Book of Jeremiah Chapter 50 Vs. 22
- lastdays13
- Nov 3, 2025
- 4 min read
Judgment on Babylon
Jer. 50:22 A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.
A sound...
קוֹל
qôl: A masculine noun meaning a voice, a sound, a noise, a cry. This is an all-encompassing word that is used of any kind of sound. It describes God's voice in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:8, 3:10); human voices, speech (Gen. 27:22; Jos. 6:10; 2Kgs. 7:10); singing (Exo. 32:18); laughter (Jer. 30:19); horses hoofs (Jer. 47:3); animal sounds (1Sam. 15:14; Jer. 8:16). It is used of noises and sounds from inanimate objects: musical instruments, e.g., a shophar (Exo. 19:16; 20:18); a clap of thunder (Isa. 30:30; Amos 1:2); feet marching (1Kgs. 14:6); chariots (Nam. 3:2), etc. It refers to the content of speech, what is actually conveyed (Gen. 3:17; Exo. 3:18); also the contents of a written message (2Kgs. 10:6). In a special use, it refers to the sound meaning of a divine sign (Exo. 4:8). The speech and utterances of the Lord as qôl are found often (Gen. 22:18; 26:5; Exo. 5:2; Zec. 6:15). The phrase qôl gāḏôl means a loud (great) voice (Gen. 39:14). The idiom to lift up one's voice means to cry out, to plead (Gen. 21:16); to raise up one's voice means to prepare to cry out (Gen. 39:15). The phrase qôl qōre’ means a voice calls (Isa. 40:3, 40:6). It may bear the meaning of news, a report, hearsay (Gen. 45:16). The word is used as a personification of a person's blood crying out (Gen. 4:10).
of battle...
מִלְחָמָה
milḥāmāh: A feminine noun meaning war, battle. It indicates a formal military combat declared and engaged in by peoples and nations. The Lord was a "man of war" on behalf of His people (Exo. 15:3); a mighty one of battle (Psm. 24:8); the one in charge of the battle (1Sam. 17:47; Psm. 76:3,4); for they were His battles (1Sam. 18:17). It was a general term for battle, war, fighting (Gen. 14:8; Exo. 1:10; 1Sam. 17:1; 31:3; 1Kgs. 20:14). It refers to the place of war, a battlefield (1Sam. 14:20). A soldier would be a man of war, a warrior (1Sam. 16:18; Isa. 3:2). The host of the armies is indicated by the phrase ṣeḇā’ milḥāmāh (Num. 31:14; Isa. 13:4). Various verbs are used with the noun: ‛āraḵ, get ready for battle (Jdg. 20:22); qāraḇ, to join into battle (1Kgs. 20:29); ‛āśāh, to make war (Pro. 20:18; 24:6).
is in the land,...
אֶרֶץ
’ereṣ: A noun meaning the earth, land. It is used almost 2,500 times in the Old Testament. It refers to the whole earth under God's dominion (Gen. 1:1; 14:19; Exo. 9:29; Psm. 102:25,26; Pro. 8:31; Mic. 4:13). Since the earth was God's possession, He promised to give the land of Canaan to Abraham's descendants (Gen. 12:7; 15:7). The Promised Land was very important to Abraham's descendants and to the nation of Israel that possessed the land (Jos. 1:2, 1:4). Israel's identity was tied to the land because it signified the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham. If the Israelites were disobedient, however, they would be cursed by losing the land (Lev. 26:32-34, 26:36, 26:38-39; Deu. 28:63-64; Jer. 7:7).
and of great...
גָּדוֹל
gāḏôl, גָּדֹל
gāḏōl, הַגְּדוֹלִים
haggeḏôliym: An adjective meaning great. The word emphasizes the importance, size, and significance of something or someone. It is used to attribute theological importance in various ways to things of great significance: God's great acts of redemption are emphasized, His great and awesome things (Deu. 10:21; Psm. 71:19; 106:21); His great acts in nature and in general are recognized (Job 5:9; 9:10; 37:5). It is used to describe the might and greatness of God's arm which brought Israel from Egypt (Exo. 15:16). God's presence and character in power, counsel, compassion, and mercy are described as great (Psm. 145:8; Isa. 54:7; Jer. 32:19; Nam. 1:3). It designates persons as influential, masters, great (Gen. 39:9) or as leading persons (2Kgs. 10:6). Elisha's miracles are great and influential (2Kgs. 8:4). The word is used to describe an intensity or extent of fear (Deu. 4:34; Pro. 19:19); weeping (Isa. 38:3); evil or sin (Gen. 4:13; 20:9; 39:9). It is used in general to describe whatever is large, numerous, or intent, such as a sea (Num. 34:6); river (Gen. 15:18); wilderness (Deu. 1:19); number (Gen. 12:2; 2Kgs. 10:19; Jer. 31:8); sound (Gen. 39:14; Exo. 11:6); or one's age (Gen. 10:21; 27:1; 29:16). A few fixed expressions occur using this word: the great king, referring to the king of Assyria (2Kgs. 18:19, 18:28); the great (high) priest (Lev. 21:10); the great sea, meaning the Mediterranean Sea (Num. 34:6); the great river meaning the Euphrates (Deu. 1:7).
destruction...
שֵׁבֶר
šēḇer: A masculine noun meaning destruction, ruin, affliction, fracture, solution of a dream, breach. This noun can be used to express the result from the breaking of a dream (i.e., its interpretation [Jdg. 7:15]). Isaiah used this noun to express the possible result of sin by speaking metaphorically of the shattering of a wall (Isa. 30:13). In Leviticus, this noun is used to designate a fracture of the foot or hand, indicating a cripple (Lev. 21:19). The noun can also be used to indicate the primary reason for suffering due to disobedience to God.