God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 50:14
14“Take up your positions around Babylon, all you archers with bows. Shoot at it; don’t save any arrows, because the people of Babylon have sinned against the Lord.
Jeremiah 50:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)“Take up your positions around Babylon, all you who draw the bow. Shoot at her! Spare no arrows, for she has sinned against the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Set yourselves in array against Babylon all around, all you who bend the bow; shoot at her, spare no arrows, for she has sinned against the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Put yourselves in array against Babylon all around, All you who bend the bow; Shoot at her, spare no arrows, For she has sinned against the Lord.
Context of Jeremiah 50:14
12But your mother will be greatly ashamed. The woman who gave birth to you will be disgraced. Babylon, you will be the least important nation. You will become a parched desert. 13No one will live in Babylon because of the Lord’s anger. It will be completely abandoned. Everyone who passes by Babylon will be horrified and hiss at all its wounds. “Take up your positions around Babylon, all you archers with bows. Shoot at it; don’t save any arrows, because the people of Babylon have sinned against the Lord. 15Shout a war cry against them on every side. They’ll surrender. Their towers will fall and their walls will be torn down. Since this is the Lord’s vengeance, take revenge against them. Do to them what they did to others. 16Don’t allow anyone in Babylon to plant or harvest. Everyone will turn to his own people and flee to his own homeland because of the enemies’ swords.
Read all of Jeremiah 50Jeremiah 50:14 word by word
עִרְכ֨וּ עַל־בָּבֶ֤ל׀ סָבִיב֙ כָּל־דֹּ֣רְכֵי קֶ֔שֶׁת יְד֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יהָ אַֽל־תַּחְמְל֖וּ אֶל־חֵ֑ץ כִּ֥י לַֽיהוָ֖ה חָטָֽאָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Put yourselves in arrayעָרַךְ‛ârak · to arrangeH6186
- against Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894
- round aboutסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439
- all ye that bendדָּרַךְdârak · to treadH1869
- the bowקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
- shootיָדָהyâdâh · to give thanksH3034
- at her, spareחָמַלchâmal · to spareH2550
- no arrowsחֵץchêts · arrowH2671
- for she hath sinnedחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- against the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Jeremiah 50:14
- Jeremiah 50:9I am going to stir up an alliance of strong nations from the north and bring it against Babylon. Those nations will take up positions against Babylon. Babylon will be captured from the north. Its enemy’s arrows will be like skilled soldiers who don’t come back empty-handed.
- Jeremiah 51:2I will send people to winnow Babylon, to winnow it and strip its land bare. They will attack it from every direction on the day of trouble.
- 1 Samuel 17:20David got up early in the morning and had someone else watch ⌞the sheep⌟. He took ⌞the food⌟ and went, as Jesse ordered him. He went to the camp as the army was going out to the battle line shouting their war cry.
- 2 Samuel 10:9When Joab saw he was under attack in front and behind, he took the select troops of Israel and organized them for combat against the Arameans.
- Isaiah 13:4Listen to the noise on the mountains. It is like the sound of a large army. It is the sound of kingdoms and nations gathering together. The Lord of Armies is assembling his army for battle.
- Jeremiah 50:29“Call together the archers, the soldiers with bows, against Babylon. Set up blockades around it. Don’t let anyone escape. Pay the people of Babylon back for what they have done. Do to them what they did to others. They have disobeyed the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
- Jeremiah 46:9Go into battle, you horsemen. Drive wildly, you chariot drivers. March into battle, you warriors, you warriors from Sudan and Put who carry shields, you warriors from Lydia who use bows and arrows.
- Jeremiah 49:35This is what the Lord of Armies says: I’m going to break the bows of Elam’s archers, the most important weapon of their strength.
- Isaiah 5:28Their arrows are sharpened; all their bows are ready to shoot. Their horses’ hoofs are as hard as flint. Their chariot wheels are as quick as the wind.
- Jeremiah 50:7Everyone who finds them eats them. Their enemies say, ‘We’re not guilty. They have sinned against the Lord, their true pasture. They have sinned against the Lord, the hope of their ancestors.’
- Psalms 51:4I have sinned against you, especially you. I have done what you consider evil. So you hand down justice when you speak, and you are blameless when you judge.
- Habakkuk 2:8You have looted many nations. All the rest of the people will loot you because of the slaughter and violence done to lands, cities, and all their inhabitants.
- Revelation 17:5A name was written on her forehead. The name was Mystery: Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and Detestable Things of the Earth.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 50:14
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14place the colon after bow.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-20Verses 8-20 The desolation that shall be brought upon Babylon is set forth in a variety of expressions. The cause of this destruction is the wrath of the Lord. Babylon shall be wholly desolated; for she hath sinned against the Lord. Sin makes men a mark for the arrows of God's judgments. The mercy promised to the Israel of God, shall not only accompany, but arise from the destruction of Babylon. These sheep shall be gathered from the deserts, and put…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14The Lord commanded armies to attack Babylon with many arrows, the artillery of that time. she has sinned against the LORD: The main accusation against other nations was also aimed at Babylon.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. Summons to the Median army to attack Babylon. against the Lord--By oppressing His people, their cause is His cause. Also by profaning His sacred vessels (Da 5:2).Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 50
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries