Jeremiah 51:13

13 O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness.

Jeremiah 51:13 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 51:13

O thou that dwellest upon many waters
Here Babylon is addressed, either by the Lord, or by the prophet, or the godly Jews; who is described by her, situation, which was by the great river Euphrates; which being branched out into several canals or rivers, both ran through it, and encompassed it; hence mention is made of the rivers of Babylon, ( Psalms 137:1 ) ; and a fit emblem this city was of mystical Babylon, which is also said to sit on many waters, interpreted of people and nations, ( Revelation 17:1 Revelation 17:15 ) ; and which Kimchi here interprets of an affluence of good things, though he admits of the literal sense of the words: abundant in treasures:
of corn, and of the fruits of the earth, and so in condition to hold out a siege, as well as strongly fortified by art and nature, before described; and of gold and silver, the sinews of war, which she had got together, partly by commerce, and partly by the spoil of other nations; and yet neither her situation nor her affluence could secure her from ruin: thine end is come, [and] the measure of thy covetousness;
this flourishing city was now near its end, and with it the whole Babylonish monarchy; the time fixed by the Lord, for the duration of one and the other, was now come; and whereas her covetousness was insatiable, and would have known no bounds, for the enlargement of her dominions, and for the accumulation of more wealth and riches; God set a limit to it, beyond which it should not go; which measure was now filled up, and the time for it expired. The Targum is,

``the day of thy destruction is come, and the time of the visitation of thy wickedness,''

Jeremiah 51:13 In-Context

11 Make bright the arrows! Gather the shields! The LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes; for His device is against Babylon to destroy it, because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of His temple.

12 Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon! Make the watch strong! Set up the watchmen! Prepare the ambushes! For the LORD hath both devised and done that which He spoke against the inhabitants of Babylon.

13 O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness.

14 The LORD of hosts hath sworn by Himself, saying, "Surely I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillars, and they shall lift up a shout against thee."

15 He hath made the earth by His power; He hath established the world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by His understanding.