and raise a standard (Perche in French.) That is a signal for gathering.

Bel...Merodach The names of the Babylonian deities.

a nation...from the north [viz.] Persia and Media.

are directed hitherward Toward this place, Jerusalem, they shall direct their faces when Babylon will be destroyed and they will leave it with the sanction of Cyrus, king of Persia.

their shepherds caused them to stray Their kings caused them to stray away from Me.

mountains...led them astray To the mountains, to the idol worship that was on the mountains. שׁוֹבְבוּם (esvayent in O.F.), led astray, their kings led them astray. And Jonathan rendered: their governors plundered them.

and the hope of their forefathers Jonathan renders: וְסִבּוּר אֲבָהָתְהוֹן, and the hope of their forefathers.

Wander out of Babylon Accordingly, go out of there.

like the he goats before the flocks It is customary for the he-goats to go before the flock, at the head of the she-goats.

and they shall set themselves in array against her They shall array themselves in battle against her.

O spoilers of My heritage Heb. שֹּׁסֵי.

as you become fat Heb. תפושו, an expression of fat.

a threshing heifer Heb. דשא, a heifer that threshes the grain and eats constantly.

Your mother Your nation.

the end of the nations Although your beginning was great, your end will be a desert.

shoot at her Heb. ידו, cast stones at her. Cf. “And they cast (וידוּ) stones at me” (Lam. 3:53).

she gave her hand like a person who has no strength and stretches forth his hand to whomever he sees, to beg mercy and aid. Cf. We gave our hand to Egypt” (Lam. 5:6).

her foundations have fallen Heb. אשיותיה. The strength of her foundations. Cf. “And the foundations (וְאֻשַּׁיָא) shall be fastened” (Ezra 4:12). And in the language of the Mishnah: Those who dig for foundations (לְאֻשִׁין) [Baba Kamma 50a]. Cf. “And strengthen yourselves (והתאוששוּ)” (Isa. 46:8), equivalent to והתחזקוּ, and strengthen yourselves.

as she did to the city of the Lord.

Cut off a sower Destroy a king from Babylon and one who grasps a sword in time of slaughter.

First...devoured him For he exiled the Ten Tribes.

broke his bones He broke his bones, for he finished the leftovers, Judah and Benjamin. עִצְמוֹ (desossa in French), [broke the bones].

and he shall pasture in the Carmel An expression of pasture.

the rebellious land Heb. מרתים, which rebelled against Me and provoked Me.

Pekod The name of a province. Cf. “Pekod and Shoa and Koa” (Ezekiel 23:23). Jonathan renders [them as] names of provinces.

and do according to all that I have commanded you You, Cyrus, through Isaiah the prophet.

the hammer of the whole earth which would shatter and crush everyone.

I laid a snare for you Heb. יקשתי, an expression of a snare (מוֹקֵש).

Come against her from her border From the end of the city, commence upon her, that she not know, and she will be taken suddenly.

open her gates Jonathan renders: אִבּוּלָהָא, her gates, but it has no similar instance [in Scripture]. Menahem (Machbereth p. 14) classifies it as an expression of a manger.

thresh her Heb. סלוה.

stacks Granaries.

all her bulls Her princes. So is the custom of the prophets to compare the princes to mighty bulls and to he-goats.

Gather archers against Babylon Heb. השמיעו, an expression similar to: “And Saul called the people together (וַיְשַׁמַע)” (I Sam. 15:4). Call out that archers assemble against Babylon. Cf. “His archers (רַבָּיו) surround me” (Job 16:13).

Therefore An expression of an oath.

in order to give rest to the earth When Babylon falls, there will be rest and peace for all.

upon the imposters Heb. הבדים, to her diviners.

and they shall become foolish with their divining. Similar to this is: “Who frustrates the signs of imposters” (Isa. 44:25), and so did Jonathan render. They are called בּדים because they fabricate (בּוֹדִים) and say false things.

the allies Heb. הערב. Jonathan renders: סוּמְכותא (garantie in French).

and they are mad upon things of horror Heb. יתהללו, they shall become mad. Another interpretation: (Pour vanter in French) in order to boast. And so did Jonathan render: משתבּחין, they boast, [i.e.,] with the gods of the giants that they had.

martens...with cats Jonathan [renders]: And martens shall meet cats. [These are] species of animals found in ruins.

Behold, as a lion that ascends from the heights of the Jordan, so will the spoiler come to the strong dwelling. So did Jonathan paraphrase: Behold a king with his camp shall ascend upon them like a lion that ascends from the height of the Jordan. We learn that the height of the Jordan is a place of lions. Also, in this manner Jonathan renders: “How will you do in the heights of the Jordan” (12:5): Against the wild beasts of the heights of the Jordan.

when I bring the moment Heb. ארגיעה, when I bring the time.

over her Heb. מעליה.

and who will appoint Me a time for war?

the young of the flock Persia, the youngest of the sons of Japheth.