Historical chapter commentary
Verse 1. Prophet. He had spoken against them in the fourth year of Joachim, and now is more explicit in the fourth of Sedecias, (Calmet. 51:60) sending his predictions to be read, and then thrown into the Euphrates. The fall of Babylon was gradual. It was in consequence of her pride and cruelty, verse 11, 17, 23, 29. Isaiah 47:6. Calmet.—It had shewn the greatest enmity to the Jews, and was at last overthrown by the Medes and Persians. Worthington.
Verse 2. Declare. This is grand. Let all the captives publish these tidings. Calmet.—Bel, and so forth Bel and Merodach were worshipped for gods by the men of Babylon. Challoner.—Merodach might be an ancient king deified. Calmet.—These greatest of their idols could neither save the people nor themselves. Worthington.
Verse 3. A nation, and so forth that is the Medes, ( Challoner.) under Darius, (Daniel 5:31. Theod. Grot.) or rather under Cyrus, who came upon Babylon from the north, after conquering Asia; though he was born to the east of that city. Isaiah 61:2 7. He was a Mede by his mother, and ruler of that nation. He gave liberty to the Jews, as the prophet inculcates ten times.—Desolate. Herodotus. Xenophon, and so forth say not that Cyrus demolished any part of the city; but Berosus informs us that he took it without opposition, and levelled the outer walls. Hystaspes did more damage. Herod. iii. 150.
Verse 4. Weeping for joy and compunction. Israel returns, as well as Juda. Calmet.—Thus Joseph wept when he beheld his brethren. Genesis 42:24. Worthington.
Verse 5. Covenant. They renewed the old one under Nehemias, and never publicly broke it, as they had done. Yet the covenant of Christ is more properly meant.
Verse 6. Shepherds; kings, ( Calmet.) and false prophets. Bible.
Verse 7. Not sinned: the Jews were such notorious offenders. But in what had they injured the Chaldees?—Beauty. Hebrew “dwelling or fold.”
Verse 8. Kids; rams. This comparison was not ignoble. Go boldly out of the city, before it be besieged.
Verse 9. Nations. Cyrus had Armenians, and so forth in his army. Calmet.—Thence, by the bed of the Euphrates, the waters of which were mostly let out into the marshes. Thus the city was taken, while the people were feasting. Herod. i. 191.—Aristotle (Pol. iii. 3.) says, three days passed before all the citizens were apprised of its fate, it was so extensive: but this is incredible. If we follow the account of Berosus, Cyrus routed Nabonides, who fled to Borsippe, while he took Babylon and demolished the outer walls. Jos. c. Ap. i. Calmet.—North, with respect to Babylon. Worthington.—The Persians lay rather to the south, and to the east of Palestine, ( Bible.) if our maps be accurate. Calmet.
Verse 11. Bulls. You have rioted in Juda, and treated my people cruelly. Bible.—In Hebrew four verbs have improperly i for v; but Calmet. 51:34. v supplants i five times. Kennicott.
Verse 12. Dust, like a suppliant. Isaiah 47:1. Calmet.—Dry. The country shall be equally unfruitful. The waters of the Euphrates being let off, gave a passage to the enemy. verse 9. Bible.—Babylon soon lost its splendour. Calmet.—Vologeses completed its ruin. Pliny vi. 26.—It ceased to be the metropolis or mother city. Bible.—The whole country was laid waste. Worthington.
Verse 15. Hand, to form leagues; or she faints, (Sept.) and submits. Lamentations 5:6.
Verse 16. Harvest. Such were usually unmolested. Calmet.—Babylon was so large, that people sowed corn within the walls. Curt. v.—The environs were well cultivated. Pliny xviii. 17.—Dove, or the destroyer; for the Hebrew word signifies either the one or the other. Challoner. Calmet. 25:38 and 46:16.—Lit. “from before the sword of the dove.” The power of Babylon is no more. Bible.—The king is compared to a dove, for his swiftness; or God is meek, though terrible. Worthington.—Land. The other nations were set free as well as the Jews. Calmet.
Verse 17. Bones. He completely ruined the nation, which the Assyrians had left. Bible.—They led the ten tribes away, and the Chaldees took the rest. 4 Kennicott. 18 and 25. Worthington.
Verse 18. Assyria. This monarchy was subdued by Nabopolasser.
Verse 19. Israel; the ten tribes, whose country is specified.
Verse 20. None. Idolatry shall not be re-established.
Verse 21. Rulers: the most potent empire of Babylon.—All. Hebrew “anathematize them and their posterity.”
Verse 23. Hammer. The violent injustice of the Chaldees is thus entitled.
Verse 24. Aware. Men seemed to rise out of the earth. verse 9.
Verse 25. Armoury. Fire and war are the Lord’s weapons. Job 38:22.—Work: punishment. Calmet. 48:10.
Verse 26. That. Hebrew “her granaries; trample on her as on heaps of corn, destroy,” and so forth He alludes to the custom of oxen trampling out the corn. Calmet. 51:33.
Verse 28. Voice. I hear the captives proclaiming this at their return.
Verse 30. Peace, in the grave; ( Calmet.) or shall submit quietly. 1 Maccabees 1:3. Bible.
Verse 31. Proud. So the Chaldees are often styled in the Psalms. 100.—The prophet addresses Nabuchodonosor, or rather Baltassar, ( Menochius.) under whom the city was taken, (Jos. and so forth) by Darius and Cyrus. He may be the Nabonides of Berosus, the question is so much perplexed. Yet “we are convinced that Darius reigned at Babylon before Cyrus, and took the city after the death of Baltassar.” Calmet.—Most commentators are of a difficult opinion. Bible.
Verse 33. Israel. Samaria had been destroyed forty-four years before the fourth of Joakim, from which period many of Juda had been captives seventy years, till Cyrus became their deliverer, and chastised the Chaldees. Calmet.—Both kingdoms had been oppressed by a strong hand, till a stronger, even God himself, delivered them. Worthington.
Verse 34. Name. He gives victory to Cyrus. Thus the Lord directs all for the sake of his elect, and laughs at the vain projects of men. Calmet.
Verse 35. Wise men. They were styled Chaldees, and inhabited a certain part of the city, being employed in astronomical and mathematical observations. They disapproved of those who cast nativities. Strabo xvi.
Verse 36. Diviners. Hebrew “impostors.” They were nowhere more plentiful. Daniel 1:20. Fortune-tellers were consulted on every occasion. The eastern nations are still much addicted to this superstition.
Verse 38. Drought. Cyrus almost drained the Euphrates. Calmet. 51:42. Isaiah 21.—Things, fit to terrify children. Baruch 6:14. Calmet.—Prot. “they are made upon their idols.” Bible.
Verse 39. Fig-fauns. Monsters of the desert, or demons in monstrous shapes; such as the ancients called fauns and satyrs: and as they imagined them to live upon wild figs, they called them fauni-ficarii, or fig-fauns. Challoner.—Maldonat reads sicariis, “ruffians.” Sixtus V. and S. Jerom, (in Isaiah 13:21) have fatuis, “foolish wild men.” Hebrew “the Tsiim iwth the iim shall dwell there, and the daughters of the Yahana ( Bible. swans) shall there reside,” or “fishermen among the rushes shall dwell,” and so forth—Ever. Its situation is unknown. There is still a town of the same name, but not in the same place.
Verse 42. Cruel. The Medes will not spare for money. verse 3. Isaiah 13:7.
Verse 43. King. Baltassar, (though he was succeeded by Darius) or Nabonides. verse 31. Calmet.
Verse 44. And beautiful. Hebrew “habitation.” Bible.—He will rush into the fold. Calmet. 49:19. Calmet.—The king of Babylon had ruined many. Others shall destroy him, rushing on like the Jordan. Worthington.
When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name (Hebrew “יהוה”, usually pronounced Yahweh).