⁸provoking Me to anger with the works of your hands, burning sacrifices to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you are entering to reside, so that you might be cut off and become a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? ⁹Have you forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? ¹⁰But they have not become contrite even to this day, nor have they feared nor walked in My law or My statutes, which I have set before you and before your fathers."'

44:1 The cities of Migdol and Tahpanhes are in the eastern delta region. Memphis is about 100 miles up the Nile. The Land of Pathros is another 100 miles up the Nile (i.e., city of No-Amon). These locations would represent most of Egypt.

It is surprising that the expected full phrase "the word. . .from the Lord" is shortened but it still reflects the full revelatory formula of 7:1; 11:1; 18:1; 21:1; 30:1; 32:1; 34:1,8; 35:1; 40:1.

44:2 "the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel" This extended title using YHWH and Elohim is repeated four times in this chapter (cf. vv. 2,7,11,25). He is creator and covenant making Deity. See Special Topic at 1:2.

44:3 Israel and Judah's problem was covenant disobedience.

1. not listening to and obeying YHWH (cf. v. 23)

2. going after other gods (cf. vv. 3,5,15-19)

▣ "burn sacrifices" This verb (BDB 882, KB 1094, Piel infinitive construct) can mean (cf. 1:16)

1. the smoke of a sacrifice

2. the smoke of incense (cf. vv. 17-18)

44:4 "again and again" This is literally "rising early and sending" (cf. 7:13,25; 25:4; 26:5; 35:15). The Judeans knew YHWH's will through previous revelations to the Patriarchs and Moses/Joshua, as well as the messages of the prophets.

▣ "abominable thing" For this phrase see 16:18; 32:34,35 and the Special Topic at 2:7.

44:6 The fall of Judah was not because of the power of the Babylonian god Marduk or the power of the Babylonian army. It was Judah's continued covenant disobedience that caused YHWH to bring to bear the "curses" of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27-30.

44:7 This verse is parallel to 42:20 (cf. 26:19). One's choices determine the consequences (cf. Deut. 30:15,19). These Judean's choice will bring their lineage to an end (hyperbolic, some did survive)!

44:8 The idolatry of the Judeans continues in Egypt! The Jews have changed the worship of the gods of Canaan to the gods of Egypt (cf. 2:13).

▣ "become a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth" See note at 42:18. The covenant people were to be a blessing to all the nations (cf. Gen. 12:3), but they had become a curse. They were meant to reveal the mercy and goodness of YHWH to the nations, but all they revealed was His anger (cf. Ezek. 38:22-36)!

44:10 "But they have not become contrite" The verb (BDB 193, KB 221, Pual perfect) usually means "to crush"; here it is uniquely used to denote a crushed, repentant spirit.

Their lack of repentance is characterized as

1. they have not feared YHWH

2. they have not walked in His revelation (i.e., law, statutes; see Special Topic at 5:4)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 44:11-14
¹¹"Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I am going to set My face against you for woe, even to cut off all Judah. ¹²And I will take away the remnant of Judah who have set their mind on entering the land of Egypt to reside there, and they will all meet their end in the land of Egypt; they will fall by the sword and meet their end by famine. Both small and great will die by the sword and famine; and they will become a curse, an object of horror, an imprecation and a reproach. ¹³And I will punish those who live in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, with the sword, with famine and with pestilence. ¹⁴So there will be no refugees or survivors for the remnant of Judah who have entered the land of Egypt to reside there and then to return to the land of Judah, to which they are longing to return and live; for none will return except a few refugees.'"

44:11 "I am going to set My face against you for woe" This is vocabulary from Leviticus 26 (i.e., the cursings and blessings connected to covenant obedience, cf. v. 17). This phrase was used earlier in Jer. 21:10 (cf. Amos 9:4). A similar phrase is used in Jer. 44:27. YHWH will personally bring His people to judgment.

44:12-13 This is a repeat of 42:15-18,22.

44:14 "for none will return except a few refugees" A small number will survive and return to Palestine (cf. v. 28). The Judeans who will be spared and returned are the ones taken to Babylon.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 44:15-19
¹⁵Then all the men who were aware that their wives were burning sacrifices to other gods, along with all the women who were standing by, as a large assembly, including all the people who were living in Pathros in the land of Egypt, responded to Jeremiah, saying, ¹⁶"As for the message that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we are not going to listen to you! ¹⁷But rather we will certainly carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths, by burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as we ourselves, our forefathers, our kings and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had plenty of food and were well off and saw no misfortune. ¹⁸But since we stopped burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have met our end by the sword and by famine." ¹⁹"And," said the women, "when we were burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and were pouring out drink offerings to her, was it without our husbands that we made for her sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?"

44:16 As the Judean remnant in Judea would not listen (cf. 42:14-17; 43:2), so too, the ones already in Egypt.

44:17-19 These Judeans attribute their current condition to their lack of idolatrous sacrifices! O my, when light becomes darkness, how great is the darkness!

44:17 "we will certainly carry out every word" The verb is an infinitive absolute and imperfect verb from the same root (BDB 793, KB 889). This same intensive form is in v. 25 (twice). It denotes their strong intent to offer idolatrous sacrifices!

44:18 The historical period these idolaters are referring to must have been the reign of Manasseh, son of Hezekiah, who reigned 55 years and was the most wicked king of Judah. Josiah tried to being the idolatry to an end (cf. II Kings 23) but at his death it returned!

These three kings (i.e., Hezekiah, Manasseh, and Josiah) may be the background to Ezekiel 18.

44:19 The queen of heaven (i.e., female fertility goddess, cf. 7:18; 44:17,19,25; II Kgs. 17:16) was a popular idol for women in the Ancient Near East. Notice the number of times "wife" or "women" is used in this chapter (cf. vv. 9 [twice],15,19,20,24,25).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 44:20-23
²⁰Then Jeremiah said to all the people, to the men and women-even to all the people who were giving him such an answer-saying, ²¹"As for the smoking sacrifices that you burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your forefathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the Lord remember them and did not all this come into His mind? ²²So the Lord was no longer able to endure it, because of the evil of your deeds, because of the abominations which you have committed; thus your land has become a ruin, an object of horror and a curse, without an inhabitant, as it is this day. ²³Because you have burned sacrifices and have sinned against the Lord and not obeyed the voice of the Lord or walked in His law, His statutes or His testimonies, therefore this calamity has befallen you, as it has this day."

44:20-30 This is the last message of Jeremiah recorded in the book. He was in Egypt and was confronted again with widespread idolatry by the Judeans, a total disregard for YHWH's revelation/covenant.

44:22 This is similar to the warnings of 25:9,11,18,38; 29:18; 42:18; 44:13.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 44:24-30
²⁴Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including all the women, "Hear the word of the Lord, all Judah who are in the land of Egypt, ²⁵thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, as follows: 'As for you and your wives, you have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled it with your hands, saying, "We will certainly perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her." Go ahead and confirm your vows, and certainly perform your vows!' ²⁶Nevertheless hear the word of the Lord, all Judah who are living in the land of Egypt, 'Behold, I have sworn by My great name,' says the Lord, 'never shall My name be invoked again by the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, "As the Lord God lives." ²⁷Behold, I am watching over them for harm and not for good, and all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will meet their end by the sword and by famine until they are completely gone. ²⁸Those who escape the sword will return out of the land of Egypt to the land of Judah few in number. Then all the remnant of Judah who have gone to the land of Egypt to reside there will know whose word will stand, Mine or theirs. ²⁹This will be the sign to you,' declares the Lord, 'that I am going to punish you in this place, so that you may know that My words will surely stand against you for harm.' ³⁰Thus says the Lord, 'Behold, I am going to give over Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt to the hand of his enemies, to the hand of those who seek his life, just as I gave over Zedekiah king of Judah to the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and was seeking his life.'"

44:25 This verse repeats the committed promises of the Judean idol worshipers of v. 17 to continue their rebellious worship practices (here two intensified imperfect verbs and matching infinitive absolutes).

44:26 The committed vows of idolatry by the Judean families in Egypt are now matched by the commitment of YHWH to bring judgment on them (cf. v. 27). They shall never call on His name again.

44:27 "I am watching over them for harm and not for good" The verb (BDB 1052, KB 1638, Qal participle) is a recurrent theological word in Jeremiah (cf. 1:12; 31:28 [twice]) denoting YHWH's focused attention to those who

1. do His will

2. disobey His will

44:29 "My words will surely stand against you for harm" The verb (BDB 877, KB 1086) is an infinitive absolute and an imperfect verb denoting emphasis. This very form was used in v. 25 related to the idolaters' promise to continue to offer sacrifices. Now it is used of the certainty of YHWH's judgment.

44:30 YHWH will judge Pharaoh Hophra (cf. 43:9-13 and 46:25; also note Ezek. 29:3). Pharaoh Hophra (Herodotus called him Apries) reigned from 588 to 569 b.c., when he was killed in a rebellion led by one of his own officials. He was succeed by Amasus (569-525 b.c.).

Hophra was the Pharaoh who encouraged Zedekiah to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar. He was the one who sent the Eygptian army into Palestine during the siege of Jerusalem (cf. 37:5).

Copyright © 2012 Bible Lessons International

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

(The parentheses represent poetic literary units)

READING CYCLE THREE (see introductory section)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary,which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. This begins the literary unit of the book dealing with YHWH's judgment on the surrounding nations (cf. 25:15-38).

B. These nations would never hear/read these prophecies. YHWH is addressing them in a literary way to show that He is the only God, the God of all the earth.

C. The nations addressed are

1. Egypt

2. Philistia

3. Moab

4. Ammon

5. Edom

6. Syria

7. Kedar and Hazor

8. Elam

9. Babylon

D. Chart of Prophecies Against Nations and Regions (Jeremiah 46-49)

E. This chapter describes Egypt's defeat by Nebuchadnezzar's army at Carchemish in Syria. It is poetic and contains numerous commands.

1. Verses 3-4 (imperatives)

a. line up the shield and buckler

b. draw near for the battle

c. harness the horses

d. mount the steeds

e. take your stand with helmets on (the only Hiphil in a series of Qal imperatives)

f. polish the spears

g. put on the scale-armor

2. Verse 6 (imperfects used as jussives)

a. let not the swift man flee

b. let not the mighty man escape

3. Verse 8 (two imperfects used as cohortatives and one cohortative)

a. I will rise

b. I will cover

c. I will surely destroy

4. Verse 11 (Qal imperatives)

a. go up

b. obtain

5. Verse 14 (4 Hiphil imperatives, 1 Qal)

a. declare in Egypt

b. proclaim in Migdol

c. proclaim (Qal) also in Memphis and Tehpanhes

d. take your stand

e. get yourself ready

6. Verse 16 (Qal imperative and cohortative)

a. get up

b. let us go back

F. Verses 2-12 deal with the battle at Carchemish (i.e., in Syria to the west of Haran on the headwaters of the Euphrates River) in 605 b.c.

Verses 13-26 deal with Nebuchadnezzar's military invasion in 568-567 b.c. Egypt was completely conquered by Persia in 525 b.c.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 46:1
¹That which came as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.

46:1 This is an introductory verse for the literary unit dealing with YHWH's judgments against the surrounding nations (chapters 46-51).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 46:2-12
²To Egypt, concerning the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was by the Euphrates River at Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:
³"Line up the shield and buckler,
And draw near for the battle!
⁴Harness the horses,
And mount the steeds,
And take your stand with helmets on!
Polish the spears,
Put on the scale-armor!
⁵Why have I seen it?
They are terrified,
They are drawing back,
And their mighty men are defeated
And have taken refuge in flight,
Without facing back;
Terror is on every side!"
Declares the Lord.
⁶"Let not the swift man flee,
Nor the mighty man escape;
In the north beside the river Euphrates
They have stumbled and fallen.
⁷Who is this that rises like the Nile,
Like the rivers whose waters surge about?
⁸Egypt rises like the Nile,
Even like the rivers whose waters surge about;
And He has said, "I will rise and cover that land;
I will surely destroy the city and its inhabitants."
⁹Go up, you horses, and drive madly, you chariots,
That the mighty men may march forward:
Ethiopia and Put, that handle the shield,
And the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.
¹⁰For that day belongs to the Lord God of hosts,
A day of vengeance, so as to avenge Himself on His foes;
And the sword will devour and be satiated
And drink its fill of their blood;
For there will be a slaughter for the Lord God of hosts,
In the land of the north by the river Euphrates.
 ¹¹Go up to Gilead and obtain balm,
O virgin daughter of Egypt!
In vain have you multiplied remedies;
There is no healing for you.
 ¹²The nations have heard of your shame,
And the earth is full of your cry of distress;
For one warrior has stumbled over another,
And both of them have fallen down together."

46:2 "Pharaoh Neco" Necho II (609-593 b.c.) marched through Judah to confront Nebuchadnezzar at Carchemish in Syria. Josiah attempted to stop him and was wounded at Meggido. Josiah later died of his wounds (i.e., 609 b.c.). Pharaoh Neccho's army was defeated (partially because Josiah delayed him which allowed Babylon to defeat the remaining Assyrian army). As Pharaoh Neccho returned to Egypt he stopped at Jerusalem and exiled King Jehoahaz, Josiah's successor of only three months (cf. II Kgs. 23:28-37; II Chr. 35:20-36:4). Neccho placed Jehoiakim (a relative of Josiah) on Judah's throne as his surrogate (cf. II Kgs. 23:29ff).

▣ "defeated" See II Kgs. 24:7 for a description of the battle.

46:3-4 "line up" These imperatives (see Contextual Insights, D) were orders given by Egyptian officers to the Egyptian soldiers.

46:4 "helmets" These helmets were rarely worn, therefore, this denotes that the soldiers were to "immediately prepare for battle."

46:5 What powerful poetry of fear and defeat. It reminds me of Nahum 2.

Line 7, "terror is on every side," is an often repeated phrase in Jeremiah (cf. 6:25; 20:3,10; 49:29, see BDB 159 II, KB 544).

46:7-8 These two verses seem to reflect the arrogant attitude of the Egyptian army; they used the annual overflowing of the Nile as the imagery of victorious military conquest. But it is all a myth, a false hope. In reality the Egyptian army and her mercenaries flee before the Babylonian military. Instead of the Nile overflowing its banks, it retreats!

46:9 This verse identifies several national elements of the Egyptian army (i.e., Ethiopia, Put, and Lydia). It is uncertain if they were mercenaries (cf. v. 21) or defeated armies that joined Egypt's victorious army.

46:10 "the Lord God of hosts" (twice) The first title "Lord" is the term Adon (BDB 10) which denotes "owner," "master," "lord," "husband."

The second title is literally "YHWH Sabbaoth." YHWH is usually noted in English Bibles as all capitals, Lord.

Verse 10 may be the Divine response to Pharaoh Necho killing Josiah and replacing (exiling) his heir who reigned only three months!

▣ "the sword" Often in poetic passages in the OT the "sword" is personified. The sword of the Babylonians is the sword of YHWH.

NASB"a slaughter for the Lord"
NKJV"the Lord. . .has a sacrifice"
NRSV"the Lord. . .holds a sacrifice"
NJB"the Lord. . .is holding a sacrificial feast"
JPSOA"the Lord. . .is preparing a sacrifice"

The UBS' A Handbook On Jeremiah (p. 847) has a good comment on this phrase. The picture is that of a sacrificial feast in which the worshiper is allowed to eat part of the animal that has been sacrificed. The same idea is conveyed in Isa. 34:5-7; Ezek. 39:17-20; Zeph. 1:7.

46:11 Gilead was widely known for its healing balms. But there was no balm for Egypt (cf. lines 3, 4). She is doomed to defeat and shame.

▣ "virgin daughter of Egypt" This is the noun construct of "virgin" (BDB 413) and "daughter" (BDB 123 I). The construct "daughter(s) of _________" is a way to refer to a nation.

1. Zion/Jerusalem/Judah - Ps. 9:14; Isa. 1:8; 10:32; 16:1; 23:12; 37:22; 52:2; 62:11; Jer. 4:11; 6:2,23,26; 8:11,19,21,22; 9:1,7; 14:17; Lamentations (many times); Micah 1:13; 4:8,10; Zeph. 3:14; Zech. 2:7,10; 9:9

2. Israel - II Sam. 1:24; Ezek. 16:55

3. Tyre - Ps. 45:12

4. Babylon/Chaldea - Ezra 2:61; Ps. 137:8; Isa. 47:1,5; 50:42; 51:33

5. Egypt - Jer. 46:24

6. Tarshish - Isa. 23:10

7. Philistia - Ezek. 16:27,57

8. all nations - Ezek. 32:16

When the term "virgin daughter" is used it seems to emphasize the vulnerability of the nation addressed.

1. Zion - II Kgs. 19:21; Isa. 37:22; Jer. 14:17; Lam. 2:10,13

2. Israel - Jer. 18:13; 31:4,21; Amos 5:2

3. Babylon - Isa. 47:1

4. Egypt - Jer. 46:11

In II Kgs. 19:21 both forms are found in poetic parallel. Also note the changing meaning of "Israel," sometimes referring to all of the covenant people, descendants from Jacob/Israel, and in other contexts (i.e., the Divided Monarchy, 922 b.c. - 722 b.c.) it refers to the Northern Ten Tribes (i.e., Israel, Samaria, Ephraim).

46:12 "The nations have heard of your shame" This is exactly the opposite of YHWH's intended purpose for His covenant people (cf. Gen. 12:3; Ezek. 36:22-36). YHWH wanted the descendants of Abraham to reflect His character to the world and thereby to attract the world to Himself. This is still His purpose for His people. See SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH's ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN at 1:5.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 46:13-24
¹³This is the message which the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to smite the land of Egypt:
¹⁴"Declare in Egypt and proclaim in Migdol,
Proclaim also in Memphis and Tahpanhes;
Say, 'Take your stand and get yourself ready,
For the sword has devoured those around you.'
¹⁵Why have your mighty ones become prostrate?
They do not stand because the Lord has thrust them down.
¹⁶They have repeatedly stumbled;
Indeed, they have fallen one against another.
Then they said, 'Get up! And let us go back
To our own people and our native land
Away from the sword of the oppressor.'
¹⁷They cried there, 'Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a big noise;
He has let the appointed time pass by!'
¹⁸As I live," declares the King
Whose name is the Lord of hosts,
"Surely one shall come who looms up like Tabor among the mountains,
Or like Carmel by the sea.
¹⁹Make your baggage ready for exile,
O daughter dwelling in Egypt,
For Memphis will become a desolation;
It will even be burned down and bereft of inhabitants.
²⁰Egypt is a pretty heifer,
But a horsefly is coming from the north-it is coming!
²¹Also her mercenaries in her midst
Are like fattened calves,
For even they too have turned back and have fled away together;
They did not stand their ground.
For the day of their calamity has come upon them,
The time of their punishment.
²²Its sound moves along like a serpent;
For they move on like an army
And come to her as woodcutters with axes.
²³They have cut down her forest," declares the Lord;
"Surely it will no more be found,
Even though they are now more numerous than locusts
And are without number.
²⁴The daughter of Egypt has been put to shame,
Given over to the power of the people of the north."

46:13-26 As verses 1-12 describe the battle at Carchemish in Syria in 605 b.c., vv. 13-26 describe a later invasion of Egypt itself.

46:14 All of these locations are mentioned in 44:1 as places where the doomed Judeans were living.

46:15

NASB, Peshitta"become prostrate"
NKJV, JPSOA"swept away"
NRSV, NJB
REB, LXX"Apis (Haf) fled"
TEV"Apis fallen"

There are several translation issues with this verse.

1. "mighty ones" (BDB 7) can refer to

a. soldiers (NIV, NET Bible)

b. the Egyptian bull god (LXX, NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 234)

2. the verb is singular, the noun plural. The LXX divides the verb (נסחף) into two words (חף נס) which means "Hap (Apis) has fled." The UBS Text Project supports this division by giving it a "B" rating (p. 293).

3. The defeat of the Egyptian soldiers or bull god (possibly a reference to Pharaoh as the incarnation of Egypt's gods) is attributed to YHWH (line 2).

46:16

NASB"They have repeatedly stumbled"
NKJV, JPSOA"He made many fall"
NRSV"Your multitude stumbled and fell"
TEV"Your soldiers have stumbled and fallen"
NJB"he has caused many to fall"
LXX"your multitude was weak and fell"
REB"the rabble of Egypt stumble and fall"
Peshitta"Multitudes of them are fallen"

The MT has "he made many stumble" (Hiphil perfect and Qal active participle, both masculine singular). The "he" is YHWH from v. 15. Some translations assume it is a collective reference to the Egyptian army.

46:17

NASB, NKJV,
NET"a big noise"
NRSV, LXX"braggart"
NJB"Much-noise"
REB"Bombast"
Peshitta"Pharaoh the Lame. . .the troublemaker"

The Hebrew word (BDB 981, KB 1370 II) means

1. roar of water (i.e., battle) - Isa. 17:12; Jer. 48:45; 51:55; Amos 2:2; Hos. 10:14

2. uproar of battle - Ps. 74:23; Isa. 17:12-13; 25:5

3. festival uproar - Isa. 5:14

It is used here as a possible play on Pharaoh's name or a ridicule of his military appearing and then disappearing (Jer. 37:5).

46:18 "the King

 Whose name is the Lord of hosts" YHWH, the covenant Deity, has always been "king" (cf. I Sam. 8:7). The Judean kings (cf. Gen. 49:10) from the line of Jesse/David (cf. II Samuel 7) have only served as earthly representatives of Him.

The opening phrase, "As I live," functions in two ways.

1. a word play on the Hebrew verb "to be" and YHWH (i.e., the ever-living, only-living Deity)

2. it is an idiom introducing an oath. An oath by YHWH in His name is a powerful promise that His words will come to be.

▣ "Mount Tabor. . .Mount Carmel" These are metaphors of the topological features that dominate a landscape. They are used here as metaphors of overwhelming power (i.e., the Babylonian army against the Egyptian army.

46:19

NASB, LXX"It will even be burned down"
NKJV, TEV,
REB"a ruin"
NJB, JPSOA,
Peshitta"desolate"

The Hebrew verb (BDB 428, KB 429, Niphal perfect) means "to kindle" or "to burn" (cf. Jer. 2:15; 11:16; 17:27; 21:14; 43:12; 49:2,27; 50:32; 51:30,58), but it is also used of "ruin" or "waste" (cf. Jer. 4:7; 9:11).

46:21-23 "her mercenaries" They are mentioned in v. 9. Even these experienced, hired soldiers act like defenseless, pampered calves! They all flee (cf. v. 5) in the face of Nebuchadnezzar's army ("horsefly" of v. 20), as do the Egyptian soldiers, symbolized as a slithering snake in v. 22.

Notice the different metaphors used to describe Babylon's army.

1. woodcutters with axes

2. more numerous than locusts

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 46:25-26
²⁵The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says, "Behold, I am going to punish Amon of Thebes, and Pharaoh, and Egypt along with her gods and her kings, even Pharaoh and those who trust in him. ²⁶I shall give them over to the power of those who are seeking their lives, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of his officers. Afterwards, however, it will be inhabited as in the days of old," declares the Lord.

46:25-26 In this chapter several prose verses introduce a poetic section.

1. vv. 1-2, then poem vv. 3-12

2. v. 13, then poem vv. 14-24

3. vv. 25-26, about the previous poem

46:25 This verse seems to repeat itself. The LXX shortens it to "Behold, I am avenging Amon, her son, on Pharaoh and on those who trust in him."

Amon (BDB 51 I) was supposed to be the "king of the gods." The three gods, Ra, Ptah, and Amon, are often combined. As the worship of Apis (cf. v. 15) was centered in Memphis, the worship of Amon was centered in Thebes.

46:26 Egypt will be completely destroyed (cf. Ezek. 29:8-12) but it will be reinhabited (cf. Ezek. 29:13-14).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT:46:27-28
²⁷"But as for you, O Jacob My servant, do not fear,
Nor be dismayed, O Israel!
For, see, I am going to save you from afar,
And your descendants from the land of their captivity;
And Jacob will return and be undisturbed
And secure, with no one making him tremble.
²⁸O Jacob My servant, do not fear," declares the Lord,
"For I am with you.
For I will make a full end of all the nations
Where I have driven you,
Yet I will not make a full end of you;
But I will correct you properly
And by no means leave you unpunished."

46:27-28 The parallel to these verses is in 30:10-11. This section of Jeremiah is called the Book of Hope. It addresses the Judeans who have been exiled to Babylon.

46:27 The first two verbs are imperfects used in a jussive sense. The exiles in Babylon (not Egypt) are commanded not to be afraid. YHWH will save (BDB 446, KB 448, Hiphil participle, cf. 23:3-4; 29:14) them!

Notice the verbs used to describe YHWH's people in Babylonian exile.

1. do not fear (v. 28) 5. you shall be undisturbed

2. do not be dismayed 6. you shall be secure

3. I am going to save you 7. no one will make you tremble

4. you shall return

A new day of restoration and security is promised!

In the literary unit of judgment on the nations there are several passages related to the exiles of Judah (cf. 50:4-10,17-20; 51:36-40,50-53).

46:28 The basis of the Babylonian exiles' hope is YHWH and His promises (cf. II San. 7:8-16).

1. I am with you

2. I shall make a full end of all the nations where you were exiled

3. I shall not make an end of you

4. I shall correct you properly

Discipline but not judgment. This is similar to YHWH's promise to David's royal descendants in II Samuel 7:14.

Verses 27-28 are very similar theologically to 30:10-11. The theme of restoration is repeated for emphasis!

Copyright © 2012 Bible Lessons International

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

(The parentheses represent poetic literary units)

READING CYCLE THREE (see introductory section)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary,which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. This is a lengthy condemnation of Moab (cf. Isaiah 15-16) made up of several different poems and comments about their judgment. Moab, Ammon, and Edom were relatives of the Israelites.

1. Moab - judged in chapter 48

2. Ammon - judged in 49:1-6

3. Edom - judged in 49:7-22

B. There are many (17 or 18) imperatives in this chapter. Several of them are involved in Kethiv, (in MT text) Qere (suggested reading in the margin) issues. The Masoretic scholars recognized about one thousand places in the OT where one form is in the text but another is suggested in the margin. There are five of these in this chapter and three are related to the gender of the imperatives.

1. v. 18, "sit" (BDB 442, KB 444)

a. Qal participle masculine plural (Kethiv)

b. Qal imperative feminine singular (Qere)

2. v. 20, "wail" (BDB 410, KB 413)

a. Hiphil imperative feminine singular (Kethiv)

b. Hophol imperative masculine plural (Qere)

3. v. 20, "cry out" (BDB 277, KB 277)

a. Qal imperative feminine singular (Kethiv)

b. Qal imperative masculine plural (Qere)

This same "feminine" vs. "masculine" issue is also involved in v. 27.

1. Niphal perfect feminine singular (Kethiv)

2. Niphal perfect masculine plural (Qere)

The issue involves the proper gender when addressing a nation or inhabitants of a city.

C. Notice how many cities are listed in this chapter.

1. Nebo, vv. 1, 22 (cf. Isa. 15:2)

2. Kiriathaim, vv. 1, 23 (cf. Ezek. 25:9)

3. Heshbon, vv. 2,34, 45 (cf. Isa. 15:4; 16:8,9)

4. Dimon/Dibon ("Madmen"), vv. 2, 18, 22 (cf. Isa. 15:2,9)

5. Horonaim, vv. 3, 5, 34 (cf. Isa. 15:5)

6. Luhith, v. 5 (cf. Isa. 15:5)

7. Aroer, v. 19 (possibly v. 6, cf Deut. 2:36; 3:12; 4:48)

8. Holon, v. 21 (possibly Horon, cf. Isa. 15:5 and same as #5)

9. Jahzah, vv. 21, 34 (cf. Isa. 15:4)

10. Mephaath, v. 21 (cf. Josh. 13:18; 21:37)

11. Beth-diblathaim, v. 22

12. Beth-gamul, v. 23

13. Beth-meor, v. 23

14. Kerioth, vv. 24, 41 (cf. Amos 2:2)

15. Bozrah, v. 24

16. Kir-heres, vv. 31, 36 (one of Moab's capitals, cf. Isa. 16:7, 11)

17. Sibmah, v. 32 (cf. Isa. 16:8,9)

18. Jazer, v. 32 (cf. Isa. 16:8,9)

19. Elealeh, v. 34 (cf. Isa. 15:4; 16:9)

20. Zoar, v. 34 (cf. Isa. 15:5, RSV and NEB have it in v. 4)

21. Eglath-shelishiyah, v. 34 (cf. Isa. 15:5)

22. Sihon, v. 45 (name of an Amorite king who lived in Heshbon, #3)

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 48:1-10
¹Concerning Moab. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,
"Woe to Nebo, for it has been destroyed;
Kiriathaim has been put to shame, it has been captured;
The lofty stronghold has been put to shame and shattered.
²There is praise for Moab no longer;
In Heshbon they have devised calamity against her:
'Come and let us cut her off from being a nation!'
You too, Madmen, will be silenced;
The sword will follow after you.
³The sound of an outcry from Horonaim,
'Devastation and great destruction!'
⁴Moab is broken,
Her little ones have sounded out a cry of distress.
⁵For by the ascent of Luhith
They will ascend with continual weeping;
For at the descent of Horonaim
They have heard the anguished cry of destruction.
⁶Flee, save your lives,
That you may be like a juniper in the wilderness.
⁷For because of your trust in your own achievements and treasures,
Even you yourself will be captured;
And Chemosh will go off into exile
Together with his priests and his princes.
⁸A destroyer will come to every city,
So that no city will escape;
The valley also will be ruined
And the plateau will be destroyed,
As the Lord has said.
⁹Give wings to Moab,
For she will flee away;
And her cities will become a desolation,
Without inhabitants in them.
¹⁰Cursed be the one who does the Lord's work negligently,
And cursed be the one who restrains his sword from blood."

48:1 "Moab" The etymology of the name is uncertain. Genesis 19:37 seems to connect it to Lot's daughter, linking the child to her father, "from my father" or "water of my father," but this is the type of popular etymology so common in the OT. Lot's incestuous child becomes the designation of a nation (as does the other daughter's son, Ammon (cf. Gen. 19:38). Their territory was between the Zered and Arnon Rivers on the eastern side of the Dead Sea.

▣ "Nebo" This term (BDB 612) has several biblical orientations.

1. a Babylonian deity (cf. Isa. 46:1), sometimes spelled "Nabu." He was the eldest son of Marduk.

 2. a mountain in Moab just east of the top of the Dead Sea, in the plains of Moab from which Moses was allowed to view (but not enter) the Promised Land (cf. Deut. 32:48-52). He died there and was buried by God (cf. Deuteronomy 34). The mountain was also known as Pisgah (cf. Deut. 34:1).

3. a city on the plains of Moab (cf. Num. 32:3,38; Isa. 15:2; Jer. 48:1,22)

▣ "Kiriathaim" This city (not to be confused with Kiriatharim) is located on the eastern side of the Jordan River on the plateau of Moab (cf. line 5) in the tribal allocation of Reuben (cf. Num. 32:37; Josh. 13:19; Jer. 48:1,23; Ezek. 25:9). The name itself (BDB 900) means "double city."

NASB"the lofty stronghold"
NKJV"the high stronghold"
NRSV, NET"the fortress"
TEV"its mighty fortress"
NJB"the citadel"
REB, JPSOA
footnote"Misgab"
LXX"Hamasagab"
JPSOA"the stronghold"

This word (BDB 960, KB 640) basically means "high refuge" (cf. Isa. 33:16). However, it has the article which is unusual - "the fortress" - unless it is referring to all of the plateau of Moab (cf. v. 8d). Also, the noun for fortress is masculine in gender, but all the verbs used in 48:1 (except for the first one, "say") are third person feminine singular. There are two other cities listed in v. 1. These feminine forms fit a place name (cf. LXX and REB). Unfortunately this place name appears nowhere in ancient literature.

48:2 "Heshbon" This city (BDB 363 II) is in northern Moab but it was in an area contested by Ammon (cf. Num. 21:25). Apparently it is involved in a conspiracy against Moab, possibly by the Ammonites. However, it is probably better to see it as a reference to a campsite of the Babylonian army.

There is a word play between the name of Heshbon (BDB 363 II, חשׁבון) and the verb "devised calamity" (BDB 362, KB 359, Qal perfect, חשׁבו).

▣ "Madmen" There is considerable doubt about the meaning of this word (מדמן, BDB 199, KB 226-227). Do not confuse it with the English meaning.

1. a play on the verb (BDB 198 I, KB 226 I) "be silenced" (cf. LXX)

2. a play on dung hill (BDB 199 I, KB 226, ןמד, cf. Isa. 25:10)

3. a city's name (BDB 199), found only in Jer. 48:2

4. a play on "Dimon" (BDB 192, דימון, cf. Isa. 15:9), a variant of Dibon (BDB 192, cf. Isa. 15:2)

48:3 "Horonaim" The term (BDB 357) means "two hollows," "two caves," or "two ravines." This city's name is found only in Isa. 15:5 and Jer. 48:5,34 although RSV translates II Sam. 13:34 as a form of this word.

48:4 "Her little ones" The RSV and NRSV think this word (צעוריה [translated "servants" in 14:3], BDB 859) should be translated by a city's name, Zoar (צער, BDB 858, cf. v. 34 and Isa. 15:5). The LXX also has a place name here (i.e., Zogora).

The UBS Text Project gives the Qere reading, "her little ones," a "B" rating. In this way the grammar of the Hebrew verse fits better.

48:5 "Luhith" This Moabite city (BDB 532) is linked to Horonaim as a place of ascent and descent, probably close to the Dead Sea.

48:6 The cities of Moab are doomed. They are commanded to

1. flee - Qal imperative

2. save your lives - Piel imperative

3. give wings - Qal imperative

NASB, NKJV"like a juniper"
NRSV, LXX"like a wild ass"
TEV, NJB"like a wild donkey"
JPSOA"like Aroer"
REB"like one destitute"
Pehsitta"like a plant"

The MT is uncertain, as the various options show. Aroer (cf. v. 19b) is the name of a city in Moab (BDB 792 II) and the parallelism of other cities seems to favor this option.

However, a similar word "shrub" or "juniper" is used in Jer. 17:6 (BDB 792 I),

"Aroer" - כערוער (BDB 792 II), as in v. 19

"wild ass" - כערוד (KB 882) in LXX and Aquila, cf. 2:24; 14:6 (different Hebrew word)

"juniper" - כערער (BDB 792 I, KB 883, cf. 17:6) in MT which UBS Text Project gives a "C" rating

48:7 "For because you trusted in. . ." Several things are mentioned that Moab trusted (BDB 105, KB 120, Qal infinitive construct).

1. NASB "our own achievements"

NKJV "works"

NRSV, LXX "strongholds"

TEV "strength"

NJB "deeds"

JPSOA "wealth"

REB "defenses"

The MT has "deeds" or "works" (BDB 795), which could refer to a number of things.

2. "treasures" JPSOA sees both #1 and #2 as parallel

3. they also trusted in their national idol Chemosh who would utterly fail them (cf. vv. 13,35)

The pride, arrogance, and idolatry of Moab is clearly seen in vv. 29-30,42.

▣ "Chemosh" This was the national deity of the Moabites (cf. Num. 21:29), where Moab is called "the people of Chemosh." In Jdgs. 11:24 this deity is linked to Ammon. Solomon brought this cult into Jerusalem in I Kgs. 11:7; II Kgs. 23:13, on behalf of his young Canaanite wives.

The etymology of the name itself (BDB 484) is uncertain. Some scholars assume "destroyer," or "subduer," while other scholars see it linked to a "fish god." Most of our information about this Canaanite deity comes from the Mesha Stele called "the Moabite Stone," discovered in 1868 at Dibon.

The text of II Kgs. 3:21-27 (esp. v. 27) strongly suggests that Chemosh was worshiped with child sacrifice, as were Molech and Ba'al, two other Canaanite fertility gods.

48:8 Moab's doom was by the word of YHWH (cf. v. 15c). His instrument was Babylon.

48:9

NASB, NKJV,
NJB, JPSOA"Give wings"
NRSV"Set aside salt"
TEV"Set up a tombstone"
LXX"give signs"
REB"give a warning signal"

There are several options on how to understand this line of poetry.

1. the MT has "wings" (BDB 851 II), a unique meaning from a supposed Aramiac root used only here

2. LXX, TEV, and REB see the verb as a road marker (BDB 846, cf. 33:21)

3. the NRSV assumes a Ugaritic root, "salt," which would fit the context of judgment (cf. Jdgs. 9:45)

48:10 Many English translations mark this as a parenthesis (cf. TEV, NJB, NET). It is addressed to the Babylonian invaders, admonishing them to fully execute YHWH's judgment on every city in Moab. Show no mercy!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 48:11-20
¹¹"Moab has been at ease since his youth;
He has also been undisturbed, like wine on its dregs,
And he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel,
Nor has he gone into exile.
Therefore he retains his flavor,
And his aroma has not changed.
¹²Therefore behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will send to him those who tip vessels, and they will tip him over, and they will empty his vessels and shatter his jars. ¹³And Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.
¹⁴How can you say, 'We are mighty warriors,
And men valiant for battle'?
¹⁵Moab has been destroyed and men have gone up to his cities;
His choicest young men have also gone down to the slaughter,"
Declares the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts.
¹⁶"The disaster of Moab will soon come,
And his calamity has swiftly hastened.
¹⁷Mourn for him, all you who live around him,
Even all of you who know his name;
Say, 'How has the mighty scepter been broken,
A staff of splendor!'
¹⁸Come down from your glory
And sit on the parched ground,
O daughter dwelling in Dibon,
For the destroyer of Moab has come up against you,
He has ruined your strongholds.
¹⁹Stand by the road and keep watch,
O inhabitant of Aroer;
Ask him who flees and her who escapes
And say, 'What has happened?'
²⁰Moab has been put to shame, for it has been shattered.
Wail and cry out;
Declare by the Arnon
That Moab has been destroyed."

48:11-20 Notice that all the English translations have different ways to divide this chapter into paragraphs/strophes. It is often difficult to distinguish between prose and poetry. Even though these divisions are not inspired (i.e., marked in the original text) they serve the hermeneutical purpose of determining the literary units and how they relate to each other. Every paragraph/strophe has one main truth. This information is crucial in trying to find and follow the original inspired author's intent. See Biblical Interpretation Seminar online at www.freebiblecommentary.org.

48:11-12 This is imagery drawn from the wine industry (see Special Topic at 23:9). Notice how this is also seen in verses 26 and 33. Because of these allusions to wine making these poems may have been joined together in one context

48:13 Idol worship brought shame and humiliation, to Israel or to Moab (i.e., v. 35; Isa. 44:10-11; 45:16).

The allusion to Bethel: (1) a title for God used by the Jewish inhabitants of Elephantine, an island in the Nile River (lit. "House of God") or (2) a place name involving Jeroboam I setting up a rival temple site at Bethel where the symbol of YHWH (i.e., the golden calf, cf. Exodus 32) was turned into Canaanite fertility worship (cf. I Kgs. 12:25-33).

As fallen humans trust (BDB 105) in the power of manmade gods and reject or ignore the one true God, there is no hope, confidence, or security! Idols cannot affect reality!

48:17-20 This part of a larger poem addresses two groups.

1. those who live near Moab

2. those who have heard of it

These two groups are collectively personified and give advice to Moab.

1. mourn, v. 17 - Qal imperative

2. say, v. 17 - Qal imperative

3. come down, v. 18 - Qal imperative

4. sit, v. 18 - Qal imperative(Qere)

5. stand by, v. 19 - Qal imperative

6. keep watch, v. 19 - Piel imperative

7. ask, v. 19 - Qal imperative

8. say, v. 19 - Qal imperative

9. wail, v. 20 - Hiphil imperative

10. cry out, v. 20 - Qal imperative

11. declare, v. 20 - Hiphil imperative

48:17 "scepter. . .staff" These are both royal symbols of power.

1. scepter - BDB 641, a staff or rod

2. staff - BDB 596

They could refer to

1. a shepherd's staff (cf. Gen. 32:10)

2. a traveler's stick (cf. Exod. 12:11)

3. riding stick (cf. Num. 22:27)

4. weapon (cf. I Sam. 17:40; Ezek. 39:9)

5. diviner's rod (cf. Hos. 4:12)

6. kingly power (i.e., Messianic in Zechariah 11)

Here it refers to the kingdom of Moab.

48:18-28 The Jewish Study Bible (p. 1022) asserts that this poem/oracle is based on the imagery of a woman being raped (i.e., Moab by Babylon), possibly because there are so many feminine singular forms.

48:18

NASB, NRSV,
NJB, REB"sit on the parched ground"
NKJV, JPSOA"sit on the ground in the dust"
LXX"sit on moist ground"
Peshitta"sit in disgrace"
AB"sit in filth [?]"

The footnote in the AB (Anchor Bible Commentary by John Bright) lists the options as (p. 315):

1. basso'ah - filth/excrement

2. bassama - thirst (MT)

3. bassame - on parched ground (cf. Isa. 44:3)

The JPSOA footnote says "Meaning of the Heb. uncertain" (p. 1022). Often in poetry one must rely on

1. context (i.e., parallelism and strophe emphasis)

2. cognate roots in other Semitic languages

3. parallel passages (for Jeremiah 48 use Isaiah 15-16)

The Expositor's Bible Commentary (p. 662) has a chart that shows the relationship between Isaiah 15-16 and Jeremiah 48.

Isa. 15:2 - Jer. 48:1

Isa. 15:2-3 - Jer. 48:37

Isa. 15:3 - Jer. 48:38

Isa. 15:4 - Jer. 48:21,5

Isa. 15:4-6 - Jer. 48:5,34

Isa. 15:5 - Jer. 48:3

Isa. 15:5; 16:7,11 - Jer. 48:31

Isa. 15:7 - Jer. 48:36

Isa. 16:6 - Jer. 48:29

Isa. 16:8-9 - Jer. 48:32

Isa. 16:10 - Jer. 48:33

Isa. 16:11 - Jer. 48:36

Isa. 16:12 - Jer. 48:35

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 48:21-35
²¹"Judgment has also come upon the plain, upon Holon, Jahzah and against Mephaath, ²²against Dibon, Nebo and Beth-diblathaim, ²³against Kiriathaim, Beth-gamul and Beth-meon, ²⁴against Kerioth, Bozrah and all the cities of the land of Moab, far and near. ²⁵The horn of Moab has been cut off and his arm broken," declares the Lord. ²⁶"Make him drunk, for he has become arrogant toward the Lord; so Moab will wallow in his vomit, and he also will become a laughingstock. ²⁷Now was not Israel a laughingstock to you? Or was he caught among thieves? For each time you speak about him you shake your head in scorn.
²⁸Leave the cities and dwell among the crags,
O inhabitants of Moab,
And be like a dove that nests
Beyond the mouth of the chasm.
²⁹We have heard of the pride of Moab-he is very proud-
Of his haughtiness, his pride, his arrogance and his self-exaltation.
³⁰I know his fury," declares the Lord,
"But it is futile;
His idle boasts have accomplished nothing.
³¹Therefore I will wail for Moab,
Even for all Moab will I cry out;
I will moan for the men of Kir-heres.
³²More than the weeping for Jazer
I will weep for you, O vine of Sibmah!
Your tendrils stretched across the sea,
They reached to the sea of Jazer;
Upon your summer fruits and your grape harvest
The destroyer has fallen.
³³So gladness and joy are taken away
From the fruitful field, even from the land of Moab.
And I have made the wine to cease from the wine presses;
No one will tread them with shouting,
The shouting will not be shouts of joy.
 ³⁴From the outcry at Heshbon even to Elealeh, even to Jahaz they have raised their voice, from Zoar even to Horonaim and to Eglath-shelishiyah; for even the waters of Nimrim will become desolate. ³⁵I will make an end of Moab," declares the Lord, "the one who offers sacrifice on the high place and the one who burns incense to his gods."

48:21-24 The cities of Moab are listed.

48:25 Two ancient metaphors are used to describe Moab's total defeat.

1. her "horn" has been cut off (BDB 154, KB 180, Niphal perfect)

2. her arm broken (BDB 990, KB 1402, Niphal perfect)

48:26 The imagery from excessive wine drinking is used as a metaphor for judgment (cf. 52:27; Isa. 19:14).

1. make him drunk

2. wallow in his vomit (lit. "splash," see BDB 706, Qal #3, meaning used only here, usually the verb means to "clap" one's hands in joy or one's thigh in grief)

The reasons for YHWH's judgment of Moab:

1. he is arrogant toward YHWH, vv. 26, 42

2. he is prideful, v. 29 (cf. Isa. 16:6)

3. his idle boasts are futile, v. 30

NASB, NRSV,
NJB, JPSOA"laughingstock"
NKJV, REV,
Peshsitta"derision"

This word (BDB 966) denotes joyous laughter (Job 8:21; Ps. 126:2; Eccl. 2:2; 10:19), but when used in sarcasm it denotes derision (cf. Jer. 20:7; Lam. 3:14; Job 12:4).

48:27 What Moab did to Israel is now done to them (i.e., reversal)! For an example of this kind of derision see Lamentations 2:15-17!

48:28 This verse has three Qal imperatives. They use imagery involving the inhabitants of Moab, to seek safety in the uninhabited places (i.e., crags, caves, cf. 16:16; Jdgs. 6:2; I Sam. 13:6; Isa. 2:19).

48:29-39 The Jewish Study Bible (p. 1022) notes that these verses are written in a 3/2 beat, which characterized funeral songs. This is the lament form often used in prophetic literature in the sense of "woe."

48:29 This is similar to Isa. 16:6. Moab's judgment is discussed in Isaiah 15-16. There are many literary parallels and allusions between Jeremiah 48 and Isaiah 15-16. Isaiah wrote before Jeremiah.

The UBS A Handbook on Jeremiah (p. 888) mentions that there are several nouns used to describe the pride of Moab.

1. the pride of Moab (BDB 144)

2. he is very proud (BDB 144 and 547)

3. his haughtiness (BDB 147)

4. his pride (BDB 144)

5. his arrogance (BDB 144)

6. his self-exaltation (lit. "elevation of his heart," BDB 927 construct BDB 524)

This purposeful repetition is to powerfully communicate the prideful attitude of Moab (cf. v. 7).

48:31-32 The subject is YHWH (cf. vv. 33,36; 31:20; Isa. 16:11; Hosea 11:8-9). He continuously grieves over the necessity of judgment on Moab, part of the tribal inheritance of His people. Judgment is YHWH's strange work! He desires to bless, prosper, and restore!

Notice the powerful, remorseful parallel.

1. I wail - BDB 410, KB 413, Hiphil imperfect

2. I cry out - BDB 277, KB 277, Qal imperfect

3. I mourn - BDB 211, KB 237, Qal imperfect (form is 3^rd person but parallelism is 1^st person)

The NASB Study Bible (p. 1132) asserts that the first person pronoun should refer to the prophet and uses Isa. 15:5 and 16:9 as examples.

48:32 Lines 3 and 4 are repeated from Isa. 16:8. The MT has "sea" twice but the LXX does not. The "sea" would refer to the Dead Sea.

48:34 The geographical locations are uncertain, but the meaning is obvious-the outcry of judgment is heard far and wide!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 48:36-39
 ³⁶"Therefore My heart wails for Moab like flutes; My heart also wails like flutes for the men of Kir-heres. Therefore they have lost the abundance it produced. ³⁷For every head is bald and every beard cut short; there are gashes on all the hands and sackcloth on the loins. ³⁸On all the housetops of Moab and in its streets there is lamentation everywhere; for I have broken Moab like an undesirable vessel," declares the Lord. ³⁹"How shattered it is! How they have wailed! How Moab has turned his back-he is ashamed! So Moab will become a laughingstock and an object of terror to all around him."

48:37-38 These were signs of mourning (cf. 4:8, see Special Topic at 2:37). It is possible they were also denoting idol rituals (i.e., "gashes on their hands," cf. 16:6, or "on house tops," cf. 19:13; 32:29) or possibly even the corrupted worship of YHWH (cf. 41:5).

48:39 "turned back" This verb (BDB 815, KB 937, Hiphil perfect) can refer to

1. humiliation

2. retreat in battle

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 48:40-44
⁴⁰For thus says the Lord:
"Behold, one will fly swiftly like an eagle
And spread out his wings against Moab.
⁴¹Kerioth has been capturedv
And the strongholds have been seized,
So the hearts of the mighty men of Moab in that day
Will be like the heart of a woman in labor.
⁴²Moab will be destroyed from being a people
Because he has become arrogant toward the Lord.
⁴³Terror, pit and snare are coming upon you,
O inhabitant of Moab," declares the Lord.
⁴⁴"The one who flees from the terror
Will fall into the pit,
And the one who climbs up out of the pit
Will be caught in the snare;
For I shall bring upon her, even upon Moab,
The year of their punishment," declares the Lord.

48:40 This refers to Nebuchadnezzar's army (cf. 4:13; 49:22; Ezek. 17:3; Hos. 8:1).

48:41

NASB, NKJV,
LXX, JPSOA,
Peshitta"Kerioth"
NRSV, TEV,
NJB, REB"the towns"

The Hebrew root, קרת (BDB 900) means "city." The form in the text, תוירקה, is used of a proper name in Amos 2:2 (but a different Hebrew word for "strongholds") and also on the Moabite Stone.

▣ "like. . .a woman in labor" See note at 30:6.

48:43-44 This same terminology is used in Isa. 24:17-18, possibly a well known proverbial saying because it is a sound play on the three words (BDB 808, 809, 809 I). Imagery from hunting techniques are used of YHWH's judgment (cf. Amos 5:19). There is no escape, no help, no hope!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 48:45-47
⁴⁵"In the shadow of Heshbon
The fugitives stand without strength;
For a fire has gone forth from Heshbon
And a flame from the midst of Sihon,
And it has devoured the forehead of Moab
And the scalps of the riotous revelers.
⁴⁶Woe to you, Moab!
The people of Chemosh have perished;
For your sons have been taken away captive
And your daughters into captivity.
⁴⁷Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab
In the latter days," declares the Lord.

48:45 "the forehead of Moab" This is an allusion to Num. 24:17, which is one of the prophecies of Balaam. "Forehead" (BDB 802), like "rod" and "staff" of v. 17, is a symbol of royal power.

It is also possible that "forehead" is parallel to "crown" (BDB 869), meaning the heads of the rebellious Moabites were crushed (i.e., killed in battle).

48:47 As YHWH grieves over His need to judge (cf. vv. 31,36), now He promises a future day of hope (cf. 12:14-17). It must be remembered that YHWH chose Abraham/Israel to choose the world (see Special Topic at 1:5).

Copyright © 2012 Bible Lessons International

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

(The parentheses represent poetic literary units)

READING CYCLE THREE (see introductory section)

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary,which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. Chapters 50 and 51 are a literary unit which describe

1. the fall of Babylon (both the capital and the nation as a whole)

2. the restoration of God's people to their land (cf. 50:4-5,6-10,17-20,33-34; 51:36-40) 

B. This prophecy is characterized by YHWH's (through His prophet) commands to

1. the destroyer of Babylon (i.e., Persia, Cyrus II), 50:2,14,21,26-27,29

2. the Jewish exiles, 50:8

C. The destruction of Babylon is also found in Isaiah 13; 14:22-27; 21:1-9; 47:5,9; 48:14

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 50:1-3
¹The word which the Lord spoke concerning Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, through Jeremiah the prophet:
²"Declare and proclaim among the nations.
Proclaim it and lift up a standard.
Do not conceal it but say,
'Babylon has been captured,
Bel has been put to shame, Marduk has been shattered;
Her images have been put to shame, her idols have been shattered.'"
 ³For a nation has come up against her out of the north; it will make her land an object of horror, and there will be no inhabitant in it. Both man and beast have wandered off, they have gone away!

50:2 This verse is characterized by

1. a series of imperatives from YHWH to publicize Babylon's demise

a. declare - BDB 616, KB 665, Hiphil imperative

b-c. proclaim - BDB 1033, KB 1570, Hiphil imperative (twice)

d. lift up a standard - BDB 669, KB 724, Qal imperative

e. do not conceal - BDB 470, KB 469, Piel imperfect used in a jussive sense

f. say - BDB 55, KB 65, Qal imperative

2. a series of perfects denoting a complete action (i.e., prophetic perfects) of events yet to occur, but which surely will occur because of YHWH"s stated will

a. Babylon has been captured - BDB 539, KB 530, Niphal perfect

b. Bel has been put to shame - BDB 101, KB 116, Hiphil perfect

c. Marduk has been shattered - BDB 369, KB 365, Qal perfect

d. her images have been put to shame - same as #b

e. her idols have been shattered - same as #c

▣ "Bel" Below are my notes from Isa. 40:1. Bel, like Ba'al, means "lord," "master," "owner."

Isa. 46:1 "Bel" Bel (BDB128, KB 132, Akkadian for "lord") is a similar title to the Canaanite title Ba'al. This is an allusion to the chief god of the Akkadian pantheon (Enlil, who was called "lord"). As Babylon came to power the chief deity's name was changed to Marduk (BDB 597, cf. Jer. 50:2).

▣ "Nebo" This was the son of Marduk (named only here in the OT) and was the god of learning and writing (BDB 612). Bel and Nebo can be seen in many of the Babylonian names of the period (Nebuchadnezzar [Dan. 1:1]; Nebushazban [Jer. 39:13]; Nebuzaradan [Jer. 39:9]; Nabopolassar [first king of Neo-Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar's father]; Nabonidus [Beshazzar's father, last king of Neo-Babylon]; Belteshazzar [Dan. 1:7]; Belshazzar [Dan. 5:1]). These were the two chief gods of the Babylonian pantheon.

NASB, TEV,
NJB, REB"Marduk"
NKJV, NRSV,
JPSOA"Merodack"

The MT has "Merudack" (BDB 597). It is another way to transliterate the consonants for Marduk. The Summerian pantheon is fluid. Originally the title "lord" was applied to Enlil, but when the city of Babylon became more important, her chief deity, Markuk, took the place of Enlil/Bel as the head of the pantheon. For a further outline of these Summerian gods and their myths, see my commentary on Genesis 1-11, the introduction, online at www.freebiblecommentary.org.

The last king of Babylon (i.e., Nabonidus) depreciated Marduk for the worship of the moon goddess (see Special Topic at 19:13). When the Persians attacked the city of Babylon they were supported by the priests and followers of Marduk.

50:3 As the covenant people had to fear the enemy from the north (i.e., 1:13-15; 4:6; 6:1,22), now that very enemy (i.e., Babylon) must fear another instrument of God's judgment from the north (i.e., Cyrus and the armies of Persia).

Notice the two prophetic perfects," like the five of v. 2.

1. have wandered off - BDB 626, KB 678, Qal perfect

2. have gone away - BDB 229, KB 246, Qal perfect

Babylon's judgment is sure because YHWH wills it, plans it, and will bring it to pass.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 50:4-5
 ⁴"In those days and at that time," declares the Lord , "the sons of Israel will come, both they and the sons of Judah as well; they will go along weeping as they go, and it will be the Lord their God they will seek. ⁵They will ask for the way to Zion, turning their faces in its direction; they will come that they may join themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten."

50:4-5 These verses are a ray of hope and promise that YHWH will restore His covenant people to their promised homeland.

Notice that the returnees are repentant descendants of both Israel and Judah. Also notice they came for the purpose of finding and fellowshiping with their covenant God. This new day of fellowship through repentance and faith is the essence of the "new covenant" of 31:31-34.

The NASB version translated the second verb of v. 5 (BDB 97, KB 112, Qal imperative) in a future sense, "they will come," but it is an imperative "come" (UBS Text Project gives the imperative a "B" rating, p. 314). This is the invitation to faith, repentance, and intimate worship which brings the exiles home to the temple and the Promised Land. There is both divine sovereignty and human free will involved. See Special Topic at 18:8.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 50:6-7
⁶"My people have become lost sheep;
Their shepherds have led them astray.
They have made them turn aside on the mountains;
They have gone along from mountain to hill
And have forgotten their resting place.
⁷All who came upon them have devoured them;
And their adversaries have said, 'We are not guilty,
Inasmuch as they have sinned against the Lord who is the habitation of righteousness,
Even the Lord, the hope of their fathers.'"

50:6-10 This is a poem that describes

1. the past sins of the covenant people (i.e., fertility worship, v. 6 and faithlessness to YHWH, v. 7)

2. YHWH command for them to leave Babylon (v. 8) because God is bringing a destroyer from the north (i.e., Persia, vv. 9-10)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 50:8-10
⁸"Wander away from the midst of Babylon
And go forth from the land of the Chaldeans;
Be also like male goats at the head of the flock.
⁹For behold, I am going to arouse and bring up against Babylon
A horde of great nations from the land of the north,
And they will draw up their battle lines against her;
From there she will be taken captive.
Their arrows will be like an expert warrior
Who does not return empty-handed.
¹⁰Chaldea will become plunder;
All who plunder her will have enough," declares the Lord.

50:8 "Babylon. . .the Chaldeans" These are two ways of referring to the peoples/nations of the southern area of the mouth of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (cf. vv. 1,8,35,45). The terms "Babylonian" and Chaldean" are parallel.

50:9 There is a sound play between the first three verbs of v. 9.

1. עור - BDB 734, KB 802, "arouse"

2. עלה - BDB 748, KB 828, "bring up"

3. ערך - BDB 789, KB 884, "draw up their battle lines"

▣ "a horde of great nations" The Persian army was made up of Medes and Persians and the mercenaries of conquered armies (cf. 51:27-28).

NASB, NKJV,
LXX"an expert warrior"
NRSV, JPSOA"a skilled warrior"
TEV"skillful hunters"
NJB"experienced soldiers"

The MT has the verb "miscarry" (BDB 1013, KB 1491, Hiphil participle, i.e., "make childless"). Most translations take it from the root "skilled" (BDB 968). The first letter in MT is ש, but in the other versions, . The rest of the consonants are the same. These were lethal archers!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 50:11-16
¹¹"Because you are glad, because you are jubilant,
O you who pillage My heritage,
Because you skip about like a threshing heifer
And neigh like stallions,
¹²Your mother will be greatly ashamed,
She who gave you birth will be humiliated.
Behold, she will be the least of the nations,
A wilderness, a parched land and a desert.
¹³Because of the indignation of the Lord she will not be inhabited,
But she will be completely desolate;
Everyone who passes by Babylon will be horrified
And will hiss because of all her wounds.
¹⁴Draw up your battle lines against Babylon on every side,
All you who bend the bow;
Shoot at her, do not be sparing with your arrows,
For she has sinned against the Lord.
¹⁵Raise your battle cry against her on every side!
She has given herself up, her pillars have fallen,
Her walls have been torn down.
For this is the vengeance of the Lord:
Take vengeance on her;
As she has done to others, so do to her.
¹⁶Cut off the sower from Babylon  
And the one who wields the sickle at the time of harvest;
From before the sword of the oppressor
They will each turn back to his own people
And they will each flee to his own land."

50:11 There are several suggestions from the Masoretic scholars (Qere) about changing the verbs in the MT (Kethiv), which are feminine singular, to masculine plural.

1. you are glad

2. you are jubilant

3. you skip about

4. neigh like stallions (lit. "mighty ones")

When you read vv. 12-13 you see where the feminine understanding came from in v. 11. Verse 11 addresses the people of Babylon who have had such victory and easy living. All of that will change (cf. vv. 12-16)!

50:13 "will be horrified. . .will hiss" This imagery is recurrent; see notes at 18:16 and 49:17.

50:14 In vv. 14-16 YHWH uses imperatives to address the invading and victorious Persian army. This verse uses imagery from archery.

1. "bend the bow" (lit. "tread" so as to bend the bow for the string)

2. shout

3. do not be sparing with your arrows

4. the LXX refers to archers in v. 29

The reason for the military attack is that Babylon sinned against YHWH.

1. vv. 29-32 - arrogance

2. Hab. 2:8,17 - murder and idolatry

3. v. 38; Hab. 2:19- idolatry

As she did to others, so now it will be done to her (cf. v. 15f, 29f).

50:15

NASB"pillars"
NKJV"foundations"
NRSV, LXX"bulwarks"
NJB, JPSOA,
REB"bastions"
NET Bible"towers"

The word in the MT (BDB 78, KB 04) occurs only here. It is spelled אשׁהי. A similar word, אשׁהד, means "foundation," found in Deuteronomy and Joshua. The KB lists several cognate options.

1. Assyrian - tower

2. Aramaic - wall

3. Syrian - pillar

4. Arabian - columns

It refers to some type of protective structure/fortification.

50:16 The first two lines predict the complete collapse of commerce and food production.

The next three lines are a warning for all foreigners to flee.

1. mercenaries

2. merchants 

3. possibly even exiles/captives who could

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 50:17-20
¹⁷"Israel is a scattered flock, the lions have driven them away. The first one who devoured him was the king of Assyria, and this last one who has broken his bones is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. ¹⁸Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I am going to punish the king of Babylon and his land, just as I punished the king of Assyria. ¹⁹And I will bring Israel back to his pasture and he will graze on Carmel and Bashan, and his desire will be satisfied in the hill country of Ephraim and Gilead. ²⁰In those days and at that time,' declares the Lord, 'search will be made for the iniquity of Israel, but there will be none; and for the sins of Judah, but they will not be found; for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.'"

50:17-20 This prose paragraph connects with vv. 4-5. God's people are coming home!

This paragraph lists the covenant people's two main enemies of this period.

1. Assyria who took the northern ten tribes into exile with the fall of Samaria in 722 b.c.

2. Neo-Babylon who took Judah into exile with the fall of Jerusalem in 586 b.c.

The nation that God will use to bring judgment on the Mesopotamia powers and restore His people is Persia, under Cyrus II (cf. Isa. 44:28; 45:1).

50:17

NASB, NKJV,
TEV, NJB"Nebuchadnezzar"
NRSV, JPSOA,
REB"Nebuchadrezzar"
LXX(leaves out the name but has) "king of Babylon"

Both of these refer to the same person, son of Nabopolassar. There are several forms of his Babylonian name in Hebrew letters. It is difficult to transliterate names from one language to another.

50:20 This is such an important theological text. The faithful remnant of YHWH's people have been forgiven (i.e., 31:31-34) and restored!

In the future period ("in those days") a repentant and obedient Israel and Judah will be united in restoration and forgiveness.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 50:21-27
²¹"Against the land of Merathaim, go up against it,
And against the inhabitants of Pekod.
Slay and utterly destroy them," declares the Lord,
"And do according to all that I have commanded you.
²²The noise of battle is in the land,
And great destruction.
²³How the hammer of the whole earth
Has been cut off and broken!
How Babylon has become
An object of horror among the nations!
²⁴I set a snare for you and you were also caught, O Babylon,
While you yourself were not aware;
You have been found and also seized
Because you have engaged in conflict with the Lord."
²⁵The Lord has opened His armory
And has brought forth the weapons of His indignation,
For it is a work of the Lord God of hosts
In the land of the Chaldeans.
²⁶Come to her from the farthest border;
Open up her barns,
Pile her up like heaps
And utterly destroy her,
Let nothing be left to her.
²⁷Put all her young bulls to the sword;
Let them go down to the slaughter!
Woe be upon them, for their day has come,
The time of their punishment.

50:21-28 YHWH calls on (i.e., commands) His instrument of judgment (i.e., Persia) to attack and conquer Babylon.

1. go up against it, v. 21 - BDB 748, KB 828, Qal imperative

2. slay, v. 21 - BDB 352, KB 349 (lit. "attack"), Qal imperative

3. utterly destroy, v. 21 - BDB 355, KB 353, (lit. "under the ban"), Hiphil imperative

4. do according to all that I have commanded you, v. 21 - BDB 793, KB 889, Qal imperative

5. come to her, v. 26 - BDB 97, KB 112, Qal imperative

6. open up her barns, v. 26 - BDB 834, KB 986, Qal imperative

7. pile her up, v. 26 - BDB 699, KB 757, Qal imperative

8. utterly destroy, v. 26 - same as #3

9. let nothing be left, v. 26 - BDB 224, KB 243, Qal jussive

10. put. . .to the sword, v. 27 - same as #2

11. let them go down to slaughter, v. 27 - BDB 432, KB 434, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense

50:21 "Merathaim. . .Pekod" There seems to be a word play between these terms and some people/areas of Babylon (i.e., south and east). The word play is difficult to bring into English in a meaningful way. Poetry often uses the sound association to make a point to its original hearers/readers.

Merathaim would mean "double rebellion" (BDB 601) and Pekod would mean "punishment" or "visitation" (BDB 824). YHWH will judge all of Babylon and its surrounding allies.

▣ "utterly destroy" This is an important verb. Below is my note from Deut. 3:6. It is available online free at www.freebiblecommentary.org in OT Studies section, under Written Commentaries.

Deuteronomy 3:6

NASB, NKJV,
NRSV"utterly destroyed"
TEV"destroyed"
NJB"the curse of destruction"
REB"under solemn ban"
JPSOA"doomed"

This verb (BDB 355, KB 353) is used twice in this verse (Hiphil imperative and Hiphil infinitive absolute). Its basic meaning is to devote something to God whereby it becomes too holy for human use and must be destroyed. It is regularly used in "holy war" contexts (cf. 2:34; 7:2; Exod. 22:20; Josh. 6:17,21) to assert that the victory and, thereby, the spoils belong to YHWH. In these conquest contexts the things devoted to God are Canaanites and their property. They are judged because of their abominable sins and unwillingness to repent (cf. Gen. 15:16; Lev. 18:24-26; Deut. 9:5).

For a good discussion of "holy war" see Ancient Israel, by Roland deVaux, vol. 1, pp. 258-267.

50:23-24 There is a series of seven perfect tense verbs that describe Babylon's fall and destruction as if it already happened (prophetic perfects).

50:24 One wonders if this verse, especially line 2, is a historical prediction about the unexpected fall of Babylon in 539 b.c. by Cyrus' army. They took the city by surprise with almost no opposition (cf. 51:8; Daniel 5).

50:25 This imagery describes YHWH as having an armory of stored weapons. This is referring to the weaponry of the Persian army acting as YHWH's instrument of wrath.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 50:28
²⁸There is a sound of fugitives and refugees from the land of Babylon,
To declare in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God,
Vengeance for His temple.

50:28 Notice how YHWH and His temple are identified together. As His "name" stands for Him, so too, "the place He caused His name to dwell" (repeated phrase in Deuteronomy).

The UBS Handbook asserts that this verse is a parenthesis (TEV, NET Bible) referring to the returning Jewish exiles sharing how YHWH judged Babylon (p. 946).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 50:29-32
²⁹"Summon many against Babylon,
All those who bend the bow:
Encamp against her on every side,
Let there be no escape.
Repay her according to her work;
According to all that she has done, so do to her;
For she has become arrogant against the Lord,
Against the Holy One of Israel.
³⁰Therefore her young men will fall in her streets,
And all her men of war will be silenced in that day," declares the Lord.
³¹"Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,"
Declares the Lord God of hosts,
"For your day has come,
The time when I will punish you.
³²The arrogant one will stumble and fall
With no one to raise him up;
And I will set fire to his cities
And it will devour all his environs."

50:29 "she has become arrogant against the Lord" Verses 29-32 are a poem about Babylon's arrogance (BDB 267, KB 268). Daniel 4 is addressed to Nebuchadnezzar on this same issue.

▣ "the Holy One of Israel" Notice that this phrase and "the Lord God of hosts," both covenant titles for Israel's Deity (see Special Topic at 1:2), are named in this condemnation of Babylon's arrogance.

The title is used often in Isaiah, but rarely in Jeremiah (cf. 51:5).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 50:33-38
³³Thus says the Lord of hosts,
"The sons of Israel are oppressed,
And the sons of Judah as well;
And all who took them captive have held them fast,
They have refused to let them go.
³⁴Their Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is His name;
He will vigorously plead their case
So that He may bring rest to the earth,
But turmoil to the inhabitants of Babylon.
³⁵A sword against the Chaldeans," declares the Lord,
"And against the inhabitants of Babylon
And against her officials and her wise men!
³⁶A sword against the oracle priests, and they will become fools!
A sword against her mighty men, and they will be shattered!
³⁷A sword against their horses and against their chariots
And against all the foreigners who are in the midst of her,
And they will become women!
A sword against her treasures, and they will be plundered!
³⁸A drought on her waters, and they will be dried up!
For it is a land of idols,
And they are mad over fearsome idols."

50:33-40 This poem is directed at the Jewish exiles and promises that their God will defeat their Babylonian captors and bring them home.

50:34 Notice the names of God.

1. Redeemer (see Special Topic at 15:21)

2. Lord of hosts (twice)

3. God (Elohim, see Special Topic at 1:2)

▣ "He will vigorously plead their case" This is the infinitive absolute and imperfect verb of the same root (BDB 936, KB 1224), which denoted a vigorous legal defense (cf. I Sam. 24:15; Ps. 35:1; 119:154; Isa. 50:8-9; 51:22; Micah 7:9). One wonders if the title for Jesus and the Spirit as "advocate" came from this imagery. Below is my note from I John 2:1.

I John 2:1 "we have an Advocate with the Father" This is a present active indicative which refers to Jesus' ongoing intercession as our heavenly Advocate (paraklētos). This was a legal term for a defense lawyer or "one called alongside to help" (from para, beside and kaleō, to call). It is used in the upper room discourse in the Gospel of John, for the Holy Spirit, our earthly, indwelling advocate (cf. John 14:16,25; 15:26; 16:7). However, this is the only use of the term for Jesus (although it is implied in John 14:16; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 4:14-16; 7:25; 9:24). Paul used this same concept for the intercessory work of Christ in Rom. 8:34. In this same passage he also speaks of the intercession of the Holy Spirit in Rom. 8:26. We have an Advocate in heaven (Jesus) and an Advocate within (the Spirit), both of whom the loving Father sent on His behalf.

50:35-37 There is a repeated pattern (i.e., "a sword against. . ."): 

1. the Chaldeans, v. 35

2. inhabitants of Babylon, v. 35 (parallel)

3. her officials, v. 35

4. her wise men, v. 35 (parallel)

5. the oracle priests, v. 36

6. her mighty men, v. 36

7. their horses, v. 37

8. their chariots, v. 37

9. all the foreigners (possibly mercenary military), v. 37

10. her treasures, v. 37

11. v. 38 could also have "sword" instead of "drought"; both have the same consonants (BDB 351, KB 352)

YHWH's judgments fall on every aspect of Babylonian society!

50:38 "they are mad over fearsome idols" The word translated "mad" could also mean "glory in" (cf. REB). Both make sense in this context. The difference is only one vowel in the Hebrew text.

1. the idols are afraid (as are their priests, cf. v. 36)

2. the idol worshipers glory in their idols but to no avail (cf. 36a). Terror falls on all!

The UBS Text Project gives the text followed by NASB a "C" rating (p. 318).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 50:39-40
³⁹"Therefore the desert creatures will live there along with the jackals;
The ostriches also will live in it,
And it will never again be inhabited
Or dwelt in from generation to generation.
⁴⁰As when God overthrew Sodom
And Gomorrah with its neighbors," declares the Lord,
"No man will live there,
Nor will any son of man reside in it."

50:39-40 These two verses bring together two idioms of destruction.

1. the presence of wild animals in her ruins, which was a symbol of

a. complete destruction

b. no human habitation

c. the presence of the demonic (cf. Ps. 74:14; Isa. 13:21; 23:13; 34:14)

2. the allusion to the complete destruction of the cities of the plain in Genesis 19 and it's perpetual non-habitation (cf. 49:18)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 50:41-43
⁴¹"Behold, a people is coming from the north,
And a great nation and many kings
Will be aroused from the remote parts of the earth.
⁴²They seize their bow and javelin;
They are cruel and have no mercy.
Their voice roars like the sea;
And they ride on horses,
Marshalled like a man for the battle
Against you, O daughter of Babylon.
⁴³The king of Babylon has heard the report about them,
And his hands hang limp;
Distress has gripped him,
Agony like a woman in childbirth."

50:41-43 As Babylon was "a people from the north" to judge God's people (cf. 1:13-15; 4:6; 6:1,22), now a people from the north (i.e., Persia) will come and defeat them! As they did to others now it will be done to them (cf. vv. 15, 29).

These verses are very similar to 6:22-24, where YHWH's judgment is directed at Jerusalem, but now Babylon.

50:41 The Persian army, like the Babylonian army, was made up of many mercenary soldiers.

50:42 This describes in poetic terms the Persian army.

50:43 As other nations feared the Babylonians, now they fear.

1. hands hang limp

2. distress like child birth

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 50:44-46
 ⁴⁴"Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thicket of the Jordan to a perennially watered pasture; for in an instant I will make them run away from it, and whoever is chosen I will appoint over it. For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court? And who then is the shepherd who can stand before Me?" ⁴⁵Therefore hear the plan of the Lord which He has planned against Babylon, and His purposes which He has purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: surely they will drag them off, even the little ones of the flock; surely He will make their pasture desolate because of them. ⁴⁶At the shout, "Babylon has been seized!" the earth is shaken, and an outcry is heard among the nations.

50:44-46 This prose section continues the context of Babylon's defeat. Verses 44-45 are very similar to 49:19-20. See notes there.

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