Jeremiah 50:39

39 Therefore dragons shall dwell with fond wild men, and ostriches shall dwell therein; and it shall no more be inhabited till into without end, and it shall not be builded till to generation and generation; (And so dragons, or jackals, shall live there with foolish wild men, and ostriches, or owls, shall live there also; and it shall no more be inhabited until forever, and it shall not be rebuilt until forever;)

Jeremiah 50:39 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 50:39

Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts
of the islands shall dwell [there]
Of these creatures (See Gill on Isaiah 13:21); and (See Gill on Isaiah 13:22); and the owls shall dwell therein;
so mystical Babylon when fallen shall become the habitation of devils, the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird, ( Revelation 18:2 ) ; and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt
in from generation to generation;
interpreters observe that this was gradually accomplished: it was taken by Cyrus, and made tributary to the Persians; the seat of the empire was removed from it; its walls were demolished by Darius; it was drained both of its inhabitants and its riches through Seleucus Nicator building the city Seleucia F18 near it. In Adrian's time there was nothing but an old wall left; and in Jerom's time it was a park for the king of Persia to hunt in; (See Gill on Jeremiah 50:13); and (See Gill on Isaiah 13:20);


FOOTNOTES:

F18 Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 26.

Jeremiah 50:39 In-Context

37 Sword to the horses thereof, and to the chariots thereof, and to all the common people which is in the midst thereof, and they shall be as women; a sword to the treasures thereof, that shall be ravished. (A sword to its horses, and to its chariots, and to all the common people who be in its midst, and they shall become like women; a sword to its treasures, that shall be robbed.)
38 Dryness shall be on the waters thereof, and they shall be dry; for it is the land of graven images, and hath glory in false feignings. (A drought shall be upon its waters, and they shall dry up; for it is the land of carved idols, and hath glory in false portents.)
39 Therefore dragons shall dwell with fond wild men, and ostriches shall dwell therein; and it shall no more be inhabited till into without end, and it shall not be builded till to generation and generation; (And so dragons, or jackals, shall live there with foolish wild men, and ostriches, or owls, shall live there also; and it shall no more be inhabited until forever, and it shall not be rebuilt until forever;)
40 as the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and the nigh cities thereof, saith the Lord. A man shall not dwell there, and the son of (a) man shall not dwell in it. (like when the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities nearby, saith the Lord. No one liveth there now, and no one shall ever live there again.)
41 Lo! a people cometh from the north, and a great folk, and many kings shall rise together from the ends of [the] earth. (Lo! a people cometh from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall rise up from the ends of the earth.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.