Jeremiah 50:37 kjv
A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.
Jeremiah 50:37 nkjv
A sword is against their horses, Against their chariots, And against all the mixed peoples who are in her midst; And they will become like women. A sword is against her treasures, and they will be robbed.
Jeremiah 50:37 niv
A sword against her horses and chariots and all the foreigners in her ranks! They will become weaklings. A sword against her treasures! They will be plundered.
Jeremiah 50:37 esv
A sword against her horses and against her chariots, and against all the foreign troops in her midst, that they may become women! A sword against all her treasures, that they may be plundered!
Jeremiah 50:37 nlt
The sword will strike her horses and chariots
and her allies from other lands,
and they will all become like women.
The sword will strike her treasures,
and they all will be plundered.
Jeremiah 50 37 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 50:3 | "...Her cities are laid waste, a dry and a desert land..." | Judgment on Babylon |
| Isaiah 13:20 | "...it will never again be inhabited or lived in for generation after generation." | Prophecy against Babylon |
| Jeremiah 49:13 | "...Babylon shall become a desolation, a hissing, and a curse..." | Judgment on Edom (parallels Babylon) |
| Jeremiah 51:37 | "Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for jackals, a ..." | Jeremiah 50:39 (repeats similar theme) |
| Isaiah 34:13 | "Thorns shall then come up in her palaces, nettles and thistles..." | Judgment on Edom (parallels destruction) |
| Ezekiel 26:14 | "I will make you a bare rock; you shall be a place for the spread..." | Judgment on Tyre (similar desolation) |
| Zephaniah 2:14 | "...flocks and herds will lie down in them, all kinds of wild animals." | Judgment on Nineveh (desolation theme) |
| Jeremiah 50:40 | "As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbor cities..." | Comparison of judgment's totality |
| Jeremiah 51:25 | "Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, says the LORD..." | God's direct opposition to Babylon |
| Jeremiah 51:62 | "You shall say, 'O Babylon, great city, you shall fall and not..." | Divine pronouncement of downfall |
| Revelation 18:2 | "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!" | New Testament echo of Babylon's judgment |
| Revelation 18:21 | "Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone..." | Symbolic act of Babylon's destruction |
| Psalm 107:34 | "He turns rivers into a desert, and water springs into a thirsty ground," | God's power to desolate regions |
| Isaiah 45:1-4 | Cyrus the Great's mission to conquer Babylon | Historical fulfillment context |
| Jeremiah 51:45 | "Come out of her, my people! Lest you share in her plagues." | Call for separation from sinful nations |
| Joshua 18:1 | "The whole congregation of the people of Israel assembled at Shiloh..." | Corporate movement, contrasted with Babylon's dispersal |
| Romans 11:22 | "Note then the kindness and the severity of God..." | God's justice and mercy displayed |
| 1 Corinthians 10:11 | "Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction..." | Lessons from historical judgments |
| Amos 5:5 | "Do not seek Bethel, and do not enter into Gilgal..." | Warning against false worship centers |
| Proverbs 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall." | Principle of pride leading to downfall |
Jeremiah 50 verses
Jeremiah 50 37 Meaning
This verse pronounces a severe judgment upon the remnant of Babylon, declaring that their cities will become uninhabitable desert wildernesses. It signifies their complete and utter destruction, leading to their abandonment and a return to a wild, desolate state, demonstrating God's ultimate sovereignty and power over nations.
Jeremiah 50 37 Context
Jeremiah chapter 50 is a prophecy of judgment against Babylon. The preceding verses (50:1-36) detail the impending destruction and scattering of the Babylonian people and the overthrow of their empire due to their pride and mistreatment of God's people, Israel. This chapter stands within the larger prophetic message of Jeremiah concerning the downfall of nations that opposed God's will and oppressed His chosen people. Historically, Babylon was a significant empire that exiled the Jews, making its eventual destruction a deeply symbolic and satisfying pronouncement for the original Israelite audience. The verse 50:37 is part of the culmination of this prophecy, describing the final state of Babylon's cities after their conquest.
Jeremiah 50 37 Word Analysis
גַּם (gam) - "also", "even", "and". Connects this pronouncement to previous judgments.
בָּבֶל (Bavel) - "Babylon". The specific target of this prophecy.
וְעָרֶיהָ (ve-areyha) - "and her cities". Plural noun for cities, "her" referring back to Babylon. Indicates multiple urban centers are affected.
עִיִּים (iy'im) - "deserts", "desolate places", "wastelands". Emphasizes extreme emptiness and abandonment. From root 'iy', meaning desolate.
יְהוּ (yehu) - "they shall be", "they shall become". Future passive verb.
וּמְדָבָּר (u-midbar) - "and wilderness". Another term for an uncultivated, wild area. From root dabar, "to speak," but in this context a place of emptiness, like spoken words lost in space.
בַּשְּׁמָמָה (bashammamah) - "in the desolation", "in the wasteland". Preposition 'b' (in) with the noun 'shammamah', meaning astonishment, devastation, a waste. Reinforces the totality of destruction.
בְּאֶרֶץ (be'erets) - "in the land", "in the country". Genitive construction referring to the territory of Babylon.
קָשִׁים (qashim) - "hard", "difficult". Refers to the harsh and barren nature of the land resulting from the judgment. Suggests the land will be difficult for habitation or cultivation.
וְלֹא־יֵשֵׁב (ve-lo-yeshev) - "and no one will inhabit". Future qal verb "yashev" (to inhabit) negated.
בָּהּ (bah) - "in it", "therein". Refers back to Babylon and its cities.
כִּי־אֲנִי (ki-ani) - "for I", "because I". Introduces the reason for this divine action.
יְהוָה (Yehovah) - "the LORD". God's personal covenant name, emphasizing His authority and personal involvement.
דִּבַּרְתִּי (dibarti) - "have spoken". Perfect tense verb from 'dabar'. Confirms the certainty and divine origin of this judgment.
Cities to desolations: The combined use of 'iy'im' (deserts) and 'midbar' (wilderness) coupled with 'shammamah' (desolation) paints a picture of total abandonment. This isn't just damage, but a complete forfeiture of inhabitability.
"Hard land": 'erets qashim' emphasizes the resulting environmental state—harsh and unwelcoming. This could be literal or symbolic of the unforgiving nature of the judgment.
Divine Certainty: The affirmation "for I, the LORD, have spoken" ('ki-ani Yehovah dibarti') underlines the absolute certainty of this prophecy. God's word ensures the outcome.
Jeremiah 50 37 Bonus Section
The prophetic imagery of cities becoming deserts and wildernesses reflects a consistent biblical theme of divine judgment, often described as turning fertile lands into barren ones. This not only demonstrates God's power to both create and destroy but also emphasizes the profound spiritual consequences of human rebellion and cruelty. Such desolations serve as lasting testament to God's justice. The specific mention of Babylon echoes earlier prophecies against other empires and is later mirrored in New Testament visions of a great city's complete downfall, signifying the end of oppressive powers and the ultimate restoration of God's order. The scattering of people from their homes due to God's judgment is also a recurring motif, often contrasted with the ingathering of God's own people.
Jeremiah 50 37 Commentary
This verse paints a stark picture of the consequences for Babylon's unrighteous actions. It declares that the grand city and its many settlements will not merely be conquered but will be reduced to uninhabitable desert wastelands. This signifies a complete erasure of their human presence and a reversion of their land to a state of primeval wildness. The severity is heightened by the phrase "hard land," implying an environment rendered difficult or impossible to sustain life. The definitive "for I, the LORD, have spoken" confirms this judgment as an infallible divine decree, underscoring God's ultimate power over all nations and earthly kingdoms. It serves as a solemn warning that defying God and oppressing His people will inevitably lead to utter desolation.