Jeremiah 50:2

“Declare ye among the nations, etc.] The taking of Babylon; a piece of news, in which the nations of the world had a concern, as well as the Jews, being brought under the Babylonish yoke, from which they would now be freed; and therefore such a declaration must be very acceptable and joyful to them. Some take these words to be the words of God to the prophet; others, the words of Jeremiah to the nations; the meaning is only, that such a declaration should be made, and such things done, as follow: and publish, and set up a standard; publish, [and] conceal not; cause it to be heard far and near; and, that it may be heard, set up a sign or standard, to gather the people together to hear it; for…”

“Declare . . . among . . . nations--who would rejoice at the fall of Babylon their oppressor. standard--to indicate the place of meeting to the nations where they were to hear the good news of Babylon's fall [ROSENMULLER]; or, the signal to summon the nations together against Babylon (Jer 51:12, Jer 51:27), [MAURER]. Bel--the tutelary god of Babylon; the same idol as the PhÅ“nician Baal, that is, lord, the sun (Isa 46:1). confounded--because unable to defend the city under their protection. Merodach--another Babylonian idol; meaning in Syria "little lord"; from which Merodach-baladan took his name.”

“Confounded ... confounded - ashamed ... ashamed. Merodach - This deity, in the inscriptions Marduk, was the tutelary god of Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar, who called his son Evil-Merodach, appears to have been especially devoted to his service. He was really identical with Bel, and his equivalent among the planets was Jupiter: and as such he was styled “King of heaven and earth.” return to 'Top of Page'”

“Bel - Bel and Merodach were the two principal idols of the Babylonians. Jeremiah 50:3”

“50:2 Raising a signal flag was a favored method for warning that an enemy was approaching a city (cp. Isa 13:2). • The people of Babylon would be under divine judgment because they worshiped the gods Bel (the Babylonian name for Baal) and Marduk (the Babylonian deity of wind, storm, and fertility).”

“Declare: Jer 6:18, Jer 31:10, Jer 46:14; Psa 64:9, Psa 96:3; Isa 12:4, Isa 48:6, Isa 66:18, Isa 66:19; Rev 14:6-8 set up: Heb. lift up, Isa 13:2 Babylon: Jer 51:8; Isa 21:9; Rev 14:8, Rev 18:2 Bel: Jer 51:44; Isa 46:1 Merodach: Jer 52:31; Isa 39:1 her idols: Jer 50:46, Jer 43:12, Jer 43:13; Isa 37:19; Zep 2:11; Xerxes, after his return from his unsuccessful expedition into Greece, partly out of religious zeal, being a professed enemy to image worship, and partly to reimburse himself after his immense expenses, seized the sacred treasures, and plundered or destroyed the temples and idols of Babylon, thereby accomplishing the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah. ( Isa 21:9, Isa 46:1; Jer 50:2,…”

“The fall of Babylon, and deliverance of Israel. - Jer 50:2. "Tell it among the nations, and cause it to be heard, and lift up a standard; cause it to be heard, conceal it not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is ashamed, Merodach is confounded; her images are ashamed, her idols are confounded. Jer 50:3. For there hath come up against her a nation out of the north; it will make her land a desolation, and there shall be not an inhabitant in it: from man to beast, \[all\] have fled, are gone. Jer 50:4. In those days, and at that time, saith Jahveh, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together; they shall go, weeping as they go, and shall seek Jahveh their God. Jer 50:5.…”