서론
無題
简体中文
英語原文
The prophet, in this chapter, goes on with the prediction of Babylon's fall, to which other prophets also bore witness. He is very copious and lively in describing the foresight God had given him of it, for the encouragement of the pious captives, whose deliverance depended upon it and was to be the result of it. Here is, I. The record of Babylon's doom, with the particulars of it, intermixed with the grounds of God's controversy with her, many aggravations of her fall, and great encouragements given thence to the Israel of God, that suffered such hard things by her, Jer 51:1-58. II. The representation and ratification of this by the throwing of a copy of this prophecy into the river Euphrates, Jer 51:59-64.
1-58
The Judgment of Babylon (595 BC)
简体中文
巴比伦的审判（主前595年）
¹ 耶和华如此说：「看哪，我必兴起毁灭的风，攻击巴比伦，攻击住在迦勒底之人中间那些起来攻击我的人；
² 我必打发簸扬的人到巴比伦，簸扬她，使她的地空虚；因为在遭难的日子，他们必周围攻击她。
³ 拉弓的，当箭手拉弓攻击他；举起铠甲的，也当攻击他；你们不要顾惜她的少年人；要全然灭绝她全军。
⁴ 这样，被杀的必倒在迦勒底人之地，被刺的必倒在她的街上。
⁵ 以色列和犹大并没有被他的 神万军之耶和华丢弃；虽然他们的地充满了得罪以色列圣者的罪。
⁶ 你们要从巴比伦中间逃走，各人救自己的性命；不要在她的罪孽中灭亡；因为这是耶和华报仇的时候；他必向她施行报应。
⁷ 巴比伦素来是耶和华手中的金杯，使全地都醉酒；列国喝了她的酒，因此列国都癫狂了。
⁸ 巴比伦忽然倾覆毁灭；你们要为她哀号；拿乳香为她止痛，或者可以治好。
⁹ 我们想医治巴比伦，她却没有治好；我们离开她，各归本国吧；因为她的审判上达于天，直抵云霄。
¹⁰ 耶和华已经彰显了我们的公义；来吧，我们要在锡安述说耶和华我们 神的作为。
¹¹ 「你们要磨亮箭头，抓起盾牌；耶和华已经激动玛代诸王的灵；他的旨意是攻击巴比伦，为要毁灭她；因为这是耶和华的报仇，为他殿的报仇。
¹² 「你们要在巴比伦四围竖立大旗，加强守望，派定守望者，设下埋伏；因为耶和华既谋定，也照他所说的话攻击巴比伦居民而行了。
¹³ 你这住在众水之上、大有宝物的啊，你的结局到了，你贪婪之量满了。
¹⁴ 万军之耶和华指着自己起誓说：『我必使你境内满了人，如同毛虫满了禾稼一般；他们必向你发声欢呼。』
¹⁵ 他以大能创造大地，以智慧建立世界，以聪明铺张穹苍。
¹⁶ 他一发声，空中便有多水激荡；他使云雾从地极上腾；他造电随雨，又从府库中带出风来。
¹⁷ 各人都因知识成了畜类；各金匠都因所雕刻的偶像蒙羞；因为他铸的偶像本是虚假，其中并无气息。
¹⁸ 它们是虚妄，是错谬的工；到了追讨的时候，它们必被除灭。
¹⁹ 雅各的份并不如此；因他是造万有的主；以色列是他产业的支派；万军之耶和华是他的名。
²⁰ 「你是我争战的斧子和兵器；因为我要用你打碎列国，用你毁灭列邦；
²¹ 用你打碎马和骑马的；用你打碎战车和骑战车的；
²² 用你也打碎男人和女人；用你打碎老年人和少年人；用你打碎少男和处女；
²³ 我也要用你打碎牧人和他的羊群；用你打碎农夫和一对牛；用你打碎军长和官长。
²⁴ 「耶和华说：我必照他们在你们眼前在锡安所行的一切恶，报应巴比伦和迦勒底的一切居民。
²⁵ 「耶和华说：你这毁灭全地的毁灭大山啊，看哪，我与你反对；我必向你伸手，将你从磐石上滚下来，使你成为烧毁的山。
²⁶ 人必不从你取石头为房角石，也不取石头作根基；因为你必永远荒凉。这是耶和华说的。
²⁷ 「要在境内竖立大旗，在列国中吹角，预备列国攻击她；要招集亚拉腊、米尼、亚实基拿诸国攻击她；要派定军长攻击她；使马匹上来如粗毛虫。
²⁸ 要预备列国，并玛代诸王、他们的军长、一切官长、和属他管辖的全地，攻击她。
²⁹ 地必震动而愁苦；因为耶和华向巴比伦所定的旨意，都要成立，使巴比伦地荒凉，无人居住。
³⁰ 巴比伦的勇士止息了争战，他们留在营寨之内；他们的力气已经衰败；他们变如女人；他们已烧毁她的住处；她的门闩被折断。
³¹ 一报信的跑着迎见另一报信的，一使者迎见另一使者，向巴比伦王报告，说：他的城在那一端已被攻取；
³² 渡口已被占据，芦苇也被火烧，兵丁都惊惶。
³³ 因为万军之耶和华—以色列的 神如此说：「巴比伦的女子好像打麦的禾场；现在正是打她的时候；再过片时，就是她收割的时候。」
³⁴ 「巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒吞灭我，压碎我，使我成为空虚的器皿；他像龙一样吞了我，用我的美味充满他的肚腹，又将我吐出来。
³⁵ 锡安的居民必说：『加在我身上、加在我肉身上的强暴，归与巴比伦！』耶路撒冷必说：『愿我的血归与迦勒底的居民！』
³⁶ 所以耶和华如此说：『看哪，我必为你辩屈，为你报仇；我必使她的海枯竭，使她的泉源干涸。
³⁷ 巴比伦必成为乱堆，为野狗的住处，令人惊骇、嗤笑，无人居住。
³⁸ 他们要一同吼叫像少壮狮子；他们要咆哮如狮子之崽。
³⁹ 他们火热之时，我必为他们设摆筵席，使他们沉醉，使他们欢乐，睡了长觉，永不醒来。这是耶和华说的。
⁴⁰ 我必使他们像羊羔被牵到宰杀之地，像公绵羊和公山羊。
⁴¹ 示沙克何竟被攻取！全地所赞美的何竟被占据！巴比伦在列国中何竟成为令人惊骇的！
⁴² 海水涨溢巴比伦；她被许多波浪遮盖。
⁴³ 她的城邑都变为荒凉、干旱之地、旷野；那是无人居住之地，也无任何人子经过。
⁴⁴ 我必刑罚巴比伦的彼勒，从他口中取出他所吞的；列国必不再流归到他那里；巴比伦的城墙也必坍塌。
⁴⁵ 「我的百姓啊，你们要从她中间出来，各人救自己的性命，脱离耶和华烈怒。
⁴⁶ 免得你们的心软弱，惧怕那要在境内听见的风声；一年之内必有风声传来，次年又有风声传来，境内也有强暴，官长攻击官长。
⁴⁷ 「所以日子将到，我必刑罚巴比伦雕刻的偶像；她全地必都蒙羞；她一切被杀的必倒在她中间。
⁴⁸ 那时天地和其中所有的，必因巴比伦欢呼；因为行毁灭的必从北方来到她那里。这是耶和华说的。
⁴⁹ 巴比伦怎样使以色列被杀的人仆倒，照样全地被杀的人也必在巴比伦仆倒。
⁵⁰ 你们这逃脱刀剑的，要去吧，不要站住；要从远处记念耶和华，使耶路撒冷回到你们心头。
⁵¹ 我们听见辱骂就蒙羞，惭愧遮盖我们的脸；因为外人进入耶和华殿的圣所。
⁵² 「所以耶和华说：日子将到，我必刑罚她雕刻的偶像；在她全境之内，受伤的必唉哼。
⁵³ 巴比伦虽升到天上，虽坚固她高处的强处，从我这必有行毁灭的到她那里。这是耶和华说的。
⁵⁴ 有哀号的声音从巴比伦传来，有大毁灭从迦勒底人之地而来：
⁵⁵ 因为耶和华使巴比伦荒凉，灭绝其中夸大的声音；她的波浪如大水发声，他们声音的声音也发出。
⁵⁶ 因为行毁灭的临到巴比伦，她的勇士被擒；他们各人的弓已折断；因为耶和华是施行报应的 神，必定报应。
⁵⁷ 「我必使她的君王、智慧人、军长、官长、勇士都沉醉；他们必睡了长觉，永不醒来。这是名为万军之耶和华的王说的。
⁵⁸ 「万军之耶和华如此说：巴比伦宽阔的城墙必全然倾覆，她高大的城门必被火焚烧；众民必徒然劳碌，列国因火困乏。」
这卷丰富的预言，其具体内容分散交错，同一件事反复提而又提，难以截然分段；我们必须努力将之归在适当的题目之下收集。在此请观察，
一、承认巴比伦曾经所有的盛大奢华与权势，以及 神在他护理中如何使用过它（耶51:7）：「巴比伦素来是耶和华手中的金杯」，是一个富足荣耀的帝国，是「金色的城」（赛14:4），是「金头」（但2:38），如同杯中满注美酒一般充满各样美物。不，她更是「耶和华手中的金杯」；他曾特别地充满她、赐福她；他曾使全地「因这杯醉酒」；有人被她的享乐所醉、被她败坏，有人被她的恐怖所醉、被她毁灭。新约的巴比伦在两种意义上都被称为「叫列王……喝醉」（启17:2，18:3）。巴比伦也曾是 神的「战斧」；在耶利米预言之时，它已是如此，并且将更甚（耶51:20）。巴比伦的军力是 神的「争战的兵器」，是他手中的工具，用以打碎、击倒「列国和列邦」（耶51:21），「马和战车」——是列国力量之所在——「男人和女人，老和少」——是列国所充满的（耶51:22），「牧人和他的羊群，农夫和一对牛」——是列国所赖以维持供应的（耶51:23）。当 神以迦勒底人为他怒气的工具惩治列国之时，他们曾造成如此的毁坏；然而如今巴比伦本身要倾覆。注意，那长久势不可挡的，终必遇见对手，他们倾覆的日子也必来到；那杖至终必被扔入火中。任何人都不要以为既曾作 神审判的工具，便可以此免去 神的审判。
二、对巴比伦所发的公正控诉，以及以色列的 神所提出的指控。1. 因其无可救药的恶，受控诉（耶51:9）：「我们想医治巴比伦，她却没有治好。」在被掳中的 神之民，照所受的指示（耶10:11），曾努力使他们认识拜偶像的愚妄，却办不到；他们仍照样迷恋自己雕刻的偶像，于是以色列人决意离弃他们，归回本国。也有人这样理解这话——是他们所雇来作援军的部队所发的，声明他们已尽力挽救她免于灭亡，但毫无效果，所以他们不如各归本国；「因为『她的审判上达于天』，抗拒她、想阻止她是徒然的。」2. 因其对以色列根深蒂固的恶意，受控诉。其他国家也曾受迦勒底人苛待，惟有以色列向 神控诉，并满有把握地向他上诉（耶51:34-35）：「『巴比伦王吞灭我，压碎我』，永不以为能作的毁坏已足；『他使我空虚』——取去一切有价值之物，『他像龙一样吞了我』，或如鲸鱼吞食群群小鱼；『他用我的美味填满他的肚腹』——填满他的宝库——『就是用我一切宝物』，『又将我吐出来』，如同无益之器被丢弃；如今让他们为这一切受审吧。」「锡安和耶路撒冷必说」：「『加在我身上、加在我孩子——我自己的肉、我自己的片段——身上的强暴，并我百姓如水所流的血，都归与他们』；让这罪愆归在他们身上，并要在他们手中追讨。」注意，那压服 神百姓之罪的人，离灭亡不远了。
三、公义的天地之主在此上诉上为以色列对抗巴比伦所下的判语。他「坐在宝座上按公义审判」，随时接受控诉，并回答说（耶51:36）：「『我必为你辩屈』。把这事交给我；我必在合时为你的案件有效地辩屈，『为你报仇』；耶路撒冷所流的每一滴血，都必带着利息被算账。」以色列和犹大似乎被疏忽、被遗忘，但 神的眼目在他们身上（耶51:5）。诚然，「他们的地充满了得罪以色列圣者的罪」。他们是惹神发怒的百姓，他们的罪大大得罪 神——这位圣洁的 神、他们的 神、他们的圣者；所以他公义地把他们交在仇敌手中，也本可以公义地抛弃他们、任他们在其手中灭亡；但 神待他们胜过他们所当得的，尽管他们有罪愆，他也有严厉，「以色列并没有被丢弃」，虽被赶出，却没有被弃绝，仍被他的 神——万军之耶和华——所承认、所眷顾。 神仍是他的 神，并要作为有权能的 神、万军之耶和华为他行事。注意， 神的百姓虽违犯了他的律法、落在他的责打之下，却并不因此就被推出约外； 神对他们的眷顾和慈爱必「再发旺」（诗89:30-33）。迦勒底人以为他们向 神之以色列所作的，永不会受审；但「报仇」有「定时」（耶51:6）。我们不能指望它比所定的时辰更早来到，但那时它必来；他「必向巴比伦施行报应」，因为以色列的伸冤乃是「耶和华的报仇」，他认了他们的事业；这是「他殿的报仇」（耶51:11），如前文所言（耶50:28）。「施行报应的耶和华」，就是「那属乎报仇的 神」，「必定报应」（耶51:56），必使他们付足代价；他必「照他们在你们眼前在锡安所行的一切恶，报应巴比伦」（耶51:24）；他要在自己百姓眼前回报这一切。他们要得着满足，看见自己的案件带着火热被辩护。他们不但要活到看见这些审判临到巴比伦，更要明明看见那是因他们对锡安所行之恶受罚；人人可见，并要说：「地上果有判断的 神」（诗58:11）；因为正如「巴比伦怎样使以色列被杀的人仆倒」——不但杀那在战阵中的，更不分老少，「几乎全地」（几乎尽被刀剑所灭）——照样「巴比伦」必倒下被杀的，不但城中的，更是「全地的」（耶51:49）。居鲁士必向迦勒底人量给犹太人的同样分量量给他们，使一切观察者都可看出 神是在为他们对他百姓所行的报应；但锡安的儿女要特别在其中喜乐（耶51:10）：「耶和华已经彰显了我们的公义」；他在我们的事上、向那不义待我们之人为我们显了面，又给了我们救济；他又使之显明，他已与我们和好，我们在他眼中仍是「义国」。所以当为赞美的缘故传扬：「来吧，我们要在锡安述说耶和华我们 神的作为」，使别人也被邀请与我们一同赞美他。
四、宣告这位认了锡安事业、承担与这骄傲强敌算账之 神的伟大与主权（耶51:14）。说话的是「万军之耶和华」，他说了，又「指着自己」起誓（因为他没有比自己更大的可指），必使巴比伦满了敌军——庞大得难以置信的数目，必「使你境内满了人，如同毛虫」，以众数压倒它，只需「向你发声欢呼」，那呼喊便如此可怕，使一切居民丧胆，成为这众多军队轻易的掠物。但那能击破如此强大之巴比伦国的，他是谁，他在哪里？先知从他从前所给关于他的描述——他的主权和他对一切冒充者的得胜（耶10:12-16）——介绍他；那段话原是为定巴比伦拜偶像者的罪，并坚固 神之以色列对以色列之 神的信仰和敬拜；此处重述，为要表明 神要借他的审判说服那些不肯借他的道受教的人，叫他们知道他是「在万有之上」的 神。不要怀疑那位定意要毁灭巴比伦的，能兑现他的话，因为，1. 他是创造世界的 神（耶51:15），所以没有什么是太难为他作的；我们的帮助在乎他的名，我们的盼望建立在他身上。2. 他对他所造的一切受造之物有吩咐之权（耶51:16）；他的护理如同持续的创造。风、雨都在他支配之下。他一说话，空中便有「多水激荡」（其如何悬挂在那里本已奇妙），并由「地上」的「云雾」所供给（其如何从地上升已是奇妙）。「闪电和雨」似为相反之物，如火与水，却同时产生；风，其行动似为任意，我们「不知从哪里来」（约3:8），然而我们确知是从「他的府库」中带出来的。3. 那阻挡他话语成就的偶像，不过是骗局，拜它们的人是畜类之民（耶51:17-18）。偶像是虚假，是虚妄，是「错谬的工」；到了受察看受考察之时，它们「就灭亡」，即声誉尽失，显为无物；造它们的「与它们一样」。但以色列的 神与这些外邦的神无可比较（耶51:19）：「雅各的份并不如此」；说这话并要行这事的 神，是「造万有的主」，是「万军之主」，所以能随心所欲；他与他的百姓有亲近的关系，因他是「他们的份」，他们是他的；他们以他为他们的份而寄托信心，他也喜悦在他们身上得着满足，并特别看顾他们，视他们为「他产业的分」；所以他必为他们作那最好的事。这里重述从前已说过的事，既表明其确定性，也表明其重要性，并要我们特别留意；「 神说了一次、两次，我们都听见」，就是「能力属于 神」（诗62:11）——毁灭他教会最可怕仇敌的能力； 神既如此「说了一次、两次」，我们若不觉察、不留心，便无可推诿。
五、描述将受命办理这事工的工具。 神已经「激动玛代诸王的灵」（耶51:11）——大利乌和居鲁士，他们出于属天的直觉来攻击巴比伦；因为「 神的旨意是攻击巴比伦，为要毁灭她」。是他们作的，但 神谋定了这事，设计了这事；他们不过是成就他的旨意，照他所指引的而行。注意， 神的谋算必立定，万人的心也都照之而动。 神所雇用攻击巴比伦的，被比作（耶51:1）「毁灭的风」，或因其寒冷摧残地的果子，或因其猛烈将一切吹倒。这风是「从 神的府库中带出来的」（耶51:16），此处说是「兴起攻击住在迦勒底人中间的」，就是那些杂居在他们中间、与他们合编的他国之民。迦勒底人借着俯伏在偶像之前而起来攻击 神， 神就要在他们中间兴起毁灭者，因为凡与他相争的，他必胜过。这些仇敌被比作簸扬的人（耶51:2），要「如糠秕被风吹散」一般驱散他们。迦勒底人曾作簸扬的人，扬净 神的百姓（耶15:7），使之空虚，如今他们自己也要照样被剥夺、被分散。
六、给他们一份宽大的委任状，要毁灭、荒废一切。「拉弓」攻击迦勒底的弓箭手（耶51:3），「不要顾惜她的少年人」，却要「全然灭绝」，因为耶和华「既谋定，也照他所说的话攻击巴比伦居民而行了」（耶51:12）。这可以激励他所雇用的工具，向他们保证成功。他们所采的方法既为 神所谋定，所以必亨通；他所说的话必成就，因为他自己必成就；所以当尽一切预备。他们被召唤如此行（耶51:27-28）。「竖立大旗」，为这次出征招募兵丁；「吹角」，召集百姓来，激励他们；当从居鲁士军队所要招募的各国中预备补充；当由「亚拉腊、米尼、亚实基拿」诸国——亚美尼亚的上下两部，以及弗吕家、庇推尼附近的亚斯卡尼——按比例派来服事他的人；当指派将官，使骑兵进前；当使马匹如同「毛虫」一般蜂拥而来，如同它们在谷中跳跃抓地；当使那地荒废，如同毛虫所行的（珥1:4），尤其是粗毛虫；当使诸王和军长预备列国攻击巴比伦，因为工程浩大，需要许多手参与。
七、迦勒底人的软弱，他们无力抵挡这威胁要来的毁灭力量。 神雇用他们攻击别国之时，他们有勇气和力量主动进攻，并以可敬佩的决心前行，胜而又胜；但如今轮到他们受审之时，他们一切的力量勇气都消失了，他们的心消化了，他们一切勇士竟无人能彀伸手，连防守也作不来。他们在此被召唤预备行动，但却是带着讽刺和责备的口吻（耶51:11）：「磨亮箭头」，因久未用而生锈；「抓起盾牌」，因长久的平安稳妥而散失弃置（耶51:12）；「在巴比伦的城墙上竖立大旗」，在城墙的塔楼上，召集一切当向这母城效忠的人前来相助；让他们尽其所能加强守望，派定哨兵各就岗位，并为迎击敌人设下埋伏。这暗示他们必被发现十分懈怠松懈，需要这样被激发（而他们确实懈怠到如此地步，以致城破之时他们仍在狂欢之中），但他们一切预备必归于无效。无论谁人召唤他们，他们无心听从那召唤（耶51:29）。「全地要震动而愁苦」（普遍的惊惶）抓住他们；因为他们既看见那不能抵抗的膀臂，又看见那不能挽回的 神的谋算和判令。他们看见 神正在使「巴比伦荒凉」，并由此成就他所定的；那时「巴比伦的勇士止息了争战」（耶51:30）。 神既取去他们的力量和勇气，使他们「留在营寨之内」，连探头都不敢，他们心和手的力量都衰败；他们「变如女人」，如同怯懦之人；于是仇敌毫无抵抗地「烧毁了她的住处」，「折断了她的门闩」。这话与耶51:56-58意思相同。当毁灭者临到巴比伦之时，那些本当抵御的勇士立时被擒，他们的兵器失效，「他们各人的弓已折断」，毫无帮助。他们的谋略也失效；他们召开军事会议，但他们坐在会中谋议大众安全的君王和军长却都醉酒了；他们如同因愚蠢或绝望而沉醉的人；他们对事情不能形成正确的判断；他们在谋略和决断上摇晃不定，彼此冲突，又如同醉酒之人彼此相争。终久他们「睡了长觉」，永不从他们的酒中醒来——那是 神烈怒之酒；因为对他们那是安眠药，使他们陷入致命的昏迷。「他们城墙」也失效（耶51:58）。当仇敌找出方法渡过那被认为不可渡过的伯拉大河之时，他们想，城墙必是坚不可摧，那是「巴比伦宽阔的城墙」，或作（如旁注所读）「宽阔巴比伦的城墙」。城墙之内，城周围三百八十五浪，有人说四百八十浪，约六十英里；城墙高二百肘，宽五十肘，两辆战车可以在上面并行。有人说内城有三重城墙，外城也是如此，城墙的石块以沥青代替灰泥粘合（创11:3），几乎不可分离；然而这些也必「全然倾覆」，「高大的城门和城楼必被焚烧」，为防卫城而用的人必「在火中徒然劳碌」；他们必筋疲力尽，却毫无功效。
八、这些入侵者所要施于巴比伦的毁灭。1. 这是确定的毁灭；判令已过，不能挽回；属天的权能正在反对它，不能抵抗（耶51:8）：「巴比伦忽然倾覆毁灭」，必倾覆进入毁灭，如同已经倾覆毁灭了一样确实；虽然耶利米预言这事之时，并以后多年，巴比伦仍在权势和威荣的巅峰。 神宣告， 神显现反对巴比伦（耶51:25）：「看哪，我与你反对」； 神所反对的，不能长久站立。他必「向他伸手」，是受造之物不能承其重、不能当其锋的手。这是他的旨意，必成就：「巴比伦」必成为「荒凉」（耶51:29）。2. 这是公义的毁灭。巴比伦使自己合该如此，所以不能不遇见这事。因为（耶51:25）「巴比伦」素来是「毁灭全地的毁灭大山」，高大厚重如山，如同从高山上滚落的石头毁坏周围之地一般「毁灭全地」；但如今它自己要「从磐石上被滚下来」——那些磐石是它立在其上的根基。它要被夷平，它的奢华和权势被击碎。它如今是燃烧的山，像埃特纳和别的火山，喷出火焰，叫四周的人惊恐。但它要成为烧毁的山；它至终要把自己烧尽，成为一堆灰烬。这世界在末日也要如此。又如（耶51:33），「『巴比伦好像打麦的禾场』， 神的百姓在其中如禾捆长久被踹；但如今时候到了，她本身也要被踹，她其中的禾捆也要被踹；她的君王和大人，并她一切的居民，必在他们自己的地上被打，如同在禾场上。「禾场已经预备好。巴比伦因罪成了战场之所，她的百姓如同收割时的庄稼，成熟可灭」（启14:15；弥4:12）。3. 这是不可免的毁灭。巴比伦似乎对之防御森严：「她住在众水之上」（耶51:13）；她那国地势似乎不可近，如此为河流所环绕，敌人难以进入。新约的巴比伦据此被称为「坐在众水之上」，即治理多国，如这巴比伦所行的（启17:15）。「巴比伦宝物丰盛」；然而「『你的结局到了』，你的水也不能保全你，你的财富也不能保全你。」这要来的结局，必作「你贪婪之量」；这必是你所得的界限，必给你的贪婪和野心设限，否则这些原是无边无际的。 神借巴比伦的毁灭，对它骄傲的波浪说：「你只可到这里，不可越过。」注意，人若不肯借着智慧和恩典给自己的贪婪设限， 神必借他的审判给它设限。巴比伦自以为稳妥自以为大，便十分骄傲；但她要受欺骗（耶51:53）：「巴比伦虽升到天上」，她的城墙和宫殿虽坚固，「她高处的强处」，也无济于事； 神要差遣毁灭者攻击她，他们要突破她的坚固，拉下她的高处。4. 这是渐渐的毁灭，他们若愿意，本可预见并得着警告；因为（耶51:46）「一年之内必有风声」，居鲁士正大备战；「次年又有风声」，他的计谋针对巴比伦，他正朝那方向进发；所以他在远处之时，他们本可派人去求和；但他们太骄傲、太安稳，不肯如此行，他们的心便因毁坏而刚硬。5. 然而，它来到之时，却是令人意外的毁灭：「巴比伦忽然倾覆」（耶51:8）；毁灭在他们想不到之时临到，并在短时间内完成，正如新约「巴比伦——一时之间」（启18:17）的毁灭。巴比伦王本当观察仇敌的逼近，他自己却在距攻击之地甚远之处，过了许久才得到城破的通知；所以靠近该处的人差遣一个接一个的信使，把这事报告巴比伦王（耶51:31）。传信的从各处跑到朝廷，向巴比伦王报告说他的「城在那一端已被攻取」，没有什么可阻挡征服者的推进，他们很快就到另一端。他们要告诉他，仇敌已经「占据渡口」（耶51:32），就是河上的堡垒或封锁线，既已渡河，又放火烧河边的芦苇，以警吓惊扰那城，以致一切兵丁都惊惶，丢下兵器，无条件投降。信使们如同约伯的使者，一个接一个带来这消息，并立时被证明确实——仇敌已在宫中，杀了王自己（但5:30）。他们在城破之时所摆设的那亵渎的筵席，既证明他们奇异的松懈，又是仇敌的大机会，此处似乎有所指（耶51:38-39）：「他们要一同吼叫像狮子」，如同酒入心头的人在狂欢中所行。他们称之为「歌唱」；但按圣经的话，并清醒的人的话，那是「咆哮如狮子之崽」。他们大概正举杯咒诅居鲁士和他的军队，大声欢呼。 神说，好，在他们火热之时，他们酒醉头热之时（赛5:11），「我必为他们设摆筵席」，「我必给他们分」。他们递杯相传；如今「耶和华右手的杯必转给他们」（哈2:15-16）——烈怒之杯，「使他们沉醉」，「使他们欢乐」（或作「使他们狂欢」），「睡了长觉」；让他们尽力在那苦杯中作乐吧，但这必使他们沉睡不再醒来（如耶51:57）；因为「当夜」，在欢乐之中，「伯沙撒被杀」（但5:30）。6. 这是普遍的毁灭。 神要把这事作得彻底；因为他既成就他所定的，也必成全他所开始的。「被杀的」要大量倒在「迦勒底人之地」；许多人要在「她的街上」被刺透（耶51:4）。他们「被牵到宰杀之地如同羊羔」（耶51:40），数目如此多，如此容易，仇敌杀他们如同屠夫杀羊羔一般轻而易举。仇敌的力量和入侵在此被比作洪水的泛滥和冲入（耶51:42）：「海水涨溢巴比伦」，一旦冲破界限，便无可阻挡，以致她「被许多波浪遮盖」，被众多军队压倒；「她的城邑」便成了「荒凉」，成了无人居住、无人耕种的沙漠（耶51:43）。7. 这毁灭要达到巴比伦的神明、偶像和神像，并特别重重地落在它们身上。「作为『全地必都蒙羞』、『她一切被杀的必倒』、在全境之内『受伤的必唉哼』的凭据，我必刑罚她雕刻的偶像」（耶51:47，又52）。偶像若灭亡——他们指望保护他们的——一切都必灭亡。入侵者虽是拜偶像之人，却要毁坏巴比伦神明的神像和庙宇，作为废除一切冒充神明的凭据。彼勒是巴比伦人所敬拜的主要偶像，因此在此特别点名要被毁灭（耶51:44）：「我必刑罚彼勒」——那位大吞灭者，那献祭丰盛、所献之宝物丰盛、其庙人来人往众多的偶像——他所贪婪享受的，他必吐出来。 神必把他庙中所积存的一切财富都带出来（伯20:15）。他的祭坛必被离弃，无人再理他；那本以为是巴比伦之墙的偶像，必倒塌失效。8. 这必是终极的毁灭。你可「拿乳香为她止痛」，却属徒然；那不肯因 神的道得医治的，必不因 神的护理得医治（耶51:8-9）。「巴比伦」必「成为乱堆」（耶51:37），并且为使它臭名彻底，连巴比伦的废墟也无人使用，它们如此可憎，又带着如此不祥之兆（耶51:26）：「人必不从你取石头为房角石，也不取石头作根基。」人不愿与巴比伦或属巴比伦之任何物有任何瓜葛。或者，这表示巴比伦中再无所留，使人对再立其为国的指望或企图有根基；因为下文说，「它必永远荒凉」。耶柔米说，他的时代虽仍可见巴比伦城墙的废墟，但城墙之内已成了野兽的森林。
九、这里有一段对 神之民的呼召，要他们从巴比伦出来。当毁灭临近之时，离开那城、退到乡间，是他们的智慧（耶51:6）：「『从巴比伦中间逃走』，进入某个远僻的角落，使你们可以救自己的性命，不在她的罪孽中灭亡。」 神的审判在外之时，我们当尽量远离那些审判所指向的，正如以色列远离可拉的帐棚（民16:24）。这与基督针对耶路撒冷毁灭对门徒所给的劝告相符：「在犹太的，应当逃到山上」（太24:16）。他们「从巴比伦中间出来」也是智慧，免得受牵连——若不在她的废墟中，也在她的恐惧中（耶51:45-46）：「免得你们的心软弱，你们怕那要在境内听见的风声。」 神虽已告诉他们，居鲁士必作他们的拯救者，巴比伦的毁灭必是他们的拯救，但他们也曾被告知，「在那地的平安中你们可以得平安」，所以那给巴比伦的警报也必使他们惊惶；也许他们没有足够的信心和思量抑制这些恐惧，因此在此劝他们离开那警报的听域。注意，那些没有恩典在试探中保守心绪的人，当有智慧避开试探的路。但这并非全部；当毁灭临近之时，离开那城不仅是他们的智慧，当毁灭已成、监牢在他们头上拆毁、他们得释放之时，离开那国也是他们的本分。这是他们被告知的（耶51:50-51）：「你们以色列人，你们这些『逃脱了迦勒底人——你们的欺压者——和波斯人——他们的毁灭者——的刀剑的』，如今释放之年已到，『去吧，不要站住』；赶快归回本国，无论你在巴比伦多么舒坦，因为这不是你的安息，迦南才是。」1. 他提醒他们归回的动机：「『从远处记念耶和华』，如今你们虽远离本乡，他仍与你们同在；从前他与你们列祖在殿中同在，虽然你们如今远离那废墟。」注意，无论我们在何处，在最深处、在最远处，我们也能、也当记念耶和华我们的 神；在最恐惧和最有盼望之时，「记念耶和华」是合时的。「让耶路撒冷回到你们心头。它虽如今在废墟中，仍『要悦纳它的尘土』（诗102:14）；你们中虽少有人见过它，仍要相信那些『记念锡安就哭泣』之人关于它所传的；当思念耶路撒冷，直到你们下定决心尽力归回。」注意，我们庄严集会之城虽不在眼前，却不可不放心上；在我们经过这世界的旅程中，让属天的耶路撒冷常回到心头，对我们大有裨益。2. 他注意到归回的被掳者所处的困境（耶51:51）；既被提醒耶路撒冷，他们便呼喊：「『我们蒙羞』；我们不能忍受这事；『惭愧遮盖我们的脸』，因题到它，因『我们听见圣所的辱骂』，被外人亵渎毁坏；我们怎能以此为乐呢？」对此他回答说（耶51:52），以色列的 神如今要胜过巴比伦的神，于是那辱骂就永远滚去了。注意，信心的眼光看见耶路撒冷的复原，能保守我们不以耶路撒冷的废墟为耻。
十、这里描述了巴比伦倾覆所引发的不同感受，这正如我们对「新约巴比伦」（启18:9-19）所见的相同感受。1. 有人要为巴比伦的毁灭哀哭。「有哀号的声音」，从巴比伦传出的大哀号（耶51:54），为这大毁灭而悲哀，哀哭的声音，因为耶和华「灭绝其中夸大的声音」，就是那素来在巴比伦所听见的欢笑大声音（耶51:55）。我们在他们的哀歌中被告知他们所说的话（耶51:41）：「『示沙克何竟被攻取』，我们对她何竟错得如此厉害！那城何竟被攻取，在列国中『成为令人惊骇的』，而她本是全地的赞美、荣耀、羡慕！」请看那本被普世传扬的，可能落入普遍的藐视之中。2. 然而有人要在巴比伦的倾覆中欢乐，不是以同类的灾祸为乐，而是因这是 神公义审判的彰显，也是为 神被掳之民释放开路；为这些，「天地和其中所有的，必因巴比伦欢呼」（耶51:48）；在天的教会和在地上的教会，都要把他的公义之荣耀归于 神，并以感恩的心留意它，作他的赞美。巴比伦的倾覆就是锡安的赞美。
英語原文
The Judgment of Babylon (595 BC)
¹ Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind;
² And will send unto Babylon fanners, that shall fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about.
³ Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host.
⁴ Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets.
⁵ For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.
⁶ Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD's vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.
⁷ Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.
⁸ Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
⁹ We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.
¹⁰ The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.
¹¹ Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.
¹² Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon.
¹³ O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness.
¹⁴ The LORD of hosts hath sworn by himself, saying, Surely I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillers; and they shall lift up a shout against thee.
¹⁵ He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding.
¹⁶ When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.
¹⁷ Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
¹⁸ They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
¹⁹ The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the LORD of hosts is his name.
²⁰ Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;
²¹ And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider;
²² With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid;
²³ I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers.
²⁴ And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.
²⁵ Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.
²⁶ And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the LORD.
²⁷ Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillers.
²⁸ Prepare against her the nations with the kings of the Medes, the captains thereof, and all the rulers thereof, and all the land of his dominion.
²⁹ And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.
³⁰ The mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight, they have remained in their holds: their might hath failed; they became as women: they have burned her dwelling-places; her bars are broken.
³¹ One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to shew the king of Babylon that his city is taken at one end,
³² And that the passages are stopped, and the reeds they have burned with fire, and the men of war are affrighted.
³³ For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing-floor, it is time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come.
³⁴ Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out.
³⁵ The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say.
³⁶ Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry.
³⁷ And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for dragons, an astonishment, and a hissing, without an inhabitant.
³⁸ They shall roar together like lions: they shall yell as lions' whelps.
³⁹ In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the LORD.
⁴⁰ I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats.
⁴¹ How is Sheshach taken! and how is the praise of the whole earth surprised! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!
⁴² The sea is come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof.
⁴³ Her cities are a desolation, a dry land, and a wilderness, a land wherein no man dwelleth, neither doth any son of man pass thereby.
⁴⁴ And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.
⁴⁵ My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD.
⁴⁶ And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land; a rumour shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumour, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.
⁴⁷ Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.
⁴⁸ Then the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for Babylon: for the spoilers shall come unto her from the north, saith the LORD.
⁴⁹ As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth.
⁵⁰ Ye that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still: remember the LORD afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.
⁵¹ We are confounded, because we have heard reproach: shame hath covered our faces: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the LORD's house.
⁵² Wherefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will do judgment upon her graven images: and through all her land the wounded shall groan.
⁵³ Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the LORD.
⁵⁴ A sound of a cry cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans:
⁵⁵ Because the LORD hath spoiled Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves do roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered:
⁵⁶ Because the spoiler is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, every one of their bows is broken: for the LORD God of recompences shall surely requite.
⁵⁷ And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.
⁵⁸ Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.
The particulars of this copious prophecy are dispersed and interwoven, and the same things left and returned to so often that it could not well be divided into parts, but we must endeavor to collect them under their proper heads. Let us then observe here,
I. An acknowledgment of the great pomp and power that Babylon had been in and the use that God in his providence had made of it (Jer 51:7): Babylon hath been a golden cup, a rich and glorious empire, a golden city (Isa 14:4), a head of gold (Da 2:38), filled with all good things, as a cup with wine. Nay, she had been a golden cup in the Lord's hand; he had in a particular manner filled and favoured her with blessings; he had made the earth drunk with this cup; some were intoxicated with her pleasures and debauched by her, others intoxicated with her terrors and destroyed by her. In both senses the New-Testament Babylon is said to have made the kings of the earth drunk, Re 17:2,18:3. Babylon had also been God's battle-axe; it was so at this time, when Jeremiah prophesied, and was likely to be yet more so, Jer 51:20. The forces of Babylon were God's weapons of war, tools in his hand, with which he broke in pieces, and knocked down, nations and kingdoms,—horses and chariots, which are so much the strength of kingdoms (Jer 51:21),—man and woman, young and old, with which kingdoms are replenished (Jer 51:22),—the shepherd and his flock, the husbandman and his oxen, with which kingdoms are maintained and supplied, Jer 51:23. Such havoc as this the Chaldeans had made when God employed them as instruments of his wrath for the chastising of the nations; and yet now Babylon itself must fall. Note, Those that have carried all before them a great while will yet at length meet with their match, and their day also will come to fall; the rod will itself be thrown into the fire at last. Nor can any think it will exempt them from God's judgments that they have been instrumental in executing his judgments on others.
II. A just complaint made of Babylon, and a charge drawn up against her by the Israel of God. 1. She is complained of for her incorrigible wickedness (Jer 51:9): We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed. The people of God that were captives among the Babylonians endeavoured, according to the instructions given them (Jer 10:11), to convince them of the folly of their idolatry, but they could not do it; still they doted as much as ever upon their graven images, and therefore the Israelites resolved to quit them and go to their own country. Yet some understand this as spoken by the forces they had hired for their assistance, declaring that they had done their best to save her from ruin, but that it was all to no purpose, and therefore they might as well go home to their respective countries; "for her judgment reaches unto heaven, and it is in vain to withstand it or think to avert it." 2. She is complained of for her inveterate malice against Israel. Other nations had been hardly used by the Chaldeans, but Israel only complains to God of it, and with confidence appeals to him (Jer 51:34,35): "The king of Babylon has devoured me, and crushed me, and never thought he could do enough ruin to me; he has emptied me of all that was valuable, has swallowed me up as a dragon, or whale, swallows up the little fish by shoals; he has filled his belly, filled his treasures, with my delicates, with all my pleasant things, and has cast me out, cast me away as a vessel in which there is no pleasure; and now let them be accountable for all this." Zion and Jerusalem shall say, "Let the violence done to me and my children, that are my own flesh, and pieces of myself, and all the blood of my people, which they have shed like water, be upon them; let the guilt of it lie upon them, and let it be required at their hands." Note, Ruin is not far off from those that lie under the guilt of wrong done to God's people.
III. Judgment given upon this appeal by the righteous Judge of heaven and earth, on behalf of Israel against Babylon. He sits in the throne judging right, is ready to receive complaints, and answers (Jer 51:36): "I will plead thy cause. Leave it with me; I will in due time plead it effectually and take vengeance for thee, and every drop of Jerusalem's blood shall be accounted for with interest." Israel and Judah seemed to have been neglected and forgotten, but God had an eye to them, Jer 51:5. It is true their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. They were a provoking people and their sins were a great offence to God, as a holy God, and as their God, their Holy One; and therefore he justly delivered them up into the hands of their enemies, and might justly have abandoned them and left them to perish in their hands; but God deals better with them than they deserve, and, notwithstanding their iniquities and his severities, Israel is not forsaken, is not cast off, though he be cast out, but is owned and looked after by his God, by the Lord of hosts. God is his God still, and will act for him as the Lord of hosts, a God of power. Note, Though God's people may have broken his laws and fallen under his rebukes, yet it does not therefore follow that they are thrown out of covenant; but God's care of them and love to them will flourish again, Ps 89:30-33. The Chaldeans thought they should never be called to an account for what they had done against God's Israel; but there is a time fixed for vengeance, Jer 51:6. We cannot expect it should come sooner than the time fixed, but then it will come; he will render unto Babylon a recompence, for the avenging of Israel is the vengeance of the Lord, who espouses their cause; it is the vengeance of his temple, Jer 51:11, as before, Jer 50:28. The Lord God of recompences, the God to whom vengeance belongs, will surely requite (Jer 51:56), will pay them home; he will render unto Babylon all the evil they have done in Zion (Jer 51:24); he will return it in the sight of his people. They shall have the satisfaction to see their cause pleaded with jealousy. They shall not only live to see those judgments brought upon Babylon, but they shall plainly see them to be the punishment of the wrong they have done to Zion; any man may see it, and say, Verily there is a God that judges in the earth; for just as Babylon has caused the slain of Israel to fall, has not only slain those that were found in arms, but all without distinction, even all the land (almost all were put to the sword), so at Babylon shall fall the slain not only of the city, but of all the country, Jer 51:49. Cyrus shall measure to the Chaldeans the same that they measured to the Jews, so that every observer may discern that God is recompensing them for what they did against his people; but Zion's children shall in a particular manner triumph in it (Jer 51:10): The Lord has brought forth our righteousness; he has appeared in our behalf against those that dealt unjustly with us, and has given us redress; he has also made it to appear that he is reconciled to us and that we are yet in his eyes a righteous nation. Let it therefore be spoken of to his praise: Come and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God, that others may be invited to join with us in praising him.
IV. A declaration of the greatness and sovereignty of that God who espouses Zion's cause and undertakes to reckon with this proud and potent enemy, Jer 51:14. It is the Lord of hosts that has said it, that has sworn it, has sworn it by himself (for he could swear by no greater), that he will fill Babylon with vast and incredible numbers of the enemy's forces, will fill it with men as with caterpillars, that shall overpower it will multitudes, and need only to lift up a shout against it, for that shall be so terrible as to dispirit all the inhabitants and make them an easy prey to this numerous army. But who, and where, is he that can break so powerful a kingdom as Babylon? The prophet gives an account of him from the description he had formerly given of him, and of his sovereignty and victory over all pretenders (Jer 10:12-16), which was there intended for the conviction of the Babylonian idolaters and the confirmation of God's Israel in the faith and worship of the God of Israel; and it is here repeated to show that God will convince those by his judgments who would not be convinced by his word that he is God over all. Let not any doubt but that he who has determined to destroy Babylon is able to make his words good, for, 1. He is the God that made the world (Jer 51:15), and therefore nothing is too hard for him to do; it is in his name that our help stands, and on him our hope is built. 2. He has the command of all the creatures that he has made (Jer 51:16); his providence is a continued creation. He has wind and rain at his disposal. If he speak the word, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens (and it is a wonder how they hang there), fed by vapours out of the earth, and it is a wonder how they ascend thence. Lightnings and rain seem contraries, as fire and water, and yet they are produced together; and the wind, which seems arbitrary in its motions, and we know not whence it comes, is yet, we are sure, brought out of his treasuries. 3. The idols that oppose the accomplishment of his word are a mere sham and their worshippers brutish people, Jer 51:17,18. The idols are falsehood, they are vanity, they are the work of errors; when they come to be visited (to be examined and enquired into) they perish, that is, their reputation sinks and they appear to be nothing; and those that make them are like unto them. But between the God of Israel and these gods of the heathen there is no comparison (Jer 51:19): The portion of Jacob is not like them; the God who speaks this and will do it is the former of all things and the Lord of all hosts, and therefore can do what he will; and there is a near relation between him and his people, for he is their portion and they are his; they put a confidence in him as their portion and he is pleased to take a complacency in them and a particular care of them as the lot of his inheritance; and therefore he will do what is best for them. The repetition of these things here, which were said before, intimates both the certainty and the importance of them, and obliges us to take special notice of them; God hath spoken once; yea, twice have we heard this, that power belongs to God, power to destroy the most formidable enemies of his church; and if God thus speak once, yea, twice, we are inexcusable if we do not perceive it and attend to it.
V. A description of the instruments that are to be employed in this service. God has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes (Jer 51:11), Darius and Cyrus, who come against Babylon by a divine instinct; for God's device is against Babylon to destroy it. They do it, but God devised it, he designed it; they are but accomplishing his purpose, and acting as he directed. Note, God's counsel shall stand, and according to it all hearts shall move. Those whom God employs against Babylon are compared (Jer 51:1) to a destroying wind, which either by its coldness blasts the fruits of the earth or by its fierceness blows down all before it. This wind is brought out of God's treasuries (Jer 51:16), and it is here said to be raised up against those that dwell in the midst of the Chaldeans, those of other nations that inhabit among them and are incorporated with them. The Chaldeans rise up against God by falling down before idols, and against them God will raise up destroyers, for he will be too hard for those that contend with him. These enemies are compared to fanners (Jer 51:2), who shall drive them away as chaff is driven away by the fan. The Chaldeans had been fanners to winnow God's people (Jer 15:7) and to empty them, and now they shall themselves be in like manner despoiled and dispersed.
VI. An ample commission given them to destroy and lay all waste. Let them bend their bow against the archers of the Chaldeans (Jer 51:3) and not spare her young men, but utterly destroy them, for the Lord has both devised and done what he spoke against Babylon, Jer 51:12. This may animate the instruments he employs, but assuring them of success. The methods they take are such as God has devised and therefore they shall surely prosper; what he has spoken shall be done, for he himself will do it; and therefore let all necessary preparations be made. This they are called to, Jer 51:27,28. Let a standard be set up, under which to enlist soldiers for this expedition; let a trumpet be blown to call men together to it and animate them in it; let the nations, out of which Cyrus's army is to be raised, prepare their recruits; let the kingdoms of Ararat, and Minni, and Ashkenaz, of Armenia, both the higher and the lower, and of Ascania, about Phrygia and Bithynia, send in their quota of men for his service; let general officers be appointed and the cavalry advance; let the horses come up in great numbers, as the caterpillars, and come, like them, leaping and pawing in the valley; let them lay the country waste, as caterpillars do (Joe 1:4), especially rough caterpillars; let the kings and captains prepare nations against Babylon, for the service is great and there is occasion for many hands to be employed it.
VII. The weakness of the Chaldeans, and their inability to make head against this threatening destroying force. When God employed them against other nations they had spirit and strength to act offensively, and went on with admirable resolution, conquering and to conquer; but now that it comes to their turn to be reckoned with all their might and courage are gone, their hearts fail them, and none of all their men of might and mettle have found their hands to act so much as defensively. They are called upon here to prepare for action, but it is ironically and in an upbraiding way (Jer 51:11): Make bright the arrows, which have grown rusty through disuse; gather the shields, which in a long time of peace and security have been scattered and thrown out of the way (Jer 51:12); set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, upon the towers on those walls, to summon all that owed suit and service to that mother-city, now to come in to her assistance; let them make the watch as strong as they can, and appoint the sentinels to their respective posts, and prepare ambushes for the reception of the enemy. This intimates that they would be found very secure and remiss, and would need to be thus quickened (and they were so to such a degree that they were in the midst of their revels when the city was taken), but that all their preparations should come to no purpose. Whoever will may call them to it, but they shall have no heart to come at the call, Jer 51:29. The whole land shall tremble, and sorrow (a universal consternation) shall seize upon them; for they shall see both the irresistible arm and the irreversible counsel and decree of God against them. They shall see that God is making Babylon a desolation, and therein is performing what he has purposed; and then the mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight, Jer 51:30. God having taken away their strength and spirit, so that they have remained in their holds, not daring so much as to peep forth, the might both of their hearts and of their hands fails; they become as timorous as women, so that the enemy has, without any resistance, burnt her dwelling-places and broken her bars. It is to the same purport with Jer 51:56-58. When the spoiler comes upon Babylon her mighty men, who should make head against him, are immediately taken, their weapons of war fail them, every one of their bows is broken and stands them in no stead. Their politics fail them; they call councils of war, but their princes and captains, who sit in council to concert measures for the common safety, are made drunk; they are as men intoxicated through stupidity or despair; they can form no right notions of things; they stagger and are unsteady in their counsels and resolves, and dash one against another, and, like drunken men, fall out among themselves. At length they sleep a perpetual sleep, and never awake from their wine, the wine of God's wrath, for it is to them an opiate that lays them into a fatal lethargy. The walls of their city fail them, Jer 51:58. When the enemy had found ways to ford Euphrates, which was thought impassable, yet surely, think they, the walls are impregnable, they are the broad walls of Babylon or (as the margin reads it), the walls of broad Babylon. The compass of the city, within the walls, was 385 furlongs, some say 480, that is, about sixty miles; the walls were 200 cubits high, and fifty cubits broad, so that two chariots might easily pass by one another upon them. Some say that there was a threefold wall about the inner city and the like about the outer, and that the stones of the wall, being laid in pitch instead of mortar (Ge 11:3), were scarcely separable; and yet these shall be utterly broken, and the high gates and towers shall be burnt, and the people that are employed in the defence of the city shall labour in vain in the fire; they shall quite tire themselves, but shall do no good.
VIII. The destruction that shall be made of Babylon by these invaders. 1. It is a certain destruction; the doom has passed and it cannot be reversed; a divine power is engaged against it, which cannot be resisted (Jer 51:8): Babylon is fallen and destroyed, is as sure to fall, to fall into destruction, as if it were fallen and destroyed already; though when Jeremiah prophesied this, and many a year after, it was in the height of its power and greatness. God declares, God appears against Babylon (Jer 51:25): Behold, I am against thee; and those cannot stand long whom God is against. He will stretch out his hand upon it, a hand which no creature can bear the weight of nor withstand the force of. It is his purpose, which shall be performed, that Babylon must be a desolation, Jer 51:29. 2. It is a righteous destruction. Babylon has made herself meet for it, and therefore cannot fail to meet with it. For (Jer 51:25) Babylon has been a destroying mountain, very lofty and bulky as a mountain, and destroying all the earth, as the stones that are tumbled from high mountains spoil the grounds about them; but now it shall itself be rolled down from its rocks, which were as the foundations on which it stood. It shall be levelled, its pomp and power broken. It is now a burning mountain, like Ætna and the other volcanoes, that throw out fire, to the terror of all about them. But it shall be a burnt mountain; it shall at length have consumed itself, and shall remain a heap of ashes. So will this world be at the end of time. Again (Jer 51:33), "Babylon is like a threshing-floor, in which the people of God have been long threshed, as sheaves in the floor; but now the time has come that she shall herself be threshed and her sheaves in her; her princes and great men, and all her inhabitants, shall be beaten in their own land, as in the threshing-floor. The threshing-floor is prepared. Babylon is by sin made meet to be a seat of war, and her people, like corn in harvest, are ripe for destruction," Re 14:15, Mic 4:12. 3. It is an unavoidable destruction. Babylon seems to be well-fenced and fortified against it: She dwells upon many waters (Jer 51:13); the situation of her country is such that it seems inaccessible, it is so surrounded, and the march of an enemy into it so embarrassed, by rivers. In allusion to this, the New-Testament Babylon is said to sit upon many waters, that is, to rule over many nations, as the other Babylon did, Re 17:15. Babylon is abundant in treasures; and yet "thy end has come, and neither they waters nor thy wealth shall secure thee." This end that comes shall be the measure of thy covetousness; it shall be the stint of thy gettings, it shall set bounds to thy ambition and avarice, which otherwise would have ben boundless. God, by the destruction of Babylon, said to its proud waves, Hitherto shall you come, and no further. Note, if men will not set a measure to their covetousness by wisdom and grace, God will set a measure to it by his judgments. Babylon, thinking herself very safe and very great, was very proud; but she will be deceived (Jer 51:53): Though Babylon should mount her walls and palaces up to heaven, and though (because what is high is apt to totter) she should take care to fortify the height of her strength, yet all will not do; God will send spoilers against her, that shall break through her strength and bring down her height. 4. It is a gradual destruction, which, if they had pleased, they might have foreseen and had warning of; for (Jer 51:46) "A rumor will come one year that Cyrus is making vast preparations for war, and after that, in another year, shall come a rumour that his design is upon Babylon, and he is steering his course that way;" so that when he was a great way off they might have sent and desired conditions of peace; but they were too proud, too secure, to do that, and their hearts were hardened to their destruction. 5. Yet, when it comes, it is a surprising destruction: Babylon has suddenly fallen (Jer 51:8); the destruction came upon them when they did not think of it and was perfected in a little time, as that of the New-Testament Babylon—in one hour, Re 18:17. The king of Babylon, who should have been observing the approaches of the enemy, was himself at such a distance from the place where the attack was made that it was a great while ere he had notice that the city was taken; so that those who were posted near the place sent one messenger, one courier, after another, with advice of it, Jer 51:31. The foot-posts shall meet at the court from several quarters with this intelligence to the king of Babylon that his city is taken at one end, and there is nothing to obstruct the progress of the conquerors, but they will be at the other end quickly. They are to tell him that the enemy has seized the passes (Jer 51:32), the forts or blockades upon the river, and that, having got over the river, he has set fire to the reeds on the river side, to alarm and terrify the city, so that all the men of war are affrighted and have thrown down their arms and surrendered at discretion. The messengers come, like Job's, one upon the heels of another, with these tidings, which are immediately confirmed with a witness by the enemies' being in the palace and slaying the king himself, Da 5:30. That profane feast which they were celebrating at the very time when the city was taken, which was both an evidence of their strange security and a great advantage to the enemy, seems here to be referred to (Jer 51:38,39): They shall roar together like lions, as men in their revels do, when the wine has got into their heads. They call it singing; but in scripture-language, and in the language of sober men, it is called yelling like lions' whelps. It is probable that they were drinking confusion to Cyrus and his army with loud huzzas. Well, says God, in their heat, when they are inflamed (Isa 5:11) and their heads are hot with hard drinking, I will make their feasts, I will give them their portion. They have passed their cup round; now the cup of the Lord's right hand shall be turned unto them (Hab 2:15,16), a cup of fury, which shall make them drunk that they may rejoice (or rather that they may revel it) and sleep a perpetual sleep; let them be as merry as they can with that bitter cup, but it shall lay them to sleep never to wake more (as Jer 51:57); for on that night, in the midst of the jollity, was Belshazzar slain. 6. It is to be a universal destruction. God will make thorough work of it; for, as he will perform what he has purposed, so he will perfect what he has begun. The slain shall fall in great abundance throughout the land of the Chaldeans; multitudes shall be thrust through in her streets, Jer 51:4. They are brought down like lambs to the slaughter (Jer 51:40), in such great numbers, so easily, and the enemies make no more of killing them than the butcher does of killing lambs. The strength of the enemy, and their invading them, are here compared to an irruption and inundation of waters (Jer 51:42): The sea has come up upon Babylon, which, when it has once broken through its bounds, there is no fence against, so that she is covered with the multitude of its waves, overpowered by a numerous army; her cities then become a desolation, an uninhabited uncultivated desert, Jer 51:43. 7. It is a destruction that shall reach the gods of Babylon, the idols and images, and fall with a particular weight upon them. "In token that the whole land shall be confounded and all her slain shall fall and that throughout all the country the wounded shall groan, I will do judgment upon her graven images," Jer 51:47 and again Jer 51:52. All must needs perish if their gods perish, from whom they expect protection. Though the invaders are themselves idolaters, yet they shall destroy the images and temples of the gods of Babylon, as an earnest of the abolishing of all counterfeit deities. Bel was the principal idol that the Babylonians worshipped, and therefore that is by name here marked for destruction (Jer 51:44): I will punish Bel, that great devourer, that image to which such abundance of sacrifices are offered and such rich spoils dedicated, and to whose temple there is such a vast resort. He shall disgorge what he has so greedily regaled himself with. God will bring forth out of his temple all the wealth laid up there, Job 20:15. His altars shall be forsaken, none shall regard him any more, and so that idol which was thought to be a wall to Babylon shall fall and fail them. 8. It shall be a final destruction. You may take balm for her pain, but in vain; she that would not be healed by the word of God shall not be healed by his providence, Jer 51:8,9. Babylon shall become heaps (Jer 51:37), and, to complete its infamy, no use shall be made even of the ruins of Babylon, so execrable shall they be, and attended with such ill omens (Jer 51:26): They shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations. People shall not care for having any thing to do with Babylon, or whatever belonged to it. Or it denotes that there shall be nothing left in Babylon on which to ground any hopes or attempts of raising it into a kingdom again; for, as it follows here, it shall be desolate for ever. St. Jerome says that in his time, though the ruins of Babylon's walls were to be seen, yet the ground enclosed by them was a forest of wild beasts.
IX. Here is a call to God's people to go out of Babylon. It is their wisdom, when the ruin is approaching, to quit the city and retire into the country (Jer 51:6): "Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and get into some remote corner, that you may save your lives, and may not be cut off in her iniquity." When God's judgments are abroad it is good to get as far as we can from those against whom they are levelled, as Israel from the tents of Korah. This agrees with the advice Christ gave his disciples, with reference to the destruction of Jerusalem. Let those who shall be in Judea flee to the mountains, Mt 24:16. It is their wisdom to get out of the midst of Babylon, lest they be involved, if not in her ruins, yet in her fears (Jer 51:45,46): Lest your heart faint, and you fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land. Though God had told them that Cyrus should be their deliverer, and Babylon's destruction their deliverance, yet they had been told also that in the peace there of they should have peace, and therefore the alarms given to Babylon would put them into a fright, and perhaps they might not have faith and consideration enough to suppress those fears, for which reason they are here advised to get out of the hearing of the alarms. Note, Those who have not grace enough to keep their temper in temptation should have wisdom enough to keep out of the way of temptation. But this is not all; it is not only their wisdom to quit the city when the ruin is approaching, but it is their duty to quit the country too when the ruin is accomplished, and they are set at liberty by the pulling down of the prison over their heads. This they are told, Jer 51:50,51: "You Israelites, who have escaped the sword of the Chaldeans your oppressors, and of the Persians their destroyers, now that the year of release has come, go away, stand not still; hasten to your own country again, however you may be comfortably seated in Babylon, for this is not your rest, but Canaan is." 1. He puts them in mind of the inducements they had to return: "Remember the Lord afar off, his presence with you now, though you are here afar off from your native soil; his presence with your fathers formerly in the temple, though you are now afar off from the ruins of it." Note, Wherever we are, in the greatest depths, at the greatest distances, we may and must remember the Lord our God; and in the time of the greatest fears and hopes it is seasonable to remember the Lord. "And let Jerusalem come into your mind. Though it be now in ruins, yet favour its dust (Ps 102:14); though few of you ever saw it, yet believe the report you have had concerning it from those that wept when they remembered Zion; and think of Jerusalem until you come up to a resolution to make the best of your way thither." Note, When the city of our solemnities is out of sight, yet it must not be out of mind; and it will be of great use to us, in our journey through this world, to let the heavenly Jerusalem come often into our mind. 2. He takes notice of the discouragement which the returning captives labour under (Jer 51:51); being reminded of Jerusalem, they cry out, "We are confounded; we cannot bear the thought of it; shame covers our faces at the mention of it, for we have heard of the reproach of the sanctuary, that is profaned and ruined by strangers; how can we think of it with any pleasure?" To this he answers (Jer 51:52) that the God of Israel will now triumph over the gods of Babylon, and so that reproach will be for ever rolled away. Note, The believing prospect of Jerusalem's recovery will keep us from being ashamed of Jerusalem's ruins.
X. Here is the diversified feeling excited by Babylon's fall, and it is the same that we have with respect to the New-Testament Babylon, Re 18:9,19. 1. Some shall lament the destruction of Babylon. There is the sound of a cry, a great outcry coming from Babylon (Jer 51:54), lamenting this great destruction, the voice of mourning, because the Lord has destroyed the voice of the multitude, that great voice of mirth which used to be heard in Babylon, Jer 51:55. We are told what they shall say in their lamentations (Jer 51:41): "How is Sheshach taken, and how are we mistaken concerning her! How is that city surprised and become an astonishment among the nations that was the praise, and glory, and admiration of the whole earth!" See how that may fall into a general contempt which has been universally cried up. 2. Yet some shall rejoice in Babylon's fall, not as it is the misery of their fellow-creatures, but as it is the manifestation of the righteous judgment of God and as it opens the way for the release of God's captives; upon these accounts the heaven and the earth, and all that is in both, shall sing for Babylon (Jer 51:48); the church in heaven and the church on earth shall give to God the glory of his righteousness, and take notice of it with thankfulness to his praise. Babylon's ruin is Zion's praise.
59-64
The Prophecy Sent to the People (595 BC)
简体中文
送往百姓中的预言 (595 BC)
⁵⁹ 犹大王西底家登基第四年，与西底家王同上巴比伦的时候，先知耶利米吩咐尼利亚的儿子西莱雅——玛西雅的孙子——的话。（这西莱雅是个安静的君王近臣。） ⁶⁰ 耶利米将一切要临到巴比伦的灾祸，就是论巴比伦所写的一切话，记在一书上。 ⁶¹ 耶利米对西莱雅说：你到了巴比伦，看见并诵读这一切话之时， ⁶² 你要说：耶和华啊，你曾论到这地方说：要剪除它，使其中无人牲居住，必永远荒凉。 ⁶³ 你念完这书之时，当把一块石头拴在其上，扔在伯拉大河之中， ⁶⁴ 你要说：巴比伦必如此沉下去，不再兴起，因为我必使我所要降与它的灾祸临到它；他们必困乏。耶利米的话到此为止。
我们长久以来一直在本章和前一章关注巴比伦的审判；如今我们见到这整件事的结语。1. 这预言被抄录一份，看来是耶利米亲手所录，因为此处未提到他的文士巴录（耶51:60）：「耶利米将一切论巴比伦所写的话，记在一书上。」他领受这信息，为要传递给一切相关之人。将神的话语书写下来，并为律法、先知、书信抄录副本，对神话语的传播和保存大有裨益。2. 这书被送到巴比伦，送给那里的被掳之人，由西莱雅之手携去——他在西底家王登基「第四年」（耶51:59）随王前去，或作使臣，或作随员。「他与西底家」同去，或如旁注所读，「替西底家」「上巴比伦」。论到他的评语十分值得留意：「这西莱雅是个安静的君王近臣」，是个安息之臣。他身居尊荣与权位，却不像当时大多数王侯那样性情急躁、头脑发热、拉帮结派、煽动党争、凡事穷凶极恶推动。他性情温和，讲究和睦之事，竭力在他主人王与巴比伦王之间维持和睦了解，并设法阻止主人反叛。他并不逼迫神的先知，是个温和之人。西底家选派这样一位使臣前往巴比伦王那里是有福的；耶利米也能放心地把他的差事交托这样的人。请注意：伟人真正的尊荣，在于作安静之人；君王的智慧，在于将此类人置于受托之位。3. 西莱雅受请将这书念给已经先被掳去的同胞听：「『你到了巴比伦，并观看』那地何等宏伟，那城何等广大、何等坚固、何等富庶、设防何等严密，因而受试探心想：它必永远立定」（如门徒看见圣殿的建筑时，断定除了世界末日再无什么能「把它拆毁」，太24:3）——「『那时你要将这一切话念给』你自己和几位至交听，好在被掳中得着鼓励：让他们以信心的眼睛看见这些威吓权势的结局，并以此自慰、彼此安慰。」4. 他受指示对他所读之神圣权威和无可置疑之确实性作庄严宣告（耶51:62）：「那时你」当举目向神，说：「主啊！是你论到这地方说，要剪除它的。」这如同天使对新约巴比伦之毁灭所作的宣告。「这些是神真实的话」（启19:9）。「这些话是真实可信的」（启21:5）。西莱雅虽见巴比伦昌盛，读了这预言之后却必预见巴比伦倾覆，并借这预言的功效咒诅其住处，纵使它「扎根」（伯5:3）：「主啊！『你曾论到这地方说』，我相信你所说的；你既无所不知，也无所不能。你已对巴比伦宣判，这判决必被执行。『你曾论到这地方说，要剪除它』，所以我们既不羡慕它的荣华，也不畏惧它的权势。」当我们看见这个世界是怎样——它的炫耀何等耀眼，它的应许何等谄媚——让我们在主的书上读到它的「样子都要过去」，不久必「被剪除」、「永远荒凉」，就必学会以圣洁的轻蔑看待它。请留意此处：当我们读罢神的话语，理当向那发布此道者献上谦卑、有信心的承认，承认我们所读之话的真实、公正与良善。5. 他随后当把一块石头拴在书上，扔在伯拉大河之中，作为书中内容之确据的印证，说：「『巴比伦必如此沉下去，不再兴起』；因为他们『必困乏』」，必完全屈服，如同负重担而疲惫之人，压在「我所要降与他们的灾祸」之下，永不能卸下、永不能脱身（耶51:53、64）。在记号中，是石头使书沉下——书本会浮在水面；然而在「所表明之事」上，倒是书使石头沉下；正是这预言中对巴比伦的神圣判语，使那看似「坚如石头」的城沉沦。新约巴比伦的倾覆以类似却更加宏伟的事为代表（启18:21）：「有大力的天使将一块大磨石扔在海里，说：巴比伦也必如此倾倒。」那些被神忿怒与咒诅之重压所沉下的，沉得无可挽回。本章末后的话封住了本书的异象与预言：「耶利米的话到此为止。」并非这篇攻击巴比伦的预言是他最后的预言；因为这预言标注于西底家「第四年」（耶51:59），远在他完成见证之前；但这预言被记在他诸预言的末后，因为在他一切攻击外邦的预言中，这预言最后才得应验（耶46:1）。而剩下的一章纯为历史，有人认为是别人后来补添的。
英語原文
The Prophecy Sent to the People (595 BC)
⁵⁹ The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah into Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And this Seraiah was a quiet prince.
⁶⁰ So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon.
⁶¹ And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words;
⁶² Then shalt thou say, O LORD, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate for ever.
⁶³ And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates:
⁶⁴ And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
We have been long attending the judgment of Babylon in this and the foregoing chapter; now here we have the conclusion of that whole matter. 1. A copy is taken of this prophecy, it should seem by Jeremiah himself, for Baruch his scribe is not mentioned here (Jer 51:60): Jeremiah wrote in a book all these words that are here written against Babylon. He received this notice that he might give it to all whom it might concern. It is of great advantage both to the propagating and to the perpetuating of the word of God to have it written, and to have copies taken of the law, prophets, and epistles. 2. It is sent to Babylon, to the captives there, by the hand of Seraiah, who went there attendant on or ambassador for king Zedekiah, in the fourth year of his reign, Jer 51:59. He went with Zedekiah, or (as the margin reads it) on the behalf of Zedekiah, into Babylon. The character given of him is observable, that this Seraiah was a quiet prince, a prince of rest. He was in honour and power, but not, as most of the princes then were, hot and heady, making parties, and heading factions, and driving things furiously. He was of a calm temper, studied the things that made for peace, endeavoured to preserve a good understanding between the king his master and the king of Babylon, and to keep his master from rebelling. He was no persecutor of God's prophets, but a moderate man. Zedekiah was happy in the choice of such a man to be his envoy to the king of Babylon, and Jeremiah might safely entrust such a man with his errand too. Note, it is the real honour of great men to be quiet men, and it is the wisdom of princes to put such into places of trust. 3. Seraiah is desired to read it to his countrymen that had already gone into captivity: "When thou shalt come to Babylon, and shalt see what a magnificent place it is, how large a city, how strong, how rich, and how well fortified, and shalt therefore be tempted to think, Surely, it will stand forever" (as the disciples, when they observed the buildings of the temple, concluded that nothing would throw them down but the end of the world, Mt 24:3), "then thou shalt read all these words to thyself and thy particular friends, for their encouragement in their captivity: let them with an eye of faith see to the end of these threatening powers, and comfort themselves and one another herewith." 4. He is directed to make a solemn protestation of the divine authority and unquestionable certainty of that which he had read (Jer 51:62): Then thou shalt look up to God, and say, O Lord! it is thou that hast spoken against this place, to cut it off. This is like the angel's protestation concerning the destruction of the New-Testament Babylon. These are the true sayings of God, Re 19:9. These words are true and faithful, Re 21:5. Though Seraiah sees Babylon flourishing, having read this prophecy he must foresee Babylon falling, and by virtue of it must curse its habitation, though it be taking root (Job 5:3): "O Lord! thou hast spoken against this place, and I believe what thou hast spoken, that, as thou knowest every thing, so thou canst do every thing. Thou hast passed sentence upon Babylon, and it shall be executed. Thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, and therefore we will neither envy its pomp nor fear its power." When we see what this world is, how glittering its shows are and how flattering its proposals, let us read in the book of the Lord that its fashion passes away, and it shall shortly be cut off and be desolate for ever, and we shall learn to look upon it with a holy contempt. Observe here, When we have been reading the word of God it becomes us to direct to him whose word it is a humble believing acknowledgment of the truth, equity, and goodness, of what we have read. 5. He must then tie a stone to the book and throw it into the midst of the river Euphrates, as a confirming sign of the things contained in it, saying, "Thus shall Babylon sink, and not rise; for they shall be weary, they shall perfectly succumb, as men tired with a burden, under the load of the evil that I will bring upon them, which they shall never shake off, nor get from under," Jer 51:53,64. In the sign it was the stone that sunk the book, which otherwise would have swum. But in the thing signified it was rather the book that sunk the stone; it was the divine sentence passed upon Babylon in this prophecy that sunk that city, which seemed as firm as a stone. The fall of the New-Testament Babylon was represented by something like this, but much more magnificent, Re 18:21. A mighty angel cast a great millstone into the sea, saying, Thus shall Babylon fall. Those that sink under the weight of God's wrath and curse sink irrecoverably. The last words of the chapter seal up the vision and prophecy of this book: Thus far are the words of Jeremiah. Not that this prophecy against Babylon was the last of his prophecies; for it was dated in the fourth year of Zedekiah (Jer 51:59), long before he finished his testimony; but this is recorded last of his prophecies because it was to be last accomplished of all his prophecies against the Gentiles, Jer 46:1. And the chapter which remains is purely historical, and, as some think, was added by some other hand.
本章先知继续预言巴比伦的倾覆——别的先知也曾为此作见证。他在描绘神所赐关于此事的预景时，言辞极为丰富而生动，为要鼓励那些敬虔的被掳者，他们的拯救正与此相连，且是这事的结局。本章内容：一、记录巴比伦的厄运及其细节，其中穿插着神与它争辩的根据、它倾覆的诸多加重情节，并由此向那曾受它苦害的神的以色列民大施鼓励（耶 51:1-58）。二、借将这预言的副本丢入幼发拉底河来表征并印证此事（耶 51:59-64）。