Jeremiah Chapter 51 · Verse 3
Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host.
Original Language Analysis
הַדֹּרֵךְ֙
Against him that bendeth
H1869
הַדֹּרֵךְ֙
Against him that bendeth
Strong's:
H1869
Word #:
2 of 15
to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string a bow (by treading on it in bending)
הַדֹּרֵךְ֙
Against him that bendeth
H1869
הַדֹּרֵךְ֙
Against him that bendeth
Strong's:
H1869
Word #:
3 of 15
to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string a bow (by treading on it in bending)
הַדֹּרֵךְ֙
Against him that bendeth
H1869
הַדֹּרֵךְ֙
Against him that bendeth
Strong's:
H1869
Word #:
4 of 15
to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string a bow (by treading on it in bending)
קַשְׁתּ֔וֹ
his bow
H7198
קַשְׁתּ֔וֹ
his bow
Strong's:
H7198
Word #:
5 of 15
a bow, for shooting (hence, figuratively, strength) or the iris
וְאֶל
H408
וְאֶל
Strong's:
H408
Word #:
6 of 15
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
יִתְעַ֖ל
and against him that lifteth himself up
H5927
יִתְעַ֖ל
and against him that lifteth himself up
Strong's:
H5927
Word #:
7 of 15
to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
בַּ֣חֻרֶ֔יהָ
ye not her young men
H970
בַּ֣חֻרֶ֔יהָ
ye not her young men
Strong's:
H970
Word #:
12 of 15
properly, selected, i.e., a youth (often collective)
הַחֲרִ֖ימוּ
destroy ye utterly
H2763
הַחֲרִ֖ימוּ
destroy ye utterly
Strong's:
H2763
Word #:
13 of 15
to seclude; specifically (by a ban) to devote to religious uses (especially destruction); physical and reflexive, to be blunt as to the nose
Cross References
Jeremiah 50:14Put 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.Jeremiah 46:4Harness the horses; and get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the brigandines.Jeremiah 50:21Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against the inhabitants of Pekod: waste and utterly destroy after them, saith the LORD, and do according to all that I have commanded thee.
Historical Context
Babylon's army, famous for conquering the known world, suffered decisive defeat. When Cyrus conquered Babylon in 539 BC, resistance was minimal. The Nabonidus Chronicle records that 'the army of Cyrus entered Babylon without battle.' Subsequent Babylonian revolts (522 BC, 484 BC) were crushed by Persian forces. Xerxes I particularly devastated Babylon after the 484 BC revolt, destroying its fortifications and military capacity. The mighty army that terrorized nations was indeed 'utterly destroyed.'
Questions for Reflection
- What does God's command to 'spare not' teach about the severity and completeness of divine judgment?
- How does the destruction of Babylon's military might demonstrate that physical strength and weapons are powerless against God's purposes?
- What does this verse teach about the accountability of military forces that serve unjust empires?
Analysis & Commentary
Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow—God commands the invaders to show no mercy to Babylon's warriors. The repetition of 'bend' (darak, דָּרַךְ, to tread, bend the bow) emphasizes aggressive combat. And against him that lifteth himself up in his brigandine—the siryon (סִרְיוֹן, coat of mail, scale armor) represents military preparedness, but even Babylon's best-equipped soldiers cannot withstand God's judgment.
And spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host—the command for complete military annihilation echoes the herem (חֶרֶם, devoted to destruction) applied to Canaanite cities. God's instrument of judgment (Babylon) becomes the object of judgment. The 'young men' (bachurim, בַּחוּרִים) and 'host' (tsava, צָבָא, army) represent Babylon's military might, which will be comprehensively destroyed.