Jeremiah 51:11
New International Version
“Sharpen the arrows, take up the shields! The LORD has stirred up the kings of the Medes, because his purpose is to destroy Babylon. The LORD will take vengeance, vengeance for his temple.

New Living Translation
Sharpen the arrows! Lift up the shields! For the LORD has inspired the kings of the Medes to march against Babylon and destroy her. This is his vengeance against those who desecrated his Temple.

English Standard Version
“Sharpen the arrows! Take up the shields! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance for his temple.

Berean Standard Bible
Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her, for it is the vengeance of the LORD—vengeance for His temple.

King James Bible
Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.

New King James Version
Make the arrows bright! Gather the shields! The LORD has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes. For His plan is against Babylon to destroy it, Because it is the vengeance of the LORD, The vengeance for His temple.

New American Standard Bible
Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, Because His plan is against Babylon to destroy it; For it is the vengeance of the LORD, vengeance for His temple.

NASB 1995
Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers! The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, Because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it; For it is the vengeance of the LORD, vengeance for His temple.

NASB 1977
Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers! The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, Because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it; For it is the vengeance of the LORD, vengeance for His temple.

Legacy Standard Bible
Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers! Yahweh has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes Because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it; For it is the vengeance of Yahweh, vengeance for His temple.

Amplified Bible
Sharpen the arrows, take up the shields [and cover yourselves]! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, Because His purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it; For that is the vengeance of the LORD, vengeance [on Babylon] for [plundering and destroying] His temple.

Christian Standard Bible
Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! The LORD has roused the spirit of the kings of the Medes because his plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her, for it is the LORD’s vengeance, vengeance for his temple.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! The LORD has put it into the mind of the kings of the Medes because His plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her, for it is the LORD’s vengeance, vengeance for His temple.

American Standard Version
Make sharp the arrows; hold firm the shields: Jehovah hath stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes; because his purpose is against Babylon, to destroy it: for it is the vengeance of Jehovah, the vengeance of his temple.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Gather the quivers; fill them with arrows. LORD JEHOVAH has stirred the spirit of the King of Media, because his mind is upon Babel for its destruction, because her payment is of LORD JEHOVAH and the vengeance of his temple

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Prepare the arrows; fill the quivers: the Lord has stirred up the spirit of the king of the Medes: for his wrath is against Babylon, to destroy it utterly; for it is the Lord's vengeance, it is the vengeance of his people.

Contemporary English Version
I, the LORD, want Babylon destroyed, because its army destroyed my temple. So, you kings of Media, sharpen your arrows and pick up your shields.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers, the Lord hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: and his mind is against Babylon to destroy it, because it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple.

English Revised Version
Make sharp the arrows; hold firm the shields: the LORD hath stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes; because his device is against Babylon, to destroy it: for it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Sharpen the arrows; fill the quivers. The LORD will stir up the spirit of the kings of the Medes because his plan is to destroy Babylon. The LORD will avenge his temple.

Good News Translation
The LORD has stirred up the kings of Media, because he intends to destroy Babylonia. That is how he will take revenge for the destruction of his Temple. The attacking officers command, "Sharpen your arrows! Get your shields ready!

International Standard Version
Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes— he has decided to destroy Babylon. Indeed, it's the LORD's vengeance, vengeance for his Temple.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Make bright the arrows, Fill the quivers, The LORD hath roused the spirit of the kings of the Medes; Because His device is against Babylon, to destroy it; For it is the vengeance of the LORD, The vengeance of His temple.

Literal Standard Version
Cleanse the arrows, fill the shields, | YHWH has stirred up the spirit of the kings of Media, | For His purpose [is] against Babylon to destroy her, | For it [is] the vengeance of YHWH, | The vengeance of His temple.

Majority Standard Bible
Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her, for it is the vengeance of the LORD—vengeance for His temple.

New American Bible
Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers; The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, for his resolve is Babylon’s destruction. Yes, it is retribution from the LORD, retribution for his temple.

NET Bible
"Sharpen your arrows! Fill your quivers! The LORD will arouse a spirit of hostility in the kings of Media. For he intends to destroy Babylonia. For that is how the LORD will get his revenge--how he will get his revenge for the Babylonians' destruction of his temple.

New Revised Standard Version
Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the LORD, vengeance for his temple.

New Heart English Bible
Make sharp the arrows; hold firm the shields: the LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes; because his purpose is against Babylon, to destroy it: for it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.

Webster's Bible Translation
Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his purpose is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.

World English Bible
“Make the arrows sharp! Hold the shields firmly! Yahweh has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose is against Babylon, to destroy it; for it is the vengeance of Yahweh, the vengeance of his temple.

Young's Literal Translation
Cleanse ye the arrows, fill the shields, Stirred up hath Jehovah the spirit of the kings of Madia, For against Babylon His device is to destroy it, For the vengeance of Jehovah it is, The vengeance of His temple.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Judgment on Babylon
10“The LORD has brought forth our vindication; come, let us tell in Zion what the LORD our God has accomplished.” 11Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her, for it is the vengeance of the LORD— vengeance for His temple. 12Raise a banner against the walls of Babylon; post the guard; station the watchmen; prepare the ambush. For the LORD has both devised and accomplished what He spoke against the people of Babylon.…

Cross References
Leviticus 26:25
And I will bring a sword against you to execute the vengeance of the covenant. Though you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

Isaiah 13:17
Behold, I will stir up against them the Medes, who have no regard for silver and no desire for gold.

Isaiah 45:1
This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut:

Jeremiah 25:25
all the kings of Zimri, Elam, and Media;

Jeremiah 46:3
"Deploy your shields, small and large; advance for battle!

Jeremiah 46:4
Harness the horses; mount the steeds; take your positions with helmets on! Polish your spears; put on armor!

Jeremiah 46:9
Advance, O horses! Race furiously, O chariots! Let the warriors come forth--Cush and Put carrying their shields, men of Lydia drawing the bow.


Treasury of Scripture

Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.

Make

Jeremiah 46:4,9
Harness the horses; and get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the brigandines…

Jeremiah 50:9,14,25,28,29
For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain…

Isaiah 21:5
Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.

bright [heb] pure

Jeremiah 51:27,28
Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillers…

1 Kings 11:14,23
And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom…

1 Chronicles 5:26
And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.

his device

Jeremiah 51:12,29
Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon…

Jeremiah 50:45
Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them.

the vengeance

Jeremiah 51:24,35
And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD…

Jeremiah 50:15,28
Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her…

Psalm 74:3-11
Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary…

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Arrows Babylon Bright Destroy Device Fill Firm Gather Hold Kings Medes Purpose Quivers Raised Roused Sharp Sharpen Shields Spirit Stirred Temple Vengeance
Jeremiah 51
1. The severe judgment of God against Babylon, in revenge of Israel
59. Jeremiah delivers the book of this prophecy to Seraiah, to be cast into Euphrates,
64. in token of the perpetual sinking of Babylon














(11) Make bright the arrows.--Better, Sharpen, the "polishing" or "making bright" being as the means to that end.

Gather the shields.--Literally, fill the shields, i.e., arm yourselves with them, The large shields of the Persian soldiers covered the whole body, and the man literally filled them. The LXX. and Vulgate agree in rendering the noun "quivers" instead of "shields," but this would seem to have been a conjecture rising out of a wish to connect the two clauses. The rendering of the Authorised version agrees with the use of the word in Song Song of Solomon 4:4; Ezekiel 27:11; 2Kings 11:10. Some critics interpret the words as meaning "fill the shields with oil," as parallel to "sharpen the arrows," and agreeing with "anoint the shield" in Isaiah 21:5.

Of the kings of the Medes.--As with the Greeks in their use of the terms Medise and Medism, so with the Hebrews the Medes are more prominent than the Persians in the work of destruction (comp. Isaiah 13:17). The "kings" are the chieftains of tribes more or less independent, but owning the suzerainty of the Persian king. It is noticeable that the ruler of Babylon, after its capture by Cyrus, in Daniel 5:31, is "Darius the Median," and that he is called a "king." . . .

Verse 11. - Make bright; rather, polish, so that the arrows may penetrate easily (comp. Isaiah 49:2, "a polished shaft"). Gather the shields; rather, fill the shields (viz. with your arms); i.e. take hold of them. Comp. the phrase, "to fill the hand with the bow" (2 Kings 9:24). The rendering" quivers" is wanting in philological authority, and seems to have been inferred from this passage, where, however, it is unnecessary. The kings of the Medes. The prophet speaks of the Medes and not the Persians (comp. Isaiah 13:17). "The reason, probably, is twofold:

(1) that the name Madai became known to the Jews at an earlier period than Paras, 'Persia;' and

(2) that the generals of Cyrus were apparently Medes (e.g. Mazares and Harpagus, Herod., 1:157, 162)" (Cheyne's 'Prophecies of Isaiah,' 2:275, 276). The new Cyrus inscription throws light on the latter circumstance.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Sharpen
הָבֵ֣רוּ (hā·ḇê·rū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 1305: To clarify, examine, select

the arrows!
הַחִצִּים֮ (ha·ḥiṣ·ṣîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2671: A piercer, an arrow, a wound, thunderbolt, the shaft of a, spear

Take up
מִלְא֣וּ (mil·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 4390: To fill, be full of

the shields!
הַשְּׁלָטִים֒ (haš·šə·lā·ṭîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7982: Perhaps shield

The LORD
יְהוָ֗ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

has aroused
הֵעִ֣יר (hê·‘îr)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5782: To rouse oneself, awake

the spirit
ר֙וּחַ֙ (rū·aḥ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit

of the kings
מַלְכֵ֣י (mal·ḵê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of the Medes,
מָדַ֔י (mā·ḏay)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4074: Media -- a son of Japheth, also his descendants and their land

because
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

His plan
מְזִמָּת֖וֹ (mə·zim·mā·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4209: A plan, evil, sometimes good

is aimed at
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Babylon
בָּבֶ֥ל (bā·ḇel)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 894: Babylon -- an eastern Mediterranean empire and its capital city

to destroy her,
לְהַשְׁחִיתָ֑הּ (lə·haš·ḥî·ṯāh)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7843: Perhaps to go to ruin

for
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

it
הִ֔יא (hî)
Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

[is] the vengeance
נִקְמַ֤ת (niq·maṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 5360: Avengement

of the LORD—
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

vengeance
נִקְמַ֖ת (niq·maṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 5360: Avengement

for His temple.
הֵיכָלֽוֹ׃ (hê·ḵā·lōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1964: A large public building, palace, temple


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 51:11 Make sharp the arrows (Jer.)
Jeremiah 51:10
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