Amplified Bible
Jeremiah 51:12
12Set up a signal on the walls of Babylon [to spread the news]; Post a strong blockade, Station the guards, Prepare the men for ambush! For the Lord has both purposed and done That which He spoke against the people of Babylon.
Jeremiah 51:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the Lord hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon.
- New International Version (NIV)Lift up a banner against the walls of Babylon! Reinforce the guard, station the watchmen, prepare an ambush! The Lord will carry out his purpose, his decree against the people of Babylon.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon; make the watch strong; set up watchmen; prepare the ambushes; for the Lord has both planned and done what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Set up the standard on the walls of Babylon; Make the guard strong, Set up the watchmen, Prepare the ambushes. For the Lord has both devised and done What He spoke against the inhabitants of Babylon.
Context of Jeremiah 51:12
10The Lord has brought about our vindication and has revealed the righteousness of our cause; Come and let us proclaim in Zion The work of the Lord our God! 11Sharpen the arrows, take up the shields [and cover yourselves]! The Lord has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, Because His purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it; For that is the vengeance of the Lord, vengeance [on Babylon] for [plundering and destroying] His temple. Set up a signal on the walls of Babylon [to spread the news]; Post a strong blockade, Station the guards, Prepare the men for ambush! For the Lord has both purposed and done That which He spoke against the people of Babylon. 13[O Babylon] you who live by many waters, Rich in treasures, Your end has come, And the line measuring your life is cut. 14The Lord of hosts has sworn [an oath] by Himself, saying, “Surely I will fill you with men, as with [a swarm of] locusts [who strip the land clean], And they will lift up a song and shout of victory over you.”
Read all of Jeremiah 51Jeremiah 51:12 word by word
אֶל־חוֹמֹ֨ת בָּבֶ֜ל שְׂאוּ־נֵ֗ס הַחֲזִ֙יקוּ֙ הַמִּשְׁמָ֔ר הָקִ֙ימוּ֙ שֹֽׁמְרִ֔ים הָכִ֖ינוּ הָאֹֽרְבִ֑ים כִּ֚י גַּם־זָמַ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה גַּם־עָשָׂ֕ה אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֖ר אֶל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י בָבֶֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Set upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: raiseH5375
- the standardנֵסnês · ensignH5251
- upon the wallsחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
- of Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894
- make the watchמִשְׁמָרmishmâr · custodyH4929
- strongחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: strengthenH2388
- set upקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
- the watchmenשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
- prepareכּוּןkûn · to establish: prepareH3559
- the ambushesאָרַב'ârab · to ambushH693
- for the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- hath both devisedזָמַםzâmam · to planH2161
- and doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- that which he spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- against the inhabitantsיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
Cross-references for Jeremiah 51:12
- Jeremiah 46:3“Line up the buckler (small shield) and [large] shield, And advance for battle!
- Proverbs 21:30There is no [human] wisdom or understanding Or counsel [that can prevail] against the Lord.
- Isaiah 8:9“Be broken [in pieces], O peoples, and be shattered! Listen, all you [our enemies from the] far countries. Prepare yourselves [for war], and be shattered; Prepare yourselves [for war], and be shattered.
- Isaiah 13:2Lift up a signal banner on the bare mountain, Summon them [the Medes and Persians] with a loud voice, Wave the [beckoning] hand so that they may enter the doorways of the [Babylonian] nobles.
- Joel 3:2I will gather together all the [Gentile] nations [that were hostile to My people] And bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat (the Lord has judged). And there I will deal with them and enter into judgment with them there For [their treatment of] My people, My inheritance, Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations, And [because] they have encroached on My land and divided it up.
- Nahum 2:1The one who scatters has come up against you [Nineveh]. Man the fortress and ramparts, watch the road; Strengthen your back [prepare for battle], summon all your strength.
- Nahum 3:14Draw water for a [long, continued] siege! Strengthen your fortresses! Go down to the clay pits, trample the mortar! Prepare the brick kiln [to burn bricks for the rampart]!
- Joshua 8:14Now when the king [and the people] of Ai saw it, the men of the city hurried and got up early and went out to meet Israel in battle, the king and all his people at the appointed [time and] place before the desert plain (the Arabah). But he did not know that there was an ambush against him [waiting] behind the city [on the west side].
- Jeremiah 51:11Sharpen the arrows, take up the shields [and cover yourselves]! The Lord has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, Because His purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it; For that is the vengeance of the Lord, vengeance [on Babylon] for [plundering and destroying] His temple.
- Lamentations 2:17The Lord has done what He planned; He has accomplished His word Which He commanded from days of old. He has demolished without sparing, And He has caused the enemy to rejoice over you; He has exalted the power of your enemies.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 51:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Set up the standard - A call to the enemies of Babylon to invest the city and press the siege.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Upon the walls of Babylon - Or, “against the walls.” The King James Version takes the word ironically, as a summons to Babylon to prepare for her defense; others take it as a summons to the army to make the attack.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-12The kings of the Medes included Cyrus. He marched against Babylon and overthrew it in 539 BC.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. With all your efforts, your city shall be taken. standard--to summon the defenders together to any point threatened by the besiegers.Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 51:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 51
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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