What does Jeremiah 50:43 mean?
"The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail." - Jeremiah 50:43
Jeremiah 50:43 in the King James Version reads, "The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail."
This verse is taken from the Book of Jeremiah, which is one of the major prophets in the Old Testament. The book is attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, who was called by God to prophesy to the people of Judah and the surrounding nations during a time of great political turmoil and impending destruction. The overarching theme of the Book of Jeremiah is the impending judgement and destruction that will come upon the people and nations who have turned away from God and his commandments. The passage in question is part of a larger section of the book that describes the downfall of Babylon and the defeat of its king.
In this particular verse, the prophet Jeremiah describes the reaction of the king of Babylon upon hearing the report of an impending attack. The imagery used in the verse is quite striking and vivid, comparing the king's response to the feebleness of his hands, the anguish he feels, and the intense pains that grip him as if he were a woman in labor. This powerful and evocative language highlights the emotional and physical toll that the impending defeat and destruction will take on the king of Babylon.
The symbolic significance of this verse lies in its portrayal of the pride and power of the king of Babylon being brought low in the face of impending destruction. The image of the king's hands growing feeble and experiencing anguish and pain serves as a stark contrast to the usual portrayal of the king as a figure of strength and authority. This demonstrates the biblical theme of the downfall of the proud and arrogant, as well as the inevitability of divine judgement for those who oppress others and defy God.
In its broader context, this verse also serves as a foreshadowing of the ultimate defeat and judgement that God has in store for Babylon. Throughout the Book of Jeremiah, Babylon is portrayed as a symbol of wickedness and idolatry, and the downfall of its king is presented as a sign of God's righteous judgement against it. This theme of divine judgement and the ultimate triumph of God's justice is a recurring motif throughout the book, and this verse serves as yet another example of God's sovereignty over the nations and his ultimate authority to hold them to account.
Furthermore, the imagery of the king experiencing anguish and pains like those of a woman in labor also symbolizes the inevitability and unstoppable nature of the impending destruction. Just as a woman cannot avoid the pains of childbirth, so too will the king of Babylon and his kingdom be unable to escape the consequences of their actions. This serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of sin and disobedience, and the inescapable nature of God's justice.
In conclusion, Jeremiah 50:43 from the King James Version of the Bible is a powerful and evocative verse that portrays the impending downfall of the king of Babylon in vivid and symbolic language. It serves as a potent reminder of the consequences of pride and wickedness, as well as a foreshadowing of the ultimate judgement that God has in store for those who defy him. This verse is a powerful testament to the themes of divine justice, judgement, and the ultimate sovereignty of God over the nations.
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Jeremiah 50:43 - "The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail."
"The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail." - Jeremiah 50:43
Jeremiah 50:1 - "The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet."
Jeremiah 43:8 - "¶ Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,"
Jeremiah 50:22 - "A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction."
Jeremiah 50:46 - "At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations."
"A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction." - Jeremiah 50:22
Jeremiah 50:10 - "And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith the LORD."
"¶ Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying," - Jeremiah 43:8
Jeremiah 50:23 - "How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!"
"The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet." - Jeremiah 50:1
Jeremiah 50:36 - "A sword is upon the liars; and they shall dote: a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed."
Jeremiah 48:43 - "Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith the LORD."
Jeremiah 43:7 - "So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes."
Jeremiah 50:38 - "A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols."
Jeremiah 50:8 - "Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks."
Jeremiah 50:27 - "Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation."
Jeremiah 50:41 - "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."
Jeremiah 51:50 - "Ye that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still: remember the LORD afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind."
Jeremiah 50:30 - "Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD."
Jeremiah 43:6 - "Even men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah."
Jeremiah 50:35 - "¶ A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men."
Jeremiah 43:1 - "And it came to pass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, even all these words,"
Jeremiah 50:28 - "The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple."
Jeremiah 43:2 - "Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:"
Jeremiah 50:34 - "Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon."
Jeremiah 50:18 - "Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria."
Jeremiah 50:19 - "And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead."
Jeremiah 32:43 - "And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans."
Jeremiah 50:25 - "The LORD hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation: for this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans."