The Meaning of Jeremiah 51:3 Explained

Jeremiah 51:3

KJV: 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.

YLT: Let not the treader tread his bow, Nor lift himself up in his coat of mail, Nor have ye pity on her young men, Devote ye to destruction all her host.

Darby: Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his coat of mail; and spare not her young men: destroy utterly all her host.

ASV: Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his coat of mail: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 51:3 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 51

1  The severe judgment of God against Babylon, in revenge of Israel
59  Jeremiah delivers the book of this prophecy to Seraiah, to be cast into Euphrates,
64  in token of the perpetual sinking of Babylon

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 51:3 mean?

Against [her] let bend Babylon the archer his bow and against [her] lift himself up in his armor and not do spare unto her young men Utterly destroy all her army
אֶֽל־ יִדְרֹ֤ךְ [ידרך] הַדֹּרֵךְ֙ קַשְׁתּ֔וֹ וְאֶל־ יִתְעַ֖ל בְּסִרְיֹנ֑וֹ וְאַֽל־ תַּחְמְלוּ֙ אֶל־ בַּ֣חֻרֶ֔יהָ הַחֲרִ֖ימוּ כָּל־ צְבָאָֽהּ

אֶֽל־  Against  [her] 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
יִדְרֹ֤ךְ  let  bend 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּרַךְ  
Sense: to tread, bend, lead, march.
[ידרך]  Babylon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: דָּרַךְ  
Sense: to tread, bend, lead, march.
הַדֹּרֵךְ֙  the  archer 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: דָּרַךְ  
Sense: to tread, bend, lead, march.
קַשְׁתּ֔וֹ  his  bow 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֶשֶׁת  
Sense: bow.
וְאֶל־  and  against  [her] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
יִתְעַ֖ל  lift  himself  up 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
בְּסִרְיֹנ֑וֹ  in  his  armor 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: סִרְיׄון  
Sense: armour.
וְאַֽל־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
תַּחְמְלוּ֙  do  spare 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: חָמַל 
Sense: (Qal) to spare, pity, have compassion on.
אֶל־  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בַּ֣חֻרֶ֔יהָ  her  young  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: youth, young man.
הַחֲרִ֖ימוּ  Utterly  destroy 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: חָרַם 
Sense: to ban, devote, destroy utterly, completely destroy, dedicate for destruction, exterminate.
צְבָאָֽהּ  her  army 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.