Jeremiah 51:27

“Set ye up a standard in the land, etc.] Not in Chaldea, but rather in any land; or in all the countries which belonged to Media and Persia; where Cyrus’s standard is ordered to be set up, to gather soldiers together, and enlist in his service, in order to go with him in his expedition against Babylon: blow the trumpet among the nations; for the same purpose, to call them to arms, to join the forces of Cyrus, and go with him into the land of Chaldea: prepare the nations against her: animate them, stir up their spirits against her, and furnish them with armour to engage with her: or, “sanctify”f1031 them; select a certain number out of them fit for such work: call together the kingdoms of…”

“(Jer 50:29). As in Jer 51:12 the Babylonians were told to "set up the standard," so here her foes are told to do so: the latter, to good purpose; the former, in vain. Ararat--Upper or Major Armenia, the regions about Mount Ararat. Minni--Lower or Lesser Armenia. RAWLINSON says that Van was the capital of Minni. It was conquered by Tettarrassa, the general of Tetembar II, the Assyrian king whose wars are recorded on the black obelisk now in the British Museum. Ashchenaz--a descendant of Japheth (Gen 10:3), who gave his name to the sea now called the Black Sea; the region bordering on it is probably here meant, namely, Asia Minor, including places named Ascania in Phrygia and Bithynia. Cyrus…”

“Ararat, see the Genesis 8:4 note. Minni, probably the western portion of Armenia, as Ararat was that in the center and to the east. Armenia was at this time subject to Media. Ashchenaz was between the Euxine and the Caspian Seas. A captain - Some prefer the Septuagint rendering in Nahum 3:17 : “a mingled mass of people.” (Others, a “scribe,” an Assyrian term.) The rough caterpillers - i. e., locusts in their third stage, when their wings are still enveloped in rough horny cases, which stick up upon their backs. It is in this stage that they are so destructive. return to 'Top of Page'”

“As caterpillars - The Median horses are compared to their insects, either with respect to their numbers, or in regard of the terror caused by them when they came, being a great plague to the places which they infected. Jeremiah 51:29”

“51:27-28 Ararat was the mountainous region north of Babylon. • Ashkenaz was Noah’s great-grandson through Japheth and Gomer (Gen 10:2-3); his descendants probably lived in Ararat, as did the people of Minni, who are otherwise unknown.”

“ye up: Jer 51:12, Jer 6:1, Jer 50:2, Jer 50:41; Isa 13:2-5, Isa 18:3; Amo 3:6; Zac 14:2 prepare: Jer 25:14 Ararat: Bochart reasonably concludes Ararat and Minni to be the greater and lesser Armenia; and Ashchenaz he thinks formed part of Phrygia near the Hellespont, part of that country being called Ascania by Homer. Cyrus had conquered Armenia, defeated Croesus king of Lydia (bc 548), and subdued several nations from the Egean sea to the Euphrates, before he marched against Babylon; and Xenophon also informs us that there were not only Armenians, but both Phrygians and Cappadocians in the army of Cyrus. Gen 8:4 Ashchenaz: Gen 10:3, Ashkenaz, Ch1 1:6 cause: Jer 51:14, Jer 46:23, Jer 50:41,…”

“A summons addressed to the nations to fight against Babylon, in order that, by reducing the city, vengeance may be taken for the offence committed against Israel by Babylon. Jer 51:27. "Lift up a standard on the earth, sound a trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz against her; appoint troops against her; bring up horses lie horrid locusts. Jer 51:28. Prepare nations against her, the kings of the Medes and her governors, and all her lieutenant-governors, and all the land of his dominion. Jer 51:29. Then the earth quakes and trembles: for the purposes of Jahveh against Babylon are being performed, to make the land of…”