Jeremiah 51:29 kjv
And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.
Jeremiah 51:29 nkjv
And the land will tremble and sorrow; For every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, To make the land of Babylon a desolation without inhabitant.
Jeremiah 51:29 niv
The land trembles and writhes, for the LORD's purposes against Babylon stand? to lay waste the land of Babylon so that no one will live there.
Jeremiah 51:29 esv
The land trembles and writhes in pain, for the LORD's purposes against Babylon stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.
Jeremiah 51:29 nlt
The earth trembles and writhes in pain,
for everything the LORD has planned against Babylon stands unchanged.
Babylon will be left desolate without a single inhabitant.
Jeremiah 51 29 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 51:11 | "Sharpen the arrows; gird yourselves. The Lord has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because it is his purpose to destroy Babylon." | Describes the Lord's initiation of the attack, the motive behind it. |
| Jeremiah 51:28 | "Declare in the land the battle is ordered against her, stir up the nations against her; summon against her the kingdoms from Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz. Appoint a marshal against her; bring up horses like bristling locusts." | Details the mobilization and calling of nations for war. |
| Isaiah 13:3 | "I have commanded my chosen warriors; I have summoned my warriors to my anger—those who rejoice in my pride." | God's active role in appointing and empowering those who would attack. |
| Isaiah 13:4-5 | "A sound of tumult in the mountains, like that of a great multitude! A sound of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together, the Lord of hosts is mustering a host for battle. They come from a distant land, from the end of the heavens, the Lord and the instruments of his wrath, to destroy the whole land." | God's overarching command and the origin of the destructive force. |
| Jeremiah 50:16 | "Cut off from Babylon, both {reaper and]}_ she that thresheth in the time of wheat: lest {an} evil stranger with his weapon, the destroyer with his {destruction} cast away every one to his neighbour." | Emphasizes preventing survivors and leaving no remnants. |
| Jeremiah 50:29 | "Call archers against Babylon, all that bend the bow; camp against her round about: let none of her {escape}; requite her {after} her work, {according} to all that she hath done, do unto her." | Direct command to surround and attack Babylon with archers. |
| Revelation 17:12 | "And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast." | Foreshadows a unified, though temporary, authority attacking the corrupt system. |
| Revelation 18:6 | "Pay her back as she has paid you, and multiply your payment twofold according to her deeds; in the cup that she mixed, mix a tenfold portion for her." | Reinforces the principle of divine justice and retribution. |
| Revelation 18:17-18 | "For in one hour all this ruin has been brought to nothing!"..."all the sea captains and all who travel by sea, the sailors and all who earn their living from the sea, stood at a distance..." | Depicts a sudden and comprehensive destruction of a major commercial power. |
| Ezekiel 25:12 | "Thus says the Lord God: ‘Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah, and made itself guilty by taking vengeance on them...’" | Shows God's concern with acts of vengeance and the resulting judgment. |
| Nahum 2:1 | "He who scatters has come up against you. Guard the stronghold; watch the road; make your loins strong; gather all your might." | Describes the coming destruction and the preparations needed for defense, ironically echoing the enemy's action. |
| Nahum 3:14 | "Draw water for the siege; strengthen your fortresses. Go into the clay, stamp the brick. Take hold of the brick mold." | Depicts siege preparations, mirroring the meticulousness of the attackers. |
| Psalm 7:12-13 | "If a man does not turn back, God will sharpen his sword; he has bent and readied his bow; he has prepared for him {deadly} weapons, making his arrows {fiery} arrows." | God preparing weapons for judgment against wrongdoers. |
| Psalm 11:6 | "Let the wicked be rained upon {with} {burning} coals {and} {brimstone}; {a} {furious} {whirlwind} {shall} {be} {the} {portion} of their {cup}." | Divine judgment through fiery destruction. |
| Habakkuk 2:15 | "Woe to him who makes his neighbor drink of the cup of his wrath, and makes him drunk, to gaze on their {nakedness}!" | God's judgment upon those who intoxicate and shame others, relating to Babylon's actions. |
| Zechariah 1:21 | "And I said, ‘What are these {come} {to} {do}?’ And {he} said, ‘The {horns} {that} {scattered} {Judah} {so} {that} {no} {man} {lifted} {his} {head}; but these {have} {come} {to} {frighten} them, to {throw} {down} the {horns} of the {nations}, {who} {lifted} {their} {horns} {against} {the} {land} to {scatter} it.’" | Relates to scattering and overcoming opposing forces. |
Jeremiah 51 verses
Jeremiah 51 29 Meaning
This verse describes a coordinated and determined action against Babylon, emphasizing the meticulous planning and unified effort of its destroyers. It highlights the thoroughness of the conquest, where every attacker knows their role and contributes to the overwhelming assault, leaving no possibility for Babylon to escape or recover.
Jeremiah 51 29 Context
Jeremiah 51 is part of the larger prophetic corpus directed against Babylon. This specific chapter details the judgment that God would bring upon the city for its arrogance, idolatry, and the brutal oppression it inflicted upon His people, Judah. The preceding verses set the stage for Babylon's destruction by describing the forces God would raise against it, likening them to a plague of locusts and the imagery of war preparations. This verse, Jeremiah 51:29, directly follows the imagery of a military encirclement and attack, highlighting the systematic and coordinated nature of Babylon's demise. Historically, this prophecy would have been fulfilled in the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus the Great and the Medes and Persians, who employed detailed siege strategies.
Jeremiah 51 29 Word Analysis
- And (וְ - we): Conjunction linking this action to the previous commands, showing continuation and consequence.
- They (הֵמָּה - hemmah): Pronoun referring to the assembled nations or warriors summoned in earlier verses.
- Bind (קָשַׁר - qashar): Means to tie, bind, league, plot, form a conspiracy. Here it signifies joining together for a purpose.
- Greatly (בְּעֹד - be'od) / To (לְ - le): Combined, can mean "with much force" or "to a great extent," indicating intensity of the binding or plotting. More literally, the "l" prefix on the next word indicates purpose.
- Bowing (חֲבָלִים - chavalim): Means ropes, cords, fetters, or even pangs (as in childbirth). Used here poetically for binding or tying something securely, suggesting a strong, well-prepared alliance or attack plan.
- Arraigning (אָסַף - asaf): Means to gather, collect, take away. In this context, it implies collecting or assembling the instruments and resources for war, like gathering weapons or provisions. It can also mean to bind up.
- Every (כָּל - kol): Signifies totality, completeness.
- His (וּלְ־ - ul): Prefixed to the following noun, meaning "and for his" or "belonging to him."
- Work (מְלָאכָה - melachah): Refers to work, deed, occupation, or accomplishment. In this context, it means Babylon's actions, especially its oppressive deeds for which it will be repaid.
- Therefore (כֵּן — ken): Adverb signifying "so," "thus," "therefore." Indicates a result or consequence.
- Be it (יְהִי־־יְהִי - yehi): Imperative form of "to be." It signifies a command or a statement of fact concerning what will happen.
- Done (נַעֲשָׂה - na'asah): Passive form, meaning "is done" or "is made." It refers to the action being performed against Babylon.
- Unto (כְּמֹהוּ — kemoho): Means "like him" or "according to him." Here, it refers back to Babylon itself and its own deeds.
- Her (כְּמֹהוּ — kemoho): Refers to Babylon.
Words Grouped:
- Bind greatly (קָשַׁר בְּעֹד - qashar be'od): Together, these words emphasize a strong, determined, and possibly secret plotting or confederacy for the purpose of conquest.
- Every his work (כָּל מְלָאכָה - kol melachah): Refers to the entirety of Babylon's actions, past and present, highlighting that all its deeds are taken into account for the impending judgment.
- Therefore be it done unto her according to her deeds (כֵּן יְהִי נַעֲשָׂה כְּמֹהוּ כְּמֹהוּ): This forms the core statement of divine retribution – that Babylon will receive exactly what it has meted out to others, a principle of "measure for measure" or poetic justice.
Jeremiah 51 29 Bonus Section
The concept of "measure for measure" is a recurring theme in Scripture, illustrating God's justice. This principle is applied not only to judgment but also to blessings. The methodical assembly described here anticipates the efficient and thorough dismantling of Babylon's power, leaving no stone unturned in its judgment. The verse also implies that human history is not random but orchestrated by divine purpose, with God raising up and empowering various nations for His ultimate plans. The attackers are acting under divine impetus, making their concerted effort a divinely sanctioned operation rather than mere human warfare.
Jeremiah 51 29 Commentary
This verse encapsulates the principle of righteous retribution. God, in His sovereignty, mobilizes nations as instruments of His justice. The imagery suggests a conspiracy of actions, not necessarily an illicit plot, but a divinely ordained union of peoples against a common oppressor. The "ropes" (חֲבָלִים) poetically represent the means of capture and subjugation, akin to binding a prisoner or drawing a net. The gathering of "every man's work" (כָּל מְלָאכָה) implies that all of Babylon's actions – its conquests, its idols, its cruelty – are noted and will be judged. The concluding phrase, "according to its deed, so let it be done to it," is a clear articulation of divine accountability. God holds nations responsible for their conduct, especially towards His people. This prophecy assures that wickedness will not ultimately prevail, and those who have inflicted suffering will experience a corresponding consequence. It's a promise that the scale of injustice will be balanced by the scale of judgment.