Jeremiah 51:9

9 We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed. 1Forsake her, and 2let us go each to his own country, for 3her judgment has reached up to heaven and has been lifted up even to the skies.

Jeremiah 51:9 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 51:9

We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed
These are either the words of the friends of Babylon of her auxiliaries and allies, who did all they could to defend her against the Persians, but to no purpose; it was not in their power to help her; the time of her destruction was come, and there was no avoiding it; or of the prophets and good people of the Jews that were in Babylon, that took pains to convince, the inhabitants of Babylon of their idolatries and other sins, and reform them, that so they might not be their ruin; but all instructions and admonitions were in vain; in like manner many worthy reformers have laboured much to reclaim mystical Babylon, or the church of Rome, from her errors and idolatries; but still she retains them; wherefore it follows: forsake her, and let us go everyone into his own country;
so said the auxiliary troops that were in the service of the king of Babylon; since we can do him no good, and are ourselves posed to danger, let us desert him, and provide for our safety by hastening to our own country as fast as we can; this was really the case after the first battle of Cyrus with the Babylonians, in which their king Neriglissar was slain: Croesus and the rest of the allies, seeing their case so distressed and helpless, left them to shift for themselves, and fled by night F8: or so might the Jews say when the city was taken, and they were delivered out of the hands of their oppressors; and so will the people of God say, who shall be called out of mystical Babylon just before its ruin, ( Revelation 18:4 ) ; for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up [even] to the
skies:
that is, her sins were so many, that they reached even to heaven; and were taken notice of by God that dwelleth there; and were the cause of judgment or punishment being from thence inflicted on her, which was unavoidable, being the decree of heaven, and the just demerit of her sin; and therefore no help could be afforded her; nor was there any safety by being in her; see ( Revelation 18:5 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F8 Xenophon, Cyropaedia l. 4. c. 2.

Jeremiah 51:9 In-Context

7 Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad.
8 Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.
9 We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed. Forsake her, and let us go each to his own country, for her judgment has reached up to heaven and has been lifted up even to the skies.
10 The LORD has brought about our vindication; come, let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.
11 "Sharpen the arrows! Take up the shields!The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance for his temple.

Cross References 3

  • 1. ver. 6, 45; Jeremiah 50:8
  • 2. [Jeremiah 50:16]; See Isaiah 13:14
  • 3. Revelation 18:5
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.