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Atomic Bible
Jeremiah

Chapter 50

A Prophecy against Babylon and more

Jeremiah 50 announces the downfall of Babylon, the empire that crushed Judah, and pairs that judgment with the return and pardon of God's people. The chapter opens with a public proclamation that Babylon's gods are disgraced and a northern nation is coming against her, then interweaves promises that Israel and Judah will seek the LORD again, leave Babylon behind, and be restored, while a long final oracle portrays Babylon as arrogant, trapped, desolated, and repaid in full for all it has done.

This chapter begins Jeremiah's sustained prophecy against Babylon and reverses the book's earlier emphasis on Babylon as the instrument of divine judgment. The empire that seemed unassailable is now exposed as another proud nation under the LORD's rule, while the chapter's repeated return motifs show that Babylon's fall is inseparable from Israel's redemption.

5 sections·327 words·~1 min read

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Jeremiah 50

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vv. 1-3

A Prophecy against Babylon

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T1his is the word that the LORD spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon and the land of the Chaldeans: 2“Announce and declare to the nations; 3For a nation from the north will come against her;

vv. 4-10

Hope for Israel and Judah

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“4In those days and at that time, 5They will ask the way to Zion 6My people are lost sheep; 7All who found them devoured them, 8Flee from the midst of Babylon; 9For behold, I stir up and bring against Babylon 10Chaldea will be plundered;

vv. 11-16

Babylon’s Fall Is Certain

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“11Because you rejoice, 12your mother will be greatly ashamed; 13Because of the wrath of the LORD, 14Line up in formation around Babylon, 15Raise a war cry against her on every side! 16Cut off the sower from Babylon,

vv. 17-20

Redemption for God’s People

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I17srael is a scattered flock, 18Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: 19I will return Israel to his pasture, 20In those days and at that time,

vv. 21-46

The Destruction of Babylon

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G21o up against the land of Merathaim, 22“The noise of battle is in the land — 23How the hammer of the whole earth 24I laid a snare for you, O Babylon, 25The LORD has opened His armory 26Come against her 27Kill all her young bulls; 28Listen to the fugitives and refugees

29Summon the archers against Babylon, 30Therefore, her young men will fall in the streets, 31“Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,” 32The arrogant one will stumble and fall

33This is what the LORD of Hosts says: 34Their Redeemer is strong; 35A sword is against the Chaldeans, 36A sword is against her false prophets, 37A sword is against her horses and chariots 38A drought is upon her waters, 39So the desert creatures and hyenas will live there 40As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah

41Behold, an army is coming from the north; 42They grasp the bow and spear; 43The king of Babylon has heard the report, 44Behold, one will come up like a lion 45Therefore hear the plans 46At the sound of Babylon’s capture the earth will quake;

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  1. 01vv. 1-3A Prophecy against BabylonThe LORD's word concerning Babylon and the land of the Chaldeans is to be announced publicly among the nations. Bel is put to shame, Babylon's idols are shattered, and a nation from the north is appointed to make the land desolate so that both man and beast flee away from it.
  2. 02vv. 4-10Hope for Israel and JudahIn the same season as Babylon's fall, the children of Israel and Judah will come weeping together and seek the LORD their God. They will ask the way to Zion with faces set homeward, joining themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant. The LORD describes His people as lost sheep led astray by false shepherds and devoured by enemies who justified themselves because Israel sinned against Him. Therefore the people are commanded to flee Babylon like male goats before the flock, for the LORD is mustering a great northern coalition whose arrows will not miss and whose plunder will be complete.
  3. 03vv. 11-16Babylon’s Fall Is CertainBabylon is condemned for rejoicing over the LORD's inheritance and growing fat, sleek, and noisy in triumph. Her mother city will be ashamed, reduced to the least among nations, a wilderness and desert because of the LORD's wrath. Those who attack her are told to line up on every side, spare no arrows, and repay her as she has done, because she has sinned against the LORD. Agriculture, warfare, and civic life alike collapse so thoroughly that foreigners hurry home from the sword.
  4. 04vv. 17-20Redemption for God’s PeopleIsrael is pictured as a scattered flock driven first by Assyria and then devoured by Babylon. Therefore the LORD of Hosts promises to punish the king of Babylon as He punished Assyria and to bring Israel back to his own pasture, where he will feed in Carmel, Bashan, Ephraim, and Gilead. In that future day the iniquity of Israel and the sin of Judah will be sought but not found, because the LORD will pardon the remnant He preserves.
  5. 05vv. 21-46The Destruction of BabylonThe longest section renews the assault on Babylon with a barrage of commands and images. The land of Merathaim and Pekod is to be attacked, Babylon the hammer of the whole earth is found and trapped by the LORD's snare, and His armory is opened for a work in the land of the Chaldeans. Babylon's strong men, grain, arrogance, false prophets, horses, chariots, treasures, and waters all come under the sword, until the land becomes a haunt of desert creatures like Sodom. Refugees from Babylon proclaim in Zion the LORD's vengeance for His temple. A northern army then advances with ruthless force; Babylon's king melts in fear, and the LORD's plan against the land is so certain that its capture shakes the whole earth and sends a cry among the nations.
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