Jeremiah 50:25

Jer 50:25 The LORD hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation: for this [is] the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.

Ver. 25. The Lord hath opened his armoury.] Heb., Treasury. Now God’s armoury is omne id sub coelo, usque ad diabolos; all things, both in heaven and under the cope of heaven, as far as the very devils, whereby he is able to subdue his enemies, and to bring them to nothing. Out of this treasury God took Darius and Cyrus, with their forces, and set them upon this expedition.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jer 50:25-32. The Lord hath opened his armory, &c. — God hath raised up enemies to subdue the Chaldeans, namely, Cyrus and his confederates, and hath furnished them with all the means necessary for such an undertaking. Come against her from the utmost border — From distant parts, namely, from the Caspian and Euxine seas. Cast her up as heaps — The marginal rendering seems preferable; Tread her, trample over her, as heaps of ruins; or tread her as the corn is trodden down when it is thrashed. Slay her bullocks — That is, Her strong men, as the Vulgate and the Chaldee interpret the expression. Wo unto them, for their day is come — The time in which they are to be punished. The voice of them that escape, to declare in Zion, &c. — This may either foretel that some of the Babylonians would flee as far as Judea for refuge, and there publish what had befallen Babylon, or, which seems more likely, that some of those Jews or proselytes to the Jewish religion in Chaldea, who were more than ordinarily zealous for the welfare of God’s church and people, would be ready, upon the first news of the taking of Babylon, to bring the glad tidings to Judea, that God had avenged his people, and executed his judgments on those who destroyed his temple, and profaned the holy vessels of it: see Jer 51:51; Dan 5:1-3; Dan 5:5; Dan 5:30. Call together the archers — See Jer 50:9; Jer 50:14. Recompense her according to her work — This is applied to mystical Babylon, Rev 18:6, which, when fulfilled, will be a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, as St. Paul speaks, 2Th 1:5, at which all good men ought to rejoice, and give glory to God when they see it effected. For she hath been proud against the Lord — Hath exalted herself against God, saying, I am, and there is none besides me, Isa 47:7-8, where see the notes. Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets — Xenophon relates, lib. 7., that when Gobryas and Gadates, two of Cyrus’s generals, with their soldiers, had got into the city, they marched directly toward the palace, killing all they met, and, having surprised the guards, cut them in pieces, and slain the king himself, they, without difficulty, made themselves masters of the palace. I will kindle a fire in his cities — This may be meant of the destruction made in the Babylonian territories, in the several expeditions Cyrus undertook against that monarchy before the taking of Babylon.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

weapons of his indignation--the Medes and Persians (Isa 13:5).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The Prophet here expresses more clearly what he bad touched upon, even that this war would not be that of the Persians, but of God himself. He then says, that God had opened his treasure, even because he has various and manifold ways and means, which cannot be comprehended by men, when he resolves to destroy the ungodly. That monarchy was impregnable according to the judgment of men; but God here says that he had hidden means by which he would lay waste Babylon and reduce it to nothing. Then what is by a similitude called the treasure of God, means such a way as surpasses the comprehension of men, that is, when God executes his judgments in a way hidden and unexpected.

As, then, the faithful could hardly conceive what Jeremiah said, he raises up their thoughts to God’s providence, which ought not to be subjected to human judgment; for it is absurd in men to judge of God’s power according to the perceptions of the flesh; it is the same as though they attempted to include heaven and earth in the hollow of their hand. God himself says, that he takes heaven and earth in the hollow of his hand. When, therefore, men seek to comprehend the power of God, it is like a fly attempting to devour all the mountains. Hence the Prophet reproves this presumption to which we are all by nature inclined, even to determine according to the comprehension of our minds what God is about or ought to do, as though his power were not infinite.

This is the reason why the Prophet says, God hath opened his treasury; and then, he hath thence brought forth the instruments of his wrath, that is, from his treasury, even in a way and manner which was then incomprehensible. And subjoined is the reason, Because this is the work of God alone, the God of hosts, in the land of the Chaldeans Here the Prophet briefly concludes, intimating, that the faithful ought quietly to wait until what he taught came to pass, even because it was the work of God. And there is nothing more absurd than for men to seek to measure God’s power, as it has been said, by their own judgment. It follows, — but I cannot explain the verse now.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(25) The Lord hath opened his armoury.—The word is the same as that for “treasures” in Jer_10:13; Jer_51:16, the choice of the appropriate English word being determined, in each case, by the context. Here the figure is that of a mighty king going to his arsenal and equipping himself with the weapons which will insure his victory. An expansion of the same imagery is found in Wis_5:17-23; Wis_18:15-16.

This is the work of the Lord God of hosts.—Better, the Lord God of hosts hath a work . . .

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

25. the weapons of his indignation] used also in Isa_13:5 of the nations who unconsciously discharge God’s bidding in war.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Lord hath opened his armoury,.... Alluding to the manner of kings, who have some particular edifice built for an armoury; see Sol 4:4; wherein are provided and laid up all sorts of armour, small and great, which are fetched out from thence, in time of need. This armoury is to be understood of Media and Persia, and other parts, from whence a mighty army, well accoutred, was brought by the powerful providence of God; and indeed the whole world is his armoury, from whence he can raise up instruments to do his will at pleasure; or, "his treasury" (y); so the Targum; and some think this is said with reference to the treasure of the Lord's house the king of Babylon had seized upon, and now by way of retaliation the Lord would open his treasury to his ruin:

and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation; as a king, when he goes to war, opens his armoury, and takes out armour of every kind, both offensive and defensive, swords, spears, shields, &c. so the Lord would now bring the Medes and Persians, well armed, to be the instruments of his wrath and vengeance on Babylon: or, "the vessels of his indignation" (z); having some view to the vessels of the sanctuary, as some think, the king of Babylon had taken away and profaned; these may well be applied to the vials of wrath poured out on the antichristian states by the angels, called forth out of the temple, Rev 15:1;

for this is the work of the Lord God of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans; which he decreed and ordered to be done; and which, without his power and providence, could never have been done: compare with this Rev 18:8.

(y) "thesaurum suum", Vulg. Lat. Vatablus, Pagninus, Montanus, Schmidt. (z) "vasa irae suae", Vulg. Lat. Pagninus; "vasa indignationis suae", Montanus.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

By a grand figure the prophet describes Yahweh arming Himself that in person He may execute justice upon the wicked city.

For this is the work - Rather, for my Lord Yahweh of hosts hath a work to do in the land of the Chaldaeans.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Armoury. Fire and war are the Lord’s weapons, Job xxxviii. 22. --- Work: punishment, chap. xlviii. 10.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Babylon was so rich and potent a nation, and had been so great a conqueror, that people looking only with the eye of sense, and judging according to probabilities in the eyes of men, might well ask how these things could possibly be. To which the prophet here answereth, that the hand of God was to be eyed in the case, this was the Lord’s work upon the Chaldeans; God had

opened his armoury, and the Medes were to make use of the weapons of his indignation. He who threatened this destruction was able to carry it through, and it was no great matter what weapons either the Babylonians had to defend themselves, or the Medes to offend them, God’s power and strength as only to be regarded.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

25. Weapons of his indignation — The Medes and Persians. For this is the work, etc. — Better, for the Lord Jehovah of hosts hath a work in the land of the Chaldeans.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Hath opened his armoury. A truly grand figure. The north country (the "hidden" part of the earth, as it was called in Hebrew) is regarded by the prophet as a storehouse of young and "inexhaustible" nations, from which Jehovah can at any time "bring forth weapons of his indignation." The latter phrase, occurs again in the parallel prophecy, (Isa_13:5) where it is evidently applied to the army of Medo-Persian invaders. For this is the work, etc.; rather, For the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, hath a work.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Yahweh has opened his armory and is bringing out the weapons for carrying out his anger

Yahweh's anger that causes him to send enemies against Babylon is spoken of as if Yahweh had an armory and weapons. To open an armory is a metonym for preparing for battle. AT: "Yahweh has prepared for war and is sending the nations to attack Babylon in his anger" (See: Metonymy)

armory

this is a building or room where weapons of war are stored

Attack her from far away

Yahweh speaks to the enemies of Babylon. AT: "You enemies of Babylon, attack her from far away"

Open her granaries

Here "granaries" represent where Babylon stored its treasures. AT: "Raid the places where her treasures are stored" (See: Metaphor)

granaries

buildings where grain is stored

pile her up like heaps of grain

Possible meanings are 1) reduce the city to piles of rubble that look like stacks of grain or 2) stack up the plunder from the city like piles of grain. (See: Simile)

Set her apart for destruction

This idiom means to destroy something completely. See how you translated a similar phrase in Jeremiah 25:9. AT: "destroy her completely" (See: Idiom)

Leave no remnant of her

This is stated in a negative way to emphasize the completeness of the destruction. AT: "Kill every person in her"

translationWords

works

Lord Yahweh

Chaldea

grain

remnant

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.