Jeremiah 50:15 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 50:15 kjv
Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.
Jeremiah 50:15 nkjv
Shout against her all around; She has given her hand, Her foundations have fallen, Her walls are thrown down; For it is the vengeance of the LORD. Take vengeance on her. As she has done, so do to her.
Jeremiah 50:15 niv
Shout against her on every side! She surrenders, her towers fall, her walls are torn down. Since this is the vengeance of the LORD, take vengeance on her; do to her as she has done to others.
Jeremiah 50:15 esv
Raise a shout against her all around; she has surrendered; her bulwarks have fallen; her walls are thrown down. For this is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance on her; do to her as she has done.
Jeremiah 50:15 nlt
Shout war cries against her from every side.
Look! She surrenders!
Her walls have fallen.
It is the LORD's vengeance,
so take vengeance on her.
Do to her as she has done to others!
Jeremiah 50 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 13:17-19 | See, I will stir up the Medes against them... Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms... will be overthrown... | Medes destroy Babylon |
| Isa 14:12-15 | How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn!... | Symbolic fall of Babylon/its king |
| Jer 51:6 | Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives!... it is time for the LORD's vengeance; he will repay her what she deserves. | Flee and God's vengeance on Babylon |
| Jer 51:24 | "I will repay Babylon and all who live in Babylonia for all the wrong they have done in Zion..." | Direct retribution for actions against Zion |
| Jer 51:49 | Babylon must fall because of Israel's slain... | Babylon's fall due to Israel's suffering |
| Jer 51:56 | A destroyer will come against Babylon... for the LORD is a God of retribution; he will pay Babylon back in full. | God's full retribution on Babylon |
| Pss 137:8-9 | Daughter Babylon, doom is coming!... Happy is the one who repays you for what you have done to us. | Call for proportional vengeance on Babylon |
| Joel 3:4, 7 | For what you have done to me, I will quickly and swiftly return your wrongdoing upon your own head. | Retribution in kind for actions |
| Obad 1:15 | As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head. | Universal principle of recompense |
| Matt 7:2 | For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. | Principle of judgment by measure |
| Rom 12:19 | Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. | Vengeance is God's prerogative |
| Rev 18:6 | Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done... | Echo of divine retribution in Revelation |
| Exod 21:23-25 | ...eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot... | Lex talionis - principle of equal justice |
| Josh 6:5 | When you hear the sound of the trumpet, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse. | Walls fall with a triumphant shout |
| Judg 7:20-22 | The three companies blew their trumpets and broke their jars... The sword for the LORD and for Gideon! | Shout of victory in battle |
| Pss 33:10-11 | The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples... | God's sovereignty over nations |
| Pss 75:6-7 | No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves. It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. | God exalts and brings down rulers |
| Dan 2:20-21 | He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others... | God's control over earthly kingdoms |
| Lam 1:21-22 | Let all their wickedness come before you; And do to them as you have done to me... | Prayer for divine vengeance against enemies |
| Nah 3:18-19 | ...Your people are scattered...There is no healing for your wound... | Doom on Nineveh - great city overthrown |
| Jer 49:2-3 | ...a shout of war against Rabbah of the Ammonites; It will become a heap of rubble... | Walls/cities of other enemies fall |
| Ezek 26:12 | ...they will demolish your walls and break down your elaborate houses. They will throw your stones, timber and rubble into the sea. | Destruction of Tyre's strong fortifications |
| Isa 47:1-5 | Go down and sit in the dust, Virgin Daughter Babylon... No longer will you be called Queen of Kingdoms. | Humiliation of once glorious Babylon |
Jeremiah 50 verses
Jeremiah 50 15 meaning
Jeremiah 50:15 is a prophetic declaration against Babylon, foretelling its swift and complete downfall as a direct act of divine justice. It calls for an encircling shout of triumph over the once-impenetrable city, signifying that its defenses have crumbled, and its might has dissolved into immediate surrender. The verse explicitly identifies this calamitous event as "the vengeance of the LORD," a just retribution for Babylon's actions. Therefore, a clear command is given to execute upon Babylon the very same treatment and destruction that it inflicted upon others, particularly God's people, establishing a principle of direct and deserved repayment.
Jeremiah 50 15 Context
Jeremiah 50 is part of a larger collection of oracles against foreign nations, with chapters 50-51 specifically and extensively condemning Babylon. These chapters immediately follow Jeremiah's prophecies against Judah, Jerusalem, and the surrounding nations. Historically, Babylon had served as God's instrument to punish Judah, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 586 BC and the subsequent Babylonian Exile. Now, the prophetic focus shifts from Judah's punishment to Babylon's judgment. The setting is after the fall of Jerusalem, with exiled Israelites living under Babylonian rule. The detailed prediction of Babylon's fall—a city renowned for its colossal walls and military prowess—would have been an incredibly significant and hopeful message to a demoralized and subjugated people, affirming that Yahweh, their God, remained sovereign and just, even over mighty empires.
Jeremiah 50 15 Word analysis
- Shout (צִהֲלוּ - Tzihalu): From a root meaning "to whinny," "to neigh," or "to shout in triumph/for joy." Here, it's an imperative, calling for a resounding battle-cry or shout of triumph over the vanquished city. It implies not a desperate plea, but a victorious declaration of a achieved defeat.
- against her (עָלֶיהָ - ʿaleha) all around (סָבִיב - saviv): This phrase emphasizes the encirclement and complete victory over Babylon. The shout isn't internal to the city but surrounds it, a sound of judgment and triumph from the conquering forces.
- She has surrendered (נָתְנָה יָדָה - natnah yadah): Literally "she has given her hand." This is an idiom for immediate, unequivocal capitulation or submission. It paints a picture of Babylon’s downfall not as a protracted siege, but a sudden collapse of will or power, perhaps even betrayal from within or external forces overpowering rapidly.
- her walls (חוֹמֹתֶיהָ - chomoteyha) have fallen (נָפְלוּ - naflu); her towers (אַדְבָּתֶיהָ - adbateyha) are torn down (נֶהֶרְסוּ - nehersu): "Walls" refer to Babylon's formidable, iconic fortifications. "Towers" often implies defensive bulwarks or bastions. "Fallen" (naphal) indicates a collapse, while "torn down" (haras, a more forceful verb) suggests thorough demolition, not just collapse. These represent the destruction of its perceived impregnability.
- For this (כִּי הִיא - ki hiʾ) is the vengeance (נִקְמַת - niqmat) of the LORD (יְהוָה - Yahweh): "Vengeance" in biblical context is not human revenge but divine retribution—the execution of righteous judgment to restore justice and moral order. It emphasizes that this is God's decree and action, affirming His sovereignty.
- take vengeance on her (הִנָּקְמוּ בָּהּ - hinnqemu bah): A plural imperative, directing the executors (Medes/Persians) of God's judgment to act decisively in accordance with His will.
- as she has done (כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשְׂתָה - kaʾašer ʿasetah), so do to her (עֲשׂוּ לָֽהּ - ʿasu lah): This is the core principle of lex talionis—retribution in kind. Babylon's fate will be a direct mirror of the destruction and oppression it inflicted, particularly upon Judah and Jerusalem. It signifies a perfectly just repayment for all its wickedness.
Jeremiah 50 15 Bonus section
The "giving of the hand" (נָתְנָה יָדָה) could also carry an echo of reaching out for alliance or acknowledging subjugation to a greater power, thereby emphasizing Babylon's shift from being a dominant force to a subordinate or defeated one. The historical fulfillment by Cyrus the Great's Persian army, entering Babylon by diverting the Euphrates river without a full-scale battle, somewhat aligns with the idea of a swift "surrender" or collapse of internal resistance rather than a long, destructive siege typical of the era, further underscoring the striking nature of this prophetic statement. This specific detail of its downfall highlights that even human strategies align with God's overarching plan for retribution.
Jeremiah 50 15 Commentary
Jeremiah 50:15 succinctly captures the dramatic reversal of fortunes prophesied for Babylon. The initial "shout" signifies a decisive and triumphant conclusion to a conflict that saw Babylon as the dominant oppressor. Its "surrender" is remarkable for a city known for its vast fortifications, underscoring that its might was no match for divine decree. The crumbling of its famous walls and towers isn't just a physical collapse but symbolizes the complete destruction of its pride and power. The verse clearly grounds this cataclysm in the concept of divine vengeance, identifying the LORD as the ultimate dispenser of justice. The command "take vengeance on her; as she has done, so do to her" is a powerful statement of God's equitable and absolute judgment, ensuring that oppressors receive precisely what they inflicted, a testament to His righteousness and the eventual restoration of moral order.