40 Heb “Yahweh of armies.” For an explanation of this rendering see the study note on .
41 Heb “has sworn by himself.” See the study note on for background.
42 Heb “I will fill you with men like locusts.” The “you” refers to Babylon (Babylon is both the city and the land it ruled, Babylonia) which has been alluded to in the preceding verses under descriptive titles. The words “your land” have been used because of the way the preceding verse has been rendered, alluding to people rather than to the land or city. The allusion of “men” is, of course, to enemy soldiers and they are here compared to locusts both for their quantity and their destructiveness (see Joel 1:4). For the use of the particles כִּי אִם (ki ’im) to introduce an oath see 475 כִּי אִם 2.c and compare usage in 2 Kgs 5:20; one would normally expect אִם לֹא (cf. 50 אִם 1.b[2]).
43 The participle here is intended to be connected with “Lord who rules over all” in the preceding verse. The passage is functioning to underline the Lord’s power to carry out what he has sworn in contrast to the impotence of their idols who will be put to shame and be dismayed (50:2).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

The Lord of hosts has sworn by himself:

Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts,

and they shall raise the shout of victory over you.

“It is he who made the earth by his power,

who established the world by his wisdom,

and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.

When he utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,

and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth.

He makes lightning for the rain,

and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The Lord Almighty has sworn by himself:

I will surely fill you with troops, as with a swarm of locusts,

and they will shout in triumph over you.

“He made the earth by his power;

he founded the world by his wisdom

and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.

When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar;

he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.

He sends lightning with the rain

and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The Lord of Armies has sworn by himself:

I will fill you up with men as with locusts,

and they will sing the victory song over you.

He made the earth by his power,

established the world by his wisdom,

and spread out the heavens by his understanding.

When he thunders,

the waters in the heavens are tumultuous,

and he causes the clouds

to rise from the ends of the earth.

He makes lightning for the rain

and brings the wind from his storehouses.

NLTNew Living Translation

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has taken this vow

and has sworn to it by his own name:

“Your cities will be filled with enemies,

like fields swarming with locusts,

and they will shout in triumph over you.”

The Lord made the earth by his power,

and he preserves it by his wisdom.

With his own understanding

he stretched out the heavens.

When he speaks in the thunder,

the heavens roar with rain.

He causes the clouds to rise over the earth.

He sends the lightning with the rain

and releases the wind from his storehouses.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Yahweh of hosts has sworn by himself,

“Surely I will fill you with troops like the creeping locusts,

and they will sing over you a war cry.”

He is the one who made the earth by his power,

the one who created the world by his wisdom,

and by his understanding he stretched out the heavens.

At the giving of his voice

there is a roar of waters in the heavens,

and he causes the patches of mist

to go up from the end of the earth.

He makes lightning for the rain,

and he brings out the wind from his storehouses.

KJV 1900King James Version

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.

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.

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.

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