Behold, an army is coming from the north; a great nation and many kings are stirred up from the ends of the earth.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Behold, a people comes from the north; and a great nation and many kings shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.
- KJV Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
- NKJV “Behold,a people shall come from the north, And a great nation and many kings Shall be raised up from the ends of the earth.
- NASB ¶“Behold, a people is coming from the north, And a great nation and many kings Will be roused from the remote parts of the earth.
- NLT “Look! A great army is coming from the north. A great nation and many kings are rising against you from far-off lands.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God announces that a great northern coalition of kings will rise up against Babylon. The proud destroyer of nations will herself be invaded.
Overview
Babylon, which had come from the north against Judah, now hears that an even greater force will sweep down on her from the north (historically Cyrus and the Medo-Persian alliance). The language deliberately echoes earlier oracles where Babylon was God's instrument against others, showing that no empire is exempt from His justice. The Lord who raises up and casts down nations remains sovereign over history, a comfort fulfilled finally in Christ's everlasting kingdom that overthrows every proud power.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Jer 51:27–28“Raise a banner in the land! Blow the ram’s horn among the nations! Prepare the nations against her. Summon the kingdoms against her—Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a captain against her; bring up horses like swarming locusts.
- Isa 13:2–5Raise a banner on a barren hilltop; call aloud to them. Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.
- Jer 50:9For behold, I stir up and bring against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the land of the north. They will line up against her; from the north she will be captured. Their arrows will be like skilled warriors who do not return empty-handed.
- Jer 6:22–23This is what the LORD says: “Behold, an army is coming from the land of the north; a great nation is stirred up from the ends of the earth.
- Jer 51:11Sharpen 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.
- Isa 13:17–18Behold, I will stir up against them the Medes, who have no regard for silver and no desire for gold.
- Rev 17:16And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
- Jer 50:2–3“Announce and declare to the nations; lift up a banner and proclaim it; hold nothing back when you say, ‘Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is shattered, her images are disgraced, her idols are broken in pieces.’
- Jer 51:1–2This is what the LORD says: “Behold, I will stir up against Babylon and against the people of Leb-kamai the spirit of a destroyer.
- Jer 25:14For many nations and great kings will enslave them, and I will repay them according to their deeds and according to the work of their hands.’”
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Christ at the center
Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.
How Jeremiah 50:41 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.