Jeremiah 51:36 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 51:36 kjv
Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry.
Jeremiah 51:36 nkjv
Therefore thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea and make her springs dry.
Jeremiah 51:36 niv
Therefore this is what the LORD says: "See, I will defend your cause and avenge you; I will dry up her sea and make her springs dry.
Jeremiah 51:36 esv
Therefore thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will plead your cause and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea and make her fountain dry,
Jeremiah 51:36 nlt
This is what the LORD says to Jerusalem: "I will be your lawyer to plead your case,
and I will avenge you.
I will dry up her river,
as well as her springs,
Jeremiah 51 36 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Pleading Judah's Cause / Divine Advocacy: | ||
| Isa 49:25 | But thus says the LORD: "Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken..." | God intervenes to deliver His people. |
| Isa 51:22 | Thus says your Lord, the LORD and your God, who pleads the cause of His... | God acts as Judah's defender. |
| Jer 50:34 | Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is His name. He will throughly.. | God is a mighty Redeemer and Advocate. |
| Zec 2:8 | For thus says the LORD of hosts: "He has sent Me after glory to the nations. | God identifies with His people's suffering. |
| Taking Vengeance / Divine Justice: | ||
| Deut 32:35 | Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; In due time their foot shall slip... | God asserts His sole right to vengeance. |
| Ps 94:1 | O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongs—O God, to whom vengeance belongs... | Plea for divine retribution and justice. |
| Isa 34:8 | For it is the day of the LORD’s vengeance, The year of recompense for the.. | Divine judgment and recompense. |
| Jer 46:10 | For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, That He. | God's day of vengeance against nations. |
| Nah 1:2 | The LORD is a jealous God and avenging; The LORD is avenging and full of.. | God is an avenging God. |
| Rom 12:19 | Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it.. | Vengeance belongs to God. |
| Rev 18:20 | Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God.. | Heaven rejoices over God's vengeance on Babylon. |
| Drying Her Sea / Fountain (Destruction of Resources/Power): | ||
| Isa 11:15 | The LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian Sea; With His... | Prophecy of drying up major water bodies. |
| Isa 19:5-6 | The waters from the sea will shrink, And the river will be parched... | Judgment on Egypt through drying waters. |
| Zec 10:11 | He shall pass through the sea with affliction; He shall strike the waves.. | God brings judgment by affecting waters. |
| Rev 16:12 | Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates... | Euphrates dried to prepare for judgment. |
| Eze 29:3-4 | Speak, and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I am against you... | Pharaoh likened to a river monster, caught. |
| General Judgment on Babylon: | ||
| Isa 13:19 | And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans' pride... | Prophecy of Babylon's total destruction. |
| Jer 50:13 | Because of the wrath of the LORD It shall not be inhabited, But it shall.. | Babylon will become desolate. |
| Rev 18:2 | And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is.. | Echoes Babylon's fall in Revelation. |
| God's Faithfulness & Covenant: | ||
| Gen 12:3 | I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you... | Covenant promise of protection for Israel. |
| Ps 105:8 | He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded for a... | God's unchanging covenant. |
Jeremiah 51 verses
Jeremiah 51 36 meaning
This verse is a powerful declaration of divine judgment against Babylon and a promise of vindication for Judah. The Lord assures His people that He will actively engage as their advocate, defending their cause and executing righteous retribution on Babylon for the injustices committed. The imagery of drying up Babylon's "sea" and "fountain" vividly portrays the complete destruction of its vital resources, defenses, and life-sustaining power, signaling its utter desolation and the end of its dominion.
Jeremiah 51 36 Context
Jeremiah chapters 50 and 51 constitute a sweeping prophetic oracle primarily against Babylon. These chapters follow the prophecies against various nations, culminating in the judgment of the dominant world power responsible for Judah's exile. Chapter 51 specifically details the utter destruction and desolation that will befall Babylon, presenting God's judgment as a direct response to Babylon's pride, idolatry, and violent oppression of God's people and the temple in Jerusalem. Immediately preceding verse 36, Jeremiah 51:35 articulates the specific grievance: "The violence done to me and my flesh be upon Babylon!" This cry for justice is met directly in verse 36 with God's assurance of personal intervention to avenge His people. Historically, Babylon was the mighty Neo-Babylonian Empire, characterized by its formidable military, architectural wonders, extensive waterways, and idolatrous practices. The Jewish exiles desperately needed a word of hope and vindication in the face of such overwhelming power, which this prophecy provides by assuring them that their God is greater than their oppressors.
Jeremiah 51 36 Word analysis
- "Therefore thus says the LORD": (לָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר יְהוָה - lāḵēn kōh-ʾāmar Yahweh). "Therefore" links to the preceding declaration of Babylon's injustice against Judah. "Thus says the LORD" is a solemn, authoritative prophetic formula, affirming the divine origin and infallible nature of the impending judgment. It underscores God's personal initiative in this decree.
- "Behold": (הִנֵּה - hinnēh). An attention-getting interjection emphasizing the certainty, importance, and dramatic nature of the declaration that follows.
- "I will plead your cause": (רִיבְךָ אָרִיב - rīḇəḵā ʾārîḇ). Literally, "your contention I will contend" or "your dispute I will dispute." Rîḇ signifies a legal case or controversy. God positions Himself as Judah's divine advocate and legal champion, actively presenting their argument and defending their rights against Babylon in a cosmic courtroom. This implies both a just assessment and a commitment to restitution.
- "and take vengeance for you": (וְנִקַּמְתִּי נִקְמָתֶךָ - wəniqqamtî niqmāteḵā). Literally, "and I will avenge your vengeance." Niqmah denotes retribution or vindication for wrong suffered. It signifies God's righteous repayment for the wrongs inflicted upon His people, acting as a just judge to balance the scales of justice, not out of mere anger but divine righteousness.
- "I will dry up her sea": (וְהַחֲרַבְתִּי אֶת־יַמָּהּ - wəhaḥaravtî ʾeṯ-yammāh). YaM (יָם) here refers to Babylon's abundant waters—the Euphrates River and its intricate canal systems. These waterways were crucial for Babylon's defense, commerce, agriculture, and prosperity. Drying them up symbolizes the complete removal of its economic lifeblood, strategic defenses, and source of power.
- "and make her fountain dry": (וְהַנְבַּלְתִּי אֶת־מְקוֹרָהּ - wəhanbaltî ʾeṯ-məqōrāh). Məqôr (מְקוֹרָהּ) is a spring or source. This image complements the "sea," signifying the cessation of the foundational, essential, and deep-seated sources of Babylon's existence and vitality. Together, "sea" and "fountain" encompass both superficial abundance and deep-rooted sustenance, signifying a total, comprehensive destruction of all that sustains Babylon.
Jeremiah 51 36 Bonus section
- Polemical Significance: This prophecy can be understood as a direct challenge and polemic against the strength of Babylonian gods and their association with their rivers and city's power. By promising to dry up Babylon's life-giving waters, Yahweh asserts His supreme authority over all creation and demonstrates that the gods of Babylon are powerless to prevent their city's downfall, thereby discrediting pagan deities.
- Historical Echoes: While the prophecy could refer to miraculous intervention, it is also understood by some scholars as foretelling the strategic drying of the Euphrates by Cyrus the Great to facilitate the Persian conquest of Babylon in 539 BCE, showcasing how God uses earthly powers to fulfill His word. This provides a striking example of prophetic fulfillment in history.
Jeremiah 51 36 Commentary
Jeremiah 51:36 stands as a monumental promise of divine intervention, encapsulating God's active role as both Judah's unwavering advocate and their formidable avenger. Against the backdrop of seemingly insurmountable Babylonian power, this verse declares that Yahweh Himself will directly engage in their behalf, personally taking up their "contention" and executing "vengeance" for their suffering. The vivid imagery of drying up Babylon's "sea" and "fountain" communicates more than mere damage; it portends an absolute and fundamental cessation of Babylon's strength. These watery elements were symbolic of Babylon's life, prosperity, and formidable defenses (the Euphrates river, moats, canals). To "dry them up" meant to systematically dismantle its military, economic, and existential foundation. This was not a slow decay but a divine, decisive act ensuring complete desolation, cutting off its very source of life and power. For the exiled Judeans, this prophecy offered profound hope and confirmation that despite the present circumstances, their God remained sovereign, just, and faithful to His covenant, demonstrating that all earthly empires, no matter how powerful, are ultimately subject to His divine decree.