{"id":72737,"date":"2020-04-01T23:00:55","date_gmt":"2020-04-01T20:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=72737"},"modified":"2020-04-01T23:00:55","modified_gmt":"2020-04-01T20:00:55","slug":"babylon-put-to-the-sword","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/babylon-put-to-the-sword\/","title":{"rendered":"Babylon Put To The Sword"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In chapter 50, Jeremiah turns to Babylon, architect of the destruction at the center of Jeremiah\u2019s prophetic energies. What goes around will come around: God \u201cwill avenge the blood of His people and the burning of His sanctuary and destruction of His temple. And out of the destruction of Babylon, the children of Israel will go out and return to Jerusalem and build the house of God\u201d (Abarbanel).<\/span><\/p>\n

Among the many details and images in this prophecy is an anaphoric list of those in Babylon who will be put to the sword:<\/span><\/p>\n

A sword (\u05d7.\u05e8.\u05d1 – cherev) against the Chaldeans\u2026<\/span>
\n<\/span>And against the inhabitants of Babylon,<\/span>
\n<\/span>Against its officials and its wise men!<\/span>
\n<\/span>A sword against the diviners\u2026<\/span>
\n<\/span>A sword against the warriors\u2026<\/span>
\n<\/span>A sword against its horses and chariots,<\/span>
\n<\/span>And against all the motley crowd in its midst\u2026<\/span>
\n<\/span>A sword against its treasuries\u2026<\/span>
\n<\/span>A drought (\u05d7.\u05e8.\u05d1. – chorev) against its waters\u2026 (50:35-37)<\/span><\/p>\n

Why the long list?<\/span><\/p>\n

Menachem Bula, in his Daat Mikra commentary, begins by explaining that the wise men are singled out \u201cbecause they were the ones to advise its conquests and taking of captives. And the officials were the ones to decide\u2026. Therefore, they are especially deserving of divine punishment.\u201d Along those lines, we might consider the entire list in terms of what role each played in wronging the people, land, and Temple of Judea.<\/span><\/p>\n

After those with the idea and those who agreed come the diviners, who lent their stamp of approval and \u201csupernatural\u201d expertise (so they claimed) to the endeavor.\u00a0 Warriors are next \u2013 those who did the deed \u2013 along with the horses and chariots that made it possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

And then we find it wasn\u2019t only natives who joined the Babylonian campaign; a \u201cmotley crowd,\u201d residents from elsewhere, joined the cause and will suffer for it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step by step, the prophecy tears away at each piece that came together to bring about the fall of Jerusalem. Perhaps the treasury (or at least its guards) played a role as well, as did the waters: reliable irrigation from the Euphrates enriched Babylon, meaning more financial backing for war.<\/span><\/p>\n

The use of anaphora highlights the comprehensiveness of God\u2019s targets: Everyone and everything the Babylonians trusted in, everyone and everything that played a role at any level in the conquest of Judea \u2013 will be wiped out. Babylon will be destroyed and \u201cshall never be settled again\u201d (ibid. 39).<\/span><\/p>\n

Commenting on verse 33, Malbim argues that such a fate would be impossible through natural means. The children of Israel were completely oppressed by Babylon: no one remained to redeem the captives; no captor would offer release. The Babylonians had much to rely on, from their river to their officials to their gods (ibid. 38). But the children of Israel have none other than the Lord of Hosts as their redeemer (verse 34). He will address each of those who played a role in that oppression, and His people will return to build His house.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":72738,"id":72738,"title":"jer50-carousel","filename":"jer50-carousel.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/jer50-carousel.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/babylon-put-to-the-sword\/jer50-carousel\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"jer50-carousel","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":72737,"date":"2020-04-01 20:00:31","modified":"2020-04-01 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