Jeremiah 51 47

Jeremiah 51:47 kjv

Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.

Jeremiah 51:47 nkjv

Therefore behold, the days are coming That I will bring judgment on the carved images of Babylon; Her whole land shall be ashamed, And all her slain shall fall in her midst.

Jeremiah 51:47 niv

For the time will surely come when I will punish the idols of Babylon; her whole land will be disgraced and her slain will all lie fallen within her.

Jeremiah 51:47 esv

"Therefore, behold, the days are coming when I will punish the images of Babylon; her whole land shall be put to shame, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.

Jeremiah 51:47 nlt

For the time is surely coming
when I will punish this great city and all her idols.
Her whole land will be disgraced,
and her dead will lie in the streets.

Jeremiah 51 verses

Jeremiah 51 47 meaning

Jeremiah 51:47 foretells the certain and comprehensive divine judgment upon Babylon. God declares that a time is surely coming when He will directly punish Babylon's carved images, rendering its entire land disgraced and filled with its dead. This pronouncement highlights God's sovereignty, His opposition to idolatry, and the inevitable downfall of those who oppose Him and oppress His people.

Jeremiah 51 47 Context

Jeremiah chapter 51 is a continuation of the oracle against Babylon, one of the most extensive prophetic declarations in the Old Testament. Following Judah's destruction by Babylon and the subsequent exile, these chapters (Jeremiah 50-51) served as a profound message of hope and divine justice for the exiled Judeans. The chapter vividly details Babylon's impending, complete destruction, outlining its specific sins and God's instruments for judgment (the Medes and Persians). Verse 47 reinforces the theme of God's active opposition to idolatry and His promise to devastate the nation that boasted in its false gods and cruelly oppressed His chosen people. This divine judgment serves as both vindication for Judah and a clear demonstration of Yahweh's unmatched power over all earthly kingdoms and their supposed deities.

Jeremiah 51 47 Word analysis

• Therefore, behold: (Lakhēn hinnēh, לָכֵן הִנֵּה)

  • Lakhēn: "Therefore," marks a conclusion. God's impending action is a logical outcome. It ties to earlier reasons for judgment against Babylon (pride, idolatry, violence).
  • Hinnēh: "Behold," is an imperative drawing urgent attention. It emphasizes the certainty, significance, and perhaps unexpected nature of the coming event. A divine pronouncement that is definite.

• the days are coming: (yāmîm bāʾîm, יָמִים בָּאִים)

  • A common prophetic idiom. Denotes a future, definite period initiated by divine will. Conveys the inevitability and fixed timing of the judgment in God's plan.

• when I will punish: (pāqaḏtî ʿal, פָקַדְתִּי עַל)

  • Pāqaḏ: "to visit," can imply a visitation for good or for judgment. With the preposition ʿal ("upon" or "against"), it unequivocally means a visitation in wrath and punishment. God actively initiates this judgment, emphasizing His direct intervention and judicial role.

• the carved images: (pesîlîm, פְּסִילִים)

  • Refers to idols specifically formed by carving from wood or stone, or by casting. These represent Babylon's polytheistic worship and spiritual rebellion against the one true God. This judgment is a direct affront to Babylon's false religion.

• of Babylon: (bābel, בָּבֶל)

  • Identifies the target. Babylon represented the zenith of worldly power and arrogance, built on oppression and idolatry.

• and her whole land: (weḵol-ʾarṣāh, וְכָל-אַרְצָהּ)

  • Emphasizes the widespread and comprehensive nature of the devastation. The judgment is not confined to the capital city but affects the entire territory.

• shall be put to shame: (tebôš, תֵּבוֹשׁ)

  • From bûš, "to be ashamed," "disgraced," "confounded." It signifies public humiliation and the utter failure of their boasts—their gods and military strength—to protect them. This spiritual and physical shame marks Babylon's utter defeat.

• and all her slain: (weḵol-ḥalālêhā, וְכָל-חַלָלֶיהָ)

  • Refers to the fallen, specifically those killed in battle or by violence. Indicates a great multitude of deaths.

• shall fall in her midst: (yippělû betôḵāh, יִפְּלוּ בְתוֹכָהּ)

  • "Fall" implies dying or being overthrown. "In her midst" highlights that the destruction and death will not merely occur on the fringes but deeply within the land, perhaps even within the cities and capital, signifying inescapable and pervasive carnage.

Words-group analysis:

• "punish the carved images of Babylon": This phrase directly confronts the heart of Babylon's false worship. God, as the true and only God, directly acts against the objects of their misplaced faith, demonstrating their utter powerlessness and validating His sole supremacy. This is a theological polemic against Babylon's polytheism.
• "her whole land shall be put to shame": This signifies total public disgrace for a proud nation. Their national identity and boasting, once based on military might and the favor of their many gods, will collapse into widespread humiliation.
• "all her slain shall fall in her midst": This evokes a graphic image of utter defeat. The land will be littered with corpses, signifying an internal collapse and an unavoidable, horrific end.

Jeremiah 51 47 Bonus section

• The prophetic nature of this verse is remarkable. Jeremiah's prophecies against Babylon, including such specific details, predate its fall to Cyrus the Great in 539 BC by several decades. This foresight underscores divine inspiration and God's control over human history.
• The destruction of idols described here connects to God's covenant warnings in Deuteronomy and Leviticus, where the breaking of idols and altars was commanded upon entering the promised land. Babylon's fate demonstrates that what God commanded His people to do to the idols of Canaan, He would eventually do to the idols of Babylon, an enemy far more formidable than any in Canaan.
• The "carved images" (pesîlîm) are a constant theme throughout Jeremiah's condemnation of idolatry (e.g., Jer 10:1-16). This specific term is used to contrast man-made, dead gods with the living God who creates.
• While primarily fulfilled historically with the Persian conquest, some interpret the "Babylon" prophecies in Jeremiah (and Isaiah) to also have an eschatological dimension, prefiguring the ultimate downfall of all world systems opposed to God, as seen in the "Babylon the Great" of Revelation. This extends the spiritual application beyond just the historical empire.

Jeremiah 51 47 Commentary

Jeremiah 51:47 stands as a powerful testament to God's ultimate sovereignty and unwavering justice. It encapsulates the core reasons for Babylon's downfall: its rampant idolatry and its arrogant opposition to Yahweh. The verse highlights that God personally intervenes to judge false worship; He is not passive concerning the worship of inanimate objects. The shame (disgrace) is multi-layered: it's the shame of relying on powerless deities, the shame of a proud nation brought low, and the public humiliation of utter defeat. The presence of "all her slain" across "her whole land" depicts an overwhelming, inescapable military defeat resulting in mass casualties. This passage serves as a message of hope for God's exiled people, reassuring them that their oppressors would not escape divine retribution, and simultaneously provides a timeless warning against the folly of idolatry and the futility of trusting in human constructs over the living God.