Jeremiah 50:2

2 “Announce and proclaim among the nations, lift up a banner and proclaim it; keep nothing back, but say, ‘Babylon will be captured; Bel will be put to shame, Marduk filled with terror. Her images will be put to shame and her idols filled with terror.’

Jeremiah 50:2 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
2 Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.
English Standard Version (ESV)
2 "Declare among the nations and proclaim, set up a banner and proclaim, conceal it not, and say: 'Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed. Her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.'
New Living Translation (NLT)
2 This is what the LORD says: “Tell the whole world, and keep nothing back. Raise a signal flag to tell everyone that Babylon will fall! Her images and idols will be shattered. Her gods Bel and Marduk will be utterly disgraced.
The Message Bible (MSG)
2 "Get the word out to the nations! Preach it! Go public with this, broadcast it far and wide: Babylon taken, god-Bel hanging his head in shame, god-Marduk exposed as a fraud. All her god-idols shuffling in shame, all her play-gods exposed as cheap frauds.
American Standard Version (ASV)
2 Declare ye among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed; her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
2 "Announce this among the nations, and spread the news. Raise a flag, and announce it. Don't hide anything. Say, 'Babylon will be captured. Bel will be put to shame. Marduk will be filled with terror. Babylon's statues will be put to shame. Its idols will be filled with terror.'
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
2 Announce to the nations; proclaim and raise up a signal flag; proclaim, and hide nothing. Say: Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is devastated; her idols are put to shame; her false gods, devastated.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
2 "Announce this message among the nations. Lift up a banner. Let the nations hear the message. Do not keep anything back. Say, 'Babylon will be captured. The god Bel will be put to shame. Marduk will be filled with terror. Babylon's gods will be put to shame. The gods its people made will be filled with terror.'

Jeremiah 50:2 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 50:2

Declare ye among the nations
The taking of Babylon; a piece of news, in which the nations of the world had a concern, as well as the Jews, being brought under the Babylonish yoke, from which they would now be freed; and therefore such a declaration must be very acceptable and joyful to them. Some take these words to be the words of God to the prophet; others, the words of Jeremiah to the nations; the meaning is only, that such a declaration should be made, and such things done, as follow: and publish, and set up a standard; publish, [and] conceal not;
cause it to be heard far and near; and, that it may be heard, set up a sign or standard, to gather the people together to hear it; for this standard was not to be set up for the enlisting of men, or gathering them together, to go up and fight against Babylon, since it was now taken; but as a token of victory, and as expressive joy, on account of it; or rather for the reason given; see ( Isaiah 13:2 ) ; say, Babylon is taken;
this is the thing to be declared, published, and not concealed; but with an audible voice to be pronounced, and rung throughout the several nations of the earth. Thus, when the everlasting Gospel is preached to every nation on earth, and Christ is set up in it as an ensign and standard to the people; it shall be everywhere published, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen", ( Revelation 14:6 Revelation 14:8 ) ( Revelation 18:1 Revelation 18:2 ) ; Bel is confounded;
an idol of the Babylonians, thought by some to be the same with Baal by contraction; he is by the Septuagint called Belus, the name of one of their kings; who might be idolized after his death, as was usual among the Heathen lions: he is said to be "confounded", because he must have been, could he have been sensible of the taking of Babylon, where his temple stood, and he was worshipped, since he was not able to protect it; or rather, because his worshippers were confounded, that gloried in him, and put their trust in him. So the Targum,

``they are confounded that worship Bel;''
(See Gill on Isaiah 46:1). Merodach is broken in pieces;
another of their idols, which signifies a "pure lord"; some of their kings had this as one of their names, ( Isaiah 39:1 ) ( Jeremiah 52:31 ) . The Targum is,
``they are broken that worshipped Merodach;''
her idols are confounded, her images are broken to pieces;
these were their lesser deities, as the other two were their greater ones; all should be destroyed along with it; as all the idols and images of the church of Rome will, when that is destroyed, ( Revelation 9:20 ) .

Jeremiah 50:2 In-Context

1 This is the word the LORD spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon and the land of the Babylonians :
2 “Announce and proclaim among the nations, lift up a banner and proclaim it; keep nothing back, but say, ‘Babylon will be captured; Bel will be put to shame, Marduk filled with terror. Her images will be put to shame and her idols filled with terror.’
3 A nation from the north will attack her and lay waste her land. No one will live in it; both people and animals will flee away.
4 “In those days, at that time,” declares the LORD, “the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the LORD their God.
5 They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the LORDin an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.

Cross References 7

  • 1. S Deuteronomy 30:4; Jeremiah 4:16
  • 2. S Psalms 20:5; S Isaiah 13:2
  • 3. ver 9; Jeremiah 51:31
  • 4. S Isaiah 21:9; S Isaiah 46:1
  • 5. Psalms 97:7; Jeremiah 51:52
  • 6. ver 38; Isaiah 46:6; Jeremiah 51:47
  • 7. S Leviticus 26:30
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