Jeremiah 51:14 kjv
The LORD of hosts hath sworn by himself, saying, Surely I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillers; and they shall lift up a shout against thee.
Jeremiah 51:14 nkjv
The LORD of hosts has sworn by Himself: "Surely I will fill you with men, as with locusts, And they shall lift up a shout against you."
Jeremiah 51:14 niv
The LORD Almighty has sworn by himself: I will surely fill you with troops, as with a swarm of locusts, and they will shout in triumph over you.
Jeremiah 51:14 esv
The LORD of hosts has sworn by himself: Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts, and they shall raise the shout of victory over you.
Jeremiah 51:14 nlt
The LORD of Heaven's Armies has taken this vow
and has sworn to it by his own name:
"Your cities will be filled with enemies,
like fields swarming with locusts,
and they will shout in triumph over you."
Jeremiah 51 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 51:14 | The Lord of hosts has sworn by himself: I will fill you with men, as with a pestilence, and they shall lift up a cry against you. | Jer 51:14 |
| Isaiah 10:26 | The LORD of hosts will stir up a scourgeb against him like the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb. | Isa 10:26 |
| Jeremiah 20:4 | Thus says the LORD: Behold, I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends, and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and your eyes shall see their downfall. | Jer 20:4 |
| Ezekiel 21:21 | For the king of Babylon stands at the crossroads, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shakes his arrows, he consults his idols, he looks at the liver. | Ezek 21:21 |
| Nahum 3:5 | "I am against you, declares the LORD of hosts, and will burn your chariots in smoke; your young lions will I devour; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall no more be heard." | Nah 3:5 |
| Revelation 18:7 | As she glorified herself and lived sensuously, so give her a like amount of torment and mourning, for she says in her heart, 'I sit on a throne as a queen; I am no widow, and I shall never see mourning.' | Rev 18:7 |
| Jeremiah 51:12 | Lift up a banner over the walls of Babylon; make the guards strong; set up the watchmen; prepare the ambushes, for the LORD has both devised and will do what he has spoken concerning the inhabitants of Babylon. | Jer 51:12 |
| Jeremiah 51:11 | Sharpen the arrows; gather the shields. The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it. For it is the vengeance of the LORD, vengeance for his temple. | Jer 51:11 |
| Jeremiah 46:8 | It is because of Egypt that it shall come, like the Nile overflowing its banks, like the rivers churning their waters. | Jer 46:8 |
| Isaiah 13:1 | The oracle concerning Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw. | Isa 13:1 |
| Jeremiah 25:12 | But when seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will punish that nation, declares the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and I will make it a perpetual desolation. | Jer 25:12 |
| Jeremiah 51:40 | Let them go down to the slaughter like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he-goats. | Jer 51:40 |
| Amos 6:8 | "The Lord GOD has sworn by himself; I, the LORD God of hosts, declare: 'I loathe the pride of Jacob and despise his fortresses, and I will deliver up the city and all that is in it.'" | Amos 6:8 |
| Jeremiah 4:6 | Raise the standard toward Zion! Flee for safety! Do not stand still, for I am bringing disaster from the north, and a great destruction. | Jer 4:6 |
| Isaiah 47:1 | "Descend and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground; no throne for you; daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called tender and delicate. | Isa 47:1 |
| Jeremiah 51:19 | The portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the potter of all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name. | Jer 51:19 |
| Zechariah 11:16 | For behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not seek the perishing, nor search for the young, nor heal what has been broken, nor feed what stands still, but will devour the flesh of the fat ones, and tear their hoofs in pieces. | Zech 11:16 |
| Jeremiah 51:45 | Go out from her midst, my people! Save yourselves, each of you from the fierce anger of the LORD. | Jer 51:45 |
| Jeremiah 50:16 | But cut off from Babylon the sower and the reapers with the sickle in harvest time; to your sword each one will turn, to their own people, and each will flee to their own land. | Jer 50:16 |
| Jeremiah 51:46 | Lest your heart faint, and you fear the report that is heard in the land—for a report comes in one year, and afterward a year of violence, and upon the land dominion over dominion— | Jer 51:46 |
Jeremiah 51 verses
Jeremiah 51 14 Meaning
The Lord of hosts has sworn by himself: I will fill you with men, as with a pestilence, and they shall lift up a cry against you.
This verse speaks of divine judgment against Babylon. God himself takes an oath that the city will be utterly destroyed and its population overwhelmed, not by peaceful inhabitation, but by the invasion of enemy armies. The enemy forces are compared to a "pestilence," signifying a destructive and unstoppable force. Their advance will bring forth cries of distress and mourning from the defeated populace.
Jeremiah 51 14 Context
This verse is found within the larger prophetic message to Jeremiah concerning the judgment of Babylon. In chapter 51, God details the extensive and absolute destruction that will befall this powerful empire. Babylon had been a significant oppressor of God's people, especially during the Babylonian Exile. The prophecy against Babylon in Jeremiah 50-51 is a declaration of divine retribution for its cruelty, idolatry, and opposition to God’s purposes. This specific verse serves to emphasize the totality of the defeat Babylon will suffer.
Jeremiah 51 14 Word Analysis
- the LORD of hosts: This divine title signifies God's absolute sovereignty and His power as the commander of heavenly armies. The "hosts" refer to both angelic beings and the totality of creation under His command. It underscores the immutability of God's judgment, as He personally guarantees its execution.
- has sworn by himself: God’s oath signifies the certainty and infallibility of His pronouncements. He swears by His own name, demonstrating the ultimate authority and unbreakability of His word, as there is no one greater than Himself by whom to swear (Hebrews 6:13).
- I will fill you: This refers to the overwhelming influx of enemy soldiers into the city. It conveys the idea of the city being completely overrun and its capacity for defense rendered meaningless.
- with men: The Hebrew word 'adam (אדם) generally refers to humankind, but here contextually signifies hostile armies, invading troops.
- as with a pestilence: The comparison to a "pestilence" (Hebrew: dibbah, דבה) implies a creeping, widespread, and devastating affliction. It's not just a swift military victory but a consuming and ruinous invasion that brings disease and death, suggesting a moral decay inherent in Babylon's punishment.
- and they shall lift up a cry against you: This indicates the ensuing suffering and devastation that will lead to laments, cries of despair, and possibly defiant shouts from the conquering armies. The cry can be understood as the desperate wails of Babylon’s inhabitants facing utter ruin, or even the triumphant shouts of the victors.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "the LORD of hosts has sworn by himself": This powerful phrase emphasizes God's personal involvement and absolute certainty in His judgment. It elevates the pronouncement from a mere declaration to an unbreakable, divinely guaranteed decree. The "swearing by himself" indicates the supreme authority and unchangeable nature of God's promise.
- "I will fill you with men, as with a pestilence": This imagery suggests not just military defeat but an overwhelming, pervasive, and ruinous presence of invaders. The comparison to a pestilence highlights the destructive and corrupting nature of the coming invasion, likening it to a widespread disease that incapacitates and destroys.
- "and they shall lift up a cry against you": This depicts the consequence of the invasion – chaos and destruction. The "cry" could be the wails of the besieged population as their city is overrun, or perhaps the triumphant shouts of the conquering army, both expressions of the profound turmoil that engulfs Babylon.
Jeremiah 51 14 Bonus Section
The imagery of God swearing by Himself (verse 14) is echoed in the New Testament, particularly in Hebrews 6:13, which states, "For when God made his promise to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom to swear, he said, 'Surely I will bless you and multiply you.'" This highlights God's consistent method of assuring the certainty of His word through His own unshakeable being. The description of judgment falling "as with a pestilence" can also be seen as foreshadowing the severe judgments that fall upon the wicked in the Revelation, often depicted as plagues or devastating infestations.
Jeremiah 51 14 Commentary
This verse dramatically illustrates God's irrevocable judgment against Babylon. The oath "by himself" signifies the absolute certainty and divine authority behind the pronouncement. Babylon will be so thoroughly overrun by enemy forces that the sheer number of invading men is likened to a devastating pestilence, implying a total and ruinous infiltration. The resultant "cry" speaks of the utter desolation and lamentation that will characterize Babylon's downfall, a cry born of the immense suffering inflicted by this overwhelming invasion. The fulfillment of this prophecy speaks to God’s faithfulness in both judgment and deliverance for His people.