Jeremiah 50:29-34

D. Babylon's Recompense and Israel's Redemption Jeremiah 50:29-34

TRANSLATION

(29) Summon against Babylon archers, all who handle the bow! Encamp against her round about! Let no one escape! Repay her according to her work, do to her as she has done; for she has been arrogant toward the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. (30) Therefore, her young men shall fall in her streets and all her men of battle shall be silenced in that day (oracle of the LORD). (31) Behold, I am against you, O Pride (oracle of the Lord, GOD of hosts); for your day has come, the time of your punishment. (32) Pride shall stumble and fall, and no one shall raise her up. I will kindle a fire against his cities and it shall devour all round about him. (33) Thus says the LORD of hosts: Oppressed are the people of Israel and the people of Judah too; and all who have taken them captive hold them fast, they will not let them go free. (34) Their Redeemer is strong, the LORD of hosts is His name. He will thoroughly plead their cause in order to give rest to the land and to disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.

COMMENTS

Again the prophet calls upon the archers to encamp round about Babylon and to thereby prevent the escape of any of the defenders of that doomed city. Again he calls upon the invaders to recompense Babylon, to do to her as she has done to others. The reason for the divine antagonism against Babylon is made perfectly clear: Babylon has been proud against the Lord (Jeremiah 50:29). Those who attempt to defend the doomed city will fall in the streets (Jeremiah 50:30). Behold I am against you O Pride, declares the Lord. The exact background of this formula[411] is unclear. The rather intriguing suggestion has been made that it originated in the formula of challenge with which a champion summoned his rival to combat.[412] Babylon is Pride personified and the Lord of hosts has appointed the day of her punishment (Jeremiah 50:31). The Lord will bring that proud one to totter and fall and no one will be able to lift her up again. God's judgment, like a fire, shall consume the cities of Babylonia (Jeremiah 50:32). Thus will the pride of Babylon be humbled.

[411] The formula behold I am against you also occurs in Ezekiel 26:3; Ezekiel 28:22; Ezekiel 29:10 and with slight variation in Zephaniah 2:5.

[412] J. Eaton, Obadiah, Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah, 2:5. Introduction and Commentary (Torch Bible Commentaries) (1961), p. 71.

In contrast to the recompense of Babylon is the redemption of Israel. As in the days of the Egyptian bondage the children of Israel and Judah are held fast in the iron grip of an oppressor (Jeremiah 50:33). Yet to those disheartened and discouraged captives Jeremiah strikes a note of hope. Their Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts, is strong! He will take up the cause of His helpless people. The word translated here Redeemer is the Hebrew goel, the title of the near kinsman, to whom belonged, according to ancient law, the duty of revenging a murder, as well as that of advocate and general protector. So now the Lord is about to rescue His people and take vengeance upon their foe. Actually all the nations had been troubled by the Babylonian oppressor. Therefore, when God acts on behalf of His people to disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon the world at large will reap the benefits of peace and tranquility (Jeremiah 50:34). It was the policy of Cyrus, the conqueror of Babylon, to gain the good will of subject peoples by permitting all deported people to return to their native land. This was not the first nor will it be the last time that the world has enjoyed blessing because of some action which God has performed on behalf of His people.