Jeremiah 50:21

With the Hebrew beneath

Jeremiah 50:21, word by word

Against the landאָרֶץarets

land

A region or nation, above all Israel's.

Where else “arets” appears

of Merathaimמְרָתַיִםmeratayim

Merathaim

Merathaim: a name given to Babylon; it sounds like "double bitterness" or "double rebellion".

Where else “meratayim” appears

go up against itעֲלֵהale

go up

To go from a low place to a higher one: up the mountain, to Jerusalem or to a city.

Where else “ale” appears

and against the inhabitantsיוֹשְׁבֵיyoshve

dwell

To make one's home in a place.

Where else “yoshve” appears

of Pekodפְּקוֹדpekod

Pekod

Pekod: a people of Babylonia; the name sounds like "punishment".

Where else “pekod” appears

slayחֲרֹבcharov

destroy each other

To destroy one another, to kill each other.

Where else “charov” appears

and devote them to destructionהַחֲרֵםhacharem

devote to destruction

To give something wholly to YHWH, often by destroying it.

Where else “hacharem” appears

declaresנְאֻםneum

declaration

Solemn words God himself speaks: "oracle of YHWH".

Where else “neum” appears

YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears

and doעֲשֵׂהase

carry out

To do what is commanded.

Where else “ase” appears

I have commanded youצִוִּיתִיtsiviti

command

To give an order: "as YHWH had commanded".

Where else “tsiviti” appears

Translation note

“Merathaim” sounds in Hebrew like “double bitterness” or “double rebellion,” and “Pekod” like “punishment.”

The context