Jeremiah 50:38

A drought The Heb. words for droughtand sword(differing by one vowel only, ḥôreb, ḥereb) are sufficiently alike to make it quite possible that here as at the beginning of the two previous verses the latter should be read. In that case swordis thought to be used figuratively in reference to the stratagem by which the water supply of Babylon was cut off by its assailants; though this seems rather a farfetched application of the word. Droughton the contrary will more naturally refer to the drying up of the many canals by which the water of the Euphrates was distributed throughout the whole country for drainage and irrigation as well as for commercial purposes. Cp. Jeremiah 51:13; Psalms 137:1.

they are mad upon idols rather, through idols do they make themselves mad. "Idols," lit. as mg. terrors, the grotesque objects by which heathen often represent their gods. But there is strong support in the Versions (LXX, Aq., Symm., Syr., Vulg., Targ.) for reading (with different vocalisation) and of idols do they boast themselves(cp. Psalms 97:7).