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英文原文
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)
巴比伦的审判（主前595年）
¹ 耶和华借先知耶利米论巴比伦和迦勒底人之地所说的话。
² 「你们要在列国中传扬，要宣告，要竖立大旗；要宣告，不可隐瞒，说：『巴比伦被攻取，彼勒蒙羞，米罗达被打碎；她的偶像蒙羞，她的神像被打碎。』
³ 因为有一国从北方上来攻击她，使她的地荒凉，无人居住；无论人畜，都必挪移离去。」
⁴ 耶和华说：「当那日子，那时候，以色列人要来，他们和犹大人一同哭泣而行；他们要前行，寻求耶和华他们的 神。
⁵ 他们必问通往锡安的路，他们的脸朝向锡安，说：『来吧，我们与耶和华联合，以永不忘记的永约为约。』」
⁶ 「我的百姓作了失丧的羊；他们的牧人使他们走迷了路，使他们转到山上；他们从大山走到小山，竟忘了他们安歇之处。
⁷ 凡遇见他们的，就把他们吞吃；他们的仇敌说：『我们没有罪，因为他们得罪了耶和华，就是那公义之居所，就是他们列祖所盼望的耶和华。』」
⁸ 「你们要从巴比伦中间出来，从迦勒底人之地出去，要像羊群前面的公山羊。」
一、这里有一段奉他之名对巴比伦所说的话，他一切的工作都与他所说的话相符，他的话也不落空。巴比伦王虽善待耶利米，他却仍要预言那国的灭亡；因为 神的先知不可因人情或偏爱而左右。无论何人是我们的朋友，若他们仍是 神的仇敌，我们就不敢向他们说平安。1. 巴比伦的毁灭在此被当作一件已成之事论及（耶50:2）。当作为消息传给列国，是真的消息，是大的消息，也是众人都关切的消息；当如凯旋之日通常所行的，挂出旗帜，以作宣告；当让全世界都注意：「巴比伦被攻取了。」当让 神因此得荣耀，当让他的百姓因此得安慰，所以不可隐瞒。当留意使这事为人所知，使「耶和华借所施的审判为人所知」（诗9:16）。2. 这被当作彻底成就的事论及。因为，（1）巴比伦的偶像——百姓必尽力保护、又指望从之得保护的——必被毁灭。彼勒和米罗达是他们两大主要神明；他们必「蒙羞」，他们的神像「被打碎」。（2）那地必荒凉（耶50:3）「从北方」，即从巴比伦以北的玛代，以及居鲁士借以进攻巴比伦所经过的亚述而来；那使「她的地荒凉」的国必从那里来。他们的地位于他们所毁诸国之北，所以这些国受北方的恶威胁（「Omne malum ab aquilone——一切恶事都来自北方」）；但 神要找得比他们更北的列国来攻击他们。古罗马的奢华与权势正是被北方列国——哥特人和汪达尔人——所倾覆。
二、这里有一段为 神之民而说、为安慰他们而说的话，是「以色列人」和「犹大人」并提；因为十支派中也有许多人在从巴比伦归回时，与两支派的人结伴同行。此处，
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应许他们必先归向他们的 神，然后才归回本地；他们归正和改革的应许，是引出一切其他应许的（耶50:4-5）。（1）他们要「哀求耶和华」（如撒母耳时以色列全家所行，撒上7:2）；他们要「哭泣而行」。这些眼泪不是出自属世的忧愁——如他们被掳去之时那样——而是出自属 神的忧愁；这是为罪悔改的眼泪，是为 神恩慈而喜乐的眼泪，是他们拯救之日的曙光；这曙光似乎比被掳的一切苦难更能感动他们为罪哀伤；那一切未曾驱使他们悔改，这个却领他们悔改了。注意，当一个百姓开始在他手下柔和受感时，这是好兆头，表明 神正向他们行怜悯之道。（2）他们要「寻求耶和华」；他们不沉沦于自己的忧愁中，而奋发寻找可得安慰之处：「他们要哭泣而行，寻求耶和华他们的 神。」寻求耶和华的人必「忧伤地寻求」，正如基督的父母寻找他那样（路2:48-49）。忧伤的人也当寻求耶和华，那时他们的忧愁便快变为喜乐，因为他必被如此寻求的人寻见。他们要「以耶和华为他们的 神来寻求」，如今不再与偶像相干。他们听见巴比伦的偶像「蒙羞被打碎」，正是他们寻求自己的 神、归回那永远活着的他的合宜时机。所以人在假神上受了迷惑，为要使他们惟独仰赖真 神。（3）他们要想到再归回本国；他们不但以此为怜悯，更以此为本分，因为惟独那里有「锡安的圣山」，其上曾立「耶和华他们 神的殿」（耶50:5）：「他们必问通往锡安的路，脸朝向锡安。」锡安是他们庄严集会之城；他们在被掳深处常记念它（诗137:1）；如今巴比伦的倾覆给他们释放的盼望，他们所谈的无他，惟独归回锡安。他们的心先前已在那里，如今他们「脸朝向锡安」。他们渴慕在那里；他们启程往锡安去，决不中途止步。路途遥远，他们又不识路，但他们要「问路」，因为他们要奋力前行直到锡安；他们既决不回头，也当谨慎不迷路。这描绘了可怜的灵魂归向 神。天上是他们所瞄准、作为目标的锡安；在此他们已立了心；朝向这锡安他们已「定了脸」，所以他们「问路」。他们既不问通天之路、却把脸朝向世界；也不把脸朝向天、却冒险而行不问道路。在一切真归正者身上，既有达到终点的真诚愿望，也有常守道路的恒切谨慎；看见人如此「脸朝锡安、问通天之路」，是有福的景象。（4）他们要重新立约，今后更紧密地与 神同行：「来吧，我们与耶和华联合，以永约为约。」他们曾与 神立约，又背了约，实际上已与他分离，如今他们决意再次「与他联合」，重新委身为他的人。背道者归回之时，也当如此行，「行起初所行的」（启2:5），当重新他们起初所立的约；这必须是「永约」，永不废弃；为此，也永不忘记；因为合宜的记念是合宜遵守的途径。
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他们目前的光景被哀叹为十分悲惨，且长久如此：「我的百姓」（因他们既归向他，他便承认他们为他的）「作了失丧的羊」（耶50:6）；他们「从大山走到小山」，被赶来赶去，无处可得草吃；「他们竟忘了他们安歇之处」——本国——又找不着归路。」而他们痛苦的加重在于，（1）他们「被自己的牧人——他们自己的君王和祭司——引入歧途」；他们使他们偏离本分，因而惹动 神把他们赶出本地。当一个百姓的领袖使他们犯错——那些本当引导他们的人、那些本当维护并促进他们利益的人竟出卖他们——他们的境况就糟了。（2）他们在流离中暴露于猛兽之下，那些猛兽以为有权分得他们，如同无主的失物（耶50:7）；他们的光景如同迷失的羊，「凡遇见他们的，就把他们吞吃」，把他们当掠物；当他们受害最深之时，还讥笑他们，说他们自己的先知屡次告诉他们这是他们罪有应得；这远不能使那些害他们的人称义，他们却以此话戏弄他们：「我们没有罪，因为他们得罪了耶和华」；但他们不能装作得罪了他们。请看他们对所得罪之耶和华有何认识——不认为他是独一永活的真神，而只认为他是「公义之居所」、他们列祖所盼望的；他们藐视圣殿和列祖的遗传，所以配受这些苦。然而这确实是他们罪的加重，并使 神称义——虽然不能使他们的仇敌在所行的事上称义——因为他们「离弃了公义之居所」，离弃了「他们列祖所盼望的他」。
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他们被召唤一旦自由之门开启便尽速离去（耶50:8）：「离开吧」，不但出边界，且「从巴比伦中间出来」；你在那里无论多么安居，都不可想在那里定居，而当尽速往锡安去，「像羊群前面的公山羊」；争竞谁在最前，谁在这善工上为首：公山羊「行走威武」（箴30:31），因它走在最前。在一项善工上奋勇向前、为别人立下好榜样，是可嘉的事。
英文原文
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.
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The Judgment of Babylon (595 BC)
巴比伦的审判（公元前595年）
⁹ 因为我必激动联合的大国，从北方上来攻击巴比伦；他们要摆阵攻击她；她必从那里被攻取；他们的箭好像勇士的箭，无一徒然返回。 ¹⁰ 迦勒底必成为掠物；凡抢夺她的都必心满意足，这是耶和华说的。 ¹¹ 抢夺我产业的啊，你们因欢喜快乐，又像在草场上肥壮的母牛犊，又像咆哮的公牛—— ¹² 你们的母亲必大大抱愧；生你们的必蒙羞；看哪，列国中之末后的，必成为旷野、旱地、沙漠。 ¹³ 因耶和华的怒气，她必无人居住，必全然荒凉；凡经过巴比伦的，都必惊奇，又嗤笑她一切的灾祸。 ¹⁴ 你们要列阵攻击四围的巴比伦；一切拉弓的，要射箭攻击她，不要爱惜箭枝；因为她得罪了耶和华。 ¹⁵ 你们要在她四围呐喊；她已经投降；她的根基倾覆，她的城墙被拆毁；因为这是耶和华的报应；你们要向她报应；她怎样待人，也要怎样待她。 ¹⁶ 要将撒种的从巴比伦剪除，就是那在收割时挥镰刀的；因欺压的刀剑，他们各人要归回本族，各人要逃到本地。 ¹⁷ 以色列是打散的羊，被狮子赶逐；先是亚述王将他吞灭，末后是巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒折断他的骨头。 ¹⁸ 所以万军之耶和华——以色列的神如此说：看哪，我必刑罚巴比伦王和他的地，像我刑罚亚述王一样。 ¹⁹ 我必再领以色列回到他的居所；他必在迦密和巴珊牧放，他的灵魂必在以法莲山地和基列得饱足。 ²⁰ 耶和华说：当那些日子、那时候，以色列的罪孽必被寻见，却寻不见；犹大的罪也必寻不见；因为我所留下的人，我必赦免。
神在此借他的先知，正如日后借他的护理，继续他与巴比伦的争辩。请观察，
I. 给那用以毁灭巴比伦的器皿所下的委任与命令。那要成就这事的大军被称为『联合的大国』（耶50:9）——就是玛代人和波斯人，以及他们一切盟邦和辅助军队；之所以称为『联合的』，是因为它是按神的旨意和谋略正式组成，以行这刑罚。神必『激动他们』，使他们有意于此、合乎此用，然后必『使他们上来』；因为他们一切的行动都在他的统帅和引导之下：他要下达命令，吩咐他们『列阵攻击巴比伦』（耶50:14），然后他们才『摆阵』（耶50:9）；因为神所定要行的事必行成；『她必从那里被攻取』——速速被取；他们一安营围攻，便不断攻克，直到攻取。神吩咐他们『射箭攻击她，不要爱惜箭枝』（耶50:14），然后『他们的箭好像勇士的箭』——既有巧技又有力量，眼目准、手段稳（耶50:9）；『无一徒然返回』。神赐下使命之时，必赐下成功。不，他们不仅被吩咐去『射箭』（耶50:14），更被吩咐去『呐喊』（耶50:15）——以得胜的呐喊呐喊她，如同已经稳操胜券的人。神所指引去射箭的人可以边射边呐喊，因为他们必不虚发。
II. 那要临到巴比伦的荒凉与毁灭本身。这事在此以多种说法加以描述。1. 巴比伦的财富必成为征服者丰富而轻易的掠物（耶50:10）：『迦勒底必成为掠物』，给一切毁灭她的人；他们要因劫掠她而自富；奇哉——『凡抢夺她的都必心满意足』；他们所得如此之多，以致他们自己也说够了。2. 巴比伦的国土必人口灭绝，无人居住：『必全然荒凉』（耶50:13），到了一个地步，『凡经过的人』都要为她的倾覆庆幸，非但不寄予同情，反倒『嗤笑她一切的灾祸』（耶50:13）。3. 他们的祖宗必因他们的怯懦——在初次进攻时便溃逃——而羞愧（耶50:12）；或者『你们的母亲』，就是巴比伦自身——这母城——『必大大抱愧』，当她看见自己被那些本该护卫她的人所抛弃。照样，看到后代如何不像前代、如何败坏退化，前代的基督徒理当抱愧羞耻；没有任何罪比背道更必然、更严重地把个人或百姓带入毁灭。4. 那些素来仰慕巴比伦的人必看见她变得极其可鄙：她必成为列国之末后的——列国的尾巴——『成为旷野、旱地、沙漠』（耶50:11）。原本人口稠密的国土必人口灭绝；原本因肥沃土壤而富裕的必变得贫瘠。5. 那大城，国之首都，必全然倾覆：『她的根基倾覆』，所以『城墙被拆毁』；当神圣的报应已在门口、震撼根基之时，城墙怎能站立得住呢？这是耶和华的报应，无论在法律上或在战场上，无可与之相争。6. 巴比伦甚至连以色列所剩下的『那地贫穷的人』——作葡萄园丁和农夫的人——也不得存留（耶50:16）：『撒种的必从巴比伦被剪除，挥镰刀的也是』；那地要因人口被清空，以致无人耕地、也无人收成果子。收割之时到了，却无收割的人；撒种之时到了，却无撒种的人；神要尽他的本分，却无人尽他们的本分。7. 他们所雇来服事自己的一切辅助军队必丢弃他们，正如佣兵在危险临近时所常行的（耶50:16）：『因欺压的刀剑，他们各人要归回本族』。这话从前曾论到埃及（耶46:16）。
III. 这毁灭的招惹之因。它来自神的不悦；巴比伦『必全然荒凉』，是『因耶和华的怒气』（耶50:13）；他的怒气是公义的，因为（耶50:14）她『得罪了耶和华』，所以『不要爱惜箭枝』。注意，是罪使人成为神审判之箭的靶子。巴比伦原充满大量的偶像崇拜和不道德，但这些并未作为神对他们不悦的理由被提及，被提及的乃是他们因敌视神的百姓、视之为他的百姓而对百姓所行的伤害。他们曾是『神产业的抢夺者』（耶50:11）；在这事上，神诚然曾使用他们管教自己的百姓，是必要的管教；然而这事却作为可憎的罪归在他们头上，因为他们所图谋的无非是百姓的全然毁灭。1. 他们对耶路撒冷所行的事，他们行得乐意（耶50:11）：『你们因欢喜快乐』。神并不甘心使自己的百姓受苦，所以他若使用器皿，而器皿却甘心使他们受苦，他便极不喜悦。当提多·韦斯巴芗毁灭耶路撒冷之时，曾为她哀哭；但这些迦勒底人却为此夸胜。2. 他们把耶路撒冷的掠物用于喂养自己的奢华：『你们像在草场上肥壮的母牛犊，又像咆哮的公牛』；你们征服耶路撒冷，使你们变得放肆骄傲，安逸自在，又使四围的人都惧怕你们，所以你们必『成为掠物』。如此吞下财富的人，必再把财富吐出来。所以『她已经投降』（耶50:15）；他们已向征服者降服，已温顺地屈服，所以如今你们可以『向她报应』，如今你们可以报复，可以『她怎样待人，也要怎样待她』。3. 他们所图谋的无非是神以色列民的全然灭亡：『以色列是打散的羊』——如前文所言（耶50:6），不仅被狗吠咬搅扰，更有狮子——最有力的敌兽——向他咆哮，将他『赶逐』（耶50:17）。一位亚述王把十支派全部掳去吞灭；又一位亚述王侵犯犹大，劫掠它、使它贫穷——撕啃这可怜之羊的毛与肉；如今末后这位尼布甲尼撒——四围邻邦的恐怖与灾祸——趁着他所陷于的低落境地，便向他猛扑，折断他的骨头，把他全然倾覆；所以巴比伦王必受刑罚，正如亚述王所受的一样（耶50:18）。注意，那些追随并执行其前辈之罪的人，必被追随并执行其前辈之灾；他们若怎样行，也必怎样受。
IV. 应许给神以色列民的怜悯——这怜悯不仅伴随巴比伦的毁灭，更是由巴比伦的毁灭所带来。1. 神必使他们的被掳归回；他们必从奴役中得释放，被『再领回自己的居所』，如同分散的羊归回自己的圈（耶50:19）。他们仍保留着迦南地的名分；那地仍是他们的居所。他们占有之暂停并非权利之消灭。如今他们必重新得着享受那地。2. 他必恢复他们的昌盛；他们不仅要在自己的地上存活，更要舒适地存活；他们必『在迦密和巴珊牧放』——那地最肥沃、最富果实的部分。这些羊必从他们所分散到的荒野被招聚，再被置于好草场，他们的灵魂必因之得饱足——虽然他们饥肠辘辘地来到，因长久受困缺乏，却必寻得足以饱足他们的丰富，也必有得以饱足的心。他们『求问往锡安的路』（耶50:5），那里是事奉敬拜神的地方。这是他们归回时所主要追求的；但神不仅领他们到那里，还要领他们到迦密和巴珊，使他们丰盛地饱食。注意，那些归向神、归向本分的人，必在其中寻得灵魂真正的满足；那些『先求神的国和他的义』、以圣山锡安为居所的人，必『另外加给他们』——就是以法莲和基列那多结果子之山的一切安慰。3. 神必赦免他们的罪孽；这是其余一切福分的根本（耶50:20）：『当那些日子，以色列的罪孽必被寻见，却寻不见。』不仅他们罪孽的刑罚要被挪去，罪对神的冒犯也要被忘记，他必与他们和好。他们的罪在他面前如同从未有过；必被涂抹如云，必被勾销如债，必被丢在背后；不，必被扔入深海，不再封存在神的府库中，不再有重现或起来攻击他们的危险。这表明神赦罪之全；他『不再记念』。注意，唯有当脱离患难是赦罪之果时，它才是真正的安慰（赛38:17）。犹大和以色列从巴比伦归回之时既已全然蒙赦，便被称为『从耶和华手中加倍受罚』，为『他们的一切罪』（赛40:1）。这也可能包括他们内心和生活的彻底更新，以及他们罪恶的全然免除。若有人在他们归回之后在他们中间寻找偶像或任何拜偶像的风俗，『却寻不见』，『寻不见他们』；他们的渣滓必被全然炼净；借此便可显明他们的罪债也已如此全然清除；『因为我所留下的人，我必赦免』——『我必向他们施恩』（原文如此），而那必须借着那位伟大的挽回祭才能成就。注意，神所赦免其罪的人，神必为他们存留极大的事；因为他所称为义的人，他必『使他们得荣耀』。
英文原文
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)
巴比伦的审判（主前595年）
²¹ 『上去攻击米拉大允地，又攻击比割的居民；在他们之后杀灭净尽，这是耶和华说的；要照我所吩咐你的一切去行。 ²² 地上有打仗和大大毁灭的声音。』 ²³ 全地的锤子何竟砍断、破毁！巴比伦何竟在列国中变为荒凉！ **²⁴』 我为你设下网罗，你也被人捉住了，巴比伦啊，你却不自觉；你被找着，也被捉住，因为你与耶和华争竞。 ²⁵ 耶和华开了他的军库，拿出他忿怒的兵器；因为这是主万军之耶和华在迦勒底人之地所作的事。 **²⁶』 你们要从极远的边界来攻击她，开她的仓廪；将她堆成堆，尽行毁灭；不要向她留什么。 **²⁷』 要杀她一切的公牛；使他们下到宰杀之地。他们有祸了！因为他们的日子到了，就是察访他们的时候。 **²⁸』 听见从巴比伦地逃避之人的声音，在锡安传扬耶和华我们神的报仇，就是为他殿报仇。』 **²⁹』 招聚弓箭手来攻击巴比伦；一切拉弓的啊，要在她四围安营；不要容一人逃脱；要照她所作的报应她；她怎样待人，也要怎样待她；因为她向耶和华以色列的圣者妄自尊大。』 **³⁰』 所以她的少年人必倒在街上；当那日，她一切战士都被剪除，这是耶和华说的。』 ³¹ 主万军之耶和华说：『你这狂傲的啊，看哪，我与你反对；因为你的日子已到，就是我刑罚你的时候。 **³²」 狂傲的必绊跌仆倒，无人扶他起来；我必在他的城里点火，火要烧尽他四围所有的一切。』
此处，1. 军队被召集、被差遣去毁灭巴比伦，一切预备妥当，要突袭这强国：『上去攻击』那『米拉大允地』，就是玛代人的地，部分在亚述、部分在亚美尼亚；又去攻击『比割的居民』，这是另一国（结23:23 提到），居鲁士向巴比伦进军时夺下了它。居鲁士的军队被呼召上去攻击巴比伦（耶50:21），『从极远的边界来攻击她』。让一切都来吧，因为众人既有工作可做，也有报酬可得（耶50:26）。距离不可拦阻他们投入此工。『弓箭手』特别要被『招聚来攻击巴比伦』（耶50:29）。如此『耶和华开了他的军库』（耶50:25），就是『他的府库』（这字如此意），『拿出他忿怒的兵器』，如同大君王在出征时从军械库和库房取出军中一切必需品。玛代和波斯如今是神的军库；他从那里取出他忿怒的兵器——居鲁士和他的大将以及军队——用以毁灭巴比伦。请注意：伟人不过是伟大的神所用以成就自己目的的工具。他有各样的工具，可以调动，按情形预备好可开的军库。『这是主万军之耶和华所作的事。』请注意：当神有工作要做时，他必显明自己是『万军之耶和华』，不缺做工的工具。2. 给他们指示当行的事。总而言之，『要照我所吩咐你的一切去行』（耶50:21）。论居鲁士有话说（赛44:28）：『他必成就我所喜悦的』，在他攻击巴比伦的出征中如此。他们要『在他们之后杀灭净尽』；他们既毁坏一次，便要再扫一遍，或毁灭他们以后所要来的后代。他们要『开她的仓廪』（耶50:26），劫掠她的财宝，把她的武器转向她自身。他们要『将她堆成堆』；愿巴比伦的一切财富和浮华被铲成一堆废墟和瓦砾。『踏她如堆』（旁注如此读），『尽行毁灭』。请看伟大的神何等不看重那些人所大大看重、所引以为傲的事物。他们的君王和大人物，肥胖臃肿，要倒在刀下，不像战士死于战场——我们所称的荣誉之床——却如牲畜死于屠夫之手（耶50:27）：『杀她一切的公牛』，就是她的一切勇士；让他们如牛『下到宰杀之地』，麻木不觉。『他们有祸了！』他们的情形因对其少有所感而更可悲。『他们的日子到了』，要倒下，『就是』他们当被清算『的时候』，他们却不觉察。3. 向他们保证得胜。他们行神所吩咐的，便必成就他所威吓的。必有大大的毁灭（耶50:21）。『巴比伦』必『变为荒凉』（耶50:23）；『她的少年人和她一切战士』，在那本应作她护卫『的日子』，『必被剪除』（耶50:30）。神『与她反对』（耶50:31）；他为她『设下网罗』（耶50:24）；他定意这一计谋攻击她，使她如鸟陷入网罗般被擒。居鲁士必无疑得胜，因他是在神之下争战。神『要在巴比伦的城里点火』（耶50:32）；他发怒时谁能站得住，他所点的火谁能扑灭？4. 这些严厉待巴比伦之举的理由。被征召从事这战的人若愿意，可以知道其根据，满意其公义——一切被召作如此之工的人都当如此。（1）巴比伦对一切邻舍极其扰乱、苦害、伤害；它是『全地的锤子』（耶50:23），击打、击倒、击碎远近一切的国。它如此行已经够久；如今它当被『砍断、破毁』。请注意：那作万国之神者，迟早必为受侵害的列国主张其受侵害之权，反对那些不义强暴地侵犯他们的人。全地的神必打碎『全地的锤子』。（2）巴比伦向神自己也公然挑衅：『你与耶和华争竞』（耶50:24），『与他较量』（这字如此意），如法律或战场上的较量，公然反对他，为他设立对手，向他发动叛乱；所以『你如今被找着，也被捉住』，如陷网罗。请注意：那些与耶和华相争的，不久便要发现自己力不能敌。（3）巴比伦毁灭了圣城耶路撒冷和其中的圣殿，如今必为此受清算。这是在巴比伦受察访之日，在锡安所发布的宣言；这是『耶和华我们神的报仇，就是为他殿报仇』（耶50:28）。焚烧圣殿、掳去其器皿，是对巴比伦控状中比它作『全地的锤子』更被着重的款项；因为锡安是全地的『喜乐』和『荣耀』。请注意：凡向神的教会（他在世上的殿）所作的恶，必受清算；没有什么报仇比『为殿报仇』更重更严。（4）巴比伦极其骄傲狂妄，所以必有跌倒；因为神的荣耀在于『见骄傲的人就使他降卑』（伯40:11）。『我这你这狂傲的啊，我与你反对！』（耶50:31）。『你这骄傲』（这字如此），骄傲如骄傲本身。请注意：人心中的骄傲使神与人反对，并加速其灭亡；因为神『阻挡骄傲的人』，必将他降卑。『狂傲的必绊跌仆倒』；他们的跌倒，与其说是因别人推下，不如说是因自己绊跌；因为他们头抬得太高，从不看脚下选路、避开绊脚石，却冒险而行。巴比伦的骄傲必无可避免地成为它的毁灭；因为她『向耶和华以色列的圣者妄自尊大』（耶50:29），借凌辱他的百姓而凌辱他；她使他成为她的仇敌，所以她『仆倒』时，『无人扶她起来』（耶50:31）。神所要摔下的，谁能扶起呢？
英文原文
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)
巴比伦的审判（公元前595年）
³³ 万军之耶和华如此说："以色列人和犹大人同受欺压；凡掳掠他们的，都紧紧抓住他们，不肯释放他们。
³⁴ 他们的救赎主大有能力，万军之耶和华是他的名；他必为他们伸冤，使这地得安息，却使巴比伦的居民扰乱不安。"
³⁵ 耶和华说："刀剑临到迦勒底人，临到巴比伦的居民和她的首领与智慧人。
³⁶ 刀剑临到说谎的；他们必显为愚昧；刀剑临到她的勇士；他们必惊惶。
³⁷ 刀剑临到他们的马匹车辆，临到其中混杂的各族人；他们必如同妇女；刀剑临到她的财宝；那些财宝必被抢夺。
³⁸ 干旱临到她的众水，众水必干涸；因为这是雕刻偶像之地，他们因偶像疯狂。"
³⁹ "所以旷野的走兽和岛屿的野兽必住在那里，猫头鹰也必住在其中；那里必永远无人居住，世世代代无人居住。
⁴⁰ 耶和华说：就如神倾覆所多玛、蛾摩拉和其中的邻城一样；必无人住在那里，也无凡人住在其中。"
⁴¹ "看哪，必有一民从北方来，又有一大国和许多君王从地极被激动。
⁴² 他们拿弓和枪；他们残忍，不施怜悯；他们的声音如海浪澎湃；他们骑马，摆队如一人上阵攻击巴比伦的女子。"
⁴³ "巴比伦王听见他们的风声，手就发软；痛苦抓住他，如同难产的妇人。
⁴⁴ 看哪，他必如狮子从约旦河边的丛林上来，攻击坚固的居所；我却要使他们突然从她那里逃奔；我所派定治理她的是谁呢？谁能像我呢？谁能给我定期呢？有怎样的牧人能在我的面前站立得住呢？"
⁴⁵ "因此你们要听耶和华攻击巴比伦所定的谋，以及他所定意攻击迦勒底人之地的旨意：羊群中最小的也必将他们牵去；他必使他们的居所与他们一同荒凉。
⁴⁶ 巴比伦被攻取的响声一发出，地就震动，哀号的声音在列国中都可听见。"
我们在这些经文里有：
一、 以色列的受苦，以及他们从这些苦难中的拯救。神留意他的百姓在巴比伦的奴役，正如他从前留意他们在埃及的奴役；他"实在看见了"，并"听见了他们的哀声"。"以色列人和犹大人同受欺压"（耶50:33）。十支派被掳之人中剩下的人，在亚述与迦勒底两国合并之后，似乎来与二支派的人混杂，与他们同流眼泪，所以他们是"同受欺压"。他们为自由谦卑恳求，仅此而已；他们不能在这方面有所尝试，因为"凡掳掠他们的，都紧紧抓住他们"，力量远超过他们。但这是他们在患难中的安慰：他们虽软弱，"他们的救赎主大有能力"（耶50:34）——"为他们复仇者"（这字如此意思），就是那对他们有权利、要主张自己权利并保证这主张有效的那一位。他比紧抓他们的仇敌更强；他能压服一切反对他们的势力，并将力量赐给他自己的百姓，虽然他们十分软弱。"万军之耶和华是他的名"，他必名副其实，显明他确如百姓所称呼他的那样，并要作他们所倚靠他的那一位。请留意：这是神的百姓无法言喻的安慰——他们虽有万军反对他们，却有"万军之耶和华"为他们，"他必为他们大大地伸冤"——伸冤再伸冤，带着忌邪的心伸冤，有效地伸冤，伸冤并胜诉——"使这地得安息"，使他百姓的地得安息，脱离四围一切仇敌的安息。这话适用于一切抱怨罪与败坏辖制、又抱怨自己软弱和多方面软弱的信徒。让他们知道"他们的救赎主大有能力"；他能保守他们所交托他的，他必为他们伸冤。罪必不能辖制他们；他必"使他们自由"，他们就"真自由了"；他必赐他们"安息"，就是"那为神的子民所留的安息"。
二、 巴比伦的罪，以及他们因那罪所受的刑罚。
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此处指控他们的罪是偶像崇拜和逼迫。（一）他们欺压神的百姓；他们"紧紧抓住他们"，不肯"释放他们"。他们"不开囚房释放被掳的人"（赛14:17）。这是神对他们的争辩，正如从前对法老一样；这事叫他付了重价，他们却不肯受警戒。"巴比伦的居民必被扰乱不安"（耶50:34），因为他们扰乱了神的百姓——神为他们所嫉妒的尊荣和安慰——所以他必"将患难报应那扰乱他们的人"，也必赐安息给那受患难的人（帖后1:6-7）。（二）他们得罪神自己，抢劫了他，将唯独当归给他的荣耀归给别人；因为（耶50:38）"这是雕刻偶像之地"。全国各地遍布偶像，他们对其疯狂，恋慕它们、贪恋它们，不计代价和劳苦地敬拜它们，不倦怠地事奉它们；在这一切上，他们可悲地受了迷惑，行事如同失了心志的人；他们在偶像崇拜中被牵引，没有理智和辨别力，如同在狂怒之中的人。此处用于偶像的字，确切含义是"可怖之物"——是给那令人畏惧的巨人取的名字，因为他们使他们神祇的像看起来可怖，为要吓唬愚昧人和孩童。他们的偶像是稻草人，他们却贪恋它们。巴比伦是"淫妇之母"（启17:5），是偶像崇拜的源头。请留意：将任何受造之物当作神，是世上最疯狂的事；那些向主——真神——骄傲的人，公正地被交在强烈的迷惑之中，对那不能益人的偶像疯狂。但这疯狂就是邪恶，罪人必因此被确实而严厉地追讨。
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神因这些罪降于他们的审判，必使他们全然荒废、归于倾覆。
（一）一切本当作他们保障和支持的，都必被刀剑剪除。迦勒底人长久以来是神的刀剑，他借它在周围犯罪的列国中行刑；但如今他们既与那些列国一样坏，甚至更坏，"刀剑"就临到他们，甚至"临到巴比伦的居民"（耶50:35）——战争的刀剑；而在神手中，既由他差遣、受他指挥，这刀就是公义之刀。它必临到：〔1〕"他们的首领"；他们必倒在刀下，他们的尊贵、财富和权势都不能保护他们。〔2〕"他们的智慧人"——他们的哲士、政治家和枢密顾问；他们的学问和谋略既不能保护他们，也不能对公众有什么帮助。〔3〕他们的占卜者和观星者，此处称为"说谎的"（耶50:36），因为他们用关于平安兴旺的预言欺骗人；刀剑临到他们，必使他们胡言乱语，如同愚昧人，如同完全失了心志的人。请留意：神有一把刀能达到人的灵魂，影响人的心思，使人落在属灵的灾病之下。〔4〕"他们的勇士"。刀剑必临到他们的心；他们若不被杀，也必"惊惶"，不再是"勇士"；因为心若消化，手有何用呢？〔5〕他们的军备（耶50:37）："刀剑必临到他们的马匹车辆"；入侵者必夺取他们一切军事储备，或夺走他们的马匹车辆归己所用，或予以毁灭。在他们麾下服役的他国军队必完全灰心："混杂的各族人必如同"软弱的"妇女"那样怯懦。〔6〕他们的国库："刀剑必临到她的财宝"——这是战争的命脉——"那些财宝必被抢夺"，并被仇敌用来对付他们。请看刀剑奉命而来时所造成的普遍毁灭。
（二）全国必成为荒凉（耶50:38）："众水必干涸"——就是保护那城的水。居鲁士将幼发拉底河引入许多沟渠，使他的军兵得以渡过，于是他们轻易地到达巴比伦的城墙之下——那条河原被认为使巴比伦无法攻取。"那使国家富庶的水也必'干涸'，使之变为荒芜，不再有人居住，只由'旷野的走兽'"居住（耶50:39）。这事曾论到巴比伦而预言（赛13:19-21）。它必成为"所多玛、蛾摩拉"那样（耶50:40）。同样也曾论到以东而预言（耶49:18）。迦勒底人既荒凉了以东，他们自己也必照样被荒废。
（三）王和全国必因仇敌入侵而陷入极度的混乱与惊惶（耶50:41-43）。此处所用一切表达入侵者可怕权势、他们所披挂的恐怖、以及宫廷和全国因此而陷入的大惊惶的话，我们从前已经见过（耶6:22-24），那是论到迦勒底人入侵犹大地。那里所说"攻击你这锡安的女子"的战事，此处说成"攻击你这巴比伦的女子"，为要暗示他们必自食其果。神能寻出人来，使那些对别人造成恐怖与毁灭的人，自己也受恐怖与毁灭；那些残忍行事、不施怜悯的人，可指望被残忍对待，也得不着怜悯。只是这两段经文之间有一处不同：那里说"我们听见他们的风声，我们的手就发软"；这里说"巴比伦王听见他们的风声，他的手就发软"，这暗示那位骄傲放胆的君王，在患难之日必像最卑微的以色列人在患难之日那样软弱丧胆。
（四）他们受的害必与所受的惊吓相当，因为入侵者必"如狮子上来"撕裂毁坏（耶50:44），必使他们和他们的"居所荒凉"（耶50:45），这荒凉必如此惊人，以致四围的列国都因此惊恐（耶50:46）。这三节经文我们从前已经见过（耶49:19-21），是在论以东毁灭的预言中，那预言由迦勒底人应验；此处加以少许必要的更改而重复，用在论巴比伦毁灭的预言中——这毁灭要临到迦勒底人身上，为要显明：虽然护理的分配一时看来不均，其报应至终必是公平的；"你怎样行毁灭，也必照样被毁灭"（赛33:1；启13:10）。
英文原文
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.
本章与下一章论及巴比伦的审判,这部分放在耶利米对外邦列国的预言之末,因其最后才应验;当神忿怒的杯轮流传递时(耶25:17),示沙克——即巴比伦——的王最后才喝。巴比伦曾作神手中的杖,责罚列国,如今这杖终将被投入火中。以赛亚在巴比伦尚未达于鼎盛之前许久,就预言它将被居鲁士所灭;如今它既已登峰造极,耶利米再次发出同样的预言;因为尽管此时他看见那国「繁茂如青翠的树」,却同时也预见它枯萎倾覆。正如以赛亚关于巴比伦灭亡与以色列从中得释放的预言,似乎有意预表一切信徒在基督里胜过黑暗权势的福音胜利,以及我主耶稣基督所成就的大拯救;耶利米关于同样事件的预言,则似乎指向末后日子福音教会在《启示录》中胜过新约巴比伦的得胜,因《启示录》中许多经文正取材于此。巴比伦国比此处所预言的任何一国都更强大辽阔,因此它的倾覆本身就更为可观;又因它对神子民的压迫甚于他国,先知为安慰被掳之民,在这题目上着墨甚多;先前(耶25:12,27:7)笼统预言的事,此处更加具体地描述,既充满预言的光照,也满有预言的热忱。神为巴比伦所存留的可畏审判,与祂为被掳在那里的百姓所存留的荣耀福气,在本章预言中交替穿插;因为巴比伦的毁灭,正是为神子民被掳归回铺路。内容包括:一、巴比伦的倾覆(耶50:1-3,9-16,21-32,35-46)。二、神子民的救赎(耶50:4-8,17-20,33,34)。两者既相对照,我们便容易判断自己当与谁同列:是那现今虽然显赫、却注定遭遇如此大毁灭的逼迫者巴比伦人,还是那现今虽然受辖制、却注定得着如此大荣耀的受逼迫的以色列人。