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Jeremiah Capítulo 50
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Original en inglés
In this chapter, and that which follows, we have the judgment of Babylon, which is put last of Jeremiah's prophecies against the Gentiles because it was last accomplished; and when the cup of God's fury went round (Jer 25:17) the king of Sheshach, Babylon, drank last. Babylon was employed as the rod in God's hand for the chastising of all the other nations, and now at length that rod shall be thrown into the fire. The destruction of Babylon by Cyrus was foretold, long before it came to its height, by Isaiah, and now again, when it has come to its height, by Jeremiah; for, though at this time he saw that kingdom flourishing "like a green bay-tree," yet at the same time he foresaw it withered and cut down. And as Isaiah's prophecies of the destruction of Babylon and the deliverance of Israel out of it seem designed to typify the evangelical triumphs of all believers over the powers of darkness, and the great salvation wrought out by our Lord Jesus Christ, so Jeremiah's prophecies of the same events seem designed to point at the apocalyptic triumphs of the gospel church in the latter days over the New-Testament Babylon, many passages in the Revelation being borrowed hence. The kingdom of Babylon being much larger and stronger than any of the kingdoms here prophesied against, its fall was the more considerable in itself; and, it having been more oppressive to the people of God than any of the other, the prophet is very copious upon this subject, for the comfort of the captives; and what was foretold in general often before (Jer 25:12,27:7) is here more particularly described, and with a great deal of prophetic heat as well as light. The terrible judgments God had in store for Babylon, and the glorious blessings he had in store for his people that were captives there, are intermixed and counterchanged in the prophecy of this chapter; for Babylon was destroyed to make way for the turning again of the captivity of God's people. Here is, I. The ruin of Babylon, Jer 50:1-3,9-16,21-32,35-46. II. The redemption of God's people, Jer 50:4-8,17-20,33,34. And these being set the one against the other, it is easy to say which one would choose to take one's lot with, the persecuting Babylonians, who, though now in pomp, are reserved for so great a ruin, or the persecuted Israelites, who, though now in thraldom, are reserved for so great a glory.
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The Judgment of Babylon (595 BC)
繁體中文
巴比倫的審判（主前 595 年）
¹ 耶和華藉先知耶利米論巴比倫和迦勒底人之地所說的話。
² 你們要在萬國中傳揚報告，豎立大旗；要報告，不可隱瞞，說：巴比倫被攻取，彼勒蒙羞，米羅達驚惶；她的神像都蒙羞，她的偶像都驚惶。
³ 因有一國從北方上來攻擊她，使她的地荒涼，無人居住，連人帶牲畜都逃走了。
⁴ 耶和華說：當那日子，那時候，以色列人要和猶大人同來，隨走隨哭，尋求耶和華他們的神。
⁵ 他們必訪問錫安，又面向這裏說：來吧，你們要與耶和華聯合為永遠不忘的約。
⁶ 我的百姓作了迷失的羊，牧人使他們走差路，使他們在山上往來；他們從大山走到小岡，竟忘了安歇之處。
⁷ 凡遇見他們的，就吞滅他們；他們的仇敵說：我們沒有罪，因他們得罪了耶和華，就是公義之居所，也在乎他們列祖所仰望的耶和華。
⁸ 我民哪，你們要從巴比倫中間逃走，從迦勒底人之地出去，要像羊群前面的公山羊。
一. 這裏有藉祂的話而說的攻擊巴比倫的話——祂的作為無不與祂的話相符，祂的話沒有一句落空。巴比倫王待耶利米甚厚，他卻仍要預言那國的傾覆；因為神的先知不可因恩惠或感情而左右。無論何人是我們的朋友，只要他們仍是神的仇敵，我們就不可向他們說平安的話。1. 巴比倫的毀滅在此被當作已成就的事來講論（Jer 50:2）。要向萬國宣告，當作一則新聞——真實的新聞、重大的新聞、與所有人都切身相關的新聞——傳開；要如得勝之日一般懸掛旗幟，通知眾人；要讓全世界都知道：巴比倫被攻取了。要讓神因此得榮耀，讓祂的百姓因此得安慰，所以不可隱瞞。務要叫人知道，好叫耶和華因自己所行的審判被人知道（詩 9:16）。2. 這被當作徹底成就的事來講論。因為：（1.）連巴比倫的偶像——百姓必傾盡全力保護、又指望從其得保護的——也要被毀。彼勒和米羅達是他們兩位主要的神祇；它們必蒙羞，它們的造像必被打碎。（2.）那地必成荒場（Jer 50:3）。從北方——從位於巴比倫北方的米底亞，以及居魯士經亞述攻打巴比倫所經之地——必有一國上來，使她的地荒涼。他們的地在他們所毀滅之諸國的北方，所以那些國家被威脅說禍患要從北方而來（一切災禍皆來自北方）；但神要興起更北方的列國來攻擊他們。古羅馬的輝煌與權勢，正是被北方的列國——哥特人和汪達爾人——所傾覆。
二. 這裏有為神百姓而說的話，為他們的安慰而說——無論以色列人還是猶大人；因為十個支派中也有許多人與那兩個支派的人一同從巴比倫歸回。如今在此：
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應許他們必先歸向他們的神，然後才歸回本國；而他們歸正和改革的應許，正是為一切其餘應許鋪路的（Jer 50:4,5）。（1.）他們必切切尋求耶和華（正如以色列全家在撒母耳時代所作的，撒上 7:2）；他們必隨走隨哭。這些眼淚不是出於世俗的憂愁——如他們被擄時那樣——而是出於敬虔的憂愁；是為罪悔改的眼淚，是因神恩待、拯救之日初露曙光而喜樂的眼淚——這曙光在他們為罪哀哭上所起的作用，似乎遠超被擄的一切苦難；那些苦難未能驅使他們悔改，這個卻能引導他們悔改。注意，當一個百姓開始在神的手下心中柔軟時，這正是神要以憐憫之道臨到他們的好兆頭。（2.）他們必尋求耶和華；他們不致在憂傷中沉淪，反要振作起來，到可尋得安慰之處去尋找：他們隨走隨哭，尋求耶和華他們的神。那些尋求耶和華的人必帶著憂愁尋求，正如基督的父母尋找祂一樣（路 2:48）。而那些憂傷的人也必尋求耶和華，這樣他們的憂愁就必快快變為喜樂，因為祂必被如此尋求的人尋見。他們要尋求耶和華為他們的神，從此與偶像再無瓜葛。當他們聽見巴比倫的偶像蒙羞被打碎，正是他們尋求自己神、歸向那永活之神的時候。因此人受假神欺騙，好使他們單單倚靠真神。（3.）他們要思想再回本國；他們不僅把它當作恩惠，更當作本分，因為唯有那裏才有錫安的聖山——其上曾立有耶和華他們神的殿（Jer 50:5）：他們必訪問錫安，又面向這裏。錫安是他們守節的城；他們在被擄的深處常常想念它（詩 137:1）；但如今巴比倫的傾覆給了他們獲釋的盼望，他們別的都不談，只談回錫安去。他們的心早就在那裏，如今他們面向這裏。他們渴望到那裏去；他們動身前往錫安，決心不到錫安決不止步。路途遙遠，他們又不認識道路，但他們要問路，因為他們要奮力前行直到抵達錫安；他們既決心不回頭，也謹慎不致走錯路。這描繪了可憐的靈魂歸向神的光景。天是他們所定意要到達的錫安，是目標；他們的心已經繫於其上；他們已經面向那裏，因此他們問路。他們不是問了通天之路、卻把臉朝向世界；也不是面向天堂、卻冒冒失失地前行而不問路。但在一切真正的歸正者身上，既有達到目標的誠懇願望，也有持守正道的恆切謹慎；看見人如此面向天國、問路前行，實在是蒙福的景象。（4.）他們要更新自己的約，今後更緊密地與神同行：來吧，你們要與耶和華聯合為永遠不忘的約。他們曾違背與神所立的約，實際上已與祂分離，如今他們決心重新與祂聯合——重新將自己獻給祂。如此，當退後的人歸回時，必須行起初所行的，必須更新他們起初所立的約；這必須是一個永遠的約，永不可違背；而為此，這約也永不可忘記，因為對約的適切記念，乃是對約適切遵行的途徑。
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他們目前的境況被形容為十分悲慘，而且由來已久：「我的百姓」（因為他們既歸向他，祂就承認他們為自己的百姓）「作了迷失的羊（Jer 50:6）；他們從大山走到小岡，被從一處趕到另一處，找不到草吃；他們忘了安歇之處——就是本國——也找不到歸路。」而使他們的痛苦更加沉重的在於：（1.）他們是被自己的牧人引入歧途的——他們自己的首領和祭司；這些人使他們偏離當盡的本分，因而惹動神把他們趕出本地。一個百姓的領袖使他們走錯路，是百姓的大患——那些本當引導他們、保障並增進他們利益的人，竟成了出賣他們的人。（2.）他們在流浪中暴露在猛獸面前，那些猛獸以為這些羊無主，便將它們據為己有（Jer 50:7）；他們如同迷失的羊，凡遇見他們的，就吞滅他們，把他們當作獵物；當那些人對他們行最大的傷害時，還嘲笑他們，說這正是他們自己的先知屢次告訴他們所當受的；這遠不能為那些冤待他們的人辯護，然而他們卻以這藉口譏誚他們：我們沒有罪，因為他們得罪了耶和華；但他們不能假裝以色列人得罪了他們。且看那些人對他們所得罪的主有何認識——不是把祂當作獨一永活的真神，而是僅僅當作公義之居所、他們列祖所仰望的；以色列人輕看了聖殿和祖先的傳統，所以理當受這些苦。然而，這確實加重了他們的罪，也為神辯護了——雖然不能為他們的仇敵對他們所行的辯護——因為他們確實離棄了公義之居所和那他們列祖所仰望的。
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他們被催促盡快離開，一等到自由之門敞開（Jer 50:8）：「要從巴比倫中間逃走」——不僅要離開邊界，還要從巴比倫中間出來；你們在那裏無論多麼安頓，都不可存久留之心，而要趕快往錫安去，要像羊群前面的公山羊——爭先恐後地看誰在最前面，誰在這善事上領頭：公山羊行走威武（箴 30:31），因為它走在最前。在善工上勇於領先、為別人樹立好榜樣，是可嘉的事。
Original en inglés
The Judgment of Babylon (595 BC)
¹ The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet.
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.
³ For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast.
⁴ In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God.
⁵ They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.
⁶ My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.
⁷ All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.
⁸ Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks.
I. Here is a word spoken against Babylon by him whose works all agree with his word and none of whose words fall to the ground. The king of Babylon had been very kind of Jeremiah, and yet he must foretel the ruin of that kingdom; for God's prophets must not be governed by favour or affection. Whoever are our friends, if, notwithstanding, they are God's enemies, we dare not speak peace to them. 1. The destruction of Babylon is here spoken of as a thing done, Jer 50:2. let it be published to the nations as a piece of news, true news, and great news, and news they are all concerned in; let them hang out the flag, as is usual on days of triumph, to give notice of it; let all the world take notice of it: Babylon is taken. Let God have the honour of it, let his people have the comfort of it, and therefore do not conceal it. Take care that it be known, that the Lord may be known by those judgments which he executes, Ps 9:16. 2. It is spoken of as a thing done thoroughly. For, (1.) The very idols of Babylon, which the people would protect with all possible care, and from which they expected protection, shall be destroyed. Bel and Merodach were their two principal deities; they shall be confounded, and the images of them broken to pieces. (2.) The country shall be laid waste (Jer 50:3) out of the north, from Media, which lay north of Babylon, and from Assyria, through which Cyrus made his descent upon Babylon; thence the nation shall come that shall make her land desolate. Their land was north of the countries that they destroyed, who were therefore threatened with evil from the north (Omne malum ab aquilone—Every evil comes from the north); but God will find out nations yet further north to come upon them. The pomp and power of old Rome were brought down by northern nations, the Goths and Vandals.
II. Here is a word spoken for the people of God, and for their comfort, both the children of Israel and of Judah; for many there were of the ten tribes that associated with those of the two tribes in their return out of Babylon. Now here,
1. It is promised that they shall return to their God first and then to their own land; and the promise of their conversion and reformation is that which makes way for all the other promises, Jer 50:4,5. (1.) They shall lament after the Lord (as the whole house of Israel did in Samuel's time, 1Sa 7:2); they shall go weeping. These tears flow not from the sorrow of the world as those when they went into captivity, but from godly sorrow; they are tears of repentance for sin, tears of joy for the goodness of God, in the dawning of the day of their deliverance, which, for aught that appears, does more towards the bringing of them to mourn for sin than all the calamities of their captivity; that prevails to lead them to repentance when the other did not prevail to drive them to it. Note, It is a good sign that God is coming towards a people in ways of mercy when they begin to be tenderly affected under his hand. (2.) They shall enquire after the Lord; they shall not sink under their sorrows, but bestir themselves to find out comfort where it is to be had: They shall go weeping to seek the Lord their God. Those that seek the Lord must seek him sorrowing, as Christ's parents sought him, Lu 2:48. And those that sorrow must seek the Lord, and then their sorrow shall soon be turned into joy, for he will be found of those that so seek him. They shall seek the Lord as their God, and shall now have no more to do with idols. When they shall hear that the idols of Babylon are confounded and broken it will be seasonable for them to enquire after their own God and to return to him who lives for ever. Therefore men are deceived in false gods, that they may depend on the true God only. (3.) They shall think of returning to their own country again; they shall think of it not only as a mercy, but as a duty, because there only is the holy hill of Zion, on which once stood the house of the Lord their God (Jer 50:5): They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward. Zion was the city of their solemnities; they often thought of it in the depth of their captivity (Ps 137:1); but, now that the ruin of Babylon gave them some hopes of a release, they talk of nothing else but of going back to Zion. Their hearts were upon it before, and now they set their faces thitherward. They long to be there; they set out for Zion, and resolve not to take up short of it. The journey is long and they know not the road, but they will ask the way, for they will press forward till they come to Zion; and, as they are determined not to turn back, so they are in care not to miss the way. This represents the return of poor souls to God. Heaven is the Zion they aim at as their end; on this they have set their hearts; towards this they have set their faces, and therefore they ask the way thither. They do not ask the way to heaven and set their faces towards the world; nor set their faces towards heaven and go on at a venture without asking the way. But in all true converts there are both a sincere desire to attain the end and a constant care to keep in the way; and a blessed sight it is to see people thus asking the way to heaven with their faces thitherward. (4.) They shall renew their covenant to walk with God more closely for the future: Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant. They had broken covenant with God, had in effect separated themselves from him, but now they resolve to join themselves to him again, by engaging themselves afresh to be his. Thus, when backsliders return, they must do their first works, must renew the covenant they first made; and it must be a perpetual covenant, that must never be broken; and, in order to that, must never be forgotten; for a due remembrance of it will be the means of a due observance of it.
2. Their present case is lamented as very sad, and as having been long so: "My people" (for he owns them as his now that they are returning to him) "have been lost sheep (Jer 50:6); they have gone from mountain to hill, have been hurried from place to place, and could find no pasture; they have forgotten their resting-place in their own country and cannot find their way to it." And that which aggravated their misery was, (1.) That they were led astray by their own shepherds, their own princes and priests; they turned them from their duty, and so provoked God to turn them out of their own land. It is bad with a people when their leaders cause them to err, when those that should direct them, and when those that should secure and advance their interests are the betrayers of them. (2.) That in their wanderings they lay exposed to the beasts of prey, who thought they were entitled to them, as waifs and strays that had no owner (Jer 50:7); it is with them as with wandering sheep, all that found them have devoured them and made a prey of them; and when they did them the greatest injuries they laughed at them, telling them it was what their own prophets had many a time told them they deserved; that was far from justifying those who did them wrong, yet they bantered them with this excuse, We offend not, because they have sinned against the Lord; but they could not pretend that they had sinned against them. And see what notion they had of the Lord they had sinned against, not as the only true and living God, but only as the habitation of justice and the hope of their fathers; they had put a contempt upon the temple and upon the tradition of their ancestors, and therefore deserved to suffer these hard things. And yet it was indeed an aggravation of their sin, and justified God, though it did not justify their adversaries in what was done to them, that they had forsaken the habitation of justice and him that was the hope of their fathers.
3. They are called upon to hasten away, as soon as ever the door of liberty was opened to them (Jer 50:8): "Remove, not only out of the borders, but out of the midst of Babylon; though you be ever so well seated there, think not to settle there, but hasten to Zion, and be as the he-goats before the flocks; strive which shall be foremost, which shall lead in so good a work:" a he-goat is comely in going (Pr 30:31) because he goes first. It is a graceful thing to be forward in a good work and to set others a good example.
9-20
The Judgment of Babylon (595 BC)
繁體中文
巴比倫的審判（主前 595 年）
⁹ 因為看哪，我必激動聯合的大國從北方上來攻擊巴比倫；他們要擺陣攻擊她，她必從那裏被攻取；他們的箭如同善戰勇士的箭，無一徒然返回。
¹⁰ 迦勒底必成為掠物；凡擄掠她的必得滿足——這是耶和華說的。
¹¹ 毀壞我產業的啊，你們因歡喜快樂，因為如草場的母牛犢肥壯，如公牛發吼，
¹² 你們的母親必大大蒙羞；生你們的必抱愧；看哪，列國之末必成為曠野、旱地、沙漠。
¹³ 因耶和華的怒氣，它必無人居住，卻要全然荒涼；凡經過巴比倫的必驚駭，因她一切的災禍嗤笑她。
¹⁴ 所有拉弓的，你們要在巴比倫的四圍擺陣攻擊她，射箭攻擊她，不可吝惜箭枝；因為她得罪了耶和華。
¹⁵ 你們要在她四圍吶喊；她已投降，她的根基傾覆，她的城牆坍塌；因為這是耶和華的報復；你們要向她報復，她怎樣待人，也要怎樣待她。
¹⁶ 你們要從巴比倫剪除撒種的和收割時拿鐮刀的；因怕欺壓的刀劍，他們各人必歸回本族，各人逃到本地。
¹⁷ 以色列是打散的羊，獅子把他趕散；先是亞述王將他吞滅，末後是巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒折斷他的骨頭。
¹⁸ 所以萬軍之耶和華以色列的神如此說：看哪，我必刑罰巴比倫王和他的地，如同我刑罰亞述王一樣。
¹⁹ 我必再領以色列歸回他的本圈，他也必在迦密和巴珊牧放，他的靈魂必在以法蓮山和基列得著滿足。
²⁰ 耶和華說：當那日子，那時候，以色列的罪孽必被尋找，卻尋不見；猶大的罪惡也一樣，也找不到；因為我所留下的人，我必赦免。
神在此藉著先知——如同後來藉著護理——繼續祂與巴比倫的爭訟。請觀察：
一. 給那些用來毀滅巴比倫之器皿的委託和命令。那要成就這事的大軍被稱為大國的聯合（Jer 50:9）——米底亞人和波斯人，以及他們一切的盟軍和援軍；它被稱為聯合，因為是照神的旨意和籌算正式組成以執行此事的。神要激動他們來作，要使他們傾向並預備這事奉，然後祂要使他們上來——因他們的一切動向都在祂的指揮和引導之下：祂要下令，要命令他們在巴比倫四圍擺陣（Jer 50:14），然後他們就擺陣（Jer 50:9），因為神所定意要作的必作成；而她必從那裏很快被攻取——從他們初次圍城之時，就要不斷取得進展，直到城被攻取。神要吩咐他們射箭攻擊她，不可吝惜箭枝（Jer 50:14），然後他們的箭必如同善戰勇士的箭——既有技巧又有力量、既準又狠（Jer 50:9）；無一徒然返回。當神賜下委託，祂必賜下成功。不但如此，他們不僅被吩咐射箭攻擊她（Jer 50:14），更要在她四圍吶喊（Jer 50:15）——以勝利的呼喊，如同已經穩操勝券的人。凡神吩咐射箭的，都可以伴隨吶喊而射，因為他們必不虛發。
二. 將臨巴比倫的荒涼和毀滅本身。這裏以多種措辭表達。1. 巴比倫的財富要成為征服者豐盛而易得的掠物（Jer 50:10）：迦勒底必成為一切毀滅者的掠物，他們要因劫掠她而致富；奇異的是，凡擄掠她的必得滿足——他們得的如此之多，以至連他們自己也說夠了。2. 巴比倫的國土要人口盡失、無人居住：它必全然荒涼（Jer 50:13），達到如此地步，以致凡經過的人都要為她的傾覆而歡呼，不但不與她同哀，反倒因她一切的災禍嗤笑她（Jer 50:13）。3. 他們的祖先要為自己的懦弱——在第一次猛攻時就逃走——而蒙羞（Jer 50:12）；或者，你們的母親——巴比倫本身，母城——必蒙羞，當她看見自己被那些本當保衛她的人所離棄。如此，前代的基督徒看見後代的基督徒何等不像他們、何等敗壞退化，也可公正地蒙羞慚愧；沒有一樣罪比背道更確實、更慘痛地為人或百姓帶來毀滅。4. 巴比倫的大崇拜者要看見她變得十分可鄙：它要成為列國之末，萬國之尾，成為曠野、旱地、沙漠（Jer 50:11）。從前人口稠密的國要人口盡失，從前土壤肥沃、富饒的國要成為荒蕪。5. 那大城——它的首城——要徹底被毀。她的根基已經傾覆，因此她的城牆坍塌；因為當神的報復在門口、搖撼根基之時，城牆怎能站立呢？這是耶和華的報復，無論在法庭上或戰場上，無物能與之爭鋒。6. 巴比倫中連修剪葡萄園的和耕種田地的窮人也不會被留下——如以色列中曾有的那樣（Jer 50:16）：撒種的要從巴比倫被剪除，拿鐮刀的也是如此；那國要如此人口盡失，以至無人耕地、無人收割。收割的時候到了，卻無收割的人；撒種的時候到了，卻無撒種的人；神要盡祂的分，卻無人盡人的分。7. 一切僱來服役的輔助軍隊都要離棄他們——正如僱傭兵在危險臨近時常作的（Jer 50:16）：*因怕欺壓的刀劍，他們各人必歸回本族。*這從前對埃及也有同樣的預言（Jer 46:16）。
三. 這毀滅的招惹和激怒之因。它來自神的不悅；因耶和華的怒氣，巴比倫必全然荒涼（Jer 50:13），而祂的怒氣是公義的，因為（Jer 50:14）她得罪了耶和華，所以不可吝惜箭枝。注意，正是罪使人成為神審判之箭的靶子。巴比倫有大量的拜偶像和不道德，但這些並沒有被提及為神不悅的原因，反而是他們對神百姓所行的傷害——出於對他們作為神百姓的敵意。他們是神產業的毀壞者（Jer 50:11）；這方面神確實使用了他們作為管教祂百姓的必要器皿，然而這仍被算為他們的重罪，因為他們的目的是要徹底毀滅他們。1. 他們對耶路撒冷所行的，是帶著快樂行的（Jer 50:11）：你們歡喜快樂。神不情願地管教祂的百姓，因此若祂所用的器皿樂意管教他們，祂就極為不悅。當提多攻陷耶路撒冷時，他為之流淚，但這些迦勒底人卻為之歡呼。2. 他們將耶路撒冷的掠物用來餵養自己的奢華：「你們如草場的母牛犢肥壯，如公牛發吼；你們征服耶路撒冷使你們非常放縱驕傲——安逸自在、令周圍一切懼怕——因此你們必成為掠物。」那些如此吞下財富的，必將之再吐出來。因此他們已經投降（Jer 50:15）——他們已向征服者屈服、乖乖投降，因此如今你可以向她報復——如今你可以作出報復，*她怎樣待人，也要怎樣待她。*3. 他們的目的不外乎神之以色列的徹底毀滅：以色列是打散的羊——如從前（Jer 50:6）——不僅被狗吠叫、追咬，連獅子——最有力的對手——也向他咆哮、把他趕散（Jer 50:17）。一個亞述王擄走了十個支派並將之吞滅；另一個侵犯猶大，劫掠並使它貧困——撕咬這可憐羊群的毛和肉；如今末了，這尼布甲尼撒——一切鄰舍的恐懼和災禍——趁他衰弱之機撲上去，折斷了他的骨頭——徹底毀了他；因此巴比倫王必如亞述王受罰那樣受罰（Jer 50:18）。注意，那些延續前人罪惡的人，必被前人所受的災禍追趕；若他們行他們所行的，就必受他們所受的。
四. 對神的以色列所應許的憐憫——這憐憫不僅伴隨巴比倫的毀滅而來，更是從中產生。1. 神要使他們被擄的人歸回；他們要從捆綁中獲釋，再領回本圈——如打散的羊歸回自己的圈（Jer 50:19）。他們對迦南地仍保有權利；它仍是他們的居所。他們佔有的中斷並非權利的消滅。如今他們要恢復對它的享受。2. 祂要恢復他們的繁榮；他們不僅要在本國存活，更要舒適地生活；他們要在迦密和巴珊牧放——那國最豐盛、最肥沃的地區。這些羊要從他們被分散到的荒野被招聚回來，再放到好草場上——他們的靈魂要因之得滿足；他們雖飢餓而來——因長久受限制、受窘迫、缺乏——卻必找到足夠使之飽足的，也有心可以飽足。他們尋訪錫安的路（Jer 50:5）——在那裏神可以事奉和敬拜。這才是他們歸回時主要追求的；但神不僅要領他們到那裏，更要領他們到迦密和巴珊，使他們在那裏豐盛地得餵養。注意，那些歸向神和自己本分的人，必在其中找到靈魂真正的滿足；那些先求神的國和祂的義——定意以錫安聖山為居所的人——必得著加上的一切，連以法蓮和基列——那些結實纍纍的山岡——的一切安慰也必得著。3. 神要赦免他們的罪孽；這是一切其餘應許的根基（Jer 50:20）：當那些日子，以色列的罪孽必被尋找，卻尋不見。不僅他們罪孽的刑罰要被撤去，更是它對神造成的冒犯要被忘記——祂要與他們和好。他們的罪在祂面前要如同從未有過；要如雲消散，如債被勾銷，要被丟在祂背後；不，要被投入深海——不再被封存在神的府庫中，也不再有浮現或起來控告他們的危險。這表明神赦免罪何等徹底——祂不再記念。注意，從患難中的解救，唯有當它是罪得赦免的果子時，才是真正的安慰（賽 38:17）。猶大和以色列從巴比倫歸回時被如此徹底地赦免，以至可以說他們從耶和華手中加倍受罰，抵償他們一切的罪（賽 40:1）。這也可能包括他們心靈和生活的徹底改革，以及他們罪孽的完全豁免。若有人在他們歸回後在他們中間尋找偶像或任何拜偶像的習俗，必尋不見，必找不到；他們的渣滓要被煉淨，他們的罪咎也由此顯明已被除淨；因為我所留下的人，我必赦免——我必向他們施恩（原文如此），而這必須藉著那位偉大的挽回祭而成。注意，那些蒙神赦罪的人，神為他們存留了極大的事；因為所稱為義的人，又叫他们得榮耀。
Original en inglés
The Judgment of Babylon (595 BC)
⁹ For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.
¹⁰ And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith the LORD.
¹¹ Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls;
¹² Your mother shall be sore confounded; she that bare you shall be ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.
¹³ Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues.
¹⁴ Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD.
¹⁵ Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.
¹⁶ Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land.
¹⁷ Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.
¹⁸ Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria.
¹⁹ And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead.
²⁰ In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.
God is here by his prophet, as afterwards in his providence, proceeding in his controversy with Babylon. Observe,
I. The commission and charge given to the instruments that were to be employed in destroying Babylon. The army that is to do it is called an assembly of great nations (Jer 50:9), the Medes and Persians, and all their allies and auxiliaries; it is called an assembly, because regularly formed by the divine will and counsel to do this execution. God will raise them up to do it, will incline them to and fit them for this service, and then he will cause them to come up, for all their motions are under his conduct and direction: he shall give the word of command, shall order them to put themselves in array against Babylon (Jer 50:14), and then they shall put themselves in array (Jer 50:9), for what God appoints to be done shall be done; and thence she shall be quickly taken; from their first sitting down before it they shall be still gaining ground against it till it be taken. God shall bid them shoot at her and spare no arrows (Jer 50:14), and then their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man, that has both skill and strength, a good eye and a good hand (Jer 50:9); none shall return in vain. When God gives commission he will give success. Nay, they are bidden not only to shoot at her (Jer 50:14), but to shout against her (Jer 50:15) with a triumphant shout, as those that are already sure of victory. Those whom God directs to shoot may do so with shouting, for they are sure not to miss the mark.
II. The desolation and destruction itself that shall be brought upon Babylon. This is here set forth in a great variety of expressions. 1. The wealth of Babylon shall be a rich and easy prey to the conquerors (Jer 50:10): Chaldea shall be a spoil to all her destroyers, who shall enrich themselves by plundering her, and, which is strange, all that spoil her shall be satisfied; they shall have so much that even they themselves shall say that they have enough. 2. The country of Babylon shall be depopulated and lie uninhabited: It shall be wholly desolate (Jer 50:13) to such a degree that every one who goes by shall triumph in her fall, and, instead of condoling with them, shall hiss at all her plagues, Jer 50:13. 3. Their ancestors shall be ashamed of their cowardice, in fleeing from the first onset (Jer 50:12), or, Your mother, Babylon itself, the mother-city, shall be confounded, when she sees herself deserted by those that should have been her guards. Thus the former ages of Christians may justly be confounded and ashamed to see how unlike them the latter ages are, and how wretchedly they have degenerated; and no sin brings a surer and sorer ruin upon persons, or people, than apostasy. 4. The great admirers of Babylon shall see it rendered very despicable: the last of kingdoms, the very tail of the nations, shall it be, a wilderness, a dry land, a desert, Jer 50:11. The country that was populous shall be dispeopled, that was enriched with a fertile soil shall become barren. 5. The great city, the head of it, shall be quite ruined. Her foundations have fallen, and therefore her walls are thrown down; for how can the walls stand when divine vengeance is at the door and shakes the very foundations? It is the vengeance of the Lord, which nothing can contend with either in law or battle. 6. There shall not be left in Babylon so much as the poor of the land, for vine-dressers and husbandmen, as there was in Israel (Jer 50:16): The sower shall be cut off from Babylon, and he that handles the sickle; the country shall be so emptied of people that there shall be none to till the ground and gather in the fruits of it. Harvest shall come, and there shall be no reapers; seed-time shall come, but there shall be no sower; God will do his part, but there shall be no men to do theirs. 7. All their auxiliary forces, which they have hired into their service, shall desert them, as mercenary men often do upon the approach of danger (Jer 50:16): For fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people. This was threatened before concerning Egypt, Jer 46:16.
III. The procuring provoking cause of this destruction. It comes from God's displeasure; it is because of the wrath of the Lord that Babylon shall be wholly desolate (Jer 50:13), and his wrath is righteous, for (Jer 50:14) she hath sinned against the Lord, therefore spare no arrows. Note, It is sin that makes men a mark for the arrows of God's judgments. An abundance of idolatry and immorality was to be found in Babylon, yet those are not mentioned as the reason of God's displeasure against them, but the injuries they had done to the people of God, from a principle of enmity to them as his people. They have been the destroyers of God's heritage (Jer 50:11); herein indeed God made use of them for the necessary correction of his people, and yet it is laid to their charge as a heinous crime, because they designed nothing but their utter destruction. 1. What they did against Jerusalem they did with pleasure (Jer 50:11): You were glad, you rejoice. God does not afflict his people willingly, and therefore takes it very ill if the instruments he employs afflict them willingly. When Titus Vespasian destroyed Jerusalem he wept over it, but these Chaldeans triumphed over it. 2. The spoils of Jerusalem they made use of to feed their own luxury: "You have grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls; your having conquered Jerusalem has made you very wanton and proud, easy to yourselves and formidable to all about you, and therefore you must be a spoil." Those that have thus swallowed down riches must vomit them up again. Therefore they have given their hand (Jer 50:15); they have surrendered themselves to the conqueror, have tamely yielded so that now you may take vengeance on her, now you may make reprisals and do unto her as she hath done. 3. They aimed at nothing less than the utter ruin of God's Israel: Israel is a scattered sheep, as before (Jer 50:6), that is not only barked at and worried by dogs, but even lions, the most potent adversaries, have roared upon him and driven him away, Jer 50:17. One king of Assyria carried the ten tribes quite away and devoured them; another invaded Judah, and plundered and impoverished it, tore the fleece and flesh of this poor sheep; and now at last this Nebuchadnezzar, that is the terror and plague of all his neighbours, has taken advantage of the low condition to which he is reduced, and he has fallen upon him and broken his bones, has quite ruined him, and therefore the king of Babylon must be punished as the king of Assyria was, Jer 50:18. Note, Those who pursue and prosecute the sins of their predecessors must expect to be pursued and prosecuted by their plagues; if they do as they did, let them fare as they fared.
IV. The mercy promised to the Israel of God, which shall not only accompany, but accrue from, the destruction of Babylon. 1. God will return their captivity; they shall be released out of their bondage, and brought again to their own habitation as sheep that were scattered to their own fold Jer 50:19. They still retained a title to the land of Canaan; it is their habitation still. The discontinuance of their possession was not the destruction of their right. But now they shall recover the enjoyment of it again. 2. He will restore their prosperity; they shall not only live, but live comfortably, in their own land again; they shall feed upon Carmel and Bashan, the richest and most fruitful parts of the country. These sheep shall be gathered from the deserts to which they were dispersed, and put again into good pasture, which their soul shall be satisfied with though they shall come hungry to it, having been so long stinted, and straitened, and kept short, yet they shall find enough to satiate them and shall have hearts to be satiated with it. They enquired the way to Zion (Jer 50:5), where God was to be served and worshipped. This was what they chiefly aimed at in their return; but God will not only bring them thither, but bring them also to Carmel and Bashan, where they shall abundantly feed themselves. Note, Those that return to God and their duty shall find true satisfaction of soul in so doing; and those that seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, that aim to make their habitation in Zion, the holy hill, shall have other things added to them, even all the comforts of Ephraim and Gilead, the fruitful hills. 3. God will pardon their iniquity; this is the root of all the rest (Jer 50:20): In those days the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none. Not only the punishments of their iniquity shall be taken off, but the offence which it gave to God shall be forgotten, and he will be reconciled to them. Their sin shall be before him as if it had never been; it shall be blotted out as a cloud, crossed out as a debt, shall be cast behind his back; nay, it shall be cast into the depth of the sea, shall be no longer sealed up among God's treasures, nor in any danger of appearing again or rising up against them. This denotes how fully God forgives sin; he remembers it no more. Note, Deliverances out of trouble are then comforts indeed when they are the fruits of the forgiveness of sin, Isa 38:17. Judah and Israel were so fully forgiven when they were brought back out of Babylon that they are said to have received of the Lord's hand double for all their sins, Isa 40:1. This may include also a thorough reformation of their hearts and lives, as well as a full remission of their sins. If any seek for idols or any idolatrous customs among them, after their return, there shall be none, they shall not find them; their dross shall be purely purged away, and by that it shall appear that their guilt is so; for I will pardon those whom I reserve; I will be propitious to them (so the word is) and that must be through him who is the great propitiation. Note, Those whose sins God pardons he reserves for something very great; for whom he justifies them he glorifies.
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The Judgment of Babylon (595 BC)
繁體中文
巴比倫的審判（595 BC）
²¹ 上米拉大翁之地，就是比割的居民哪，你們要上去攻擊它，隨在他們之後毀滅淨盡。這是耶和華說的。你們要照我所吩咐你的一切去行。
²² 境內有打仗和大大毀滅的聲音。
²³ 全地的大錘何竟砍斷破碎！巴比倫在列國中何竟荒涼！
²⁴ 巴比倫哪，我為你設了網羅，你也被捉住了；你竟不知道。你被發現，也被抓住，因為你與耶和華爭競。
²⁵ 耶和華已經開了軍械庫，拿出他惱恨的兵器；因為這是主—萬軍之耶和華在迦勒底人之地所要作的工。
²⁶ 你們要從極遠的邊界來攻擊她，開她的倉庫；將她堆成土堆，毀滅淨盡；不可留下一樣屬她的。
²⁷ 要殺她的一切公牛；使他們下到宰殺之地。他們有禍了！因為他們的日子到了，就是他們受罰的時候。
²⁸ 有聲音從巴比倫地逃跑脫險的人那裏傳出來，要在錫安報告耶和華—我們神的報仇，就是他殿的報仇。
²⁹ 要招集弓箭手來攻擊巴比倫；一切拉弓的人啊，要在她四圍安營；不可容一人逃脫。要照她所做的報應她；她怎樣待人，也要怎樣待她；因為她向耶和華—以色列的聖者狂妄自大。
³⁰ 所以她的少年人必倒在街上；當那日，她一切兵丁必被剪除。這是耶和華說的。
³¹ 主—萬軍之耶和華說：你這極驕傲的啊，我與你反對；因為你的日子已經來到，就是你受罰的時候。
³² 驕傲的必絆跌仆倒，無人扶起；我也必在她的諸城中點火，火必燒滅她四圍的一切。
此處：1. 軍隊被集合並受命毀滅巴比倫，攻打那強大國度的一切都預備齊全：「上去攻擊」「米拉大翁」之地——就是瑪爾底人的地，位於亞述和亞美尼亞之間；又要在「比割的居民」中行——那是另一個國家（見Eze 23:23），居魯士在進軍巴比倫的路上攻取了它。居魯士的軍隊被召「上去攻擊巴比倫」（Jer 50:21），「從極遠的邊界來攻擊她」。讓大家都來，因為人人都有足夠的工作和報酬（Jer 50:26）。地方的遠近不能成為他們參與這工作的障礙。「弓箭手」特別要「被招集來攻擊巴比倫」（Jer 50:29）。如此，「耶和華已經開了軍械庫」（Jer 50:25），或作「府庫」（原文如此），「拿出他惱恨的兵器」，如同大君王發動重大征伐時從軍械庫和儲備中取出軍隊所需的一切物資。米底亞和波斯如今是神的軍械庫；他從那裏取出他怒氣的兵器——居魯士和他的大臣和軍隊，他要使用他們來毀滅巴比倫。當知，大人物不過是偉大的神用來成就他自己旨意的器皿。他有各樣的器皿，他可以隨時調用，並隨時預備好可開啟的軍械庫。「這是主—萬軍之耶和華所作的工。」當知，當神有事要作時，他必顯明他是「萬軍之耶和華」，不會缺少作工的器皿。2. 給他們的指示當如何行。總而言之：「你們要照我所吩咐你的一切去行」（Jer 50:21）。論到居魯士曾如此說（Isa 44:28）：「他必成就我所喜悅的」——在他攻擊巴比倫的征伐中。他們要「隨在他們之後毀滅淨盡」；毀滅了一次之後還要再來一次，或毀滅他們之後將要出生的後裔。他們要「開她的倉庫」（Jer 50:26），劫掠她的財寶，使她的軍械反過來對付她自己。他們要「將她堆成土堆」；讓巴比倫一切的財富和榮華都被鏟成廢墟和瓦礫的土堆。「將她如堆一樣踏平」（旁註如此譯），「毀滅淨盡」。請看偉大的神是多麼不把人所珍視、人所誇耀的那些東西放在眼裏。他們的首領和大人物——肥胖臃腫的——必倒在刀下，不是像戰場上的戰士那樣（我們稱之為安息的床），而是像牲畜在屠夫手下一般（Jer 50:27）：「要殺她的一切公牛」——她一切的大能勇士；「使他們」如牛一般昏沉無知地「下到宰殺之地。他們有禍了」！他們的光景因缺少感覺而更加悲慘。「他們的日子」已經到了——傾覆的日子，「受罰的時候」——而他們卻不知道。3. 給他們成功的保證。讓他們行神所吩咐的，他們必成就他所威脅的。必造成「大大毀滅」（Jer 50:21）。「巴比倫」必「在列國中荒涼」（Jer 50:23）；「她的少年人和她一切的兵丁在那日必被剪除」——他們本該作她的保障（Jer 50:30）。神「反對」她（Jer 50:31）；他「為她設了網羅」（Jer 50:24）；他籌劃了這個對付她的計謀，使她如鳥被網羅捉住一般猝不及防。居魯士無疑必得勝，因為他在神之下爭戰。神「要在巴比倫的諸城中點火」（Jer 50:32）；當他發怒時，誰能站立得住呢？誰能熄滅他所點的火呢？4. 如此嚴厲對待巴比倾的理由。在這場戰爭中被使用的人，若願意，可以知道其中的緣由，並在其中公義上得到滿足——凡被召來作如此工作的人都理當如此。（1）巴比倫對一切鄰國都是極大的攪擾、苦害和傷害；它一直是「全地的大錘」（Jer 50:23），擊打、擊倒、擊碎遠近一切國家。它這樣行已經夠久了；如今是它被「砍斷破碎」的時候了。當知，那作列國之神的遲早必為受損害的列國向那些以不義和暴力侵犯他們的人伸張權利。全地的神必打碎「全地的大錘」。（2）巴比倫公然向神自己挑戰：「你與耶和華爭競」（Jer 50:24）——「與他較量」（原文如此），如在法庭或戰場上一般，公然反對他，設立與他相爭的對手，對他發動叛亂；因此「你如今被發現，也被抓住」，如同在網羅中。當知，那些與耶和華爭競的人很快必發現自己不是對手。（3）巴比倫毀滅了耶路撒冷——聖城——和其中的聖殿，如今必因此被追討。這是在巴比倫受罰之日於錫安所發出的宣言；這是「耶和華—我們神的報仇，就是他殿的報仇」（Jer 50:28）。焚燒聖殿、擄走其中的器皿，是對巴比倫控罪中比它作「全地的大錘」更受強調的條目；因為錫安是「全地的歡喜」和「榮耀」。當知，無論對神的教會（他在世上的殿）作了甚麼惡，都必被追討；沒有比「殿的報仇」更嚴厲更沉重的報應了。（4）巴比倫極其驕傲狂妄，因此必須傾覆；因為神的榮耀在於「觀看驕傲的人，使他降卑」（Job 40:11）。「我與你反對，你這極驕傲的！」（Jer 50:31）又說：「你這驕傲的」（原文如此），驕傲得如同驕傲本身。當知，人心中的驕傲使神反對他們，並加速他們的傾覆；因為神「阻擋驕傲的人」，必使他們降卑。「驕傲的必絆跌仆倒」；他們跌倒，與其說是被別人推倒，不如說是自己絆跌；因為他們昂首挺胸，從不低頭看腳下，選擇道路、避開絆腳石，卻是盲目冒險而行。巴比倫的驕傲不可避免地成為她的傾覆；因為她「向耶和華—以色列的聖者狂妄自大」（Jer 50:29），她在欺凌他百姓時欺凌了他；她使自己成了他的仇敵，因此當她「仆倒時，無人能使她起來」（Jer 50:31）。神所要傾覆的，誰能扶得起來呢？
Original en inglés
The Judgment of Babylon (595 BC)
²¹ Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against the inhabitants of Pekod: waste and utterly destroy after them, saith the LORD, and do according to all that I have commanded thee.
²² A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.
²³ How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!
²⁴ I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the LORD.
²⁵ The LORD hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation: for this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.
²⁶ Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses: cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.
²⁷ Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.
²⁸ The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple.
²⁹ Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.
³⁰ Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD.
³¹ Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.
³² And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.
Here, 1. The forces are mustered and commissioned to destroy Babylon, and every thing is got ready for a descent upon that potent kingdom: Go up against that land by Merathaim, the country of the Mardi, that lay part in Assyria and part in Armenia; and go among the inhabitants of Pekod, another country (mentioned Eze 23:23) which Cyrus took in his way to Babylon. The forces of Cyrus are called to go up against Babylon (Jer 50:21), to come against her from the utmost border. Let all come together, for there will be both work and pay enough for them all, Jer 50:26. Distance of place must not be their hindrance from engaging in this work. The archers particularly must be called together against Babylon, Jer 50:29. Thus the Lord hath opened his armoury (Jer 50:25), his treasury (so the word is), and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation, as great princes fetch out of their magazines and stores all necessary provisions for their armies when they undertake any great expedition. Media and Persia are now God's armoury; thence he fetches the weapons of his wrath, Cyrus and his great officers and armies, whom he will make use of for the destruction of Babylon. Note, Great men are but instruments which the great God makes use of to serve his own purposes. He has variety of instruments, has them at command, has armouries ready to be opened according as the occasion is. This is the work of the Lord God of hosts. Note, When God has work to do he will make it appear that he is God of hosts, and will not want instruments to do it with. 2. Instructions are given them what to do. In general, Do according to all that I have commanded thee, Jer 50:21. It was said of Cyrus (Isa 44:28), He shall perform all my pleasure, in his expedition against Babylon. They must waste and utterly destroy after them; when they have destroyed once they must go over them again, or destroy their posterity that should come after them. They must open her store-houses (Jer 50:26), rifle her treasures, and turn her artillery against herself. They must cast her up as heaps; let all the wealth and pomp of Babylon be shovelled up in a heap of ruins and rubbish. Tread her down as heaps (so the margin reads it) and destroy her utterly. See how little account the great God makes of those things which men so much value and value themselves so much upon. Their princes and great men, who are fat and bulky, shall fall by the sword, not as men of war in the field of battle, which we call a bed of honour, but as beasts by the butcher's hand (Jer 50:27): Slay all her bullocks, all her mighty men; let them go down sottishly and insensibly, as an ox to the slaughter. Woe unto them! their case is the more sad for the little sense they have of it. Their day has come to fall, the time when they must be reckoned with, and they are not aware of it. 3. Assurances are given them of success. Let them do what God commands, and they shall accomplish what he threatens. A great destruction shall be made, Jer 50:21. Babylon shall become a desolation (Jer 50:23); her young men and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day which should have been her defence, Jer 50:30. God is against her (Jer 50:31); he has laid a snare for her (Jer 50:24); he has formed this enterprise against her, that she should be surprised as a bird taken in a snare. Cyrus shall no doubt prevail, for he fights under God. God will kindle a fire in the cities of Babylon (Jer 50:32); and who can stand before him when he is angry, or quench the fire that he has kindled? 4. Reasons are given for these severe dealings with Babylon. Those that are employed in this war may, if they please, know the grounds of it, and be satisfied in the justice of it, which it is fit all should be that are called to such work. (1.) Babylon has been very troublesome, vexatious, and injurious, to all its neighbours; it has been the hammer of the whole earth (Jer 50:23), beating, beating down, and beating to pieces, all the nations far and near. It has done so long enough; it is time now that it be cut asunder and broken. Note, He that is the god of nations will sooner or later assert the injured rights of nations against those that unjustly and violently invade them. The God of the whole earth will break the hammer of the whole earth. (2.) Babylon has bidden defiance to God himself: Thou has striven against the Lord (Jer 50:24), hast joined issue with him (so the word signifies) as in law or battle, hast openly opposed him, set up rivals with him, raised rebellion against him; therefore thou art now found, and caught, as in a snare. Note, Those that strive against the Lord will soon find themselves over-matched. (3.) Babylon ruined Jerusalem, the holy city, and the holy house there, and must now be called to an account for that. This is the manifesto published in Zion, in the day of Babylon's visitation; it is the vengeance of the Lord our God, the vengeance of his temple, Jer 50:28. The burning of the temple, and the carrying away of its vessels, were articles in the charge against Babylon on which greater stress was laid than upon its being the hammer of the whole earth; for Zion was the joy and glory of the whole earth. Note, Whatever wrong is done to God's church (his temple in the world) it will certainly be reckoned for; and no vengeance will be sorer nor heavier than the vengeance of the temple. (4.) Babylon has been very haughty and insolent, and therefore must have a fall; for it is the glory of God to look upon those that are proud and to abase them, Job 40:11. I am against thee, O thou most proud! Jer 50:31 and again Jer 50:31. Thou pride (so the word is), as proud as pride itself. Note, the pride of men's hearts sets God against them and ripens them apace for ruin; for God resists the proud and will bring them down. The most proud shall stumble and fall; they shall fall not so much by others' thrusting them down as by their own stumbling; for they hold their heads so high that they never look under their feet, to choose their way and avoid stumbling-blocks, but walk at all adventures. Babylon's pride must unavoidably be her ruin; for she has been proud against the Lord, against the Holy One of Israel (Jer 50:29), has insulted him in insulting over his people; she has made him her enemy, and therefore, when she has fallen, none shall raise her up, Jer 50:31. Who can help those up whom God will throw down?
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The Judgment of Babylon (595 BC)
繁體中文
對巴比倫的審判（595 BC）
³³ 萬軍之耶和華如此說：以色列人和猶大人一同受壓迫；凡擄掠他們的都緊緊抓住他們，不肯放他們去。
³⁴ 他們的救贖主大有能力，萬軍之耶和華是他的名；他必徹底為他們伸冤，好使那地得安息，卻使巴比倫的居民不得安寧。
³⁵ 耶和華說：刀劍臨到迦勒底人，臨到巴比倫的居民，臨到他們的君王，臨到他們的智者。
³⁶ 刀劍臨到說謊的人，他們必胡言亂語；刀劍臨到她的勇士，他們必驚惶。
³⁷ 刀劍臨到他們的馬匹和車輛，臨到其中一切混雜的民；他們必如同婦女。刀劍臨到她的財寶，必被搶掠。
³⁸ 乾旱臨到她的水源，江河必枯乾；因為這是雕刻偶像之地，他們因偶像癲狂。
³⁹ 所以曠野的走獸和島嶼的野獸必住在那裏，貓頭鷹必住在其中；那地必永不再有人居住，世世代代無人居住。
⁴⁰ 耶和華說：正如神傾覆所多瑪、蛾摩拉和鄰近的城邑；那裏必無人居住，也無人子在其中居住。
⁴¹ 看哪，必有一民從北方來，一個大國，許多君王從地的極處被興起。
⁴² 他們手執弓槍；他們殘忍，不施憐憫。他們的聲音如海匉訇，他們騎在馬上，各人擺列隊伍如一人上陣，攻擊你，巴比倫的女子。
⁴³ 巴比倫王聽見了他們的風聲，手就發軟；痛苦抓住他，如同產難的婦人。
⁴⁴ 看哪，他必如獅子從約旦河邊的叢林上來，攻擊堅固的居所；我卻要使他們突然從她那裏逃跑。誰是我所揀選、可派去治理她的人呢？因為誰能像我呢？誰能定我的日期呢？誰是那能站在我面前的牧人呢？
⁴⁵ 因此你們要聽耶和華對巴比倫所定的旨意，以及他對迦勒底人之地向著的計謀：他們必被羊群中最小的拉出來；他必使他們和他們的居所一同荒涼。
⁴⁶ 巴比倫被攻取的聲音響起，地就震動，哀號聲在列國中被人聽見。
在這幾節經文中我們有，
I. 以色列的受苦，以及他們從受苦中的拯救。神注意到他百姓在巴比倫的奴役，如同他注意到他們在埃及的奴役；他「確實看見了」，「聽見了他們的哀聲」。「以色列和猶大一同受壓迫」（Jer 50:33）。被擄的十個支派中剩下的人，在亞述和迦勒底兩國合併之後，似乎來到並與兩個支派的人混居，與他們一同流淚，因此他們「一同受壓迫」。他們是為自由而謙卑懇求的人，僅此而已；他們不能為此有任何企圖，因為「凡擄掠他們的都緊緊抓住他們」，遠比他們強大。但他們在困境中的安慰是，雖然他們軟弱，「他們的救贖主大有能力」（Jer 50:34）——他們的「報仇者」（原文如此），那對他們有權利、要主張他的權利並使他的權利有效的那位。他比抓住他們的仇敵更強；他能壓倒一切反對他們的力量，並將力量賜給他自己的百姓，雖然他們十分軟弱。「萬軍之耶和華是他的名」，他必名副其實，使人看出他就是他百姓所稱呼他的那位，也成為他們所倚靠的那位。當知，這是神的百姓說不出來的安慰：雖然有軍隊與他們為敵，他們卻有「萬軍之耶和華」為他們，他「必徹底為他們伸冤」——伸冤，他必伸冤，帶著嫉恨伸冤，有效地伸冤，伸冤並勝訴——「好使那地」——他百姓的地——「得安息」，免受周圍一切仇敵的攪擾。這適用於一切信徒——他們抱怨罪和敗壞的轄制，以及自己的軟弱和諸多軟弱。讓他們知道，「他們的救贖主大有能力」；他能保守他們所交託他的，他必為他們伸冤。罪必不能轄制他們；他必「使他們自由」，他們就「真自由了」；他必賜給他們「安息」，就是「那為神子民存留的安息」。
II. 巴比倫的罪，以及他們為那罪所受的刑罰。
1. 此處控告他們的罪是拜偶像和逼迫。（1）他們欺壓神的百姓；他們「緊緊抓住」他們，不肯「放他們去」。「他不肯釋放家中的俘虜」（Isa 14:17）。這是神對他們的控訴，如同古時對法老的一樣；這使他付出慘重代價，他們卻不肯受警戒。「巴比倫的居民」必「不得安寧」（Jer 50:34），因為他們攪擾了神的百姓，神為百姓的尊嚴和安舒而嫉恨，因此必「將患難報應那攪擾他們的人」，也賜「安息給受患難的人」（2Th 1:6,7）。（2）他們得罪了神自己，搶奪了他，將唯獨歸於他的榮耀歸給別的；因為（Jer 50:38）「這是雕刻偶像之地」。全國到處充斥偶像，他們對之瘋狂癡迷，戀慕並溺愛它們，不在乎為敬拜它們付出多少代價和勞苦，孜孜不倦地向它們致敬；在這一切中他們可悲地受了迷惑，行事如同失了理智的人；他們在拜偶像中被驅使，既無理性又無分辨，如同在狂怒中的人。此處用來指偶像的詞嚴格意義上是「恐怖之物」——「Enim」，是給予可畏的巨人的名字，因為他們將自己神明的像造得可怖，以使愚人和孩童恐懼。他們的偶像是稻草人，他們卻溺愛它們。巴比倫是「淫婦之母」（Re 17:5），是拜偶像的源頭。當知，將任何受造之物當作神，是世上最瘋狂的事；那些向主——真神——驕傲的人，理當被交給強烈的迷惑，去為毫無益處的偶像癲狂。但這種癲狂就是邪惡，罪人必因此受確實而嚴厲的追討。
2. 神為這些罪加在他們身上的審判，是將他們完全傾覆毀滅的。
（1）一切應作他們防禦和支援的，必被刀劍除滅。迦勒底人長久以來是神的刀劍，他用之對周圍犯罪的列國施行刑罰：但如今，他們和他們中間任何一國一樣壞，或更壞，「刀劍」就臨到他們，甚至「臨到巴比倫的居民」（Jer 50:35），戰爭的刀劍；而它既在神手中，由他差遣指引，就是公義的刀劍。它要臨到，〔1〕「他們的君王」；他們必倒在刀下，他們的尊嚴、財富和權勢不能保護他們。〔2〕「他們的智者」——他們的哲學家、政治家和樞密顧問；他們的學問和策略既不能保護他們，也不能為公眾效力。〔3〕他們的占星家和術士，此處稱為「說謊的人」（Jer 50:36），因為他們以平安興盛的預言欺騙人；臨到他們的刀劍必使他們胡言亂語，如同愚人說話，如同喪失一切理智的人。當知，神有能觸及靈魂、影響心思的刀劍，能使人遭受屬靈的災禍。〔4〕「他們的勇士」。刀劍臨到他們的心靈；即使他們未被殺，他們也「必驚惶」，不再是「勇士」；因為當他們的心失去勇氣，他們的手又有何用？〔5〕他們的軍隊（Jer 50:37）：「刀劍臨到馬匹和車輛」；入侵者必奪取他們一切的軍事儲備，佔有他們的馬匹和車輛，或加以毀滅。在他們軍中服役的別國軍隊必完全灰心喪膽：「混雜的民」必「如同婦女」一般軟弱膽怯。〔6〕他們的國庫：「刀劍」臨到「她的財寶」——戰爭的筋骨——「必被搶掠」，被仇敵用來對付他們。看見刀劍帶著使命而來時造成何等全面的毀滅。
（2）那地必變為荒涼（Jer 50:38）：「水源必枯乾」——保護城邑的水。居魯士將幼發拉底河引入許多渠道，使之可被他的軍隊徒步涉過，以至於他們輕易地到達了巴比倫的城牆——那條河流本被認為使該城不可接近。「使那地肥美的水也必『枯乾』，以至於它變為荒蕪，不再有人子居住，只有『曠野的走獸』」（Jer 50:39）。這論到巴比倫的預言早已發出（Isa 13:19-21）。它必成為「所多瑪和蛾摩拉」一般（Jer 50:40）。論到以東也曾有同樣的預言（Jer 49:18）。迦勒底人既曾荒廢了以東，他們自己也必照樣被荒廢。
（3）君王和國家必因仇敵的入侵而陷入極度的混亂和恐懼（Jer 50:41-43）。此處一切用以表達入侵者可怖力量、他們所披掛的恐怖，以及朝廷和全國因此陷入的大驚恐的話語，我們先前已遇見過（Jer 6:22-24），是論到迦勒底人入侵猶大地之時。在那裏說是「攻擊你，錫安的女子！」的戰事，在此被說成是「攻擊你，巴比倫的女子！」——暗示他們必自食其果。神能找到使那些向別人施行恐怖和毀滅的人遭受恐怖和毀滅的工具；那些殘酷行事、毫無憐憫的人，可期望被殘酷對待，也找不到憐憫。只有一處不同：那裏說，「我們聽見風聲，手就發軟」；此處說，「巴比倫王聽見風聲，手就發軟」——暗示那驕傲大膽的君王在自己遭難之日，必如最卑微的以色列人在他們遭難之日一樣軟弱喪膽。
（4）他們受害必如受驚一般，因為入侵者必「如獅子上來」撕裂毀壞（Jer 50:44），必使他們和他們的「居所荒涼」（Jer 50:45），那荒涼如此驚人，以至周圍一切國家都因此恐懼（Jer 50:46）。這三節經文我們先前已有（Jer 49:19-21），在關於以東毀滅的預言中——那毀滅是由迦勒底人完成的，此處重複加以「必要的少數改動」，在關於巴比倫毀滅的預言中——那將由迦勒底人自己承受，為要表明雖然護理的分配一時看來不均，其報應終久必是公平的：「你怎樣行毀壞，也必照樣受毀壞」（Isa 33:1, Re 13:10）。
Original en inglés
The Judgment of Babylon (595 BC)
³³ Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go.
³⁴ Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall thoroughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
³⁵ A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.
³⁶ A sword is upon the liars; and they shall dote: a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed.
³⁷ A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.
³⁸ A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.
³⁹ Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.
⁴⁰ As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.
⁴¹ Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
⁴² They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not shew mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.
⁴³ The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.
⁴⁴ Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?
⁴⁵ Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them.
⁴⁶ At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.
We have in these verses,
I. Israel's sufferings, and their deliverance out of those sufferings. God takes notice of the bondage of his people in Babylon, as he did of their bondage in Egypt; he has surely seen it, and has heard their cry. Israel and Judah were oppressed together, Jer 50:33. Those that remained of the captives of the ten tribes, upon the uniting of the kingdoms of Assyria and Chaldea, seem to have come and mingled with those of the two tribes, and to have mingled tears with them, so that they were oppressed together. They were humble suppliants for their liberty, and that was all; they could not attempt any thing towards it, for all that took them captives held them fast, and were much too hard for them. But this is their comfort in distress, that, though they are weak, their Redeemer is strong (Jer 50:34), their Avenger (so the word signifies), he that has a right to them, and will claim his right and make good his claim. He is stronger than their enemies that hold them fast; he can overpower all the force that is against them, and put strength into his own people though they are very weak. The Lord of hosts is his name, and he will answer to his name, and make it to appear that he is what his people call him, and will be that to them for which they depend upon him. Note, It is the unspeakable comfort of the people of God that, though they have hosts against them, they have the Lord of hosts for them and he shall thoroughly plead their cause, pleading he shall plead it, plead it with jealousy, plead it effectually, plead it and carry it, that he may give rest to the land, and to his people's land, rest from all their enemies round about. This is applicable to all believers, who complain of the dominion of sin and corruption, and of their own weakness and manifold infirmities. Let them know that their Redeemer is strong; he is able to keep what they commit to him, and he will plead their cause. Sin shall not have dominion over them; he will make them free, and they shall be free indeed; he will give them rest, that rest which remains for the people of God.
II. Babylon's sin, and their punishment for that sin.
1. The sins they are here charged with are idolatry and persecution. (1.) They oppressed the people of God; they held them fast, and would not let them go. They opened not the house of his prisoners, Isa 14:17. This was God's quarrel with them, as of old with Pharaoh; it cost him dear, and yet they would not take warning. The inhabitants of Babylon must be disquieted (Jer 50:34) because they have disquieted God's people, whose honour and comfort he is jealous for, and therefore will recompense tribulation to those that trouble them, as well as rest to those that are troubled, 2Th 1:6,7. (2.) They wronged God himself, and robbed him, giving that glory to others which is due to him alone; for (Jer 50:38) it is the land of graven images. All parts of the country abounded with idols, and they were mad upon them, were in love with them and doted on them, cared not what cost and pains they were at in the worship of them, were unwearied in paying their respects to them; and in all this they were wretchedly infatuated and acted like men out of their wits; they were carried on in their idolatry without reason or discretion, like men in a perfect fury. The word here used for idols properly signifies terrors—Enim, the name given to giants that were formidable, because they made the images of their gods to look frightful, to strike a terror upon fools and children. Their idols were scarecrows, yet they doted on them. Babylon was the mother of harlots (Re 17:5), the source of idolatry. Note, It is the maddest thing in the world to make a god of any creature; and those who are proud against the Lord, the true God, are justly given up to strong delusions, to be mad upon idols that cannot profit. But this madness is wickedness, for which sinners will be certainly and severely reckoned with.
2. The judgments of God upon them for these sins are such as will quite lay them waste and ruin them.
(1.) All that should be their defence and support shall be cut off by the sword. The Chaldeans had long been God's sword, wherewith he had done execution upon the sinful nations round about: but now, they being as bad as any of them, or worse, a sword is brought upon them, even upon the inhabitants of Babylon (Jer 50:35), a sword of war; and, as it is in God's hand, sent and directed by him, it is a sword of justice. It shall be, [1.] Upon their princes; they shall fall by it, and their dignity, wealth, and power, shall not secure them. [2.] Upon their wise men, their philosophers, their statesmen, and privy-counsellors; their learning and policy shall neither secure them nor stand the public in any stead. [3.] Upon their soothsayers and astrologers, here called the liars (Jer 50:36), for they cheated with their prognostications of peace and prosperity; the sword upon them shall make them dote, so that they shall talk like fools, and be as men that have lost all their wits. Note, God has a sword that can reach the soul and affect the mind, and bring men under spiritual plagues. [4.] Upon their mighty men. A sword shall be upon their spirits; if they are not slain, yet they shall be dismayed, and shall be no longer mighty men; for what stead will their hands stand them in when their hearts fail them? [5.] Upon their militia (Jer 50:37): The sword shall be upon their horses and chariots; the invaders shall make themselves masters of all their warlike stores, shall seize their horses and chariots for themselves, or destroy them. The troops of other nations that were in their service shall be quite disheartened: The mingled people shall become as weak and timorous as women. [6.] Upon their exchequer: The sword shall be upon her treasures, which are the sinews of war, and they shall be robbed, and made use of by the enemy against them. See what universal destruction the sword makes when it comes with commission.
(2.) The country shall be made desolate (Jer 50:38): The waters shall be dried up, the water that secures the city. Cyrus drew the river Euphrates into so many channels as made it passable for his army, so that they got with ease to the walls of Babylon, which, if was thought, that river had rendered inaccessible. "The water likewise that made the country fruitful shall be dried up, so that it shall be turned into barrenness, and shall be no more inhabited by the children of men, but by the wild beasts of the desert," Jer 50:39. This was foretold concerning Babylon, Isa 13:19-21. It shall become like Sodom and Gomorrah, Jer 50:40. The same was foretold concerning Edom, Jer 49:18. As the Chaldeans had laid Edom waste, so they shall themselves be laid waste.
(3.) The king and kingdom shall be put into the utmost confusion and consternation by the enemies' invading them, Jer 50:41-43. All the expressions here used to denote the formidable power of the invaders, the terrors wherewith they should array themselves, and the great fright which both court and country should be put into thereby, we met with before (Jer 6:22-24) concerning the Chaldeans' invading the land of Judah. The battle which is there said to be against thee, O daughter of Zion! is here said to be against thee, O daughter of Babylon! to intimate that they should be paid in their own coin. God can find out such as shall be for terror and destruction to those that are for terror and destruction to others; and those who have dealt cruelly, and have shown no mercy, may expect to be cruelly dealt with, and to find no mercy. Only there is one difference between these passages; there it is said, We have heard the fame thereof and our hands wax feeble; here it is said, The king of Babylon has heard the report and his hands waxed feeble, which intimates that that proud and daring prince shall, in the day of his distress, be as weak and dispirited as the meanest Israelites were in the day of their distress.
(4.) That they shall be as much hurt as frightened, for the invader shall come up like a lion to tear and destroy (Jer 50:44) and shall make them and their habitation desolate (Jer 50:45), and the desolation shall be so astonishing that all the nations about shall be terrified by it, Jer 50:46. These three verses we had before (Jer 49:19-21) in the prophecy of the destruction of Edom, which was accomplished by the Chaldeans, and they are here repeated, mutatis mutandis—with a few necessary alterations, in the prophecy of the destruction of Babylon, which was to be accomplished upon the Chaldeans, to show that though the distributions of Providence may appear unequal for a time its retributions will be equal at last; when thou shalt make an end to spoil thou shalt be spoiled, Isa 33:1, Re 13:10.
在本章及下一章中，我們看到關於巴比倫的審判，這段審判被置於耶利米針對列國預言的最後，因為它是最後應驗的；當神忿怒的杯輪流傳遞時（耶 25:17），示沙克——就是巴比倫——的王最後才喝。巴比倫曾被用作神手中的杖，用來管教其他各國，如今這根杖終將被扔進火中。巴比倫被居魯士所滅一事，早在它達到鼎盛之前很久，就已被以賽亞預告；如今當它已達鼎盛之時，耶利米再次預告此事；因為儘管此時他看見那國「繁茂如青翠的月桂樹」，卻同時預見它枯萎傾倒。正如以賽亞關於巴比倫毀滅與以色列從中得釋放的預言，似乎是為了預表所有信徒在我們主耶穌基督所成就之大救恩中勝過黑暗權勢的福音得勝，照樣耶利米關於同一事件的預言，似乎是指向末世福音教會在新約巴比倫之上的啟示錄式得勝，因為《啟示錄》中許多經文正是借用於此。巴比倫國比此處所預言攻擊的任何一國都更大更強，它的傾覆本身就更加可觀；而它對神百姓的壓迫又比任何別國更甚，因此先知在這題目上論述甚詳，為要安慰被擄之人；先前曾多次概括論及的（耶 25:12，27:7），如今在此被更具體地描述，並帶着豐富的預言熱忱與亮光。神為巴比倫所預備的可畏審判，與祂為被擄在彼之本國百姓所預備的榮耀福分，在本章的預言中交織穿插；因為巴比倫被毀，正是為神百姓被擄歸回鋪路。本章內容為：一、巴比倫的傾覆（耶 50:1-3,9-16,21-32,35-46）。二、神百姓的救贖（耶 50:4-8,17-20,33,34）。這兩者既被這樣彼此對照擺列，就不難判斷人當選擇與誰同列——是與那些如今雖處榮華、卻被保留為如此大毀滅之器的逼迫人的巴比倫人，還是與那些如今雖受轄制、卻被保留為如此大榮耀之器的受逼迫的以色列人。