Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon. — The Authorised version, following the LXX. and the Vulgate, takes the words as an ironical summons to a defence which will prove fruitless. The preposition for “upon” may, however, mean against, and this agrees better with the context. The “standards” are the banners or signals that direct an attack on a given point of the walls. The “watch” and “watchmen” are the scouts and sentinels placed to give notice of any attempt at a sally on the part of the besieged. The “ambush” may indicate generally any sudden attack, or, more specifically, the stratagem of a feigned flight, like that employed by Joshua in the attack on Ai (Joshua 8:14-16; comp. Judges 20:33-35).
Related Commentaries of Jeremiah 51:12
Jeremiah 51:12
12 Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes:c for the LORD hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon.