Jeremiah 50 46

Jeremiah 50:46 kjv

At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.

Jeremiah 50:46 nkjv

At the noise of the taking of Babylon The earth trembles, And the cry is heard among the nations.

Jeremiah 50:46 niv

At the sound of Babylon's capture the earth will tremble; its cry will resound among the nations.

Jeremiah 50:46 esv

At the sound of the capture of Babylon the earth shall tremble, and her cry shall be heard among the nations."

Jeremiah 50:46 nlt

The earth will shake with the shout, "Babylon has been taken!"
and its cry of despair will be heard around the world.

Jeremiah 50 verses

Jeremiah 50 46 meaning

Jeremiah 50:46 powerfully foretells the utter and catastrophic downfall of Babylon, signaling an event so monumental that its very announcement will cause the earth to tremble and its subsequent cries of distress or lamentation will resound across all nations. This verse underscores God's absolute sovereignty, illustrating that even the mightiest and most oppressive empires are subject to His divine judgment, causing a worldwide impact of shock and profound awareness.

Jeremiah 50 46 Context

Jeremiah chapter 50, alongside chapter 51, comprises a profound oracle against Babylon, which had recently overthrown Judah and exiled its people to its vast empire. These chapters represent a divine reversal of fortune, where the oppressor of God's people is, in turn, subjected to an even greater judgment. The prophecy not only details Babylon's complete destruction by an invading northern nation (historically the Medes and Persians) but also emphasizes the subsequent restoration of Israel and Judah. Historically, Babylon represented ultimate worldly power and idolatrous hubris, having destroyed the temple in Jerusalem and paraded its spoils. Therefore, the judgment described in verse 46 is not merely a political event but a theological declaration: the God of Israel is supreme over all nations, even those seemingly invincible, ensuring justice for His covenant people.

Jeremiah 50 46 Word analysis

• מִקּוֹל (miqqōl): "At the sound of," "from the sound of." This indicates an immediate, shocking, and pervasive impact. The news itself is enough to trigger a cosmic reaction, highlighting the enormity of the event. It's not just the event, but its proclamation that causes tremors.

• תְפָסָה (təp̄āsāh): "capture," "seizure." This noun describes the definitive act of being taken or seized, implying a violent and forceful takeover. It speaks to the absolute end of Babylon's sovereignty, not a gradual decline but a decisive fall.

• בָבֶל (bāḇel): "Babylon." Refers to the Neo-Babylonian Empire, which was the dominant superpower of the time. Symbolically, Babylon represents human pride, imperialistic oppression, and opposition to God. Its fall is a declaration of divine victory over such powers.

• נִרְעֲשָׁה (nir‘ăšāh): "will tremble," "be shaken." This verb often describes physical shaking, like an earthquake, but also the shaking of nations in fear (cf. Exod 15:15). Here, it conveys a profound, visceral reaction, implying not just physical upheaval but also a deep sense of dread and destabilization throughout the world due to the collapse of such a formidable power.

• הָאָרֶץ (hā’āreṣ): "the earth," "the land." While sometimes referring to a specific land (e.g., Israel), in this context of a global empire, "the earth" carries a broader sense, signifying widespread, perhaps even universal, geographical or geopolitical impact. It underlines the magnitude of Babylon's fall on the global stage.

• וְצָעָקָהּ (wəṣā‘āqāh): "and her cry," "and her scream." This refers to Babylon's cry, denoting deep distress, anguish, lament, or an alarm of catastrophe. It reflects the immense suffering and despair experienced by the falling empire or its inhabitants, marking its humiliation.

• בַּגּוֹיִם (baggōyim): "among the nations." This specifies that the cry will be widely heard, reinforcing the global impact. It suggests that all other nations will be acutely aware of Babylon's demise, witnessing God's justice play out on a global stage.

• נִשְׁמָעָה (nišmā‘āh): "will be heard." This passive verb emphasizes the inevitability and universality of this sound being received. The news, along with Babylon's anguish, will undeniably permeate the awareness of all other peoples, serving as an inescapable testimony to the divine judgment.

• "At the sound of the capture of Babylon": This phrase establishes the sudden, impactful, and widely broadcast nature of Babylon's downfall. The news of its capture, rather than the act itself, immediately causes a global reaction, emphasizing the magnitude and the swift spread of the announcement.

• "the earth will tremble": This describes a profound, often divinely induced, shockwave across the entire known world. It's a vivid, perhaps hyperbolic, image signifying that the fall of Babylon destabilizes the world order and evokes a widespread sense of dread or awe among all peoples and political entities.

• "and her cry will be heard among the nations": This illustrates the loud, desperate lamentation or scream of Babylon, resonating throughout the surrounding nations. It signifies not only Babylon's own anguish but also the global acknowledgment and reception of the news of its comprehensive defeat and suffering.

Jeremiah 50 46 Bonus section

• Polemics against Babylonian Gods: While not directly in this verse, chapters 50 and 51 of Jeremiah repeatedly highlight the shame and destruction of Babylon's gods (e.g., Bel and Marduk, Jer 50:2, 51:44). The "trembling earth" and Babylon's "cry" stand in stark contrast to the expected power of these idols to protect their city, underlining the superiority of the God of Israel.
• Literary Hyperbole: The imagery of the "earth trembling" is a common prophetic hyperbole used to convey the immense impact and cataclysmic nature of divine judgment, not necessarily a literal geological event. It emphasizes the scale of fear and upheaval the fall of Babylon would cause across the known world.
• Echoes in Prophetic Literature: This verse resonates with broader biblical themes where God's intervention in world affairs causes cosmic or quasi-cosmic reactions (e.g., Isa 24, Joel 2, Amos 8). It places Babylon's fall within a consistent divine pattern of humbling the proud and upholding justice.
• "Babylon" as an End-Time Archetype: The powerful and oppressive "Babylon" foretold in Jeremiah also serves as a prototype for the "mystery Babylon" depicted in the New Testament book of Revelation. Revelation 18, in particular, describes a similar catastrophic downfall and global mourning over a great, corrupt city, echoing Jeremiah's prophecies and demonstrating the enduring nature of God's judgment against worldly systems opposed to Him.

Jeremiah 50 46 Commentary

Jeremiah 50:46 serves as a climactic pronouncement within the larger oracle against Babylon. It portrays the fall of the empire as an event of cosmic significance, dramatically disrupting the perceived stability of the world order. The "trembling of the earth" underscores the universal shock and the absolute, divinely orchestrated nature of Babylon's demise, asserting God's unchallenged supremacy over all human powers and false deities. The "cry heard among the nations" points to the global witness of Babylon's lamentation, ensuring that its fall is universally recognized as a profound act of divine judgment. This verse is a stark reminder that even the mightiest and most arrogant human constructs will ultimately succumb to God's sovereign plan, bringing vindication to His suffering people and demonstrating His immutable justice. It offers a powerful message of hope to the oppressed and a sobering warning to the proud.