John Gill Commentary Jeremiah 51:12

"Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set the watchmen, prepare the ambushes; for Jehovah hath both purposed and done that which he spake concerning the inhabitants of Babylon." — Jeremiah 51:12 (ASV)

Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon. This is not said to the Medes and Persians, to put up a flag on the walls of Babylon, as a sign of victory, as Kimchi, Abarbinel, and others think; but rather to the Babylonians, to set up an ensign on their walls, to gather the inhabitants together, to defend their city, and the bulwarks of it; which, with what follows, is ironically spoken:

make the watch strong ; to guard the city; observe the motions of the enemy, and give proper and timely notice; increase and double it:

set up watchmen ; meaning the keepers of the walls; place them upon them, to keep a good look out, that they might not be surprised:

This seems to respect the great carelessness and security the whole city was in the night it was taken; being wholly engaged in feasting and revelling, in rioting and drunkenness, having no fear of danger, or concern for their safety; with which they are tacitly upbraided: prepare the ambushes ; or, "liers in wait" ^F16 ; to second or relieve those on the walls upon occasion; or seize unawares the besiegers, should they attempt to scale the walls, and enter the city:

for the Lord has devised and done that which he spoke against the inhabitants of Babylon ; or as he has devised, so has he done, or will do: his purposes cannot be frustrated, his counsel shall stand; and therefore had the Babylonians been ever so industrious in their own defence, they could never have prevented their ruin and destruction, which was resolved upon, and accordingly effected.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F16: (Mybrah) "insidiatores", Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Schmidt.