Jeremiah 50:9

Jeremiah 50:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.
• New International Version (NIV)For I will stir up and bring against Babylon an alliance of great nations from the land of the north. They will take up their positions against her, and from the north she will be captured. Their arrows will be like skilled warriors who do not return empty-handed.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For behold, I am stirring up and bringing against Babylon a gathering of great nations, from the north country. And they shall array themselves against her. From there she shall be taken. Their arrows are like a skilled warrior who does not return empty-handed.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For behold, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon An assembly of great nations from the north country, And they shall array themselves against her; From there she shall be captured. Their arrows shall be like those of an expert warrior; None shall return in vain.

Context of Jeremiah 50:9

7All who found them devoured them. Their enemies said, ‘We did nothing wrong in attacking them, for they sinned against the Lord, their true place of rest, and the hope of their ancestors.’ 8“But now, flee from Babylon! Leave the land of the Babylonians. Like male goats at the head of the flock, lead my people home again. For I am raising up an army of great nations from the north. They will join forces to attack Babylon, and she will be captured. The enemies’ arrows will go straight to the mark; they will not miss! 10Babylonia will be looted until the attackers are glutted with loot. I, the Lord, have spoken! 11“You rejoice and are glad, you who plundered my chosen people. You frisk about like a calf in a meadow and neigh like a stallion.

Jeremiah 50:9 word by word

כִּ֣י הִנֵּ֣ה אָנֹכִ֡י מֵעִיר֩ וּמַעֲלֶ֨ה עַל־בָּבֶ֜ל קְהַל־גּוֹיִ֤ם גְּדֹלִים֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ צָפ֔וֹן וְעָ֣רְכוּ לָ֔הּ מִשָּׁ֖ם תִּלָּכֵ֑ד חִצָּיו֙ כְּגִבּ֣וֹר מַשְׁכִּ֔יל לֹ֥א יָשׁ֖וּב רֵיקָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For, lo, I will raiseעוּר‛ûr · to rouseH5782
• and cause to come upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: establishH5927
• against Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894
• an assemblyקָהָלqâhâl · assemblyH6951
• of greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• from the northצָפוֹןtsâphôn tsâphôn · northH6828
• countryאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• and they shall set themselves in arrayעָרַךְ‛ârak · to arrangeH6186
• against her; from thence she shall be takenלָכַדlâkad · to captureH3920
• their arrowsחֵץchêts · arrowH2671
• as of a mightyגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368
• expert manשָׁכֹלshâkôl · be bereavedH7921
• expert manשָׂכַלώâkal · be prudentH7919
• none shall returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• in vainרֵיקָםrêyqâm · emptilyH7387

Cross-references for Jeremiah 50:9

• Jeremiah 50:3For a nation will attack her from the north and bring such destruction that no one will live there again. Everything will be gone; both people and animals will flee.
• Jeremiah 15:14I will tell your enemies to take you as captives to a foreign land. For my anger blazes like a fire that will burn forever.”
• Jeremiah 51:1This is what the Lord says: “I will stir up a destroyer against Babylon and the people of Babylonia.
• Ezra 1:1In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah. He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom:
• Isaiah 13:2“Raise a signal flag on a bare hilltop. Call up an army against Babylon. Wave your hand to encourage them as they march into the palaces of the high and mighty.
• Isaiah 21:2I see a terrifying vision: I see the betrayer betraying, the destroyer destroying. Go ahead, you Elamites and Medes, attack and lay siege. I will make an end to all the groaning Babylon caused.
• Isaiah 41:25“But I have stirred up a leader who will approach from the north. From the east he will call on my name. I will give him victory over kings and princes. He will trample them as a potter treads on clay.
• Isaiah 45:1This is what the Lord says to Cyrus, his anointed one, whose right hand he will empower. Before him, mighty kings will be paralyzed with fear. Their fortress gates will be opened, never to shut again.
• Jeremiah 50:14“Yes, prepare to attack Babylon, all you surrounding nations. Let your archers shoot at her; spare no arrows. For she has sinned against the Lord.
• 2 Samuel 1:22The bow of Jonathan was powerful, and the sword of Saul did its mighty work. They shed the blood of their enemies and pierced the bodies of mighty heroes.
• Isaiah 13:18The attacking armies will shoot down the young men with arrows. They will have no mercy on helpless babies and will show no compassion for children.”

Commentaries on Jeremiah 50:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9An assembly of great nations - The army of Cyrus was composed of Medes, Persians, Armenians, Caducians, Sacae, etc. Though all these did not come from the north; yet they were arranged under the Medes, who did come from the north, in reference to Babylon. Their arrows - They are such expert archers, that they shall never miss their mark.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9I will raise - Or, stir up. An assembly of great nations - The Medo-Persian empire was as much an aggregate of discordant nations as that of Babylon. From thence - From the north, i. e., by the great nations coming thence. Return in vain - A proverbial expression for ill success (compare Isaiah 55:11). Here the skillful warrior returns not empty.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. 8-9The Lord told the Israelites to leave when he commanded a large army from many nations, including Persia and its allies, to attack Babylon in 539 BC.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. from thence--that is, from the north country. expert--literally, "prosperous." Besides "might," "expertness" is needed, that an arrow may do execution. The Margin has a different Hebrew reading; "destroying," literally, "bereaving, childless-making" (Jr 15:7). The Septuagint and Syriac support English Version. In vain--without killing him at whom it was aimed (2Sa 1:22).Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Babylon
• Babylon, Babylonia, Babylonian
• North country
• Archer
• Desolation
• Isaiah
• Jeremiah (2)

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