Book of Jeremiah Chapter 50 Vs. 17

 Judgment on Babylon

Jer 50:17 Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.

Israel...

יִשְׂרָאֵל

yiśrā’ēl: A proper noun designating Israel:

A. The name given to Jacob after he successfully wrestled with the messenger of God (Gen. 32:28). The name means "he (who) struggles with God." It was used of the descendants of Jacob who went to Egypt (70 in all) but was applied to the nation that developed from those descendants (Exo. 1:1, 1:7). This name is explained again in Gen. 35:10. The name Jacob had been interpreted in context as well (Gen. 25:26), "he deceives."

B. The persons descended from Jacob who was renamed Israel (Gen. 35:10; see A above). His descendants became known as Israel (Exo. 1:1, 1:7). They were known as the "twelve tribes of Israel [Jacob]" (Gen. 49:7, 49:16, 49:28). The Lord became "the Rock of Israel (Gen. 49:24).

The land of Israel was ideally the territory first described to Abraham. It stretched from the river of Egypt (El-Arish) to the great Euphrates River and encompassed the territory of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites (Gen. 15:17-21; cf. also Gen. 10:15-18). The full expanse of this territory was occupied during the reign of David and Solomon and approached during the time of Israel-Judah under the respective contemporary reigns of Jeroboam II in Israel and Azariah (Uzziah) in Judah. Most often, however, the land of Israel in the Old Testament is designated as the territory from Dan (north) to Beersheba (south). After Israel divided into two kingdoms in 930 B.C., the name refers still to all of Israel but most often to northern Israel. After the return from exile in 538 B.C., the term is used of the whole restored community again regularly.

is a scattered...

פָּזַר

pāzar: A verb meaning to scatter; to be scattered. It indicates the dispersing or distributing of something or someone: of the Jews among the Persian Empire (Est. 3:8; Joel 3:2; 4:2); of the bones of the dead lying about wherever they fell (Psm. 53:5, 6); of one's enemies (Psm. 89:10, 11). It signifies in a good sense the sharing of things, scattering them (Pro. 11:24); but it is used of apostasy and harlotries as well (Jer. 3:13).

sheep;...

שֶׂה

śeh: A common noun meaning sheep, lamb. It refers to a young lamb of sheep or a young kid of goats, a part of a larger unit of animals, a flock ṣō’n (Gen. 22:7). The animals were of great value for wealth in general, food, sacrifices, milk. They were a favorite subject in figures of speech indicating lost or straying persons, as well as sheep themselves (Psm. 19:176). They were used figuratively of Israel (Ezk. 34:17). The Suffering Servant was slaughtered like a sheep (Isa. 53:7). The lamb was used in the Passover ritual (Exo. 12:3-5).

the lions...

אֲרִי

’^ariy, אַרְיֵה

’aryēh: I. A masculine noun meaning lion. The word refers to an animal (Jdg. 14:5, 14:18; 1Sam. 17:34, 17:36; 2Sam. 23:20). Figuratively, it describes Israel's rise to a powerful nation (Num. 23:24; 24:9) and Israel's destroyers Assyria and Babylon (Jer. 50:17). Jerusalem's kings are depicted as destructive lions (Zep. 3:3). The strength of lions was celebrated in songs and poetry (2Sam. 1:23; Pro. 22:13).

II. A feminine noun referring to a lion. The word refers to an animal. It has the same basic function and meaning as I. In addition, it is used in the following ways: Judah and Dan in particular are described as lions or a lion's whelps (Gen. 49:9; Deu. 33:22) using this word. One of the four living beings of Ezekiel's vision has the face of a lion (Ezk. 1:10; 10:14). The Lord roars as a lion (Hos. 11:10; Amos 3:4, 3:8) as a protector of His people or, if necessary, as a judge of His people.

III. A masculine noun depicting one pierced. The word describes the piercing of the psalmist's hands and feet, a prophetic assertion also applied to Christ (Psm. 22:16,17, KJV, NKJV, NASB, NIV).

have driven him away...

נָדַח

nāḏaḥ: I. A verb meaning to banish, to drive away, to scatter. It is used in various ways to indicate the idea of forcefully removing, impelling, or driving out: of the dispersion, the scattering of Israel into exile (Deu. 30:1, 30:4; Jer. 40:12; 43:5; 46:28; Mic. 4:6); of driving out something in a figurative sense (Job 6:13); Zion herself was considered an outcast, one driven out (Jer. 30:17). It is used of cattle straying off (Deu. 22:1). It means to be impelled to do something, e.g., by the lure of idolatry and false gods (Deu. 4:19; 30:17); by the seduction of a harlot (Pro. 7:21).

II. A verb meaning to wield, bring (against). It is used of wielding or swinging an ax against something, striking it (Deu. 19:5; 20:19), whether a person or a tree. It is used figuratively of bringing evil and destruction on something or someone (2Sam. 15:14).

first...

רִאשׁוֹן

ri’šôn, רִאשׂן

ri’šōn: An adjective meaning first, former, foremost, earlier, head, chief. This term occurs 182 times and denotes that which comes first among given items, whether in place, rank, or order (Gen. 25:25, 32:17, 18; 2Kgs. 1:14) or (more frequently) in time. Moses had the Tabernacle set up in the first month, just as the Lord commanded (Exo. 40:2, 40:17; cf. Num. 9:5; Ezra 7:9; Ezk. 45:18, 45:21). Zechariah warned the exiles who returned to the Promised Land from the Babylonian captivity not to be like their ancestors who refused to listen to the former prophets (Zec. 1:4, 7:7, 7:12). The Lord declares Himself to be the first and the last, the Eternal One (Isa. 44:6, 48:12). In later Hebrew, the word came to signify the highest in rank or authority (i.e., chief, head). The archangel Michael is portrayed as holding the rank of chief prince (Dan. 10:13; cf. 1Chr. 18:17; Est. 1:14). This word is derived from the noun rō’š.

the king...

מֶלֶךּ

meleḵ: A masculine noun meaning king. The feminine form is malkāh, meaning queen, though the concept is more of a king's consort than a monarchical ruler. The word meleḵappears over 2,500 times in the Old Testament. In many biblical contexts, this term is simply a general term, denoting an individual with power and authority. It is parallel with and conceptually related to a number of other Hebrew words that are usually translated as lord, captain, prince, chief, or ruler. It is used in reference to men and often with a genitive of people or place (Gen. 14:1; Exo. 1:15; 2Sam. 2:4); the Lord who demonstrates His power and authority over Israel (Isa. 41:21; 44:6); and over each individual (Psm. 5:2, 3; Psm. 44:4, 5). In pagan worship, the worshipers of idols attribute this term with its connotations to their idols (Isa. 8:21; Amos 5:26).

of Assyria...

אַשּׁוּר

’aššûr: A proper noun designating Asshur:

A. The name of a second son of Shem who began the ancient line from which the Assyrians came, with their capital at Asshur (Gen. 10:22; 1Chr. 1:17).

B. An ancient name for Assyria found in Gen. 2:14. The Tigris River ran by its capital city Asshur. Nimrod is connected with the land in Gen. 10:11 where he built Nineveh, a later capital of Assyria. Asshur (Assyria) is mentioned by Balaam in his final prophecies (Num. 24:22, 24:24). Assyria/Asshur became a byword for violence and political terror tactics. It conquered and ruled by fear and brutality. Samaria took Northern Israel captive in 722 B.C. In ca. 701 B.C., Sennacherib threatened to besiege and destroy Jerusalem in Hezekiah's reign and during the time of Isaiah the prophet (Isa. 36-37). God delivered the city. Jonah preached repentance to the great city of Nineveh, and the Assyrians repented and experienced the Lord's grace (see Jon. 3:4-4:11). On the other hand, later the prophet Nahum preached the destruction of the city and rejoiced over its fall, as did the rest of the ancient Near East (Nah. 1-3). Nineveh and the remnants of the Assyrian Empire fell in 612 B.C.

hath devoured...

אָכַל

’āḵal: A verb meaning to eat, devour, consume. This word has many uses. It is used of humans most often (Gen. 3:6, 3:11, 3:18; Exo. 16:35; 34:15; Ruth 2:14). It also means to eat a meal (Gen. 43:25; Exo. 2:20). It is used frequently in a cultic setting. To eat before the Lord is mentioned in the context of offering sacrifice (Deu. 12:7). The burnt offering was consumed by fire into ashes (Lev. 6:10, 3). It is used to describe the feeding of birds or animals and translated often as devour, eat, consume (Gen. 37:20, 37:33; 1Kgs. 13:28; 14:11). It describes the feeding of locusts (Joel 1:4; 2:25); moths (Job 13:28); flies (Psm. 78:45); worms (Deu. 28:39).

It is regularly used in a metaphorical sense describing the activity of fire that consumes or devours (Lev. 6:10, 3; Nam. 3:13). The Lord is pictured as a consuming fire of judgment (Deu. 4:24). It describes the action of a consuming sword (Deu. 32:42; 2Sam. 2:26). It depicts the consuming oppression of the poor (Pro. 30:14; Hab. 3:14). The passive use of ’ākal means to be eaten, devoured (Exo. 12:46; Zec. 9:4), or consumed (Neh. 2:3, 2:13; Isa. 1:20). A causal use of the verb means to cause to eat or feed (Exo. 16:32; Deu. 8:3, 8:16; 1Kgs. 22:27).

The word is used in some idioms; one means to eat up space, that is, to lay claim to space (Ezk. 42:5). It refers to the act of an adulterous woman with regard to the sex act (Pro. 30:20), to enjoy love.

him; and last...

אַחֲרוֹן

’aḥ^arôn, אַחֲרֹן

’aḥ^arōn: An adjective meaning last, afterwards, next. Its use is quite consistent, but it is nuanced by its context to mean in second position (Gen. 33:2); or to the west, westward (Deu. 11:24). It is used in a temporal sense to mean latter (Exo. 4:8); future (Deu. 29:22, 21); or present (Ruth 3:10). It also means last (2Sam. 19:11-12; 12-13). God is called the first and the last (Isa. 41:4). It takes on the meaning of finally in some contexts (2Sam. 2:26; 1Kgs. 17:13).

this...

זֶה

zeh: A masculine demonstrative pronoun meaning this, these; this is, are; this (person), they. Used alone, the word may mean this one (man) (Gen. 5:29; Exo. 10:7; 1Sam. 10:27); an event, concept, action (Exo. 13:8; Job 15:17; Pro. 24:12; Ecc. 1:17). When repeated zeh . . . zeh, it means this . . . that or the one . . . the other, etc. (Exo. 14:20; 1Kgs. 3:23; 22:20; Isa. 6:3). It points out a noun that it precedes or follows (Exo. 32:1, 32:23; Deu. 21:20; Jos. 2:14, 2:20; 9:12; Jdg. 5:5). Used as a semiverb, it means this is, these are (Gen. 5:1; 20:13; 2Kgs. 3:23). It is coupled with certain words to make idioms, etc.: ’ēy-zeh mîy zeh meaning why, who is this, respectively (1Sam. 17:55-56; Job 28:12; Jer. 49:19); further one finds mah-zeh, how, what is this? (Gen. 27:20). With hennēh it means, behold, right here! (1Kgs. 19:5; Song 2:8-9; Isa. 21:9). It functions as the relative pronoun ’ašer, who, which, what, etc. in poetry: which (Psm. 74:2, 3; 78:54; 104:8). It is used often with prefixes added to it: bāzeh, in this place (Gen. 38:21-22; 1Sam. 1:26); mizzeh, from here (Gen. 42:15); mizzeh . . . mizzeh means one side . . . on the other side (Exo. 17:12; Exo. 25:19). After the preposition ‛al, it means for this reason, on this account (Est. 6:3; Lam. 5:17).

Nebuchadrezzar...

נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר

n^eḇûḵaḏne’ṣṣar, נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר

n^eḇûḵaḏre’ṣṣar: A proper noun designating Nebuchadnezzar, the great Chaldean king of the neo-Babylonian Empire. His name means "Nabu has protected the accession right," Nabu being a Babylonian god. He ruled 605-562 B.C. and was the virtual embodiment of this empire. He defeated Assyria in 605 B.C. and became the master of the Middle East. He conquered Israel and destroyed Jerusalem and Judah in 586 B.C. He destroyed the Temple and took its wealth to the stone house of his god Marduk in Babylon (2Kgs. 24; 25; Dan. 1-3).

The prophet Jeremiah called him the servant of the Lord to do his bidding (Jer. 25:9; 27:6). It was the Lord's judgment that submitted Judah to this pagan king (Jer. 28:14). He listened to and promoted Daniel and his God while Daniel served as a counselor, wise man, and administrator for the king. The Lord gave him dreams, interpreted by Daniel, a Jew, that were breathtaking in their sweeping portrayals of the march of history from his time down to the rise of the kingdom of God (Dan. 2). He suffered from megalomania in his last years, but God humbled him with a humiliating disease and emotional derangement (Dan. 4:1; 23:31; 4) but later restored him to sanity.

king... see the king above.

of 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).

hath broken his bones...

עָצַם

‛āṣam: I. A verb meaning to be numerous, mighty. It describes a person, people, or nation becoming or being powerful, strong. Israel and his family had become strong, numerous (Gen. 26:16); Israel multiplied to become a powerful people in Egypt (Exo. 1:7, 1:20; Psm. 105:24). It refers to the enemies of a righteous person (Psm. 38:19, 20). God's wonders are declared to be too many to number or tell about (Psm. 40:5, 6). The might and strength of horsemen is emphasized (Isa. 31:1). It is used figuratively of the might of a male goat that represents Alexander the Great (Dan. 8:8, 8:24).

II. A verb meaning to shut, to close. It is used of the Lord's shutting the eyes of a rebellious people (Isa. 29:10). It means to cover one's eyes or to refuse to approve or countenance what is evil in the Lord's eyes (Isa. 33:15).