Book of Jeremiah Chapter 50 Vs. 14

 Judgment on Babylon

Jer. 50:14 Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD.

Put yourselves in array...

עָרַךּ

‛āraḵ: I. A verb meaning to arrange, to set in order, to prepare. It is used of arranging or preparing something for various reasons. As a technical military term, it means to prepare for battle, to get in battle array (Gen. 14:8); to be ready, to set up for battle (Jer. 6:23; Joel 2:5); to organize, to lay something out in order (Gen. 22:9; Lev. 24:8; Num. 23:4); to dress lamps, to care for them (Exo. 27:21); to arrange items on a table (Exo. 40:4, 40:23; Isa. 21:5). It is used figuratively of the terrors or words of the Lord set out, prepared against someone (Job 6:4; 32:14); of preparing an argument or legal case (Job 13:18). It describes the presentation of prayer to the Lord (Psm. 5:3,4); of the Lord's preparation of a meal, a table for His children (Psm. 23:5; 78:19). It is used of Lady Wisdom's preparation of a table of wisdom for those who seek her (Pro. 9:2). The word is used to describe what has been prepared by God, Topheth, a place of human sacrifice (Isa. 30:33).

II. A verb meaning to set a value, to lend a tax. It describes the process of a priest setting a value on someone or something (Lev. 27:8, 27:12, 27:14); as well as the process of leveling a tax evaluation and collection on a people (2Kgs. 23:35).

against...

עַל

‛al: A preposition meaning upon, over, against, by, to, for. The various nuances of this preposition are wide-ranging, and the context determines its exact meaning and usage. Here are some basics: on, upon (Gen. 1:11, 1:26; Exo. 20:12; 2Sam. 4:7); in front of (Gen. 18:8; Exo. 27:21); to, unto plus mî, "to whom" (Jer. 6:10); with zô’ṯ or kēn following, it means because of, therefore with respect to, concerning (Gen. 20:3; Ruth 4:7); as or according to (Psm. 110:4); besides or over against (Exo. 20:3); to come on (one's) heart, means to come to mind, to think of (Jer. 3:16); to add to, in addition to (yāsap̱ ‛al) (Gen. 28:9; 31:50; Deu. 19:9); it has the sense of with, met with (Exo. 3:18). Other phrases include: k^e‛al-ḵōl, according to all (Isa. 63:7); from upon, upon, e.g., a camel (Gen. 2:5; 19:24; 24:64); ‛al-b^elî, that . . . not (Gen. 31:20); ‛al-’^ašer, because (Exo. 32:35). It is used to indicate God's provincial care, His hand on (‛al) someone (Neh. 2:8); and to indicate a burden on someone (Exo. 5:8; 21:22; Job 7:20; Psm. 42:6; Isa. 1:14). It indicates the thing one speaks about or is concerned with when used with verbs of speaking, hearing (Jdg. 9:3; Jer. 16:3). It has the sense of eminence or exaltation, above (Deu. 26:19; Psm. 57:5,6, 57:11,12). It indicates what one exercises authority over (Isa. 22:15). It is used in the idiom, to fall asleep, sleep falls on someone (Gen. 2:21; 15:12); and of the activity of the mind setting on (‛al) something (2Sam. 14:1; Jer. 22:17; Mal. 3:13). It is used of an army attacking against (‛al) a foe (Gen. 34:25; Deu. 19:11; Amos 7:9).

Babylon...

בָּבֶל

bāḇel: A proper noun designating Babel or Babylon, a name meaning "confession" and the name of the foreign power most often mentioned in the Old Testament, Babylon. Its beginnings go back to Nimrod, "a mighty warrior" and hunter but also a founder of cities and city-states (Gen. 10:8-12). At Babel the languages of the world became mixed and separated (Gen. 11:9), and there great towers (ziggurats) were built to approach the gods as humankind deemed necessary. God stopped the building of these "towers of hubris" (Gen. 11:5-8), where humankind tried to gather together as one (Gen. 11:1-2). It was a part of the Assyrian Empire for a while (2Kgs. 17:24, 17:30). The neo-Babylonian Empire, founded by Nabopolassar (626 B.C.) is often mentioned in the prophets (Isa. Jer., Eze., Dan., Mic., Zec.). Its greatest king, Nebuchadnezzar, ruled nearly 43 years and is the topic of much of the Book of Daniel (Dan. 1:1; 2, 3, 4). The Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and took Judah into exile in 587/6 B.C. (2Kgs. 25:1-28; Jer. 52:3-34). Isaiah the prophet especially denounced the idolatry of Babylon (Isa 40-66). Israel was exiled in 587/6 to Babylon for seventy years in fulfillment of both the prophet Moses' and Jeremiah's prophecies (Deu. 28; Jer. 25:1-14). They returned in 538 B.C. under Cyrus, king of Persia (2Chr 36:20-23; Ezra 1:1-3; Zec. 2:7,11).

round about:...

סָבִיב

sāḇiyḇ: An adverb or preposition indicating surrounding, all around, on every side. It means round about, in the vicinity or area (Gen. 23:17; Exo. 19:12; 25:11; Jdg. 20:29). It indicates something scattered or present all around a certain area (Exo. 16:13). With min on the front, it means from all around, from round about (Jer. 4:17; Isa. 42:25; Ezk. 16:33, 16:37). It is repeated for emphasis (2Chr. 4:3; Ezk. 8:10). In its plural form, it may take on the sense of the areas or parts around about (Jer. 49:5). In its singular and plural forms, it can take on the meaning of the circuit (of travel, area, etc.); the circuits (Exo. 7:24; 1Chr. 11:8; Ecc. 1:6).

all...

כֹּל

kōl: A particle meaning each, every, all, everything, the whole, entire. It has an inclusive meaning of all or every one of something. Its exact meaning must be discerned from its usage in its context. Some representative samplings will help: With the definite article, it means the whole or everything of something (Ecc. 11:5); used before a definite noun, it expresses the whole of that noun, the whole earth (Gen. 9:19); whole people (Gen. 41:40). Used after a noun, it can refer to the whole or entirety of the preceding noun (2Sam. 2:9); before a plural noun, it usually means all, all the nations (Isa. 2:2); before a collective noun, it means all or every, all people (Gen. 7:21). Before a singular noun, it means every (Est. 3:8). Other nuances of its use can be discerned from studying its context closely.

ye that bend...

דָּרַךּ

dāraḵ: A verb meaning to tread, to bend. It refers to walking on, over, or along or to pressing something with one's feet, trampling. It also takes on the sense of subduing something or someone or simply going forth. Its main usages can be: a star or person may go forth, march forth (Num. 24:17; Jdg. 5:21); to tread on land or one's enemy (Deu. 1:36; 11:25; Jdg. 20:43; Job 28:8); a path, meaning life itself (Isa. 59:8); to defeat enemies by treading on them (Deu. 33:29); the march or assault of an enemy (1Sam. 5:5; Psm. 11:2; 37:14; 91:13; Mic. 1:3). It is used to indicate treading wine or oil presses (Neh. 13:15; Job 24:11; Mic. 6:15) and figuratively to depict the Lord treading the wine press of judgment (Isa. 63:3). In its extended meaning, it indicates directing or bending a bow (Jer. 51:3; Zec. 9:13). It refers to the spiritual walk in high places made possible by the Lord (Hab. 3:19).

the bow,...

קֶשֶׁת

qešeṯ: A feminine noun indicating a bow; a rainbow. It is used figuratively of God's bow, the rainbow set for all time in the heavens (Gen. 9:13-14, 9:16). Otherwise, it refers to one of the most common weapons of war in antiquity, a bow (Gen. 48:22; Jos. 24:12; Hos. 2:18,20). A bow-shot was the distance covered by an arrow shot from a bow (Gen. 21:16). The bow and arrow was commonly used for hunting (Gen. 27:3). The phrase ben-qešeṯ, son of a bow referred to an arrow, a useless weapon against Leviathan (Job 41:28,20). Judah is described as the Lord's bow (Zec. 9:13). The phrase rišp̱ê-qāšet means the flaming of the bow, its arrows (Psm. 76:3 [4]). Hosea speaks of a bow of deception, one that misses its goal, when referring to his people Israel (Hos. 7:16). Job speaks of a bow (Job 20:24). Isa. 21:17 refers to bowmen, lit., the number of the bow. Men with the bow refers to archers, bowmen (1Sam. 31:3).

shoot...

יָדָה

yāḏāh: A verb meaning to acknowledge, to praise, to give thanks, to confess, to cast. The essential meaning is an act of acknowledging what is right about God in praise and thanksgiving (1Chr. 16:34). It can also mean a right acknowledgment of self before God in confessing sin (Lev. 26:40) or of others in their God-given positions (Gen. 49:8). It is often linked with the word hālal in a hymnic liturgy of "thanking and praising" (1Chr. 16:4; 23:30; Ezra 3:11; Neh. 12:24, 12:46). This rightful, heavenward acknowledgment is structured in corporate worship (Psm. 100:4; 107:1, 107:8, 107:15, 107:21, 107:31), yet is also part of personal lament and deliverance (Psm. 88:11,10). Several uses of yāḏāh evidence an essence of motion or action (as something given), intensively referring twice to cast or to throw down (Lam. 3:53; Zec. 1:21; 2:4), and once it means to shoot (as an arrow; Jer. 50:14).

at her, spare...

חָמַל

ḥāmal: A verb meaning to have pity, to show pity, to have compassion, to spare. It expresses pity or compassion toward something or someone, a child or other persons (Exo. 2:6; 1Sam. 15:9, 15:15; 23:21; 2Sam. 12:6; Zec. 11:5-6; Mal. 3:17). Without pity (lō’ ḥomal) means to do something ruthlessly (Isa. 30:14; Lam. 2:2) or without any restraint (Jer. 50:14). It can take on the nuance of holding on to something, desiring it, such as holding evil in one's mouth (Job 20:13) or being unwilling to do something right or that is costly to oneself (2Sam. 12:4).

no arrows:...

חֵץ

ḥēṣ: A masculine noun denoting arrow. It was a hunting and military missile shot from a bow (1 horically in various ways: the Lord's arrows (Num. 24:8; Deu. 32:23, 32:42) which were His judgments; or even His Messianic ruler sent by Him (Psm. 45:5,6). His arrow of deliverance for His people was like lightning (Zec. 9:14). The wickedness and harmful words of evil persons are described as arrows of violence (Psm. 11:2; 64:3,4; 91:5; Pro. 25:18). A fool's or demented person's words are described as arrows, firebrands, and even death (Pro. 26:18). Isaiah's Servant of the Lord is His choice arrow (Isa. 49:2). Jeremiah describes himself as the target of the Lord's arrow of judgment (Lam. 3:12).

for she hath sinned...

חֶטְאָה

ḥeṭ’āh, חָטָא

ḥāṭā’: A verb meaning to miss the mark, to wrong, to sin, to lead into sin, to purify from sin, to free from sin. Four main Hebrew words express the idea of sin in the Hebrew Bible, with this word used most often. Its central meaning is to miss the mark or fail. It is used in a non-moral or nonreligious sense to indicate the simple idea of missing or failing in any task or endeavor. In Jdg. 20:16, it indicated the idea of a slinger missing his target. The verb also indicated the situation that arose when something was missing (Job 5:24); or it described a failure to reach a certain goal or age (Pro. 19:2; Isa. 65:20). These are minor uses of the verb. The word is used the most to describe human failure and sin. It indicates failure to do what is expected; the one who fails to find God in this life destroys himself (Pro. 8:36). Many times the word indicates being at fault (Gen. 20:9; Exo. 10:16; 2Kgs. 18:14; Neh. 6:13) as Pharaoh was toward Moses or to be guilty or responsible (Gen. 43:9; 44:32). It regularly means to sin; Pharaoh sinned against God (Exo. 10:16). People can also sin against other human beings (Gen. 42:22; 1Sam. 19:4-5) or against their own souls (Pro. 20:2). The verb is used to indicate sin with no object given, as when Pharaoh admitted flatly that he had sinned (Exo. 9:27; Jdg. 10:15) or when Israel was described as a "sinful nation" (Isa. 1:4). Sometimes the writer used the noun from this same verbal root as the object of the verb for emphasis, such as in Exo. 32:30-31, where Moses asserted that Israel had sinned a great sin (Lev. 4:3; Num. 12:11). Sinning, unfortunately, is a universal experience, for there is no one who does not sin (Ecc. 7:20). Persons may sin with various parts of their bodies or in certain ways or attitudes. They may sin with their tongues or lips (Job 2:10; Psm. 39:1, 2). Persons may sin innocently or in such a way as to bring guilt on others (Lev. 4:2-3; Num. 15:27).

Three other stems of this verb are used less often. The intensive stem is used to indicate people bearing their own material losses or failures (Gen. 31:39); one freeing oneself from sin or purifying an object or person (Lev. 8:15; Psm. 51:7, 9); and one bringing a sin offering (Lev. 6:26,19 ; 2Chr. 29:24). The causative stem, besides indicating failure to miss a literal target, means to lead into sin, to lead astray. Jeroboam was an infamous king who caused all Israel to walk in sin (1Kgs. 14:16; 15:26). The reflexive stem communicates the idea of freeing oneself from sin. The Levites purified themselves (i.e., set themselves apart from sin) so they could work at the sanctuary (Num. 8:21).

against the Lord...

יְהוָֹה

y^ehōwāh: A noun meaning God. The word refers to the proper name of the God of Israel, particularly the name by which He revealed Himself to Moses (Exo. 6:2-3). The divine name has traditionally not been pronounced, primarily out of respect for its sacredness (cf. Exo. 20:7; Deu. 28:58). Until the Renaissance, it was written without vowels in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, being rendered as YHWH. However, since that time, the vowels of another word, ’^aḏōnāy, have been supplied in hopes of reconstructing the pronunciation. Although the exact derivation of the name is uncertain, most scholars agree that its primary meaning should be understood in the context of God's existence, namely, that He is the "I AM THAT I AM" (Exo. 3:14), the One who was, who is, and who always will be (cf. Rev. 11:17). Older translations of the Bible and many newer ones employ the practice of rendering the divine name in capital letters, so as to distinguish it from other Hebrew words. It is most often rendered as LORD (Gen. 4:1; Deu. 6:18; Psm. 18:31,32; Jer. 33:2; Jon. 1:9) but also as GOD (Gen. 6:5; 2Sam. 12:22) or JEHOVAH (Psm. 83:18,19; Isa. 26:4). The frequent appearance of this name in relation to God's redemptive work underscores its tremendous importance (Lev. 26:45; Psm. 19:14,15). Also, it is sometimes compounded with another word to describe the character of the Lord in greater detail (see Gen. 22:14; Exo. 17:15; Jdg. 6:24).

In view of the great uncertainty as to the origin and history of this prophecy, we do not intend to attempt any detailed exposition. Elsewhere whatever non-Jeremianic matter occurs in the book is mostly by way of expansion and interpretation, and thus lies in the direct line of the prophet’s teaching. But the section on Babylon attaches itself to the new departure in religious thought that is more fully expressed in Isaiah 40-66. Chapters 50, 51, may possibly be Jeremiah’s swan song, called forth by one of those Pisgah visions of a new dispensation sometimes granted to aged seers; but such visions of a new era and a new order can scarcely be combined with earlier teaching. We will therefore only briefly indicate the character and contents of this section.