Lexical Summary mappets: Shatterer, Hammer, Breaker Original Word: מַפֵּץ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance battle ax From naphats; a smiter, i.e. A war club -- battle ax. see HEBREW naphats NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom naphats Definition a war-club NASB Translation war-club (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מַמֵּץ noun masculine war-club (literally a shatterer); — מַמֵּץאַֿתָּה לִי Jeremiah 51:20 a war-club art thou to me (׳י addressing Babylon, compare Gf Gie). Topical Lexicon Meaning and Imagery The noun מַפֵּץ (mapets) evokes a heavy war club or hammer designed to crush and scatter. It conveys overwhelming impact—an instrument that pulverizes whatever opposes its wielder. Biblical Occurrence Jeremiah 51:20 presents the term’s single appearance: “You are My war club, My weapon for battle; with you I shatter nations; with you I destroy kingdoms” (Berean Standard Bible). Here the LORD addresses Babylon, depicting the empire as His chosen implement to smash other nations during a season of judgment. Historical Background Jeremiah’s prophecy was delivered near Babylon’s ascendancy under Nebuchadnezzar. Ancient Near Eastern armies frequently carried mace-like clubs with stone or bronze heads affixed to wooden shafts. Their blunt force broke armor, bones, and morale alike. By likening Babylon to such a weapon, Jeremiah underscores both the ferocity of Babylonian campaigns and the greater sovereignty of the LORD who directs the blows. Theological Themes 1. Divine Sovereignty over Nations: God wields even pagan powers as tools of His will (cf. Isaiah 10:5). Connections to Other Scriptural Imagery • Jeremiah 23:29 compares God’s word to “a hammer that smashes a rock,” highlighting the parallel between spoken decree and physical force. Christological Perspective Just as Babylon temporarily functioned as God’s war club, ultimate authority resides in Christ, who will “strike down the nations” with the sword from His mouth (Revelation 19:15) and whose kingdom alone endures. The transient nature of every earthly mapets contrasts with the eternal reign of the risen Lord. Practical Ministry Insights • Humility: Believers may serve as instruments of God’s purposes, yet must remember the honor belongs to the One who wields. Contemporary Application Political entities, institutions, or individuals may seem unstoppable—modern equivalents of a war club. Jeremiah 51:20 reminds the church that God alone grants such influence and can just as swiftly revoke it. Therefore prayer, not panic, should characterize a biblical response to shifting world powers. Summary מַפֵּץ captures the crushing might of a war club and, in Jeremiah’s prophecy, personifies Babylon as the LORD’s temporary instrument of judgment. The term magnifies divine sovereignty, warns instruments of hubris, and ultimately directs attention to Christ, the unfailing King whose righteous reign will finally shatter all opposition and bring enduring peace. Forms and Transliterations מַפֵּץ־ מפץ־ map·pêṣ- mappêṣ- mappetzLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 51:20 HEB: מַפֵּץ־ אַתָּ֣ה לִ֔י NAS: [He says], You are My war-club, [My] weapon KJV: Thou [art] my battle axe [and] weapons INT: are my war-club you weapon 1 Occurrence |
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