Jeremiah 51:21 Commentary

4 historical voices

How the Church has read Jeremiah 51:21 across two millennia — Matthew Henry, John Calvin, Augustine of Hippo, John Chrysostom and more, gathered verse by verse from the public domain.

KJV (1611) · en

And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider;

BLIVRE (2018) · pt-br

Contigo despedaçarei o cavalo e seus cavaleiro, contigo despedaçarei a carruagem, e os que nela sobem;

ARC (1995) · pt-br

contigo despedaçarei o cavalo e o seu cavaleiro; contigo despedaçarei e carro e o que nele vai;

Voices across the centuries

Puritans 3

Matthew Henry · 1662 Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible

Introduction

The prophet, in this chapter, goes on with the prediction of Babylon's fall, to which other prophets also bore witness. He is very copious and lively in describing the foresight God had given him of it, for the encouragement of the pious captives, whose deliverance depended upon it and was to be the result of it. Here is, I. The record of Babylon's doom, with the particulars of it, intermixed with the grounds of God's controversy with her, many aggravations of her fall, and great encouragements given thence to the Israel of God, that suffered such hard things by her (v. 1-58). II. The representation and ratification of this by the throwing of a copy of this prophecy into the river Euphrates (Jer 51:59-64).

John Gill · 1697 Exposition of the Entire Bible

Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 51 The former part of this chapter is a continuation of the prophecy of the preceding chapter, concerning the destruction of Babylon, Jer 51:1; the latter part of it contains a prophecy of Jeremiah sent to the captives in Babylon by the hand of Seraiah, with the copy of the above prophecy against Babylon, and an order to fasten a stone to it, and cast it into the river Euphrates, as a sign, confirming the utter and irreparable ruin of Babylon, Jer 51:59.

John Gill · 1697 Exposition of the Entire Bible

And I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock,.... Or, have broken; which Abarbinel thinks respects the Arabians particularly, who were shepherds, and dwelt in tents; but it rather signifies shepherds and their flocks in general; who were killed or scattered wherever his armies came, which spared none, even the most innocent and useful, and though unarmed: and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; with which he ploughed his ground: signifying by this, as well as the former, that those were not spared, by which kingdoms were supported and maintained, as shepherds and husbandmen: and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers; by whom kingdoms and states are governed and protected.

Modern 1

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown · 1802 Critical and Explanatory Commentary o…

Introduction

CONTINUATION OF THE PROPHECY AGAINST BABYLON BEGUN IN THE FIFTIETH CHAPTER. (Jer. 51:1-64) in the midst of them that rise . . . against me--literally, "in the heart" of them. Compare Psa 46:2, "the midst of the sea," Margin; Eze 27:4, "the heart of the seas"; Margin; Mat 12:40. In the center of the Chaldeans. "Against Me," because they persecute My people. The cabalistic mode of interpreting Hebrew words (by taking the letters in the inverse order of the alphabet, the last letter representing the first, and so on, Jer 25:26) would give the very word Chaldeans here; but the mystical method cannot be intended, as "Babylon" is plainly so called in the immediately preceding parallel clause. wind--God needs not warlike weapons to "destroy" His foes; a wind or blast is sufficient; though, no doubt, the "wind" here is the invading host of Medes and Persians (Jer 4:11; Kg2 19:7).