Jeremiah 51:1-6

Babylon Judged for Sins against Israel

1 Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I am going to arouse against Babylon And against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai The ¹spirit of a destroyer.

2 "I will dispatch foreigners to Babylon that they may ²winnow her And may devastate her land; For on every side they will be opposed to her In the day of her calamity.

3 "Let not him who ³bends his bow bend it, Nor let him rise up in his ⁴scale-armor; So do not spare her young men; Devote all her army to destruction.

4 "They will fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, And ⁵pierced through in their streets."

5 For ⁶neither Israel nor Judah has been forsaken By his God, the LORD of hosts, Although their land is ⁷full of guilt Before the Holy One of Israel.

6 ⁸Flee from the midst of Babylon, And each of you save his life! Do not be ⁹destroyed in her punishment, For this is the ¹⁰LORD'S time of vengeance; He is going to ¹¹render recompense to her.

Jeremiah 51:1-6 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 4:11, 12; Jeremiah 23:19; Hosea 13:15
• 2. Isaiah 41:16; Jeremiah 15:7; Matthew 3:12
• 3. Jeremiah 50:14, 29
• 4. Jeremiah 46:4
• 5. Isaiah 13:15; Isaiah 14:19; Jeremiah 49:26; Jeremiah 50:30, 37
• 6. Isaiah 54:7, 8; Jeremiah 33:24-26
• 7. Hosea 4:1, 2
• 8. Jeremiah 50:8, 28; Revelation 18:4
• 9. Numbers 16:26
• 10. Jeremiah 50:15
• 11. Jeremiah 25:14

Footnotes

• [a] Cryptic name for Chaldea; or "the heart of those who rise up against Me"
• [b] Or "a destroying wind"
• [c] Some versions read "winnowers"
• [d] M.T. reads "Against him who"
• [e] I.e. the Chaldean defender
• [f] Lit "tread(s)" (in order to string)
• [g] Lit "tread(s)" (in order to string)
• [h] M.T. reads "Against him who"
• [i] Or "wounded"
• [j] Lit "widowed"
• [k] Lit "From"
• [l] Or "silenced" or "made lifeless"
• [m] Or "penalty for iniquity"