Jeremiah 51:47-57

47 For the time will surely come when I will punish the idols of Babylon; her whole land will be disgraced and her slain will all lie fallen within her.
48 Then heaven and earth and all that is in them will shout for joy over Babylon, for out of the north destroyers will attack her,” declares the LORD.
49 “Babylon must fall because of Israel’s slain, just as the slain in all the earth have fallen because of Babylon.
50 You who have escaped the sword, leave and do not linger! Remember the LORD in a distant land, and call to mind Jerusalem.”
51 “We are disgraced, for we have been insulted and shame covers our faces, because foreigners have entered the holy places of the LORD’s house.”
52 “But days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will punish her idols, and throughout her land the wounded will groan.
53 Even if Babylon ascends to the heavens and fortifies her lofty stronghold, I will send destroyers against her,” declares the LORD.
54 “The sound of a cry comes from Babylon, the sound of great destruction from the land of the Babylonians.[a]
55 The LORD will destroy Babylon; he will silence her noisy din. Waves of enemies will rage like great waters; the roar of their voices will resound.
56 A destroyer will come against Babylon; her warriors will be captured, and their bows will be broken. For the LORD is a God of retribution; he will repay in full.
57 I will make her officials and wise men drunk, her governors, officers and warriors as well; they will sleep forever and not awake,” declares the King, whose name is the LORD Almighty.

Jeremiah 51:47-57 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 28

  • 1. ver 52; S Isaiah 46:1-2; S Jeremiah 50:2
  • 2. Jeremiah 50:12
  • 3. S Jeremiah 27:7
  • 4. S Job 3:7; S Psalms 149:2; Isaiah 44:23; Revelation 18:20
  • 5. ver 11; S Isaiah 41:25; S Jeremiah 25:26
  • 6. ver 53,56
  • 7. Psalms 137:8; S Jeremiah 50:29
  • 8. ver 45
  • 9. S Psalms 137:6
  • 10. Jeremiah 23:23
  • 11. Psalms 44:13-16; Psalms 79:4
  • 12. Lamentations 1:10
  • 13. ver 47
  • 14. S Job 24:12
  • 15. S Genesis 11:4; S Isaiah 14:13-14
  • 16. S ver 48; S Job 15:21; Jeremiah 49:16
  • 17. S Job 24:12
  • 18. S Jeremiah 50:22
  • 19. Isaiah 25:5
  • 20. S Psalms 18:4
  • 21. S ver 48; S Job 15:21
  • 22. Psalms 46:9
  • 23. S ver 6; S Genesis 4:24; S Deuteronomy 32:41; Psalms 94:1-2; Habakkuk 2:8
  • 24. S ver 23
  • 25. S Job 5:13
  • 26. S Isaiah 21:5
  • 27. S ver 39; Psalms 76:5; S Jeremiah 25:27
  • 28. S Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 46:18; Jeremiah 48:15

Footnotes 1

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