Jeremiah 51 25

Jeremiah 51:25 kjv

Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.

Jeremiah 51:25 nkjv

"Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, Who destroys all the earth," says the LORD. "And I will stretch out My hand against you, Roll you down from the rocks, And make you a burnt mountain.

Jeremiah 51:25 niv

"I am against you, you destroying mountain, you who destroy the whole earth," declares the LORD. "I will stretch out my hand against you, roll you off the cliffs, and make you a burned-out mountain.

Jeremiah 51:25 esv

"Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, declares the LORD, which destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out my hand against you, and roll you down from the crags, and make you a burnt mountain.

Jeremiah 51:25 nlt

"Look, O mighty mountain, destroyer of the earth!
I am your enemy," says the LORD.
"I will raise my fist against you,
to knock you down from the heights.
When I am finished,
you will be nothing but a heap of burnt rubble.

Jeremiah 51 verses

Jeremiah 51 25 Meaning

Jeremiah 51:25 declares that God holds the world in His hand and has judged Babylon, deeming it a mountain destroyed by His command. This signifies God's sovereign power over all creation and His ultimate authority to bring down even the most formidable nations, like Babylon, which had defied Him. It also emphasizes that Babylon's destruction was not an accident but a divinely ordained judgment.

Jeremiah 51 25 Context

Jeremiah 51 is a chapter dedicated to the judgment of Babylon. The prophet Jeremiah is conveying God's message of impending destruction upon the mighty Babylonian empire. This prophecy was delivered during a tumultuous period in Israelite history when Judah was in exile in Babylon. Babylon, at the time, was a superpower that had conquered Jerusalem and its people. This chapter, therefore, speaks to the profound sorrow and eventual deliverance of God's people from their oppressors. The mention of Babylon as a "destroying mountain" is a metaphorical representation of its immense power, its oppressive nature, and its role in devastating other nations. The context emphasizes God's justice in holding such a powerful and cruel nation accountable.

Jeremiah 51 25 Word analysis

• Behold (Hebrew: רְאֵה - re’eh): An interjection used to call attention or to emphasize what follows. It signifies that what is about to be said is of great importance and requires direct attention. It invites the listener to visually or conceptually "see" the truth being presented.
• I (Hebrew: אֲנִי - ’anî): The first-person singular pronoun, indicating the speaker is God Himself, speaking directly with authority.
• am against you (Hebrew: עַל־אַתְּ - ‘al-’at): Expresses divine opposition, hostility, and intent to act against Babylon. It signifies active engagement by God against this nation.
• O destroying mountain (Hebrew: הַר־מַשְׁחִית - har-mašḥît): A powerful metaphor.
  • Mountain (Hebrew: הַר - har): Denotes something massive, formidable, unmovable, and imposing. It signifies immense power, a stronghold, and a source of dominance. In ancient Near Eastern thought, mountains could also be associated with divine presence or places of pagan worship.
  • Destroying (Hebrew: מַשְׁחִית - mašḥît): Participle from the root meaning "to destroy," "to corrupt," "to spoil," or "to ruin." It identifies Babylon's essential characteristic and its impact on other nations.
• who destroys (Hebrew: מַשְׁחִית - mašḥît): The same Hebrew word, reinforcing the persistent and destructive nature of Babylon. It highlights its pervasive action against the earth.
• all the earth (Hebrew: כָּל־הָאָרֶץ - kōl-hā’āreṣ): Refers to the entire known world or at least the region subject to the influence and conquest of empires like Babylon. It emphasizes the widespread devastation caused by this power.
• Behold (Hebrew: הִנְנִי - hin-nî): Another emphatic particle introducing the next declaration, strengthening the sense of immediacy and certainty of God's action.
• I will stretch out My hand (Hebrew: וּפָרַשְׂתִּי אֶת־יָדִי - ûp̄araśtî ’eṯ-yādî): A common biblical idiom signifying God's active intervention, power, and judgment being exercised. The "hand" is the instrument of His will and power.
• and crush you (Hebrew: וְרוֹמַסְתִּיךְ - wə-rōmānṯîḵ): From the root "to tread down," "to trample," or "to crush." This word vividly portrays the utter subjugation and destruction that God will bring upon Babylon, like being trodden underfoot.
• and make you (Hebrew: וְנָתַתִּיךְ - wə-nāṯaṯtîḵ): Means to give, place, or cause to be. God will cause Babylon to become something else.
• a waste heap (Hebrew: חָרַב - ḥāraḇ): From a root meaning "to be dry," "to be desolate," "to be ruined," or "to be devastated." It signifies a place left empty, barren, and useless.
• ruined ruins (Hebrew: חָרְבֹת חָרָבוֹת - ḥorḇōṯ ḥārāḇôṯ): A powerful repetition or intensification. It emphasizes absolute devastation, reducing something to utter ruin and rubble, such that it becomes ruins upon ruins, completely uninhabitable and devoid of former glory.
• Word-group analysis:
  • The repetition of the Hebrew word for "destroy" (mašḥît) twice in the first phrase ("destroying mountain, who destroys") emphasizes the inherent and active nature of Babylon's destructive power.
  • The phrase "a waste heap, ruined ruins" uses intensifying language (ḥāraḇ in its various forms) to stress the completeness and finality of Babylon's destruction.

Jeremiah 51 25 Bonus section

The description of Babylon as a "destroying mountain" resonates with imagery found in other parts of the Bible where mountains can symbolize oppressive kingdoms or sites of significant spiritual power, both positive and negative. For instance, Mount Zion is associated with God's presence, while other mountains were used for idolatrous worship. Babylon’s association with a "destroying mountain" frames it as an anti-Zion, a force that despoils rather than sanctifies. The Hebrew word mašḥît itself carries a dual sense: it can mean "destroyer" but also implies "corruption" or "ruin." This suggests that Babylon’s power not only inflicted physical destruction but also spiritual and moral decay on the regions it controlled, making God’s judgment both deserved and necessary for restoring order and justice.

Jeremiah 51 25 Commentary

Jeremiah 51:25 paints a vivid picture of God's sovereign power and his intent to bring judgment upon oppressive nations. Babylon, described as a "destroying mountain," symbolizes its immense, crushing, and destructive power that impacted vast territories. This image highlights how human powers, however formidable, are ultimately subject to the Creator. God declares His active opposition, stretching out His hand to crush and reduce this mighty nation to complete desolation. The verse is not just about the physical destruction of a city, but about the divine reversal of power, where what was considered unshakeable and all-consuming is reduced to utter ruin by the ultimate authority. This is a reminder that earthly empires, built on conquest and oppression, will face God's justice. The concept is echoed throughout Scripture: God exalts the humble and brings down the proud, ultimately ensuring His righteousness prevails over all worldly powers that oppose His will.