Let not the archer bend his bow, and let him not stand up in his armor. Spare not her young men; devote to destruction all her army.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse's opening might seem like a command to the enemy to stand down, but the original Hebrew word for "archer" is the same root as "bend." This creates a powerful, almost tautological, image: the one who bends the bow will be met by one who bends the bow. It highlights how Babylon's own defenses and warriors will be utterly overwhelmed and destroyed by an even greater force, emphasizing the completeness of their doom.
Let not the archer bend his bow, and let him not stand up in his armor. Spare not her young men; devote to destruction all her army.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is issuing a stark, final command to the armies destined to conquer Babylon. This isn't a call for a fair fight; it's a declaration of total annihilation for the city and its people, sparing no one. The preceding verses speak of Babylon's pride and the coming judgment, setting the stage for this brutal, comprehensive destruction of its defenders.
Imagine facing an enemy so determined to wipe you out that they show no pity. This verse describes a brutal, no-holds-barred kind of warfare.
Jeremiah 51:3 is a stark command from God to His people (or their allies like the Medes and Persians) regarding the destruction of Babylon. The verse calls for complete annihilation:
Ever felt like your efforts were doomed from the start? This verse paints a picture of an enemy's best defenses being utterly useless against God's decree.
The first part of Jeremiah 51:3 is packed with powerful imagery about the futility of Babylon's resistance. Commentators note the specific wording:
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Understand the original words
charam · Hebrew Verb
The act of permanently setting something or someone apart for total destruction as an offering of judgment to God; it implies that what is devoted cannot be redeemed or kept.
This prophecy was delivered during the final days of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, as the Persians under Cyrus the Great were poised to conquer the city. Jeremiah's words are a stark command to the invading forces, detailing the complete destruction of Babylon's military might and population.
626 BC
Nabopolassar establishes Babylonian Empire
Nabopolassar rebelled against Assyrian rule and established a new Babylonian empire, setting the stage for Babylon's resurgence as a major power.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II, after defeating the Egyptians at Carchemish, began deporting Jewish elites to Babylon, initiating a period of Babylonian dominance over Judah.
587/586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and deported a large portion of the population, leading to the Babylonian exile.
c. 540 BC
Cyrus the Great conquers Nabonidus
Cyrus, ruler of the rising Persian empire, conquered the Median Empire and began campaigning against Babylon under Nabonidus.
539 BC— this verse
Fall of Babylon to Persia
Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon, ending the Neo-Babylonian Empire and ushering in Persian rule. This event is the direct context for Jeremiah's prophecy.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus issued an edict allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples.
This passage describes God's complete destruction of those who oppose His people, mirroring the absolute defeat of Babylon's army mentioned in Jeremiah.
Revelation 18:10This verse speaks to the judgment on a future 'Babylon,' a spiritual entity representing worldly opposition to God, echoing the severe judgment upon ancient Babylon.
Ezekiel 39:17-20This passage vividly describes the complete annihilation of an enemy army, with details about the scale of the slaughter that resonate with the utter destruction commanded in Jeremiah.
Nahum 2:1-3Nahum also prophesies the destruction of Nineveh, a city similar in its might and pride to Babylon, detailing the overwhelming force that will bring about its downfall.
barnesJeremiah 51:3: "Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host."
The man who bends the bow, and the heavy-armed soldier who vaunts himself in his coat of mail ( Jeremiah 46:4 note), represent the Babylonians who defend the city.
pulpitJeremiah 51:3: "Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host."
Verse 3. - Against him that bendeth, etc. There are two readings in the Hebrew Bible - one that given by the Authorized Version; the other, "Against him that bendeth (let) him that bendeth his bow (come)." The difficulty, however, is in the first two words of the clause, which are the same in either rea…
The verse's opening might seem like a command to the enemy to stand down, but the original Hebrew word for "archer" is the same root as "bend." This creates a powerful, almost tautological, image: the one who bends the bow will be met by one who bends the bow. It highlights how Babylon's own defenses and warriors will be utterly overwhelmed and destroyed by an even greater force, emphasizing the completeness of their doom.
Jeremiah is issuing a stark, final command to the armies destined to conquer Babylon. This isn't a call for a fair fight; it's a declaration of total annihilation for the city and its people, sparing no one. The preceding verses speak of Babylon's pride and the coming judgment, setting the stage for this brutal, comprehensive destruction of its defenders.
Jeremiah is issuing a stark, final command to the armies destined to conquer Babylon. This isn't a call for a fair fight; it's a declaration of total annihilation for the city and its people, sparing no one. The preceding verses speak of Babylon's pride and the coming judgment, setting the stage for this brutal, comprehensive destruction of its defenders.
"Let not the archer bend his bow, and let him not stand up in his armor. Spare not her young men; devote to destruction all her army." — The verse's opening might seem like a command to the enemy to stand down, but the original Hebrew word for "archer" is the same root as "bend." This creates a powerful, almost tautological, image: th…
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Last reviewed October 2026