서론
Jeremiah 50 Introduction
繁體中文
영문 원문
Many critics have endeavored to show that this prophecy Jeremiah 50-51 was not written by Jeremiah. Others grant that Jeremiah was the true author, yet assert that the prhophecy has been largely interpolated. The arguments for its authenticity are briefly stated in the following:
(a) The superscription Jeremiah 50:1, and the appended history Jeremiah 51:59-64;
(b) The general admission that the style is Jeremiah's;
(c) The fact that the author was living at Jerusalem (Jeremiah 50:5, where read "hitherward," not "thitherward");
(d) The Medes and not the Persians are described as the future conquerors of Babylon Jeremiah 51:11, Jeremiah 51:28.
The knowledge of topography and Babylonian customs is not more than Jeremiah may have learned from the Chaldaeans when they were at Jerusalem in the fourth, and again in the eleventh year of Jehoiakim: and there was constant contact by letter and otherwise between Babylon and Jerusalem.
The prophecy may be considered essential to the right discharge by Jeremiah of the duties of his office. He had foretold the capture and ruin of Jerusalem, not from love to Babylon, but as a necessary act of the divine justice, and as the one remedy for Judah's sins. He recognized the Chaldaeans as Yahweh's ministers; but recognizing also that they practiced wanton barbarities, and claimed the g ory for themselves and their gods, he proclaimed that Babylon must be punished for its cruelty, its pride, and its idolatry.
The date is fixed by Jeremiah 51:59. With this agrees the internal evidence.
Though deficient in arrangement the prophecy is full of grand ideas; and the similarity between passages in this prophecy and Isaiah illustrates the large knowledge which Jeremiah evidently possessed of the earlier Scriptures, and the manner in which, consciously or unconsciously, he has perpetually imitated them in his own writings.
1
Jeremiah 50:1
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「論……論」——意即「關於」。
영문 원문
Against ... against - Concerning.
2
Jeremiah 50:2
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「蒙羞……蒙羞」——即「羞愧……羞愧」之意。
「米羅達」——這位神明即碑文中的瑪爾杜克（Marduk），是巴比倫的守護神。尼布甲尼撒給兒子起名以未米羅達，可見他似乎特別虔心事奉這位神。他其實與彼勒同為一位，在眾行星中的對應者是木星，並因此被尊稱為「天地的王」。
영문 원문
Confounded ... confounded - ashamed ... ashamed.
Merodach - This deity, in the inscriptions Marduk, was the tutelary god of Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar, who called his son Evil-Merodach, appears to have been especially devoted to his service. He was really identical with Bel, and his equivalent among the planets was Jupiter: and as such he was styled "King of heaven and earth."
3
Jeremiah 50:3
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「從北方」——瑪代位於巴比倫的西北。經文如此慣用「北方」——太陽永不照耀、因而是黑暗之域的那個方位——乃是危險向來所自出之地的象徵。
「連人帶牲畜……」——宜譯作（如 Jeremiah 9:10）：「連人帶牲畜都逃走了。」
영문 원문
Out of the north - Media lay to the northwest of Babylon. This constant use of the north, the quarter where the sun never shines, and therefore the region of darkness, is symbolic of the region from where danger ever comes.
They shall remove ... - Translate it (as in Jeremiah 9:10): "from man even to cattle they are fled, they are gone."
4
Jeremiah 50:4
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巴比倫傾覆之後,被擄之人將隨即歸回故土,成群結隊、一路流淚而行,因為他們是以悔改者的身分前去;卻又帶著喜樂,因為他們的面朝向錫安。此外,以色列與猶大之間分裂的止息,是彌賽亞時代的徵兆之一(以賽亞書11:12-13),並象徵世上互相爭戰的列國,在教會之君和平的權杖下被招聚為一。
「一路哭泣而來」——欽定本作 "Going ... weeping ... shall go";應刪去冒號,即:「他們不斷前行,一路哭泣」。
영문 원문
The fall of Babylon is to be immediately followed by the return of the exiles homewards, in tearful procession, because they go as penitents; and yet with joy, because their faces are toward Zion. The cessation moreover of the schism between Israel and Judah is one of the signs of the times of the Messiah Isaiah 11:12-13, and symbolically represents the gathering together of the warring empires of the world under the peaceful scepter of the Church's King.
Going and weeping: they shall go - Omit the colon; i. e., "they go ever onward weeping."
5
Jeremiah 50:5
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Thitherward（往那裏）——原文直指「往這裏」（hitherward）；執筆者顯然身在耶路撒冷。
영문 원문
Thitherward - Hereward; the writer evidently was at Jerusalem.
6
Jeremiah 50:6
繁體中文
「他們的牧人……山上」——有人譯作：他們的牧人，即世俗的統治者（見 Jeremiah 2:8 註釋），「在誘惑人的山上使他們走迷了路」——因為山乃是慣常行拜偶像之事的地方。
「安歇之處」——即他們的羊圈（詩篇 23:2；Psalm 23:2）。
영문 원문
Their shepherds ... mountains - Some translate it: Their shepherds, i. e., civil rulers (Jeremiah 2:8 note) "have led them astray upon the seducing moutains." - the mountains being the usual places where idolatry was practiced.
Their restingplace - Their fold Psalm 23:2.
7
Jeremiah 50:7
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「不得罪」——即「沒有罪咎」。以色列既已離開羊圈，便沒有主人，因此人可以虐待她而不受懲罰。
「公義的居所」——在 Jeremiah 31:23 中指耶路撒冷；在此處，惟獨耶和華是真正的草場，祂的百姓要在祂裏面尋得安全、安息與豐足。
영문 원문
Offend not - i. e., "are not guilty." Israel having left the fold, has no owner, and may therefore be maltreated with impunity.
Habitation of justice - In Jeremiah 31:23 applied to Jerusalem: here, Yahweh alone is the true pasturage, in whom His people will find safety, rest, and plenty.
8
Jeremiah 50:8
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猶太人在耶利米的勸導下在巴比倫安居得十分穩固，以致他們是最後離開那地的人。
「公山羊」——見 Isaiah 14:9 註釋。
영문 원문
So firmly did the Jews settle themselves in Babylon under Jeremiah's counsels, that they were the last to abandon the place.
He goats - See Isaiah 14:9 note.
9
Jeremiah 50:9
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「我要激動」——或作「激起」。
「一大國的聯合」——瑪代波斯帝國與巴比倫帝國一樣，同是彼此不合的眾民族的集合體。
「從那裏」——即從北方而來，指大國從那裏前來。
「不至空空而回」——這是表示不成功的諺語式說法（參 Isaiah 55:11）。此處意為精練的勇士必不空手而回。
영문 원문
I will raise - Or, stir up.
An assembly of great nations - The Medo-Persian empire was as much an aggregate of discordant nations as that of Babylon.
From thence - From the north, i. e., by the great nations coming thence.
Return in vain - A proverbial expression for ill success (compare Isaiah 55:11). Here the skillful warrior returns not empty.
10
Jeremiah 50:10
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或作：「迦勒底必成為掠物……因為你們搶奪我的產業，你們歡樂，你們狂喜。」
「你們……肥胖」——更佳的譯法是：「因你跳躍嬉戲」，如牲畜玩耍時的蹦跳。
「如吃草的母牛犢」——或作「如踹穀的母牛犢」。踹穀的牛准許任意吃飽（Deuteronomy 25:4），因此變得歡躍嬉戲。
「如公牛一樣吼叫」——照旁註的譯法較佳。
영문 원문
Or, "Chaldaea shall become a spoil ... for thou wast glad, thou exultedst, ye plunderers of mine heritage."
Because ye are grown fat - Rather, for thou leapedst, skippedst as an animal does when playing.
As the heifer at grass - Or, as a heifer threshing. When threshing cattle were allowed to eat their fill Deuteronomy 25:4, and so grew playful.
Bellow as bulls - Better as in the margin.
12
Jeremiah 50:12
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「你們的母親」——即巴比倫。「必抱愧……蒙羞」——或作「羞愧……臉紅」。
「看哪……」——可譯作：「看哪，她成為列國中最末後的，成了曠野、旱地、荒場」——這正是巴比倫當臉紅的原因。她一度是金頭（Daniel 2:32），如今卻成了地上權勢中最低微的。
영문 원문
Your mother - i. e., Babylon. Confounded ... ashamed. Or, ashamed ... blush.
Behold ... - Translate, "Behold she is the hindermost of the nations, a desert, a thirsty land, and a waste:" - the reason why Babylon is to blush. Once the head of gold Daniel 2:32, she is now the lowest of earthly powers.
14
Jeremiah 50:14
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冒號當放在「拉弓」之後。
영문 원문
place the colon after bow.
15
Jeremiah 50:15
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「吶喊」——即指戰爭的吶喊。如 Isaiah 42:13 以神比作勇士，說祂必「吶喊」（欽定本作 cry），即揚起戰爭的呼號。
「他投降了」——即降服的表記（比較 1 Chronicles 29:24 旁註）。
「根基」——或作「壁壘」。七十士譯本作「城垛」。
영문 원문
Shout - i. e., spoken of the war-cry. So in Isaiah 42:13, where God is compared to a warrior, it is said He shall shout (the King James Version cry), i. e., raise the war-cry.
Site hath given her hand - The sign of submission (compare 1 Chronicles 29:24 margin).
Foundations - Or, buttresses. The Septuagint: "battlements."
16
Jeremiah 50:16
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居民必被滅絕淨盡，以致巴比倫肥沃的田地無人耕種。
「他們要回到」——若記得尼布甲尼撒的政策是強迫從被征服民族中選出的人遷居巴比倫定居，這話的全部力量就顯明瞭。
영문 원문
The population is to be destroyed so utterly that the rich fields of Babylonia are to remain untilled.
They shall turn - The full force of the words will be seen if it be remembered that it had been the policy of Nebuchadnezzar to compel citizens selected from the vanquished nations to settle in Babylonia.
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Jeremiah 50:17
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「以色列是分散的羊」——即如一群受驚、被驅散四方的羊，因為獅子追趕他。
「首先……王」——宜作「頭一個獅子『吞喫了他，就是亞述王；這末後的一個啃了他的骨頭，就是尼布甲尼撒』」等。亞述人不斷蹂躪那地，使以色列人數大減，以致尼布甲尼撒只剩下骨頭可啃。
영문 원문
Israel is a scattered sheep - i. e., is like a flock which has been scared and driven in all directions, for lions have chased him.
First the king ... - Rather, the first lion "ate him, even the king of Assyria; and this one, the last, heath picked his bones, even Nebuchadrezzar etc." The constant wasting of the land by the Assyrians had so lessened the number of Israel, that Nebuchadnezzar had but the bones to pick.
19
Jeremiah 50:19
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或作「我必使以色列（那受驚的羊）歸回他的草場（見 Jeremiah 50:7），他必在那裏吃草」等。這裏所點名的地方，是巴勒斯坦以牧草豐美最負盛名的地區。
영문 원문
Or, "I will bring Israel (the scared sheep) back to his pasturage (see Jeremiah 50:7) and he shall graze etc." The places named are the districts of Palestine most famous for their rich herbage.
20
Jeremiah 50:20
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「那些日子」——指彌賽亞的日子。
「留下」——或作「容其存留」：先知語言中意蘊豐富的「餘民」一詞即由此而來。見 Isaiah 8:18 註釋 (2)。
영문 원문
Those days - The days of the Messiah.
Reserve - Or, permit to remain: hence, the remnant, a word pregnant with meaning in the language of the prophets. See Isaiah 8:18 note (2).
21
Jeremiah 50:21
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「米拉太音之地」——意即「雙重背叛」。像米斯剌音（Mitsraim）——即「雙埃及」——和亞蘭拿哈林（Aram-Naharaim）——即「兩河之亞蘭」或美索不達米亞——一樣，是雙數形式。它也許是一個真實的地名；或因雙數詞尾具強調作用，也可意為「極大悖逆之地」。
「比割」——可能是巴比倫的一座城。
「殺戮淨盡」——宜作「殺死」（Jeremiah 50:27）。
영문 원문
The land of Merathaim - of double rebellion. Like Mitsraim, i. e., the two Egypts, Aram-Naharaim, i. e., Syria of the two rivers, or Mesopotamia, it is a dual. It may have been a real name; or - the dual ending being intensive - it may mean the land of very great rebelliousness.
Pekod - Possibly a Babylonian town.
Waste - Rather, slay, Jeremiah 50:27.
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Jeremiah 50:23
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「鎚」——巴比倫，這耶和華藉以擊碎列國的工具，如今自己被砍斷：鐵或銅的鎚頭從木柄上被砍落、摔碎。
영문 원문
The hammer - Babylon, by whose instrumentality Yahweh had crushed the nations, is now cut asunder, i. e., the head of iron or bronze is cut away from the wooden handle, and broken.
24
Jeremiah 50:24
繁體中文
「我為你設下網羅」——據希羅多德記載，牢不可破的巴比倫是被古列用計攻取的：他把幼發拉底河水引開，沿着河牀進入城內；但見 Daniel 5:1 的註釋。
「你也被找着了」——更宜按字面作「你卻不知道」。
영문 원문
I have laid a snare for thee - Babylon, the impregnable, was taken (according to Herodotus) by Cyrus by stratagem. Having diverted the waters of the Euphrates, he entered the city by the river channel: but see Daniel 5:1 note.
And thou wast not aware - Better literally, and thou didst not know it.
25
Jeremiah 50:25
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先知用一個宏偉的比喻，描繪耶和華親自武裝自己，要親身向那邪惡之城執行公義。
「因為這是……的作為」——宜作「因為我主萬軍之耶和華在迦勒底人之地有當行的作為」。
영문 원문
By a grand figure the prophet describes Yahweh arming Himself that in person He may execute justice upon the wicked city.
For this is the work - Rather, for my Lord Yahweh of hosts hath a work to do in the land of the Chaldaeans.
26
Jeremiah 50:26
繁體中文
「攻擊她」——或作「到她那裏去」，為要劫掠她。她的倉庫（按字面是穀倉）要被撞開，穀物堆積成堆，最後要把她獻給毀滅，即用火焚燒她的財富。
「從遠方」——或作「從你們中的首先到末後」。
「不留一事」——按字面是「使她沒有餘剩的」。對比 Jeremiah 5:10。
영문 원문
Against her - Or, to her, in order to plunder her. Her storehouses (literally granaries) are to burst open, the grain piled up in heaps, and finally they are to devote her to destruction, i. e., to burn her wealth with fire.
From the utmost border - (Or, "from the first of you even to the last").
Let nothing of her be left - literally, let her have no remnant. Contrast Jeremiah 5:10.
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Jeremiah 50:27
繁體中文
「她的公牛」——指她強壯的少年人。
영문 원문
Her bullocks - Her strong youths.
28
Jeremiah 50:28
繁體中文
「逃脫之人的聲音……」——即聽見逃亡者逃出巴比倫的聲音。猶太人在巴比倫的傾覆中，看見耶和華為祂的殿施行報復。
영문 원문
The voice of them ... - i. e., There is a sound of fugitives escaping from Babylonia. The Jews saw in the fall of Babylon Yahweh's vengeance for His temple.
29
Jeremiah 50:29
繁體中文
或作「召集弓箭手到巴比倫，就是一切彎弓的人；在她四圍安營……」。在預言的這一部分，巴比倫的陷落被視為她焚燒聖殿所當受的刑罰（Jeremiah 50:28）。
영문 원문
Or, "Summon the archers to Babylon, even all who bend the bow: encamp against her etc." In this portion of the prophecy the capture of Babylon is regarded as the punishment due to her for burning the temple Jeremiah 50:28.
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Jeremiah 50:31
繁體中文
巴比倫在此被稱為「驕傲」，正如她在 Jeremiah 50:21 被稱為「雙重背叛」一樣。
영문 원문
Babylon is here called Pride, just as in Jeremiah 50:21 she was called Double-rebellion.
32
Jeremiah 50:32
繁體中文
「他……他的……他」——或作陰性的「她」。
영문 원문
Him ... his ... him - Or, her.
33
Jeremiah 50:33
繁體中文
「受欺壓」——即「一同被壓制；一切擄掠他們的都緊緊抓住他們，拒絕釋放他們」。以色列和猶大歸回本地是必須的；巴比倫既不放他們走，它就必被打破，它的帝國必被傾覆。
영문 원문
Were oppressed - are "oppressed together: and all their captors have laid firm hold upon them: they have refused to let them go." The restoration of Israel and Judah to their land is necessary. As Babylon will not let them go, it must be broken, and its empire destroyed.
34
Jeremiah 50:34
繁體中文
「救贖主」——即 גאל gā'al。耶和華是以色列至近的親屬，按律法有責任為他復仇，也有責任把他從被擄中贖回。至近的親屬（Go'el）也有責任為親人辯護訴訟。耶和華要為以色列何等徹底地履行這職責，希伯來文以同一詞的三疊式顯明：按字面是「以辯護祂必辯護他們的訟案」。
「那地……」——宜作「全地」。巴比倫迄今以其野心使世界動盪不安；如今因它的傾覆，各地的人都能安然居住。
영문 원문
Redeemer - i. e., גאל gā'al. Yahweh is Israel's next relative, bound by law to avenge him, as well as to ransom him from captivity. It was the Go'el's duty also to plead his kinsman's cause. How thoroughly Yahweh will execute this duty for Israel is shown in the Hebrew by the triple repetition of the same word; literally "in pleading He will plead their plea."
The land ... - Rather, "the earth." Babylon has hitherto by its ambition kept the world in unrest: now by its fall men everywhere can dwell in security.
35
Jeremiah 50:35
繁體中文
略去「必」。這是耶和華——以色列的至近親屬——向刀劍發出的召集令：要臨到構成巴比倫偉大的一切要素。「首領」是她本國的統治者，戰時的將領；「智慧人」是她引以自豪的學者（Daniel 1:4 註釋）。
영문 원문
Omit "is." A summons comes from Yahweh, Israel's Goel, to the sword to fall upon all the elements of Babylon's greatness. The princes were her rulers at home and her generals in war. The wise men were those upon whose learning she so prided herself (Daniel 1:4 note).
36
Jeremiah 50:36
繁體中文
「說謊的」——指占卜的、算命的。
영문 원문
Liars - Soothsayers, fortune-tellers.
37
Jeremiah 50:37
繁體中文
「雜族的人民」——指在她軍中作僱傭兵的外國人。
영문 원문
The mingled people - i. e., the foreigners serving as mercenaries in her army.
38
Jeremiah 50:38
繁體中文
「乾旱」——更宜讀作「刀劍」，指軍事的技巧與先見。
「因他們偶像的緣故」——略去「他們的」。「偶像」一詞，按字面是「可怖之物」（Psalm 88:16），僅在此一處用於敬拜的對象，大概指他們為表現其神明而構想的怪異形像。
영문 원문
A drought - Rather, "a sword," i. e., military skill and forethought.
They are mad upon their idols - Omit their. The word for idols, literally terrors Psalm 88:16 is used in this one place only of objects of worship. Probably it refers to those montrous forms invented as representations of their deities.
39
Jeremiah 50:39
繁體中文
「海島的野獸」——指豺狼。
「鴟鴞」——指鴕鳥（見旁註參照的註釋）。
영문 원문
Wild beasts of the islands - Jackals.
Owls - Ostriches (marginal reference note).
41
Jeremiah 50:41
繁體中文
這是把臨到耶路撒冷的判詞（Jeremiah 6:22-24）應用於巴比倫。
耶利米書 50:41
「地的四境」——見 Jeremiah 6:22 的註釋。
영문 원문
An application to Babylon of the doom against Jerusalem Jeremiah 6:22-24.
Jeremiah 50:41
The coasts of the earth - See the Jeremiah 6:22 note.
44
Jeremiah 50:44
繁體中文
這是對論以東之話的類似應用，在此應用於巴比倫（見旁註參照）。
영문 원문
A similar application to Babylon of what was said of Edom (marginal reference).
許多評論家竭力要證明這段預言（Jeremiah 50-51）並非耶利米所寫；另一些人承認耶利米確是作者，卻主張這預言曾被大加竄改。支持其真實性的論據略述如下：
（a）卷首的標題（Jeremiah 50:1），以及附於末後的歷史記述（Jeremiah 51:59-64）；
（b）一般都承認其文風屬於耶利米；
（c）作者正住在耶路撒冷這一事實（Jeremiah 50:5，該處當讀作「向這裏」，而非「向那裏」）；
（d）書中描述未來征服巴比倫的是瑪代人而非波斯人（Jeremiah 51:11, Jeremiah 51:28）。
書中對地理和巴比倫風俗的認識，並未超過耶利米可能從迦勒底人那裏聽來的——他們在約雅敬第四年，以及第十一年，曾身在耶路撒冷；而且巴比倫與耶路撒冷之間，藉書信等方式常有往來。
這段預言可視為耶利米妥善履行職分所不可或缺的。他曾預言耶路撒冷之被攻取與毀滅，不是出於對巴比倫的偏愛，而是作為神公義的必要作為、猶大罪惡的唯一救治。他承認迦勒底人是耶和華的僕役；但他也看見他們肆意施行殘暴，把榮耀歸給自己和他們的神明，於是他宣告：巴比倫必因其殘忍、驕傲和偶像崇拜而受罰。
日期由 Jeremiah 51:59 確定；內證也與此相符。
這預言雖然在編排上有所欠缺，卻滿載宏大的意念；其中段落與以賽亞書的相似之處，正說明耶利米顯然對早期聖經具有廣博的認識，也說明他如何在自己的著作中——或自覺或不自覺地——不斷效法它們。