Jeremiah 51:11

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Sharpen the arrows; fill the quivers! The Lord has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy her. This is the Lord's vengeance, the vengeance for His temple.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

הָבֵ֣רוּ הַחִצִּים֮ מִלְא֣וּ הַשְּׁלָטִים֒ הֵעִ֣יר יְהוָ֗ה אֶת־ר֙וּחַ֙ מַלְכֵ֣י מָדַ֔י כִּֽי־עַל־בָּבֶ֥ל מְזִמָּת֖וֹ לְהַשְׁחִיתָ֑הּ כִּֽי־נִקְמַ֤ת יְהוָה֙ הִ֔יא נִקְמַ֖ת הֵיכָלֽוֹ׃

Transliteration

Hāvērû the-ḥiṣṣîm, milʾû the-šĕlāṭîm. Hēʿîr YHWH ʾet-rûaḥ malḵê Māday, for-against-Bāvel mĕzimmātô to-destroy-her, for-niqmat YHWH hîʾ, niqmat hêḵālô.

Grammar Details

• *Hāvērû*: hiphil imperative, masculine plural - sharpen/polish
• *ḥiṣṣîm*: masculine plural noun with definite article - the arrows
• *milʾû*: qal imperative, masculine plural - fill
• *šĕlāṭîm*: masculine plural noun with definite article - the shields/quivers
• *Hēʿîr*: hiphil perfect, 3rd masculine singular - has stirred up
• *YHWH*: proper noun - Yahweh/the LORD
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *rûaḥ*: feminine singular construct - spirit of
• *malḵê*: masculine plural noun construct - kings of
• *Māday*: proper noun - Media/Medes
• *Bāvel*: proper noun - Babylon
• *mĕzimmātô*: feminine singular noun with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his purpose/device
• *niqmat*: feminine singular construct - vengeance of
• *hîʾ*: 3rd feminine singular pronoun - it (is)
• *hêḵālô*: masculine singular noun with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his temple

Word Meanings

• *Hāvērû*: sharpen/polish/make bright
• *šĕlāṭîm*: shields/quivers
• *Hēʿîr*: stirred up/aroused/awakened
• *mĕzimmātô*: his device/his purpose/his plan
• *niqmat*: vengeance of/retribution of/revenge of

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Polish the arrows; 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 of His temple.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Make sharp{H1305} the arrows;{H2671} hold firm{H4390} the shields:{H7982} Jehovah{H3068} hath stirred up{H5782} the spirit{H7307} of the kings{H4428} of the Medes;{H4074} because his purpose{H4209} is against Babylon,{H894} to destroy{H7843} it: for it is the vengeance{H5360} of Jehovah,{H3068} the vengeance{H5360} of his temple.{H1964}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Make bright{H1305}{(H8685)} the arrows{H2671}; gather{H4390}{(H8798)} the shields{H7982}: the LORD{H3068} hath raised up{H5782}{(H8689)} the spirit{H7307} of the kings{H4428} of the Medes{H4074}: for his device{H4209} is against Babylon{H894}, to destroy{H7843}{(H8687)} it; because it is the vengeance{H5360} of the LORD{H3068}, the vengeance{H5360} of his temple{H1964}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Make sharpe the arowes, and fyll the quyuers: for the LORDE shall rayse vp the sprete of the kynge of the Meedes, which hath allready a desyre to destroye Babilon. This shalbe the vengeaunce of the LORDES, and the vengeaunce of his temple.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Make bright the arrowes: gather the shieldes: the Lorde hath raised vp the spirit of the King of the Medes: for his purpose is against Babel to destroy it, because it is the vengeance of the Lord, and the vengeance of his Temple.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Make sharpe the arrowes, and multiplie your shieldes: for the Lorde shall rayse vp the spirite of the kyng of the Medes, which hath alredy a desire to destroy Babylon: this shalbe the vengeaunce of the Lorde, & the vengeaunce of his temple.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Make sharp the arrows; hold firm the shields: 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 (1862/1898)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Make bright the arrows; take up the body-covers: the Lord has been moving the spirit of the king of the Medes; because his design against Babylon is its destruction: for it is the punishment from the Lord, the payment for his Temple.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Make sharp the arrows; hold firm the shields: 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.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  “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.

Referenced Verses

• Jer 46:4 : 4 Harness the horses, and mount the riders! Take your positions with helmets on! Polish the spears, and put on your armor!
• Jer 50:45 : 45 Therefore, hear the counsel of the LORD that He has purposed against Babylon and the plans He has devised against the land of the Chaldeans. Surely, the little ones of the flock will be dragged away; surely, their pasture will be appalled at their fate.
• Jer 46:9 : 9 Charge, you horses! Drive furiously, you charioteers! Let the warriors march out—Cush and Put, wielding shields, and the Ludim, skilled in using the bow.
• Jer 50:9 : 9 For behold, I am stirring up and bringing against Babylon a coalition of great nations from the north. They will line up for battle against her; from there she will be captured. Their arrows are like skilled warriors; they will not return empty-handed.
• Jer 50:14-15 : 14 Take your positions around Babylon, all you who draw the bow. Shoot at her! Spare no arrows, for she has sinned against the LORD. 15 Raise a shout against her on every side! She has surrendered; her towers have fallen, her walls are torn down. This is the vengeance of the LORD. Take vengeance on her; do to her as she has done to others.
• Jer 50:25 : 25 The LORD has opened His armory and brought out the weapons of His wrath, for the Sovereign LORD of Hosts has a task to accomplish in the land of the Chaldeans.
• Jer 50:28-29 : 28 Listen to the voice of those fleeing and escaping from the land of Babylon, proclaiming in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance for His temple. 29 Summon archers against Babylon, all who draw the bow. Encamp around her on every side, and let no one escape. Repay her according to her deeds; do to her as she has done. For she has defied the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.
• Jer 51:12 : 12 Raise a banner against the walls of Babylon! Strengthen the guard, post the watchmen, prepare ambushes, for the Lord has planned and carried out what He purposed against the inhabitants of Babylon.
• Jer 51:24 : 24 Before your eyes, I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all the evil they have done in Zion, declares the Lord.
• Jer 51:27-29 : 27 Raise a banner in the land! Blow the trumpet among the nations! Prepare the nations for battle against her. Summon the kingdoms: Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a commander against her. Bring up horses like swarming locusts! 28 Prepare the nations for battle against her—the kings of the Medes, their governors, all their officials, and the whole land of their dominion. 29 The earth trembles and writhes because the Lord’s plans against Babylon stand firm—to make the land of Babylon a desolate wasteland, without an inhabitant.
• Jer 51:35 : 35 May the violence done to me and my flesh be upon Babylon, says the inhabitant of Zion. May my blood be on the inhabitants of Chaldea, says Jerusalem.
• Hab 2:17-20 : 17 The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of beasts will terrify you, because of human bloodshed and violence against the land, the city, and all who live in it. 18 What profit is an idol when its maker has carved it, or a cast image that teaches falsehood? For its maker trusts in his own creation to make worthless idols that cannot speak. 19 Woe to him who says to wood, 'Awake!' or to silent stone, 'Arise!' Can it teach? Look, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath at all within it. 20 But the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.
• Zech 12:2-3 : 2 Behold, I am making Jerusalem a cup of reeling for all the surrounding nations. Even Judah will be besieged as Jerusalem is attacked. 3 And on that day, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who try to lift it will be severely injured, and all the nations of the earth will gather against her.
• Zech 14:2 : 2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for battle, and the city will be captured, the houses will be plundered, and the women violated. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.
• Zech 14:12 : 12 This will be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.
• Rev 17:16-17 : 16 The ten horns you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, devour her flesh, and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by agreeing to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
• 1 Kgs 11:14 : 14 Then the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom.
• 1 Kgs 11:23 : 23 God raised up another adversary against Solomon—Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master Hadadezer, the king of Zobah.
• 1 Chr 5:26 : 26 So the God of Israel stirred the spirit of Pul, king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, who took the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He carried them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan, where they remain to this day.
• 2 Chr 36:22 : 22 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and he also put it in writing:
• Ezra 1:1 : 1 In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia. He made a proclamation throughout his kingdom and put it in writing, saying:
• Ps 74:3-9 : 3 Lift up Your steps toward the perpetual ruins; the enemy has done all this evil in the sanctuary. 4 Your adversaries have roared in the midst of Your assembly place; they have set up their signs as signs. 5 It appeared like one lifting up axes against a thick forest. 6 Now they smash all its carved work together with hatchets and hammers. 7 They set Your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of Your name, bringing it to the ground. 8 They said in their hearts, 'Let us completely subdue them!' They burned all the meeting places of God in the land. 9 We no longer see our signs; there is no more prophet, and no one among us knows how long. 10 How long, O God, will the enemy reproach? Will the adversary despise Your name forever? 11 Why do You hold back Your hand, even Your right hand? Take it from Your bosom and destroy them!
• Ps 83:3-9 : 3 For behold, your enemies are in an uproar; those who hate you have lifted up their heads in rebellion. 4 They devise cunning plans against your people and conspire together against your treasured ones. 5 They say, 'Come, let us destroy them as a nation, so that the name of Israel may no longer be remembered.' 6 For they have consulted together with one mind; they have made a covenant against you. 7 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, 8 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre. 9 Even Assyria has joined them; they have strengthened the descendants of Lot. Selah.
• Isa 10:26 : 26 The LORD of Hosts will stir up a scourge against them as He did at the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and He will raise His staff over the sea as He did in Egypt.
• Isa 13:17-18 : 17 Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who do not value silver and have no delight in gold. 18 Their bows will strike down the young men; they will show no mercy to the offspring of the womb, nor will they pity children.
• Isa 21:2 : 2 A harsh vision has been shown to me: The betrayer betrays, and the destroyer devastates. Go up, Elam! Surround, Media! I have put an end to all her groaning.
• Isa 21:5 : 5 Prepare the table, set a watchman in the watchtower, eat and drink. Rise up, you princes, and anoint the shield!
• Isa 41:25 : 25 I have stirred up someone from the north, and he has come; from the rising of the sun, he calls on my name. He treads rulers as if they were clay, like a potter trampling the mud.
• Isa 45:1 : 1 This is what the LORD says to His anointed one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have strengthened to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut.
• Isa 45:5 : 5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you do not acknowledge me.
• Isa 46:11 : 11 I call a bird of prey from the east, a man to fulfill My purpose from a distant land. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, and I will make it happen.