Jeremiah 50:41
39 So the desert creatures and hyenas will live there and ostriches will dwell there. It will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation.
40 As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah along with their neighbors,” declares the LORD, “no one will dwell there; no man will abide there.
Behold, an army is coming from the north; a great nation and many kings are stirred up from the ends of the earth.
42 They grasp the bow and spear; they are cruel and merciless. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride upon horses, lined up like men in formation against you, O Daughter of Babylon.
43 The king of Babylon has heard the report, and his hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped him, pain like that of a woman in labor.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Behold, an army is coming from the north; a great nation and many kings are stirred up from the ends of the earth.
- KJV
- Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
- WEB
- “Behold, a people comes from the north. A great nation and many kings will be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.
- ASV
- Behold, a people cometh from the north; and a great nation and many kings shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.
- DARBY
- Behold, a people cometh from the north, and a great nation. And many kings shall arise from the uttermost parts of the earth.
- BLB
- Behold! A people is coming from the north, a great nation, and many kings will be roused from the ends of the earth!
- ÅB
- Se, et folk kommer fra nord, et stort folk, og mange konger skal stå fram fra jordens ytterste ende.
- OTB
- "Se! Et folk kommer fra nord; en stor nasjon og mange konger blir vekket opp fra jordens ender.
- B1930
- Se, et folk kommer fra nord, et stort folk, og mange konger skal stå frem fra jordens ytterste ende.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Jeremiah 51:27–28
“Raise a banner in the land! Blow the ram’s horn among the nations! Prepare the nations against her. Summon the kingdoms against her— Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a captain against her; bring up horses like swarming locusts.
Read in contextIsaiah 13:2–5
Raise a banner on a barren hilltop; call aloud to them. Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.
Read in contextJeremiah 50:9
For behold, I stir up and bring against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the land of the north. They will line up against her; from the north she will be captured. Their arrows will be like skilled warriors who do not return empty-handed.
Read in contextJeremiah 6:22–23
This is what the LORD says: “Behold, an army is coming from the land of the north; a great nation is stirred up from the ends of the earth.
Read in contextRevelation 17:16
And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
Read in contextIsaiah 13:17–18
Behold, I will stir up against them the Medes, who have no regard for silver and no desire for gold.
Read in contextJeremiah 25:14
For many nations and great kings will enslave them, and I will repay them according to their deeds and according to the work of their hands.’”
Read in contextJeremiah 51:11
Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her, for it is the vengeance of the LORD— vengeance for His temple.
Read in context