John Gill Commentary Jeremiah 51:47

"Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will execute judgment upon the graven images of Babylon; and her whole land shall be confounded; and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her." — Jeremiah 51:47 (ASV)

Therefore, behold, the days come that I will do judgment on
the graven images of Babylon
Because of the connection of these words, some understand (Jeremiah 51:46) of the report of the deliverance of the Jews time after time; and yet nothing came of it, which disheartened them; and they were used more cruelly, and with greater violence, by the Chaldeans and their kings, one after another; and "therefore" the following things are said; but the particle may be rendered "moreover" ^F14 , as some observe; or "surely", certainly, of a truth, as in (Jeremiah 5:2) ; the time is hastening on, the above things being done, when judgment shall be executed, not only upon Bel the chief idol, (Jeremiah 51:44) ; but upon all the idols of the Chaldeans; which should be broken to pieces, and stripped of everything about them that was valuable; the Medes and Persians having no regard to images in their worship;

though Dr. Prideaux ^F15 thinks that what is here said, and in (Jeremiah 51:44) ; were fulfilled by Xerxes, when he destroyed and pillaged the Babylonian temples:

and her whole land shall be confounded ;
the inhabitants of it, when they see their images destroyed, in which they trusted for their safety:

and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her ;
in the midst of Babylon; where the king and his army were shut up, and dared not move out; and where they were slain when the army of Cyrus entered.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F14: (Nkl) "praeterea"; so Gataker.
• F15: Connexion, par. 1. B. 2. p. 101. B. 4. p. 242, 243.