Jeremiah 51:2

2 I will send mercenaries to Babylon who will sift her and clear out her land. They will surround her on the day of disaster.

Jeremiah 51:2 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 51:2

And I will send unto Babylon farmers, that shall fan her, and
shall empty her land
Or, "strangers that shall fan her" ^F3; meaning the Medes and Persians, who should be like a strong wind upon the mountains, where corn, having been threshed, was fanned, and the chaff carried away by the wind; and such would the Chaldeans be in the hand of the Persians, scattered and dispersed among the nations as chaff with the wind, and their cities be emptied of inhabitants, and of their wealth and riches. The Targum is,

``I will send against Babylon spoilers, that shall spoil and exhaust the land:''

for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about;
in the time of the siege they shall surround her on all sides, so that none might escape; as Babylon had been a fanner of the Lord's people, now she should be fanned herself, and stripped of all she had; see ( Jeremiah 15:7 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (Myrz) "alienos", Cocceius; some in Vatablus; so Kimchi, Ben Melech, Abendana.

Jeremiah 51:2 In-Context

1 The LORD proclaims: I'm stirring up a violent wind against Babylon and those who live in Leb-qamai.

2 I will send mercenaries to Babylon who will sift her and clear out her land. They will surround her on the day of disaster.

3 Let the archers draw their bows; let them prepare their armor. Show no mercy to her young men; wipe out her entire company!

4 They will fall wounded in the land of Babylon, struck down in her streets.

5 God, the LORD of heavenly forces, hasn't abandoned Israel and Judah, even though they live in a land filled with guilt before the holy one of Israel.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or foreigners