Jeremiah 51:14

14 The LORD of Armies has taken an oath on himself: "I will certainly fill you with many enemy armies. They will swarm like locusts. People will shout their victory over you."

Jeremiah 51:14 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 51:14

The Lord hath sworn by himself, [saying]
Or, "by his soul" or "life" ^F17; which is himself, than which he cannot swear by a greater, ( Hebrews 6:13 ) ; and the certain performance of what he swears unto need not be doubted of; and indeed the design of the oath is to assure of the truth of the thing, about which, after this, there ought to be no hesitation: surely I fill thee with men as with caterpillars;
or "locusts" ^F18; march in vast numbers, and make sad desolation where they come; and to which a numerous army may fitly be compared; and which are here meant, even the army of Cyrus, that should enter Babylon, and fill it, as it did. So the Targum,

``the Lord of hosts hath sworn by his word, if I fill them with armies of many people as locusts:''

and they shall lift up a shout against thee;
as soldiers, when they make the onset in battle; or as besiegers, when they make their attack on a city; or as when grape gatherers bring in their vintage, or tread out their wine, to which the allusion is: it signifies that her enemies should get an entire victory, and triumph over her.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 (wvpnb) "per animam suam", Pagninus, Cocceius, Schmidt.
F18 (qlyk) "ut, [vel] quasi brucho", V. L. Cocceius, Montanus, Grotius, Schmidt.

Jeremiah 51:14 In-Context

12 Raise your battle flag in front of the walls of Babylon. Strengthen the guards. Station watchmen. Prepare ambushes. The LORD will carry out his plans against the people who live in Babylon.

13 Babylon, you live beside many rivers and are rich with treasures, but your end has come. The thread of your life has been cut off.

14 The LORD of Armies has taken an oath on himself: "I will certainly fill you with many enemy armies. They will swarm like locusts. People will shout their victory over you."

15 The LORD made the earth by his power. He set up the world by his wisdom. He stretched out heaven by his understanding.

16 When he thunders, the water in the sky roars. He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain. He brings wind out of his storehouses.