Logos Bible Study

Jeremiah 50:2

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50:2“Announce3 the news among the nations! Proclaim it!

Signal for people to pay attention!4

Declare the news! Do not hide it! Say:

‘Babylon will be captured.

Bel5 will be put to shame.

Marduk will be dismayed.

Babylon’s idols will be put to shame.

Her disgusting images6 will be dismayed.7

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Footnotes

  1. 3 The verbs are masculine plural. Jeremiah is calling on other unnamed messengers to spread the news.
  2. 4 Heb “Raise a signal flag.”
  3. 5 Bel was originally the name or title applied to the Sumerian storm god. During the height of Babylon’s power it became a title that was applied to Marduk who was Babylon’s chief deity. As a title it means “Lord.” Here it is a poetical parallel reference to Marduk mentioned in the next line.
  4. 6 The Hebrew word used here (גִּלּוּלִים, gillulim) is always used as a disdainful reference to idols. It is generally thought to have originally referred to “dung pellets” (cf. 183 גִלּוּלִים). It is only one of several terms used in this way, such as “worthless things” (אַלִילִים, ’alilim), “vanities,” or “empty winds” (הֲבָלִים, havalim).
  5. 7 The verbs here are all in the tense that views the actions as though they were already done (the Hebrew prophetic perfect). The verbs in the next verse are a mixture of prophetic perfects and imperfects which announce future actions. This refers to the fact that the idols that the Babylonians worshiped will not be able to protect them, but will instead be carried off into exile with the Babylonians themselves (cf. Isa 46:1–2).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“Declare among the nations and proclaim,

set up a banner and proclaim,

conceal it not, and say:

‘Babylon is taken,

Bel is put to shame,

Merodach is dismayed.

Her images are put to shame,

her idols are dismayed.’

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Announce and proclaim among the nations,

lift up a banner and proclaim it;

keep nothing back, but say,

‘Babylon will be captured;

Bel will be put to shame,

Marduk filled with terror.

Her images will be put to shame

and her idols filled with terror.’

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Announce to the nations;

proclaim and raise up a signal flag;

proclaim, and hide nothing.

Say, “Babylon is captured;

Bel is put to shame;

Marduk is terrified.”

Her idols are put to shame;

her false gods, devastated.

NLTNew Living Translation

This is what the Lord says:

“Tell the whole world,

and keep nothing back.

Raise a signal flag

to tell everyone that Babylon will fall!

Her images and idols will be shattered.

Her gods Bel and Marduk will be utterly disgraced.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“Declare among the nations and proclaim,

and lift up a banner.

Proclaim, you must not conceal it.

Say, ‘Babylon is captured,

Bel is ashamed,

Merodach is filled with terror,

her idols are ashamed,

her idols are filled with terror.

KJV 1900King James Version

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.