John Gill Commentary Jeremiah 50:43

"The king of Babylon hath heard the tidings of them, and his hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of him, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail." — Jeremiah 50:43 (ASV)

The king of Babylon has heard the report of them Belshazzar, as Kimchi; he had the report brought him of the invasion of his land by them; of their approach to Babylon, and design upon it; and of their number, character, and force:

and his hands became feeble; as they did when he saw the handwriting upon the wall, (Daniel 5:6);

anguish took hold of him, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail; a sudden panic seized him, and he was quite dispirited at once, as a woman in childbirth, when her pains come upon her, and there is no avoiding them;

though when those who were with Gobrias and Gadates rushed in upon him, they found him standing up with his sword drawn^F26, but unable to defend himself against such a posse as came in upon him.

---

FOOTNOTES:

• F26: Xenophon. Cyropaedia, l. 7. c. 23.