Book of Jeremiah Chapter 50 Vs. 24

 Judgment on Babylon

Jer 50:24 I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the LORD.

I have laid a snare...

יָקשׁ

yāqōš: A verb meaning to snare. The word refers primarily to the snaring of animals, especially birds (Psm. 124:7; Ecc. 9:12). However, this word always refers figuratively to the catching of a person or people in an undesirable situation. The bait of these snares is people's desire for other gods (Deu. 7:25; Psm. 141:9, cf. 141:4). Pride makes persons susceptible to snares (Jer. 50:24 [cf. Jer. 50:31, 32]) while humility (Pro. 6:2) and the help of God may deliver them. In two similar passages in Isaiah, Israel is snared by their rejection of God's word (Isa. 8:15; 28:13).

for thee, and thou art also...

גַּם

gam: An adverbial conjunction meaning also, even, moreover, indeed, yea, as well as, both, though. In different contexts, the word can be translated in various ways: it ties things together, new and old (Song 7:13,14); includes other things or persons, such as a husband (Gen. 3:6); adds action (Gen. 3:22); intensifies, such as even a blameless nation (Gen. 20:4); indicates neither . . . nor (1Sam. 28:20). It may stress a particular word with which it is used and mean even or else (Exo. 4:9; Num. 22:33; Pro. 14:13). It introduces a climax to a statement (Gen. 27:33) and means yes (KJV, yea). It expresses agreement in oneself with another, e.g., I also (Gen. 20:6; Jos. 24:18; Jdg. 2:21). When used in pairs gam . . . gam, it means also . . . as or as . . . as (Jer. 2:36) or as . . . so (Isa. 66:3-4). It means though in some contexts: "They tried Me, though [gam] they had seen My work" (of judgment) (Psm. 95:9 NASB, cf. Psm. 129:2; Jer. 6:15; Ezk. 20:23). When used in the phrase gam kiy, it is best rendered as yes, when, or even when (Pro. 22:6; Isa. 1:15; Lam. 3:8; Hos. 8:10).

taken,...

לָכַד

lāḵaḏ: A verb meaning to capture, to seize. It indicates taking possession of, capturing, or catching various things: a city (Num. 21:32); a land (Jos. 10:42); captives of all social ranks in war (Jdg. 7:25; 2Sam. 8:4); foxes (Jdg. 15:4); a river ford in the sense of seizing and occupying it (Jdg. 3:28); as well as the waters of a river (Jdg. 7:24-25). It has the sense of the Lord choosing or picking something (Jos. 7:14-18); or seizing control of the government reins of a kingdom (1Sam. 14:47), often by force (Dan. 11:15, 11:18). It is used figuratively in metaphors: of a sinner being seized in the snares of a wicked woman (Ecc. 7:26); of persons ensnared by the words of their own mouths (Pro. 6:2). It is used to indicate the "seizing" of water as it turns to ice and hardens (Job 38:30); of being seized by "cords of affliction" (Job 36:8). It is used of one thing interlocking with another (Job 41:17,9).

O Babylon,...

בָּבֶל

bāḇel: A proper noun designating Babel or Babylon, a name meaning "confession" and the name of the foreign power most often mentioned in the Old Testament, Babylon. Its beginnings go back to Nimrod, "a mighty warrior" and hunter but also a founder of cities and city-states (Gen. 10:8-12). At Babel the languages of the world became mixed and separated (Gen. 11:9), and there great towers (ziggurats) were built to approach the gods as humankind deemed necessary. God stopped the building of these "towers of hubris" (Gen. 11:5-8), where humankind tried to gather together as one (Gen. 11:1-2). It was a part of the Assyrian Empire for a while (2Kgs. 17:24, 17:30). The neo-Babylonian Empire, founded by Nabopolassar (626 B.C.) is often mentioned in the prophets (Isa. Jer., Eze., Dan., Mic., Zec.). Its greatest king, Nebuchadnezzar, ruled nearly 43 years and is the topic of much of the Book of Daniel (Dan. 1:1; 2, 3, 4). The Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and took Judah into exile in 587/6 B.C. (2Kgs. 25:1-28; Jer. 52:3-34). Isaiah the prophet especially denounced the idolatry of Babylon (Isa. 40-66). Israel was exiled in 587/6 to Babylon for seventy years in fulfillment of both the prophet Moses' and Jeremiah's prophecies (Deu. 28; Jer. 25:1-14). They returned in 538 B.C. under Cyrus, king of Persia (2Chr. 36:20-23; Ezra 1:1-3; Zec. 2:7,11).

and thou...

אַתָּה

’attāh: A personal pronoun meaning you. It is also written ’attā in a few places (1Sam. 24:18,19; Psm. 6:3,4). Its basic use is as the independent personal pronoun meaning you (Num. 11:15; Deu. 5:27,24; 2Chr. 14:11,10; Ezk. 28:14). It is used for emphasis before finite verb forms and then may mean you, yourself. It may also be used after (appended) a verb for emphasis (Exo. 18:19; 1Sam. 17:56; 20:8). Used after a previous suffix referring to you, it is again emphatic (2Chr. 35:21).

wast not...

לֹא

lō’, לוֹא

lô’, לֹה

lōh: An adverb meaning no, not. The term is primarily utilized as an ordinary negation, as in Genesis 3:4: "You will not surely die" (NIV cf. Jdg. 14:4; Psm. 16:10). Often it is used to express an unconditional prohibition, thus having the force of an imperative: "You shall not (= do not ever) steal"(Exo. 20:15 NIV; cf. Jdg. 13:5). Frequently, it functions as an absolute in answer to a question (Job 23:6; Zec 4:5). The word is also employed in questions to denote that an affirmative answer is expected (2Kgs. 5:26; Jon. 4:11). When it is prefixed to a noun or adjective, it negates that word, making it have an opposite or contrary meaning (e.g., god becomes non-god; strong becomes weak; cf. Deu. 32:21; Pro. 30:25). When prefixed by the preposition b^e, meaning in or by, the combined term carries the temporal meaning of beyond or before (Lev. 15:25); the meaning without is also not uncommon for this combination (Job 8:11). A prefixed preposition l^e, meaning to or for, gives the term the meaning of without (2Chr. 15:3) or as though not (Job 39:16). Occasionally, the word suggests the meaning not only, on account of the context (Deu. 5:3).

aware:...

יָדַע

yāḏa‛: A verb meaning to know, to learn, to perceive, to discern, to experience, to confess, to consider, to know people relation-ally, to know how, to be skillful, to be made known, to make oneself known, to make to know.

The simple meaning, to know, is its most common translation out of the eight hundred or more uses. One of the primary uses means to know relation-ally and experientially: it refers to knowing or not knowing persons (Gen. 29:5; Exo. 1:8) personally or by reputation (Job 19:13). The word also refers to knowing a person sexually (Gen. 4:1; 19:5; 1Kgs. 1:4). It may even describe knowing or not knowing God or foreign gods (Exo. 5:2; Deu. 11:28; Hos. 2:20,22; Hos. 8:2), but it especially signifies knowing what to do or think in general, especially with respect to God (Isa. 1:3; 56:10). One of its most important uses is depicting God's knowledge of people: The Lord knows their hearts entirely (Exo. 33:12; 2Sam. 7:20; Psm. 139:4; Jer. 17:9; Hos. 5:3); God knows the suffering of His people (Exo. 2:25), and He cares.

The word also describes knowing various other things: when Adam and Eve sinned, knowing good and evil (Gen. 3:22); knowing nothing (1Sam. 20:39); and knowing the way of wisdom (Job 28:23). One could know by observation (1Sam. 23:22-23), as when Israel and Pharaoh came to know God through the plagues He brought on Egypt (Exo. 10:2). People knew by experience (Jos. 23:14) that God kept His promises; this kind of experience could lead to knowing by confession (Jer. 3:13; 14:20). Persons could be charged to know what they were about to do (Jdg. 18:14) or what the situation implied (1Kgs. 20:7) so they would be able to discriminate between right and wrong, good and bad, what was not proper or advantageous (Deu. 1:39; 2Sam. 19:35,36).

thou art found,...

מָצָא

māṣā’: A verb meaning to find, attain. The verb is employed in both the active and passive senses (to be found). In addition, it is also used in a causative sense, to cause to find. Finally, the word is employed in several idioms that carry special meanings. The word is used to indicate finding or seeking just about anything: water (Gen. 26:32; Exo. 15:22); a place, goal, or location (Gen. 8:9); a knowledge of the Lord (Pro. 2:5); the word of the Lord (Amos 8:12); or words of wisdom (Pro. 4:22). The word indicates coming on something (Gen. 44:8); of finding something (Job 11:7; Ecc. 3:11). Additional idiomatic phrases include finding heart, meaning to be able to do something (2Sam. 7:27); finding the vigor (life) of one's hand, renewing one's strength (Isa. 57:10); to not be found, not to exist or be dead (Job 20:8). The meanings discussed are used in passive constructions as well. Persons being sought are found (Gen. 18:29-30; Jos. 10:17); and crime or evil can be found out (Exo. 22:4,3; 1Sam. 25:28); as can evildoers (Exo. 22:2,1, 22:7,6). The verb means to happen to be, literally to be found, in several passages (Deu. 17:2; 18:10; Jer. 5:26). Finally, in the passive usage of the verb, it means not sufficient for someone, as in Jos. 17:16 where the hill country was not found to be sufficient for the people of Joseph. In the stem indicating cause, the verb can mean to bring on someone their just desserts, i.e., to cause proper justice to find them (Job 34:11; cf. Job 37:13). In 2Sam. 3:8, the verb indicates the deliverance of someone into the power of another person, i.e., to make someone be found in the hand of another, in this case in the hand of David.

and also... see and thou art also above.

caught,...

תָּפַשׂ

tāp̱aś: A verb meaning to lay hold of, to seize; to capture; to wield. It basically means to seize, to get possession of, to catch in its active usages: to grab hold of something, e.g., a garment (Gen. 39:12); to catch and hold a lizard (Pro. 30:28); to capture or to seize a person (1Sam. 23:26). It has the sense figuratively of holding on to someone or something for support, e. g., Egypt (Ezk. 29:7). In a general sense, it may describe living in or occupying a hill, an area, or a location (Jer. 49:16). It takes on the sense of holding or wielding a tool or a weapon in a skillful way (Ezk. 21:11,16; Amos 2:15). By extension, it takes on a figurative sense of handling the Law skillfully or planning strategy in warfare (Num. 31:27; Jer. 34:3). In a passive sense, it means to be seized (Jer. 38:23; 50:24).

because...

כִּי

kiy: A demonstrative particle meaning because, for, that, when, whenever; indeed, even; if; even when, even though. It is used in various ways and must be translated accordingly. In every case, the context in which the word functions will be the key to translating correctly. Here is a listing of the major ways it is used: as a conjunction meaning because (Gen. 3:14); for (Psm. 6:2, 6:5); that (Gen. 1:10; 1Kgs. 21:15); as a conjunctive time or condition indicator, when or if (Gen. 4:12); in a clause of condition, it means if, in fact, or in case (Job 7:13); as a demonstrative particle translated as yes, indeed, surely (Gen. 18:20; 1Sam. 14:44); truly, especially found in oaths (Gen. 42:16); used with ’im . . . kî . . . , it means if . . . then (Isa. 7:9); in combination with kî ’az, it is best rendered as then; kî ‛attāh usually means for them (Job 3:13). After a negative clause, kî is best rendered as rather (Gen. 3:6; 17:5; 24:4); preceded by the negative lō’, it is "no, but . . ." In clauses that concede something, it has the sense of even though, although, even when (Ecc. 4:14). It is used to show comparison when used in the construction kî . . . kēn, as . . . so (Isa. 55:9).

thou hast striven...

גָּרָה

gārāh: A verb meaning to meddle, to stir up strife, to provoke. It is used in Proverbs always with the object being strife (Pro. 15:18; 28:25; 29:22) or those who forsake God's law (Pro. 28:4). Used reflexively, it basically means to stir up one's self against someone or something: peoples (Deu. 2:5, 2:19);, a king (2Kgs. 14:10; 2Chr. 25:19); a people or nation to provoke war (Deu. 2:9, 2:24; Dan. 11:10, 11:25).

against the Lord...

יְהוָֹה

y^ehōwāh: A noun meaning God. The word refers to the proper name of the God of Israel, particularly the name by which He revealed Himself to Moses (Exo. 6:2-3). The divine name has traditionally not been pronounced, primarily out of respect for its sacredness (cf. Exo. 20:7; Deu. 28:58). Until the Renaissance, it was written without vowels in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, being rendered as YHWH. However, since that time, the vowels of another word, ’^aḏōnāy, have been supplied in hopes of reconstructing the pronunciation. Although the exact derivation of the name is uncertain, most scholars agree that its primary meaning should be understood in the context of God's existence, namely, that He is the "I AM THAT I AM" (Exo. 3:14), the One who was, who is, and who always will be (cf. Rev. 11:17). Older translations of the Bible and many newer ones employ the practice of rendering the divine name in capital letters, so as to distinguish it from other Hebrew words. It is most often rendered as LORD (Gen. 4:1; Deu. 6:18; Psm. 18:31,32; Jer. 33:2; Jon. 1:9) but also as GOD (Gen. 6:5; 2Sam. 12:22) or JEHOVAH (Psm. 83:18, 19; Isa. 26:4). The frequent appearance of this name in relation to God's redemptive work underscores its tremendous importance (Lev. 26:45; Psm. 19:14,15). Also, it is sometimes compounded with another word to describe the character of the Lord in greater detail (see Gen. 22:14; Exo. 17:15; Jdg. 6:24).