Jeremiah 51:3
1 This is what the LORD says: “Behold, I will stir up against Babylon and against the people of Leb-kamai the spirit of a destroyer.
2 I will send strangers to Babylon to winnow her and empty her land; for they will come against her from every side in her day of disaster.
Do not let the archer bend his bow or put on his armor. Do not spare her young men; devote all her army to destruction!
4 And they will fall slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and pierced through in her streets.
5 For Israel and Judah have not been abandoned by their God, the LORD of Hosts, though their land is full of guilt before the Holy One of Israel.”
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
- Do not let the archer bend his bow or put on his armor. Do not spare her young men; devote all her army to destruction!
- KJV
- Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host.
- WEB
- Against him who bends, let the archer bend his bow, also against him who lifts himself up in his coat of mail. Don’t spare her young men! Utterly destroy all her army!
- ASV
- Against [him that] bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against [him that] lifteth himself up in his coat of mail: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host.
- DARBY
- Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his coat of mail; and spare not her young men: destroy utterly all her host.
- BLB
- Do not let bend the one bending his bow, and let him not bring himself up in his armor; do not spare toward her young men, devote to destruction all of her army!
- ÅB
- Mot den som spenner bue, skal bueskytteren spenne sin bue, og mot den som kneiser i sin brynje; spar ikke dets unge menn, slå hele dets hær med bann!
- OTB
- For en nasjon fra nord har kommet opp mot henne; den vil gjøre hennes land til en ødemark, en skrytende horde; hennes innbyggere vil bli drevet bort, både mann og dyr.
- B1930
- Mot den som spenner bue, skal bueskytteren spenne sin bue, og mot den som kneiser i sin brynje; spar ikke dets unge menn, slå hele dets hær med bann!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Jeremiah 50:14
Line up in formation around Babylon, all you who draw the bow! Shoot at her! Spare no arrows! For she has sinned against the LORD.
Read in contextJeremiah 46:4
Harness the horses; mount the steeds; take your positions with helmets on! Polish your spears; put on armor!
Read in contextJeremiah 50:21
Go up against the land of Merathaim, and against the residents of Pekod. Kill them and devote them to destruction. Do all that I have commanded you,” declares the LORD.
Read in contextJeremiah 50:41–42
Behold, an army is coming from the north; a great nation and many kings are stirred up from the ends of the earth.
Read in contextJames 2:13
For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Read in contextJeremiah 50:29–30
Summon the archers against Babylon, all who string the bow. Encamp all around her; let no one escape. Repay her according to her deeds; do to her as she has done. For she has defied the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.
Read in contextJeremiah 9:21
For death has climbed in through our windows; it has entered our fortresses to cut off the children from the streets, the young men from the town squares.
Read in contextIsaiah 13:10–18
For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The rising sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.
Read in context