Jeremiah 50:29 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 50:29 kjv
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.
Jeremiah 50:29 nkjv
"Call together the archers against Babylon. All you who bend the bow, encamp against it all around; Let none of them escape. Repay her according to her work; According to all she has done, do to her; For she has been proud against the LORD, Against the Holy One of Israel.
Jeremiah 50:29 niv
"Summon archers against Babylon, all those who draw the bow. Encamp all around her; let no one escape. Repay her for her deeds; do to her as she has done. For she has defied the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.
Jeremiah 50:29 esv
"Summon archers against Babylon, all those who bend the bow. Encamp around her; let no one escape. Repay her according to her deeds; do to her according to all that she has done. For she has proudly defied the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.
Jeremiah 50:29 nlt
"Send out a call for archers to come to Babylon.
Surround the city so none can escape.
Do to her as she has done to others,
for she has defied the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.
Jeremiah 50 29 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Retribution/Lex Talionis | ||
| Rev 18:6 | "Render to her as she has rendered; and repay her double according..." | Divine command for proportional retribution |
| Isa 33:1 | "Woe to you, destroyer...when you finish destroying, you will be destroyed." | Principle of reciprocal justice |
| Deut 19:21 | "...life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth..." | Law of exact recompense (lex talionis) |
| Ps 94:2 | "Arise, O Judge of the earth; render recompense to the proud." | God as the righteous avenger |
| Isa 10:12 | "When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion...punish..." | God's justice upon oppressors |
| Rom 12:19 | "...Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord." | God's ultimate authority in vengeance |
| Babylon's Fall & Destruction | ||
| Jer 51:24 | "And I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea..." | Reinforces explicit repayment to Babylon |
| Jer 51:11 | "Sharpen the arrows, take up the shields! The Lord has stirred up..." | God orchestrates armies against Babylon |
| Isa 13:4-5 | "A sound of tumult on the mountains...The Lord of hosts is mustering..." | Similar imagery of many nations summoned |
| Isa 13:17-18 | "Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them...will have no pity..." | Specific agents of Babylon's fall |
| Jer 25:12 | "Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon." | Prophecy of Babylon's specific judgment |
| Rev 14:8 | "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations..." | Symbolic fall of later 'Babylon' in Revelation |
| Pride & Insolence against God | ||
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." | Universal principle for the proud |
| Isa 14:12-15 | "How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn!...you said..." | Lucifer's fall due to pride against God |
| Ez 28:2 | "...Because your heart is proud, and you have said, 'I am a god...' " | Judgment on Tyre's king for pride/arrogance |
| Dan 4:30 | "The king answered and said, 'Is not this great Babylon, which I have built..." | Nebuchadnezzar's pride led to humbling |
| 1 Pet 5:5 | "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." | New Testament principle of God opposing pride |
| God's Defense of Israel/Holiness | ||
| Zech 2:8 | "For he who touches you touches the apple of his eye." | God's fierce protection of His people |
| Isa 41:14 | "Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel; I am your helper..." | God identifies as Israel's Redeemer |
| Isa 5:24 | "...because they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts..." | Connecting sin against God's law to insolence |
| Isa 43:3 | "For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..." | Emphasis on God's identity as Israel's rescuer |
Jeremiah 50 verses
Jeremiah 50 29 meaning
Jeremiah 50:29 declares a divine summons for numerous hostile forces, particularly skilled archers, to totally encircle and besiege Babylon, ensuring no one escapes. The verse demands precise retribution for Babylon, calling for her to be repaid in exact measure for her destructive actions, justifying this judgment by her arrogant and prideful defiance against the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. This signifies God's justice in avenging His people and punishing imperial hubris.
Jeremiah 50 29 Context
Jeremiah 50 begins a powerful prophetic oracle against Babylon, one of the longest and most detailed condemnations against a foreign nation in the Bible, extending into chapter 51. This chapter immediately follows prophecies against other nations (Jer 46-49). Historically, Babylon, under Nebuchadnezzar, had brutally conquered Judah, destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple in 586 BC, and exiled its people. The prophecy serves as a declaration of God's sovereign justice, ensuring that the oppressor of His covenant people will not go unpunished. It portrays the reversal of fortunes: Judah and Israel will be redeemed, while Babylon, the mighty empire, will suffer total and irreversible destruction, orchestrated by the LORD himself. Verse 29 specifically describes the call to arms and the basis for this severe retribution.
Jeremiah 50 29 Word analysis
Summon (קִרְאוּ - qir'u): A strong imperative, meaning "call out," "proclaim," or "convene." It indicates a divine command to mobilize a vast, deliberate force against Babylon.
many (רַבִּים - rabbim): Refers to a numerous host, implying a confederation of nations or a very large army, highlighting the overwhelming nature of the coming judgment.
against Babylon (אֶל־בָּבֶל - 'el-Bāḇel): Identifies the direct target, the Neo-Babylonian Empire, which was the dominant superpower of the time and the oppressor of Judah.
all who bend the bow (כָּל־דֹּרְכֵי קֶשֶׁת - kol dorkhey qesheth): Specifies skilled archers, a common and effective military unit in ancient warfare, emphasizing the might and precision of the attacking force.
encamp against her all around (חֲנוּ עָלֶיהָ סָבִיב - ḥanu 'aleha saviv): An imperative for a total, encompassing siege, indicating complete encirclement that leaves no entry or exit.
let no one escape (אַל־יְהִי לָהּ פְּלֵיטָה - 'al yehi lah peleyṭah): A strong negative command ensuring absolute destruction, meaning "let there be no remnant" or "no survivor." This speaks to the thoroughness of the judgment.
Pay her back (שַׁלְּמוּ לָהּ - shall'mu lah): Another imperative, signifying a demand for repayment or retribution. This is the divine principle of "paying back" for offenses.
according to her deeds (כְּמַעֲשֶׂיהָ - kema'aseha): Stipulates that the punishment will be justly proportioned to Babylon's specific actions, adhering to the legal principle of 'measure for measure'.
just as she has done, so do to her (כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂתָה עֲשׂוּ לָהּ - kechol 'asher 'aśtah 'asu lah): A forceful reiteration of the demand for precise and equitable retribution, mirroring the lex talionis.
For she has been insolent (כִּי עָשְׁתָה גֵאוֹן - ki 'asetah ga'on): Introduces the reason for judgment. Ga'on denotes intense pride, arrogance, haughtiness, often leading to open defiance against God. It’s a core sin that draws divine wrath.
against the LORD (אֶל־יהוה - 'el-YHWH): Specifies the ultimate object of Babylon's prideful defiance – the sovereign God of Israel, not just Israel itself.
against the Holy One of Israel (אֶל־קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל - 'el Qedosh Yiśra'el): A title for God highlighting His unique, transcendent holiness and His special covenant relationship with Israel. To be insolent against Him is blasphemy against His very character and His chosen people.
Words-group Analysis:
- "Summon many...all who bend the bow; encamp against her all around; let no one escape.": This series of commands paints a vivid picture of a divinely orchestrated, overwhelming, and inescapable military operation, emphasizing the thoroughness of Babylon's coming downfall. The choice of "archers" points to a skilled and formidable force.
- "Pay her back according to her deeds; just as she has done, so do to her.": This doubled emphasis on exact retribution underscores divine justice. It’s not arbitrary vengeance, but a precisely measured response to Babylon's past actions, particularly its cruelty to God's people.
- "For she has been insolent against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.": This identifies the profound theological reason for Babylon's destruction. Her sin was not merely political conquest but spiritual rebellion and open disdain for the very nature and covenant faithfulness of YHWH, the sacred God of Israel.
Jeremiah 50 29 Bonus section
The repeated emphasis on the term "Holy One of Israel" (קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל - Qedosh Yisrael) is particularly significant. While found elsewhere, Isaiah uses this title more frequently (over 25 times). Its use here highlights that Babylon's actions were not merely geopolitical aggressions but a direct offense against God's holy character, which is intrinsically linked to His covenant with Israel. This elevates the conflict beyond mere national rivalry to a divine reckoning with one who dared to challenge the very nature of God. The "insolence" (גֵאוֹן - ga'on) spoken of isn't just a general pride, but an arrogant defiance that often involves self-deification or elevating false gods above the true God, reminiscent of Babylon's own state ideology and worship of Marduk. The meticulous detail in describing the attackers and their strategy ("bend the bow," "encamp all around," "let no one escape") reveals God's precision and complete control over the execution of His judgment. This wasn't a haphazard event but a precisely orchestrated divine sentence.
Jeremiah 50 29 Commentary
Jeremiah 50:29 presents a powerful declaration of God's active, retributive justice against the oppressive empire of Babylon. It emphasizes the principle of lex talionis – "an eye for an eye," not as a vengeful human emotion, but as God's consistent standard for judging those who oppress His people and defy His holiness. The call to "Summon many" indicates God's sovereignty over world events, utilizing nations as His instruments of judgment. Babylon's arrogance (ga'on) against the LORD and His unique title, "the Holy One of Israel," signifies that her actions were not merely against a political entity (Israel), but a direct affront to God's sacred character and covenant. This theological justification elevates the impending destruction from a geopolitical event to a demonstration of divine wrath against pride and ungodliness, assuring God's people that their suffering has not gone unnoticed and that justice will ultimately prevail. The verse thus promises both divine vindication for Israel and sure judgment for their powerful enemy, offering comfort and hope amid despair.