Orientation
Jeremiah's prophecies against Babylonia in chapters 50 and 51--part of his oracles against the nations--are integral to his prophetic message. What do these prophecies teach us about Jeremiah and about prophecy in Israel in general?
In this class, we will focus on passages from Chapter 51.
Setting the Mood:
The Ishtar Gate of Babylon
By Deutsche Fotothek, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7940991
The Ishtar Gate (Arabic: بوابة عشتار) was the eighth gate to the inner city of Babylon[citation needed] (in the area of present-day Hillah, Babil Governorate, Iraq). It was constructed in about 575 BCE by order of King Nebuchadnezzar II on the north side of the city. It was part of a grand walled processional way leading into the city. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishtar_Gate Visited 11/2021
Found at https://www.thetorah.com/article/babylonian-rosh-hashanah-battle-creation-enthronement-and-justice Visited 11/2021
1 Introduction: Prophecies against Foreign Nations
in the book of Jeremiah (chapters 46-51)
and in Israelite prophecy in general
Overview of Jeremiah's Foreign Nation Prophecies:
The Nations - relevant chapter - number of verses per nation
Egypt 46 (27 verses)
Philistines 47 (7 verses)
Moab 48 (47 verses)
Ammon 49 (6 verses)
Edom 49 (16 verses)
Damascus 49 (5 verses)
Kedar 49 (6 verses)
Elam 49 (6 verses)
Babylon 50-51 (104 verses)
By Original: User:SzajciEnglish: User:WillemBK - File:Median Empire-hu.svgData:ETOPO1 topographic data from NGDC (http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/global/global.html)., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25835988
"Approximate borders of the Neo-Babylonian Empire (red) and neighboring states in the 6th century BC." Found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Babylonian_Empire#Administration_and_extent, visited 11/2021
Jack R. Lundbom, Jeremiah 37-52 (Anchor Bible v. 21C, 2004)
...early Israelite prophecy and prophecy from elsewhere in the ANE [=Ancient Near East] included oracles against enemy nations, which means the Foreign Nation Oracles, beginning with Amos and continuing through to Jeremiah and Ezekiel, must be placed in a larger context. According to J. H. Hayes, Foreign Nation Oracles originated in contexts of war. Within Israel, war oracles against other nations are heard from Samuel, men of God prophesying to [King] Ahab [of Israel], and [the prophet] Elisha. Later come foreign nation oracles from Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and other prophets... (p. 182)
...as 25:15-29 makes clear, judgment comes first to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah; then to the nations round about. The main point then in the present oracles is that [the Lord], at the end of the day, is Lord and Judge of all nations. (p. 183)
(א) מַשָּׂ֖א בָּבֶ֑ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָזָ֔ה יְשַֽׁעְיָ֖הוּ בֶּן־אָמֽוֹץ׃ (ב) עַ֤ל הַר־נִשְׁפֶּה֙ שְֽׂאוּ־נֵ֔ס הָרִ֥ימוּ ק֖וֹל לָהֶ֑ם הָנִ֣יפוּ יָ֔ד וְיָבֹ֖אוּ פִּתְחֵ֥י נְדִיבִֽים׃ (ג) אֲנִ֥י צִוֵּ֖יתִי לִמְקֻדָּשָׁ֑י גַּ֣ם קָרָ֤אתִי גִבּוֹרַי֙ לְאַפִּ֔י עַלִּיזֵ֖י גַּֽאֲוָתִֽי׃ (ד) ק֥וֹל הָמ֛וֹן בֶּהָרִ֖ים דְּמ֣וּת עַם־רָ֑ב ק֠וֹל שְׁא֞וֹן מַמְלְכ֤וֹת גּוֹיִם֙ נֶֽאֱסָפִ֔ים ה' צְבָא֔וֹת מְפַקֵּ֖ד צְבָ֥א מִלְחָמָֽה׃ (ה) בָּאִ֛ים מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מֶרְחָ֖ק מִקְצֵ֣ה הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם ה' וּכְלֵ֣י זַעְמ֔וֹ לְחַבֵּ֖ל כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ {ס} (ו) הֵילִ֕ילוּ כִּ֥י קָר֖וֹב י֣וֹם ה' כְּשֹׁ֖ד מִשַּׁדַּ֥י יָבֽוֹא׃
(1) The “Babylon” Pronouncement, a prophecy of Isaiah son of Amoz. (2) “Raise a standard upon a bare hill,
Cry aloud to them;
Wave a hand, and let them enter
The gates of the nobles! (3) I have summoned My purified guests
To execute My wrath;
Behold, I have called My stalwarts,
My proudly exultant ones.”
(4) Hark! a tumult on the mountains—
As of a mighty force;
Hark! an uproar of kingdoms,
Nations assembling!
The LORD of Hosts is mustering
A host for war. (5) They come from a distant land,
From the end of the sky—
The LORD with the weapons of His wrath—
To ravage all the earth!
(6) Howl!
For the day of the LORD is near;
It shall come like havoc from Shaddai.
(1) The word which the LORD spoke concerning Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, through the prophet Jeremiah: (2) Declare among the nations, and proclaim;
Raise a standard, proclaim;
Hide nothing! Say:
Babylon is captured,
Bel is shamed,
Merodach is dismayed.
Her idols are shamed,
Her fetishes dismayed. (3) For a nation from the north has attacked her,
It will make her land a desolation.
No one shall dwell in it,
Both man and beast shall wander away.
All who draw the bow!
Encamp against her round about,
Let none of her people escape.
Pay her back for her actions,
Do to her just what she has done;
For she has acted insolently against the LORD,
The Holy One of Israel. (30) Assuredly, her young men shall fall in her squares,
And all her warriors shall perish in that day
—declares the LORD.
The Placement of the Foreign Nation Oracles
in Jeremiah and in related prophets
Jeremiah:
In our text (MT = Masoretic Text): almost at the very end of the book
In the Septuagint: right after chapter 25 verse 15 part a!
Isaiah (39 chapters in first part of Isaiah):
Chapters 13-23
Ezekiel (48 chapters):
Chapters 25-32
Note: "In contrast to Jer. chs 50-51...Ezekiel does not prophesy against Babylonia." (Tova Ganzel, Jewish Study Bible, note to Ezekiel 25-32 (pp 1077-8))
2. Our Text: Passages from Chapter 51
(א) כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר ה' הִנְנִי֙ מֵעִ֣יר עַל־בָּבֶ֔ל וְאֶל־יֹשְׁבֵ֖י לֵ֣ב קָמָ֑י ר֖וּחַ מַשְׁחִֽית׃ (ב) וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֨י לְבָבֶ֤ל ׀ זָרִים֙ וְזֵר֔וּהָ וִיבֹקְק֖וּ אֶת־אַרְצָ֑הּ כִּי־הָי֥וּ עָלֶ֛יהָ מִסָּבִ֖יב בְּי֥וֹם רָעָֽה׃ (ג) אֶֽל־יִדְרֹ֤ךְ (ידרך) הַדֹּרֵךְ֙ קַשְׁתּ֔וֹ וְאֶֽל־יִתְעַ֖ל בְּסִרְיֹנ֑וֹ וְאַֽל־תַּחְמְלוּ֙ אֶל־בַּ֣חֻרֶ֔יהָ הַחֲרִ֖ימוּ כׇּל־צְבָאָֽהּ׃ (ד) וְנָפְל֥וּ חֲלָלִ֖ים בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים וּמְדֻקָּרִ֖ים בְּחוּצוֹתֶֽיהָ׃ (ה) כִּ֠י לֹֽא־אַלְמָ֨ן יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל וִֽיהוּדָה֙ מֵאֱלֹקָ֔יו מֵה' צְבָא֑וֹת כִּ֤י אַרְצָם֙ מָלְאָ֣ה אָשָׁ֔ם מִקְּד֖וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Babylon / Lev Kamai לב קמי ['Atbash' cryptogram for Kasdim כשדים] / Chaldea
(1) Thus said the LORD:
See, I am rousing a destructive wind
Against Babylon and the inhabitants of Leb-kamai. (2) I will send strangers against Babylon, and they shall winnow her.
And they shall strip her land bare;
They shall beset her on all sides
On the day of disaster. (3) Let the archer draw his bow,
And let him stand ready in his coat of mail!
Show no pity to her young men,
Wipe out all her host! (4) Let them fall slain in the land of Chaldea,
Pierced through in her streets.
(5) For Israel and Judah were not bereft
Of their God the LORD of Hosts,
But their land was filled with guilt
Before the Holy One of Israel.
(כ) מַפֵּץ־אַתָּ֣ה לִ֔י כְּלֵ֖י מִלְחָמָ֑ה וְנִפַּצְתִּ֤י בְךָ֙ גּוֹיִ֔ם וְהִשְׁחַתִּ֥י בְךָ֖ מַמְלָכֽוֹת׃ (כא) וְנִפַּצְתִּ֣י בְךָ֔ ס֖וּס וְרֹכְב֑וֹ וְנִפַּצְתִּ֣י בְךָ֔ רֶ֖כֶב וְרֹכְבֽוֹ׃ (כב) וְנִפַּצְתִּ֤י בְךָ֙ אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֔ה וְנִפַּצְתִּ֥י בְךָ֖ זָקֵ֣ן וָנָ֑עַר וְנִפַּצְתִּ֣י בְךָ֔ בָּח֖וּר וּבְתוּלָֽה׃ (כג) וְנִפַּצְתִּ֤י בְךָ֙ רֹעֶ֣ה וְעֶדְר֔וֹ וְנִפַּצְתִּ֥י בְךָ֖ אִכָּ֣ר וְצִמְדּ֑וֹ וְנִפַּצְתִּ֣י בְךָ֔ פַּח֖וֹת וּסְגָנִֽים׃
The poem of the war club
(20) You are My war club, [My] weapons of battle;
With you I clubbed nations,
With you I destroyed kingdoms; (21) With you I clubbed horse and rider,
With you I clubbed chariot and driver, (22) With you I clubbed man and woman,
With you I clubbed graybeard and boy,
With you I clubbed youth and maiden; (23) With you I clubbed shepherd and flock,
With you I clubbed plowman and team,
With you I clubbed governors and prefects.
Note: Radak (Rabbi David Kimchi) identifies the 'war club' in verse 20 as the King of Babylon.
(כד) וְשִׁלַּמְתִּ֨י לְבָבֶ֜ל וּלְכֹ֣ל ׀ יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י כַשְׂדִּ֗ים אֵ֧ת כׇּל־רָעָתָ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֥וּ בְצִיּ֖וֹן לְעֵינֵיכֶ֑ם נְאֻ֖ם ה'׃ {ס}
(כה) הִנְנִ֨י אֵלֶ֜יךָ הַ֤ר הַמַּשְׁחִית֙ נְאֻם־ה' הַמַּשְׁחִ֖ית אֶת־כׇּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְנָטִ֨יתִי אֶת־יָדִ֜י עָלֶ֗יךָ וְגִלְגַּלְתִּ֙יךָ֙ מִן־הַסְּלָעִ֔ים וּנְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְהַ֥ר שְׂרֵפָֽה׃ (כו) וְלֹֽא־יִקְח֤וּ מִמְּךָ֙ אֶ֣בֶן לְפִנָּ֔ה וְאֶ֖בֶן לְמוֹסָד֑וֹת כִּֽי־שִׁמְמ֥וֹת עוֹלָ֛ם תִּהְיֶ֖ה נְאֻם־ה'׃
Punishment of the mountain
(24) But I will requite Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea
For all the wicked things they did to Zion before your eyes
—declares the LORD.
(25) See, I will deal with you, O mountain of the destroyer
—declares the LORD—
Destroyer of the whole earth!
I will stretch out My hand against you
And roll you down from the crags,
And make you a burnt-out mountain. (26) They shall never take from you
A cornerstone or foundation stone;
You shall be a desolation for all time
—declares the LORD.
Punishing the dragon
(34) “Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon
Devoured me and discomfited me;
He swallowed me like a dragon,
He filled his belly with my dainties,
And set me down like an empty dish;
Then he rinsed me out.-e (35) Let the violence done me and my kindred
Be upon Babylon,”
Says the inhabitant of Zion;
“And let my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,”
Says Jerusalem.
(נט) הַדָּבָ֞ר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה ׀ יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֗יא אֶת־שְׂרָיָ֣ה בֶן־נֵרִיָּה֮ בֶּן־מַחְסֵיָה֒ בְּלֶכְתּ֞וֹ אֶת־צִדְקִיָּ֤הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֙ בָּבֶ֔ל בִּשְׁנַ֥ת הָרְבִעִ֖ית לְמׇלְכ֑וֹ וּשְׂרָיָ֖ה שַׂ֥ר מְנוּחָֽה׃ (ס) וַיִּכְתֹּ֣ב יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ אֵ֧ת כׇּל־הָרָעָ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־תָּב֥וֹא אֶל־בָּבֶ֖ל אֶל־סֵ֣פֶר אֶחָ֑ד אֵ֚ת כׇּל־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה הַכְּתֻבִ֖ים אֶל־בָּבֶֽל׃ (סא) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ אֶל־שְׂרָיָ֑ה כְּבֹאֲךָ֣ בָבֶ֔ל וְֽרָאִ֔יתָ וְֽקָרָ֔אתָ אֵ֥ת כׇּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ (סב) וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ ה' אַתָּ֨ה דִבַּ֜רְתָּ אֶל־הַמָּק֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ לְהַכְרִית֔וֹ לְבִלְתִּ֤י הֱיֽוֹת־בּוֹ֙ יוֹשֵׁ֔ב לְמֵאָדָ֖ם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה כִּֽי־שִׁמְמ֥וֹת עוֹלָ֖ם תִּהְיֶֽה׃ (סג) וְהָיָה֙ כְּכַלֹּ֣תְךָ֔ לִקְרֹ֖א אֶת־הַסֵּ֣פֶר הַזֶּ֑ה תִּקְשֹׁ֤ר עָלָיו֙ אֶ֔בֶן וְהִשְׁלַכְתּ֖וֹ אֶל־תּ֥וֹךְ פְּרָֽת׃ (סד) וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ כָּ֠כָה תִּשְׁקַ֨ע בָּבֶ֤ל וְלֹֽא־תָקוּם֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י הָרָעָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מֵבִ֥יא עָלֶ֖יהָ וְיָעֵ֑פוּ
עַד־הֵ֖נָּה דִּבְרֵ֥י יִרְמְיָֽהוּ׃ {פ}
Seraiah's Colophon. Seraiah son of Neriah was the brother of Baruch son of Neriah, who also served as a scribe for Jeremiah.
(59) The instructions that the prophet Jeremiah gave to Seraiah son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, when the latter went with [or at the bidding of] King Zedekiah of Judah to Babylonia, in the fourth year of [Zedekiah’s] reign [=594/3 BCE]. Seraiah was quartermaster. (60) Jeremiah wrote down in one scroll all the disaster that would come upon Babylon, all these things that are written concerning Babylon. (61) And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “When you get to Babylon, see that you read out all these words. (62) And say, ‘O LORD, You Yourself have declared concerning this place that it shall be cut off, without inhabitant, man or beast; that it shall be a desolation for all time.’ (63) And when you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and hurl it into the Euphrates. (64) And say, ‘Thus shall Babylon sink and never rise again, because of the disaster that I will bring upon it. And [nations] shall have wearied themselves [for fire].’”
Thus far the words of Jeremiah.
3 Doom for Babylon
Reinhold Niebuhr said many years ago:
In prophetic religion there is a more genuine dialectic in which the movements of history are in one moment the instruments of God and in the next come under his condemnation. Thus Babylon and the king of the Medes are regarded by the prophets as the instruments of vengeance in God's hands. But that does not mean that they are better than others and that they will not be cut down in time. They pronounce doom upon Babylon as well as upon Israel. (quoted in Jack R. Lundbom, Jeremiah 37-52 p 366)
Dalit Rom-Shiloni, Jewish Study Bible p 1019 (comment to 50.1-51.58)
These [chapters] were compiled over time, but before the bloodless fall of the Neo-Babylonian empire to the Persians by 539 BCE, which contradicts the bloody fall of Babylonia predicted throughout.
4 Concluding note
(סד) ... עַד־הֵ֖נָּה דִּבְרֵ֥י יִרְמְיָֽהוּ׃ {פ}
(64) ...Thus far the words of Jeremiah.
Compare to end of verse 64:
(20) End of the prayers of David son of Jesse.