Jeremiah 51:59-64

59 The word that Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah ¹the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah king of Judah to Babylon, ²in the fourth year of his reign. Seraiah was the quartermaster.

60 ³Jeremiah wrote in a book all the disaster that should come upon Babylon, ⁴all these words that are written concerning Babylon.

61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah: "When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words,

62 and say, 'O LORD, you have said concerning this place that you will cut it off, so ⁵that nothing shall dwell in it, neither man nor beast, and it shall be ⁶desolate forever.'

63 When you finish reading this book, tie a stone to it ⁷and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates,

64 and say, ⁸'Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the disaster that I am bringing upon her, ⁹and they shall become exhausted.'"Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 51:59-64 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 51

The former part of this chapter is a continuation of the prophecy of the preceding chapter, concerning the destruction of Babylon, Jer 51:1-58; the latter part of it contains a prophecy of Jeremiah sent to the captives in Babylon by the hand of Seraiah, with the copy of the above prophecy against Babylon, and an order to fasten a stone to it, and cast it into the river Euphrates, as a sign, confirming the utter and irreparable ruin of Babylon, Jer 51:59-64.

Cross References

• 1. [Jeremiah 32:12]
• 2. [Jeremiah 28:1]
• 3. [Jeremiah 36:2]
• 4. See ver. 1-58; Jeremiah 50:1-46
• 5. Jeremiah 50:3
• 6. ver. 26
• 7. [Jeremiah 19:10, 11]
• 8. [See ver. 63 above]
• 9. ver. 58