Jeremiah 51

Jeremiah 51:1

THat rise up] the Italian, that dwell in the heart of mine enemies; namely, in the City, which is the seat and center of the great earthly Empire, which is against my Kingdom and Church A destroying winde] see Ier. 4. 11, 12.

Jeremiah 51:2

Fan her] that is to say, shall bring her power and domination to nothing, shall disperse her inhabitants, and dissipate her riches, a phrase taken from the corn on the threshing floor.

Jeremiah 51:5

Israel] that is to say, Though the Church have grievously offended her God, yet hath he not so forsaken her, but that he will take vengeance upon her enemies.

Jeremiah 51:6

In her iniquity] namely, in the punishments of her grievous sins.

Jeremiah 51:7

A golden cup] that is to say, a powerfull and famous meanes, by which God hath executed his judgements (likened to a potion, Ier. 25. 15.) upon the Nations of the world, whereby they have beene astonished with terror, or grown outragious through impatience and madnesse, by reason of an evil which could not be avoided.

Jeremiah 51:8

Take balme] use all the most effectuall means either by war or policie, all shall be in vain, see Jer. 8. 22. and 46. 11.

Jeremiah 51:9

We would] he brings in Babylons friends, souldiers, and confederates, who despairing of doing her any good, take counsell to forsake her quite.

Jeremiah 51:10

The Lord] he directs his speeches to the Church, whereof the meaning is, God hath shewed by his judgements upon Babylon, how unjust a thing it is to oppresse his Church, which by right ought not continually to be a slave to the world.

Jeremiah 51:11

Make bright] O Babylonians, prepare your selves to resist the Persians assault.

Jeremiah 51:13

O thou] O Babylon, which art environed with great rivers, and branches or streams of water The measure] the Italian, the fulnesse; namely, the end of all thine unsatiable usurpations, and unlawfull purchases.

Jeremiah 51:14

Surely I will] that is to say, I sweare I will cause to fall upon thee, and come into the midst of thee, the numberlesse army of the Persians, who with their noise and military outcries, shall hearten themselves on to assault and destroy thee.

Jeremiah 51:16

He maketh lightnings with rain] that is to say, he maketh them as forerunners of the ensuing raine. Others, he dissolves the lightnings into rain.

Jeremiah 51:20

Thou art] God here speaks to the Babylonian Empire, see Isaiah 10:5; Isaiah 10:15.

Jeremiah 51:24

I will] I will not enter into judgement with thee for the violences which thou hast used against other prophane Nations, in whose destructions I have imployed thee, but only for tormenting of my people In your sight] namely, your sight, O my people.

Jeremiah 51:25

O destrying mountain] that is to say, O thou great, high, and well founded Empire, which abusest thy power to other mens destruction A burnt mountain] I will bring thee into great heaps of ashes and rubbish, as burned and destroyed Cities are.

Jeremiah 51:26

They shall not] there shall no part of thee remain whole, whereon they may found, or wherewith they may build another state.

Jeremiah 51:27

Of Ararat] namely, of Armenia. Minni] these are unknown Nations, but it is likely that they were Northern people, Scythians, or the like The nations] the Italian, a captain; namely,Cyrus. As the] namely, in innumerable troops.

Jeremiah 51:31

One post] some refer this to tho bignesse of Babylon, which seemed rather a Province then a city: wherby one of the ends of it did not know that it was taken untill a good while after. Others do hold, that it was not taken un ler Belshazar, but under another King, who was not at that time in Babylon, but in a strong hold with some of his great ones and Barons, and that news of the taking of it was brought thither to him in such manner as is here described At one end] namely, on that side as Euphrates went in and out at, which was turned another way and dried up by Cyrus.

Jeremiah 51:32

The reeds] namely, the marishes which Euphrates made by overflowing the countrey Burnt] that is to say, dried up, as if fire had gone thorow them, or peradventure they were really burnt after they had been died up, to make the way the easier to passe.

Jeremiah 51:35

My flesh] that is to say, the sin of having so torne and devoured me, rests upon her to cry unto God for vengeance.

Jeremiah 51:36

Her sea] according to the letter, this may be understood of the great and broad river Euphrates dried up by Cyrus, Ier. 50. 38. And figuratively of Babylons great power and plenty that was in her.

Jeremiah 51:39

In their heat] I will blinde them in such sort by my judgements, that following their superstitious and dissolute manner of life, they shall heat themselves with wine in their feasts, notwithstanding the imminent danger of the siege, that they may be surprised and slain at the same time. For according to the Scripture, Isaiah 21:5. Habakkuk 2:5. and to Histories, Babylonwas taken in a night of publike solemn feasting and great dissolutenesse.

Jeremiah 51:42

The sea] a great deluge of enemies is fallen upon her.

Jeremiah 51:44

Bel] the chiefe idol of the Babylonians, Isaiah 46:1. Jeremiah 50:2. that is to say, I will punish them for their idolatries In Babylon] or upon Babylon. Bring sorth] he doth attribute Babelsextortions to Bel, for the Chaldeans made him the author of all their conquests and victories, see Ier. 49. 1. Others think that the Prophet had a relation to the great offerings which from all parts were offered to Bel, and especially of the spoils of conquered Nations.

Jeremiah 51:46

The rumour] namely, of Cyrus his comming, who did not lay the siege to Babylon in the first yeer of his expedition, but in the second.

Jeremiah 51:49

As Babylon] I will in the same manner cause to perish by the sword, not onely the inhabitants of the city, but the subjects also of this great Empire, which termed it selfe to be universall over all the world.

Jeremiah 51:50

Ye that] words directed to Gods people which went into captivity, after there had been great slaughter made of them by the Chaldeans, exhorting them to return to Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 51:51

We are] the Jews lamentation.

Jeremiah 51:52

Wherefore] Gods answer to them.

Jeremiah 51:55

The great] namely, the great multitude of people which made such a noise Her waves] see vers. 42. namely, the waves of those destroyers, vers. 53.

Jeremiah 51:59

A quiet prince] the Italian, great chamberlain; Heb. a prince of rest. Some doe hold that he was Governour of a place or City called Menucha. Others do expound these words, as if amongst great ones he had been the man that did settle and procure the rest and quietnesse of the Country, by opposing himselfe to the rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar.

Jeremiah 51:64

The words] that is to say, The Prophecies, Sermons, Histories, which he himselfe set down in writing, whereby he intimates, that the Chapter following was added by some body else.