God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 51:12
12Raise your battle flag in front of the walls of Babylon. Strengthen the guards. Station watchmen. Prepare ambushes. The Lord will carry out his plans against the people who live in 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 victory. Let’s announce in Zion what the Lord our God has done. 11Sharpen the arrows; fill the quivers. The Lord will stir up the spirit of the kings of the Medes because his plan is to destroy Babylon. The Lord will avenge his temple. Raise your battle flag in front of the walls of Babylon. Strengthen the guards. Station watchmen. Prepare ambushes. The Lord will carry out his plans against the people who live in Babylon. 13Babylon, you live beside many rivers and are rich with treasures, but your end has come. The thread of your life has been cut off. 14The Lord of Armies has taken an oath on himself: “I will certainly fill you with many enemy armies. They will swarm like locusts. People will shout their 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“Get your large and small shields ready; advance into battle.
- Proverbs 21:30No wisdom, no understanding, and no advice ⌞can stand up⌟ against the Lord.
- Isaiah 8:9Be broken, you people. Be terrified. Listen, all you distant parts of the earth. Prepare for battle, but be terrified. Prepare for battle, but be terrified.
- Isaiah 13:2Raise a banner on the bare mountaintop. Call loudly to them. Signal them with your hand to enter the nobles’ gates.
- Joel 3:2I will gather all the nations. I will bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. I will judge them there. They scattered the Israelites, the people who belong to me, among the nations. They divided my land.
- Nahum 2:1The one who will scatter you is coming to attack you. Guard your fortress! Keep a lookout on the road! Prepare for battle! Be very courageous!
- Nahum 3:14Store water for the siege! Strengthen your defenses! Step into the claypits and trample the clay! Grab the brick mold!
- Joshua 8:14When the king of Ai saw the main camp, he and all his troops got up early in the morning. They rushed out toward the plains to meet Israel for battle, just where ⌞Joshua⌟ expected. However, the king didn’t know there were troops behind the city waiting to attack him.
- Jeremiah 51:11Sharpen the arrows; fill the quivers. The Lord will stir up the spirit of the kings of the Medes because his plan is to destroy Babylon. The Lord will avenge his temple.
- Lamentations 2:17The Lord has accomplished what he had planned to do. He carried out the threat he announced long ago. He tore you down without any pity, ⌞Jerusalem⌟. He made your enemies gloat over you. He raised the weapons of your opponents.
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries