Jeremiah 51:37 kjv
And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.
Jeremiah 51:37 nkjv
Babylon shall become a heap, A dwelling place for jackals, An astonishment and a hissing, Without an inhabitant.
Jeremiah 51:37 niv
Babylon will be a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals, an object of horror and scorn, a place where no one lives.
Jeremiah 51:37 esv
and Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, the haunt of jackals, a horror and a hissing, without inhabitant.
Jeremiah 51:37 nlt
and Babylon will become a heap of ruins,
haunted by jackals.
She will be an object of horror and contempt,
a place where no one lives.
Jeremiah 51 37 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 51 | Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a dwelling for jackals. | Judgment against Babylon |
| Isaiah 13:22 | Her palaces will be inhabited by bats, desert creatures, and owls. | Isaiah's prophecy of Babylon |
| Isaiah 34:13 | Thorns will sprout in its palaces, nettles and thistles in its fortresses. | Edom's desolation echoes Babylon's |
| Isaiah 34:14 | Wild cats will meet desert wolves, and goat-demons will call to each other. | More on the desolation |
| Jeremiah 50 | Echoes of Babylon's fall. | Babylon's judgment affirmed |
| Revelation 18 | Babylon the Great's final judgment. | New Testament fulfillment |
| Revelation 18:2 | Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen! | New Testament prophecy |
| Revelation 17 | The harlot Babylon and her judgment. | Symbolic representation |
| Psalm 74:14 | You crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave him as food to desert creatures. | God's power over chaos |
| Proverbs 30:26 | Hyraxes are creatures of power, yet they make their homes in crags. | Mention of desert dwellers |
| Deuteronomy 32:10 | He found him in a desert land, and in the howling wilderness of the desert. | God's protection in desolation |
| Psalm 107:35 | He turned a desert into a watery pool and a dry land into springs of water. | God's power to restore |
| Jeremiah 51:6 | Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and let every man save his life. | Warning to escape |
| Jeremiah 51:45 | My people, go out of the midst of her! | Further exhortation to flee |
| Jeremiah 51:64 | and say, “So shall Babylon sink to rise no more because of the disaster I am bringing on her.” | Confirmation of finality |
| Luke 11:24 | “When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through desolate places, seeking rest.” | Unclean spirits and desolate places |
| Matthew 12:43 | "When an unclean spirit goes out of a person..." | Parallel teaching on spirits |
| Zephaniah 2:14 | Amidst its columns jackals will cry out. | Similar prophecy of ruin |
| Hosea 4:6 | my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. | Cause for judgment |
| Amos 6:10 | and if anyone remains, the plague is on him, for the bones of him who is in the house. | Consequences of judgment |
Jeremiah 51 verses
Jeremiah 51 37 Meaning
The verse signifies the desolation that will come upon Babylon as a consequence of its pride and wickedness. It paints a picture of complete ruin, where the defeated nation becomes a dwelling place for wild animals, signifying utter emptiness and a complete loss of human habitation. This serves as a testament to God's judgment against those who defy Him and oppress His people.
Jeremiah 51 37 Context
Jeremiah 51 is the final prophetic oracle concerning Babylon, presenting a comprehensive account of its impending destruction. This chapter follows a series of prophecies against various nations, placing Babylon, the oppressive superpower of Jeremiah's day, at the forefront of God's judgment. The historical context is crucial: Jeremiah was prophesying during the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, when Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar was at the height of its power and had already exiled many Judeans. Babylon was seen as God's instrument of wrath against Israel's sin but was itself due for judgment due to its extreme cruelty, pride, and idolatry. This verse, 51:37, summarizes the ultimate fate of Babylon as a stark image of desolation and divine retribution, emphasizing its complete overthrow and abandonment.
Jeremiah 51 37 Word Analysis
- וְהָיְתָה (və·hā·yə·ṯâ): "And she will be." This is the third-person feminine singular imperfect of the verb "to be" (hâ·yâ). It signifies a future state or condition.
- בָּבֶל (bā·ḇel): "Babylon." The great Mesopotamian empire and city that was the instrument of God's judgment against Judah but would itself be judged.
- לִגְלִּיּוֹת (lig·lî·yō·wṯ): "Heaps" or "ruins." This noun is plural and from the root gō·leṯ, referring to a heap or pile, often of ruins. It implies a state of utter demolition.
- בַּיִת (ḇa·yi·ṯ): "A house" or "dwelling place."
- לְתַנּוֹת (lə·ṯan·nō·wṯ): "For jackals." This is a dative infinitive of the verb "to lodge" or "to dwell," followed by the plural noun tannîm, which refers to jackals or wild desert animals known for their mournful cries. The pairing of "house" with "jackals" vividly depicts a place once grand, now abandoned to wild, screeching creatures.
Group Analysis:
The phrase "a heap of ruins, a dwelling for jackals" presents a stark contrast. "Heap of ruins" signifies absolute destruction and dismantling of structures. "Dwelling for jackals" personifies the desolation, implying that even the wildest, most unkempt creatures of the wilderness would find it a more suitable abode than any human. This imagery is powerful in conveying the completeness of Babylon's demise and its utter rejection by any civilized presence. The pairing highlights the transformation from a vibrant human city to a desolate haunt for animals.
Jeremiah 51 37 Bonus Section
The imagery of cities becoming dwelling places for wild animals is a recurring theme in prophetic literature, emphasizing extreme desolation and judgment (e.g., Isaiah 13:21-22; Zephaniah 2:14). This specific prophecy against Babylon in Jeremiah 51 is particularly comprehensive, detailing its fall and eventual effacement. The jackals represent the opposite of what Babylon stood for: order, civilization, and human presence. Their habitation in its ruins signifies a return to chaos and the wild, a testament to its utter downfall. The fulfillment of this prophecy is historically complex, as the city of Babylon faced decline, though not immediate annihilation, after its conquest by Cyrus the Great. However, the prophetic declaration speaks to its eventual complete desolation, becoming a haunt for desert creatures over time, aligning with the biblical narrative of God's faithfulness in executing His judgments against the wicked.
Jeremiah 51 37 Commentary
This verse is a potent depiction of divine judgment culminating in utter devastation. Babylon, a city once renowned for its might and grandeur, will be reduced to mere rubble. Its magnificent structures will collapse, forming shapeless heaps. More profoundly, its palaces, once filled with human activity, royalty, and opulence, will become uninhabited save for wild animals. The jackal, often associated with barren wastelands and desolation in biblical imagery, symbolizes the complete absence of human life and the triumph of the wild over human civilization. This judgment is a consequence of Babylon's immense pride, its cruelty towards God's people, and its defiance of the Almighty. The prophecy emphasizes not just military defeat but a spiritual and environmental ruin, ensuring Babylon will never again be a center of power or influence. It serves as a warning about the ultimate fate of any nation or power that opposes God's sovereign will and perpetuates injustice. The complete abandonment underscores the severity of God's wrath.