The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

  50:35–38 The “sword” is mentioned 5 times (cf. Ezek. 21).

  50:40 As God overthrew Sodom. Cf. 50:1. What befell Sodom (cf. Gen. 19) was sudden and total destruction, not like the Media Persia takeover, but like an example for the future devastation that will overtake the final Babylon (cf. Rev. 17, 18).

  50:41 from the north. Media Persia in 539 B.C.

  50:41–46 Cf. 6:22–24; 49:19–21. The “lion” is Cyrus.

  Jeremiah 51

  51:1–4 the day of doom. The coming of the northern invader is in view.

  51:5 Here is a reminder that God will not utterly forget or destroy His people. Cf. Rom. 11:1, 2, 29.

  51:8 suddenly fallen. The focus was first on Babylon’s sudden fall on one night in 539 B.C. (Dan. 5:30). The far view looks at the destruction of the final Babylon near the Second Advent when it will be absolutely sudden (Rev. 18).

  51:11 kings of the Medes. The aggressor was specifically identified (cf. v. 28) as the leader of the Medes, assisted by Persia (539 B.C.).

  51:15–19 He has made the earth. God’s almighty power and wisdom in creation are evidences of His superiority to all idols (vv. 17, 18), who along with their worshipers will all be destroyed by His mighty power (vv. 15, 16, 19), as in Babylon’s case.

  51:20–23 You are My battle-ax. Cyrus of Persia was God’s war club. Ten times the phrase “with you” hits with the force of a hammer.

  51:25 destroying mountain. Though Babylon existed on a plain, this phrase was meant as a portrayal of Babylon’s looming greatness and power in devastating nations (cf. also 50:23, and see note there). a burnt mountain. Babylon will be like a volcano that is extinct, never to be rebuilt (v. 26).

  51:27 Here are listed the people N of Babylon who were conquered by the Medes early in the sixth century B.C. They assisted the Medes against Babylon.

  51:31 To show the king of Babylon. Couriers brought the report of the city’s fall. Since Belshazzar was slain in the city on the night of the fall (Dan. 5:30), reference may be to runners speeding the news to his co-ruler Nabonidus, who was away from Babylon or possibly to Daniel, the third ruler in the kingdom (Dan. 5:29).

  51:32 The method of capturing the city was to block off the Euphrates River and dry up the river bed under the city wall, then march in. The “fire” was set to frighten and it did.

  51:39 drunk. The allusion is possibly to Belshazzar’s drunken feast, recorded in Dan. 5:1–4 (cf. v. 57).

  51:41 Sheshach is taken! This is another name for Babylon (cf. 25:26).

  51:45–50 Again the Lord’s people were warned to flee.

  51:58 labor in vain. People from many nations enslaved in Babylon had built the wall for nothing.

  51:59 Seraiah…the quartermaster. This man looked after the comfort of the king. He may have been the brother of Baruch, Jeremiah’s secretary (cf. 32:12).

  51:60–63 This royal official carried the scroll (v. 60) to read (v. 61) in Babylon and then dramatically illustrated the coming destruction.

  Jeremiah 52

  52:1–34 This chapter is almost identical to 2 Kin. 24:18—25:30, and it is a historical supplement detailing Jerusalem’s fall (as chap. 39). It fittingly opens with her last king and his sin (597–586 B.C.). The purpose of this chapter is to show how accurate Jeremiah’s prophecies were concerning Jerusalem and Judah.

  52:1 Jeremiah. A different man from the author (cf. 1:1).

  52:4–11 See note on 34:1. This narrative rehearses the account of the fall of Jerusalem. So crucial was this event that the OT records it 4 times (see also 39:1–14; 2 Kin. 25; 2 Chr. 36:11–21).

  52:4 ninth year…tenth month. For vv. 4–6, see notes on 34:1 and 39:1, 2.

  52:12 tenth day. The parallel phrase in 2 Kin. 25:8 reads “seventh day.” Nebuzaradan (v. 12), “captain of the guard,” started from Riblah on the seventh day and arrived in Jerusalem on the tenth day. nineteenth year. 586 B.C.

  52:18, 19 They also took. The conquerors plundered the magnificent Solomonic temple and took the articles to Babylon. First Kings 6–8 describes these articles. Later, Belshazzar would use some of these at his immoral banquet, gloating over victory he wrongly attributed to his gods (Dan. 5; cf. Dan. 1:2).

  52:22 five. Second Kings 25:17 reads “three.” There may have been two parts to the capitals, the lower part of two cubits and the upper part, carved ornately, of 3 cubits. The lower may be omitted in 2 Kin. 25:17 as belonging to the shaft of the pillar.

  52:24–27 Babylon executed some Judean leaders as an act of power, of resentment over the 18 month resistance (cf. 52:4–6), and of intimidation to prevent future plots.

  52:25 seven. Second Kings 25:19 reads “five.”

  52:28–30 carried away. The stages of deportation to Babylon are: 1) in 605 B.C. under Jehoiakim which marked the beginning of the 70 years of exile, 2) in 597 B.C. under Jehoiachin, 3) in 586 B.C. under Zedekiah, and 4) a mopping up campaign in 582–81 B.C. The number may include only males.

  52:31–34 captivity of Jehoiachin. A captive since 597 B.C., he appears here in 561 B.C., after Nebuchadnezzar’s death when Evil-Merodach ruled Babylon. Though detained, the former king was kindly freed to enjoy previously denied privileges. The LORD did not forget the Davidic line even in exile.

  52:31 twenty-fifth. Second Kings 25:27 reads “twenty-seventh.” Probably the decree was on the 25th day and carried out on the 27th.

  Jeremiah 1

  1:1 a Josh. 21:18; 1 Kin. 2:26; 1 Chr. 6:60; Is. 10:30; Jer. 29:27

  1:2 b 1 Kin. 13:2; 2 Kin. 21:24; 2 Chr. 34:1; Jer. 3:6; 36:2

  1:2 c Jer. 25:3

  1:3 d 2 Kin. 23:34; 1 Chr. 3:15; 2 Chr. 36:5–8; Jer. 25:1

  1:3 e 2 Kin. 24:17; 1 Chr. 3:15; 2 Chr. 36:11–13; Jer. 39:2

  1:3 f Jer. 52:12

  1:3 g 2 Kin. 25:8

  1:5 h Is. 49:1, 5

  1:5 i Ex. 33:12

  1:5 j (Luke 1:15); Gal. 1:15

  1:5 1 set you apart

  1:5 2 appointed

  1:6 k Ex. 4:10; 6:12, 30

  1:7 l Num. 22:20, 38; Jer. 1:17; Matt. 28:20

  1:8 m Ezek. 2:6; 3:9

  1:8 n Ex. 3:12; Deut. 31:6; Josh. 1:5; Jer. 15:20; Heb. 13:6

  1:9 o Is. 6:7; Mark 7:33–35

  1:9 p Ex. 4:11–16; Deut. 18:18; Is. 51:16

  1:10 q 1 Kin. 19:17

  1:10 r Jer. 18:7–10; Ezek. 22:18; (2 Cor. 10:4, 5)

  1:11 3 Lit. rod

  1:12 4 Lit. watching

  1:13 s Ezek. 11:3; 24:3

  1:14 t Jer. 6:1

  1:15 u Jer. 6:22; 25:9

  1:15 v Is. 22:7; Jer. 39:3

  1:16 w Deut. 28:20; Jer. 17:13

  1:16 x Is. 65:3, 4; Jer. 7:9

  1:16 y Is. 37:19; Jer. 2:28

  1:17 z 1 Kin. 18:46; 2 Kin. 4:29; Job 38:3; Luke 12:35; (1 Pet. 1:13)

  1:17 a Ezek. 2:6

  1:18 b Is. 50:7; Jer. 6:27; 15:20

  Jeremiah 2

  2:2 a Ezek. 16:8; Hos. 2:15

  2:2 b Deut. 2:7; Jer. 2:6

  2:2 1 followed

  2:3 c (Ex. 19:5, 6; Deut. 7:6; 14:2)

  2:3 d James 1:18; Rev. 14:4

  2:3 e Jer. 12:14

  2:3 f Gen. 12:3; Is. 41:11; Jer. 30:15, 16; 50:7

  2:5 g Is. 5:4; Mic. 6:3

  2:5 h 2 Kin. 17:15; Jer. 8:19; (Jon. 2:8); Rom. 1:21

  2:5 2 vanities or futilities

  2:6 i Ex. 20:2; Is. 63:11

  2:6 j Deut. 8:15; 32:10

  2:7 k Num. 13:27

  2:7 l Num. 35:33; Is. 24:5; Hos. 4:3

  2:8 m Rom. 2:20

  2:8 n Jer. 23:13

  2:9 o Jer. 2:35; Ezek. 20:35, 36; Mic. 6:2

  2:9 3 contend with

  2:10 p Jer. 18:13

  2:10 4 Heb. Kittim, representative of western cultures

  2:10 5 In northern Arabian desert, representative of eastern cultures

  2:11 q Mic. 4:5

  2:11 r Ps. 115:4; Is. 37:19

  2:11 s Ps. 106:20; Rom. 1:23

  2:13 t Ps. 36:9; Jer. 17:13; (John 4:14)


  2:14 u (Ex. 4:22)

  2:15 v Is. 1:7; Jer. 50:17

  2:16 w 2 Kin. 23:29–37; Jer. 43:7–9

  2:16 6 Memphis in ancient Egypt

  2:16 7 Or grazed

  2:17 x Jer. 4:18

  2:17 y Deut. 32:10

  2:18 z Is. 30:1–3

  2:18 a Josh. 13:3

  2:18 b Hos. 5:13

  2:18 8 The Euphrates

  2:19 c Is. 3:9; Jer. 4:18; Hos. 5:5

  2:19 9 dread

  2:20 d Lev. 26:13

  2:20 e Ex. 19:8; Josh. 24:18; Judg. 10:16; 1 Sam. 12:10

  2:20 f Deut. 12:2; Is. 57:5, 7; Jer. 3:6

  2:20 g Ex. 34:15

  2:20 10 Kt. serve

  2:21 h Ex. 15:17; Ps. 44:2; 80:8; Is. 5:2

  2:21 i Deut. 32:32; Is. 5:4

  2:22 j Job 14:16, 17; Jer. 17:1, 2; Hos. 13:12

  2:22 11 stained

  2:23 k Prov. 30:12

  2:23 12 defiled

  2:25 l Is. 57:10; Jer. 18:12

  2:25 m Jer. 3:13

  2:26 n Is. 28:7; Jer. 5:31

  2:27 o Jer. 3:9

  2:27 p Judg. 10:10; Is. 26:16; Hos. 5:15

  2:28 q Deut. 32:37; Judg. 10:14

  2:28 r Is. 45:20

  2:28 s 2 Kin. 17:30, 31; Jer. 11:13

  2:28 13 Or evil

  2:30 t Is. 9:13

  2:30 u Is. 1:5; Jer. 5:3; 7:28

  2:30 v Neh. 9:26; Jer. 26:20–24; Acts 7:52; 1 Thess. 2:15

  2:31 w Deut. 32:15; Jer. 2:20, 25

  2:31 14 have dominion

  2:32 x Ps. 106:21; Is. 17:10; Jer. 3:21; 13:25; Hos. 8:14

  2:34 y 2 Kin. 21:16; 24:4; Ps. 106:38; Jer. 7:6; 19:4

  2:34 15 digging

  2:35 z Jer. 2:23, 29; Mal. 2:17; 3:8

  2:35 a Jer. 2:9

  2:35 b (Prov. 28:13; 1 John 1:8, 10)

  2:36 c Jer. 31:22; Hos. 5:13; 12:1

  2:36 d Is. 30:3

  2:36 e 2 Chr. 28:16

  2:37 f 2 Sam. 13:19; Jer. 14:3, 4

  2:37 g Jer. 37:7–10

  Jeremiah 3

  3:1 a Deut. 24:1–4

  3:1 b Jer. 2:7

  3:1 c Jer. 2:20; Ezek. 16:26

  3:1 d Jer. 4:1; (Zech. 1:3)

  3:2 e Deut. 12:2; Jer. 2:20; 3:21; 7:29

  3:2 f Prov. 23:28

  3:2 g Jer. 2:7

  3:2 1 Kt. been violated

  3:3 h Lev. 26:19; Jer. 14:3–6

  3:3 i Zeph. 3:5

  3:4 j Ps. 71:17; Prov. 2:17

  3:4 k Jer. 2:2; Hos. 2:15

  3:5 l Ps. 103:9; (Is. 57:16); Jer. 3:12

  3:6 m Jer. 7:24

  3:6 n Jer. 2:20

  3:7 o 2 Kin. 17:13

  3:7 p Jer. 3:11; Ezek. 16:47, 48

  3:8 q Ezek. 23:9

  3:8 r 2 Kin. 17:6; Is. 50:1

  3:8 s Ezek. 23:11

  3:9 t Jer. 2:7

  3:9 u Is. 57:6; Jer. 2:27

  3:10 v Jer. 12:2; Hos. 7:14

  3:11 w Ezek. 16:51, 52

  3:12 x 2 Kin. 17:6

  3:12 y Ps. 86:15; Jer. 12:15; 31:20; 33:26

  3:13 z Lev. 26:40; Deut. 30:1, 2; (Prov. 28:13; 1 John 1:9)

  3:13 a Ezek. 16:15

  3:13 b Jer. 2:25

  3:13 c Deut. 12:2

  3:13 2 Lit. ways

  3:14 d Jer. 31:32; Hos. 2:19, 20

  3:14 e Jer. 31:6

  3:14 f (Rom. 11:5)

  3:15 g Jer. 23:4; 31:10; (Ezek. 34:23); Eph. 4:11

  3:15 h Acts 20:28

  3:16 i Is. 49:19; Jer. 23:3

  3:16 j Is. 65:17

  3:17 k Is. 60:9

  3:17 l Deut. 29:19; Jer. 7:24

  3:17 3 walk after the stubbornness or imagination

  3:18 m Is. 11:13; Jer. 50:4; Ezek. 37:16–22; Hos. 1:11

  3:18 n Jer. 31:8

  3:18 o Amos 9:15

  3:19 p Ps. 106:24

  3:19 q Is. 63:16; Jer. 3:4

  3:20 r Is. 48:8

  3:20 4 Lit. companion

  3:21 s Is. 15:2

  3:22 t Jer. 30:17; 33:6; Hos. 6:1; 14:4

  3:23 u Ps. 121:1, 2

  3:23 v Ps. 3:8; Prov. 21:31; Jer. 17:14; 31:7; Jon. 2:9

  3:24 w Jer. 11:13; 14:20; Hos. 9:10

  3:25 x Ezra 9:6, 7

  3:25 y Jer. 22:21

  3:25 5 disgrace

  Jeremiah 4

  4:1 a Jer. 3:1, 22; 15:19; Joel 2:12

  4:2 b Deut. 10:20; Is. 45:23; 65:16; Jer. 12:16

  4:2 c Is. 48:1; Zech. 8:8

  4:2 d (Gen. 22:18); Ps. 72:18; Is. 65:16; Jer. 3:17; (Gal. 3:8)

  4:2 e Is. 45:25; Jer. 9:24; 1 Cor. 1:31; 2 Cor. 10:17

  4:2 1 justice

  4:3 f Hos. 10:12

  4:3 g Matt. 13:7

  4:3 2 untilled

  4:4 h Deut. 10:16; 30:6; Jer. 9:25, 26; (Rom. 2:28, 29; Col. 2:11)

  4:5 i Jer. 6:1; Hos. 8:1

  4:5 j Josh. 10:20; Jer. 8:14

  4:6 k Jer. 1:13–15; 6:1, 22; 50:17

  4:6 3 banner

  4:7 l 2 Kin. 24:1; Dan. 7:4

  4:7 m Jer. 25:9; Ezek. 26:7–10

  4:7 n Is. 1:7; 6:11; Jer. 2:15

  4:8 o Is. 22:12; Jer. 6:26

  4:10 p 2 Kin. 25:10–12; Ezek. 14:9; 2 Thess. 2:11

  4:10 q Jer. 5:12; 14:13

  4:10 4 Lit. soul

  4:11 r Jer. 51:1; Ezek. 17:10; Hos. 13:15

  4:12 s Jer. 1:16

  4:13 t Is. 5:28

  4:13 u Deut. 28:49; Lam. 4:19; Hos. 8:1; Hab. 1:8

  4:14 v Prov. 1:22; Is. 1:16; Jer. 13:27; James 4:8

  4:15 w Jer. 8:16; 50:17

  4:15 5 Or wickedness

  4:16 x Is. 39:3; Jer. 5:15

  4:17 y 2 Kin. 25:1, 4

  4:18 z Ps. 107:17; Is. 50:1; Jer. 2:17, 19

  4:19 a 2 Kin. 25:11; 2 Chr. 36:20; Is. 15:5; 16:11; 21:3; 22:4; Jer. 9:1, 10; 20:9

  4:20 b Ps. 42:7; Ezek. 7:26

  4:20 c Jer. 10:20

  4:21 6 banner

  4:22 d Jer. 9:3; 13:23; Rom. 16:19; 1 Cor. 14:20

  4:22 7 foolish

  4:23 e Is. 24:19

  4:23 f Gen. 1:2

  4:24 g Is. 5:25; Jer. 10:10; Ezek. 38:20

  4:25 h Jer. 9:10; 12:4; Zeph. 1:3

  4:26 i Jer. 9:10

  4:27 j Jer. 5:10, 18; 30:11; 46:28

  4:28 k Jer. 12:4, 11; 14:2; Hos. 4:3

  4:28 l Is. 5:30; 50:3; Joel 2:30, 31

  4:28 m Is. 46:10, 11; (Dan. 4:35)

  4:28 n (Num. 23:19); Jer. 7:16; 23:30; 30:24

  4:30 o 2 Kin. 9:30; Ezek. 23:40

  4:30 p Jer. 22:20, 22; Lam. 1:2, 19; Ezek. 23:9, 10, 22

  4:31 q Is. 1:15; Lam. 1:17

  4:31 8 childbirth

  4:31 9 faint

  Jeremiah 5

  5:1 a Ezek. 22:30

  5:1 b Gen. 18:23–32

  5:1 c Gen. 18:26

  5:1 1 justice

  5:2 d Is. 48:1; Titus 1:16

  5:2 e Jer. 4:2

  5:2 f Jer. 7:9

  5:3 g 2 Kin. 25:1; (2 Chr. 16:9; Jer. 16:17)

  5:3 h Is. 1:5; 9:13; Jer. 2:30

  5:3 i Is. 9:13; Jer. 7:28; Zeph. 3:2

  5:4 j Is. 27:11; Jer. 8:7; Hos. 4:6

  5:5 k Mic. 3:1

  5:5 l Ex. 32:25; Ps. 2:3; Jer. 2:20

  5:6 m Jer. 4:7

  5:6 n Ps. 104:20; Ezek. 22:27; Hab. 1:8; Zeph. 3:3

  5:6 o Hos. 13:7

  5:7 p Josh. 23:7; Jer. 12:16; Zeph. 1:5

  5:7 q Deut. 32:21; Jer. 2:11; Gal. 4:8

  5:7 r Deut. 32:15

  5:8 s Jer. 13:27; 29:23; Ezek. 22:11

  5:9 t Jer. 9:9

  5:10 u Jer. 4:27

  5:10 2 completely destroy

  5:11 v Jer. 3:6, 7, 20

  5:12 w 2 Chr. 36:16; Jer. 4:10

  5:12 x Is. 28:15; 47:8; Jer. 23:17

  5:12 y Jer. 14:13

  5:12 3 disaster

  5:14 z Is. 24:6; Jer. 1:9; 23:29; Hos. 6:5; Zech. 1:6

  5:15 a Deut. 28:49; Is. 5:26; Jer. 1:15; 6:22

  5:15 b Is. 39:3; Jer. 4:16

  5:17 c Lev. 26:16; Deut. 28:31, 33;
Jer. 8:16; 50:7, 17

  5:18 d Jer. 30:11; Amos 9:8

  5:18 4 completely destroy

  5:19 e Deut. 29:24–29; 1 Kin. 9:8, 9; Jer. 13:22; 16:10–13

  5:19 f Jer. 1:16; 2:13

  5:19 g Deut. 28:48; Jer. 16:13

  5:21 h Is. 6:9; Jer. 6:10; Ezek. 12:2; Matt. 13:14; John 12:40; Acts 28:26; Rom. 11:8

  5:21 5 Lit. heart

  5:22 i Deut. 28:58; Ps. 119:120; Jer. 2:19; 10:7; (Rev. 15:4)

  5:22 j Job 26:10

  5:24 k Ps. 147:8; Jer. 14:22; (Matt. 5:45); Acts 14:17

  5:24 l Deut. 11:14; Joel 2:23; James 5:7

  5:24 m (Gen. 8:22)

  5:25 n Jer. 3:3

  5:26 o Ps. 10:9; Prov. 1:11; Jer. 18:22; Hab. 1:15

  5:28 p Deut. 32:15

  5:28 q Is. 1:23; Jer. 7:6; 22:3; Zech. 7:10

  5:28 r Job 12:6; Ps. 73:12

  5:28 6 Or pass over or overlook

  5:29 s Jer. 5:9; Mal. 3:5

  5:30 t Jer. 23:14; Hos. 6:10; 2 Tim. 4:3

  5:31 u Jer. 14:14; Ezek. 13:6

  5:31 v Mic. 2:11

  Jeremiah 6

  6:1 a Neh. 3:14

  6:1 b Jer. 4:6

  6:3 c 2 Kin. 25:1–4; Jer. 4:17; 12:10

  6:4 d Jer. 51:27; Joel 3:9

  6:4 e Jer. 15:8; Zeph. 2:4

  6:7 f Is. 57:20

  6:7 g Ps. 55:9

  6:7 1 gushes

  6:7 2 sickness

  6:8 h Ezek. 23:18; Hos. 9:12

  6:10 i Ex. 6:12; Jer. 5:21; 7:26; (Acts 7:51)

  6:10 j Jer. 8:9; 20:8

  6:11 k Jer. 20:9

  6:11 l Jer. 9:21

  6:12 m Deut. 28:30; Jer. 8:10; 38:22

  6:13 n Is. 56:11; Jer. 8:10; 22:17

  6:13 o Jer. 5:31; 23:11; Mic. 3:5, 11

  6:14 p Jer. 8:11–15; Ezek. 13:10

  6:14 q Jer. 4:10; 23:17

  6:14 3 Lit. crushing

  6:14 4 Superficially

  6:15 r Jer. 3:3; 8:12

  6:16 s Is. 8:20; Jer. 18:15; Mal. 4:4; Luke 16:29

  6:16 t Matt. 11:29

  6:17 u Is. 21:11; 58:1; Jer. 25:4; Ezek. 3:17; Hab. 2:1

  6:17 v Deut. 4:1

  6:19 w Is. 1:2

  6:19 x Jer. 19:3, 15

  6:19 y Prov. 1:31

  6:20 z Ps. 40:6; 50:7–9; Is. 1:11; 66:3; Amos 5:21; Mic. 6:6, 7

  6:20 a Is. 60:6

  6:20 b Is. 43:24

  6:20 c Jer. 7:21–23

  6:22 d Jer. 1:15; 10:22; 50:41–43

  6:23 e Is. 5:30

  6:24 f Jer. 4:31; 13:21; 49:24

  6:24 5 childbirth

  6:26 g Jer. 4:8

  6:26 h Jer. 25:34; Mic. 1:10

  6:26 i Amos 8:10; (Zech. 12:10)

  6:27 j Jer. 1:18

  6:28 k Jer. 5:23

  6:28 l Jer. 9:4

  6:28 m Ezek. 22:18