Jeremiah 51 64

Jeremiah 51:64 kjv

And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 51:64 nkjv

Then you shall say, 'Thus Babylon shall sink and not rise from the catastrophe that I will bring upon her. And they shall be weary.' " Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 51:64 niv

Then say, 'So will Babylon sink to rise no more because of the disaster I will bring on her. And her people will fall.'?" The words of Jeremiah end here.

Jeremiah 51:64 esv

and say, 'Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the disaster that I am bringing upon her, and they shall become exhausted.'" Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 51:64 nlt

Then say, 'In this same way Babylon and her people will sink, never again to rise, because of the disasters I will bring upon her.'" This is the end of Jeremiah's messages.

Jeremiah 51 verses

Jeremiah 51 64 meaning

Jeremiah 51:64 portrays a symbolic act confirming God's definitive and irreversible judgment against Babylon. The sinking of the prophetic scroll into the Euphrates River illustrates that Babylon will sink utterly, never to rise again. This cataclysmic downfall is directly attributed to the divine intervention of Yahweh, who brings calamity upon the city, leading to its complete exhaustion and incapacity to recover, marking the end of its formidable power.

Jeremiah 51 64 Context

Jeremiah 51:64 is the culminating verse of a specific prophetic charge given to Seraiah, Baruch's brother. It forms part of Jeremiah's extensive prophecies against Babylon, delivered during a critical period (likely early in Zedekiah's reign, circa 594 BC, or possibly even later, close to the exile itself). Chapters 50-51 detail the LORD's certain judgment upon Babylon, the very nation currently oppressing Judah and boasting of its invincibility. Seraiah, on a diplomatic mission to Babylon, was instructed to read Jeremiah's scroll of prophecy (containing the dire pronouncements against Babylon) publicly and then, in a highly symbolic and performative act, tie a stone to it and sink it into the Euphrates River. This act was not merely a warning but a divinely commanded physical manifestation of Babylon's coming destruction. The setting, the great Euphrates, vital for Babylon's life and prosperity, becomes the place of its prophetic doom, emphasizing the scope and finality of its fall, despite its status as a world superpower and its proud, idolatrous worship of deities like Bel and Marduk. The verse highlights Yahweh's sovereignty over all nations and deities, delivering a direct polemic against Babylon's self-assured might.

Jeremiah 51 64 Word analysis

• and you shall say: This is a direct command to Seraiah, making him the mouthpiece for Yahweh's pronouncement. Seraiah's role in reciting and enacting the prophecy highlights the divine authority behind these words.

• 'Thus: Hebrew: Koh (כֹּה). A demonstrative adverb often used to introduce a direct divine speech or a declaration, adding authority and certainty to what follows. It sets the stage for a formal, irrevocable pronouncement.

• shall Babylon: Refers to the historical Neo-Babylonian Empire, the great imperial power that had conquered Judah and taken its people into exile. The specific focus is on the city itself as the center of that power.

• sink,: Hebrew: Shaka' (שָׁקַע). To sink, be submerged, settled down, or depressed. It carries the imagery of something weighty being plunged into water, implying complete disappearance and loss. In this context, it signifies an utter and irrecoverable collapse, akin to a heavy object vanishing beneath the waves.

• and not rise again,: Hebrew: Lo' takum (לֹא תָקוּם). A powerful negation ("not") combined with kum (קוּם), meaning "to rise," "to stand up," "to become strong," or "to endure." This phrase emphatically stresses the permanence of Babylon's destruction, signifying that it will not recover its former power, re-establish its empire, or even rebuild its ruined status as a significant entity. This stands in contrast to other cities that were destroyed but later rebuilt or regained power.

• because of the disaster: Hebrew: Min hara'a (מִן הָרָעָה). The preposition min signifies "from" or "because of." Hara'a (evil/calamity/disaster) clearly indicates the cause of Babylon's fall—it is a catastrophic event. This is not mere misfortune but a specific, divinely orchestrated calamity.

• that I am bringing upon her,: Hebrew: Asher Anochi mevi'a aleiha (אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מֵבִיא עָלֶיהָ). This clause explicitly declares divine agency. The first-person singular pronoun "I" (Anchoh, "אנוכי") refers to Yahweh Himself, confirming that Babylon's downfall is not an accident of history but a direct, deliberate act of God's judgment. It underscores His sovereign control over nations and their fates.

• and they shall become exhausted.': Hebrew: Ve'yafu (וְיִעַפֿוּ), from the root ya'ef (יָעֵף), meaning to be faint, weary, exhausted. This could refer to the Babylonian people, utterly depleted by the warfare and defeat, or more broadly, the entire Babylonian state/power structure becoming spent and incapacitated. It denotes a complete cessation of strength, a collapse born of utter weariness and helplessness in the face of God's overwhelming judgment. Their energy, will to fight, and capacity for resurgence will be completely drained.

• Thus far the words of Jeremiah. This serves as an editorial colophon or concluding remark, indicating the end of a specific prophetic section or, in some ancient arrangements, the entire corpus of Jeremiah's prophecies. It highlights that the preceding words (especially chapters 50-51) are attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, providing authentication and marking a literary division. This note appears after the words Seraiah is to say, signifying the completion of Jeremiah's commission regarding Babylon.

• "Thus shall Babylon sink, and not rise again,": This phrase group emphasizes the complete and permanent destruction of Babylon. The double imagery of "sinking" and "not rising" reinforces an utter and irreversible end, not just a temporary defeat. It speaks to the ultimate powerlessness of even the greatest earthly empires before God.

• "because of the disaster that I am bringing upon her,": This section unequivocally points to Yahweh as the active agent and primary cause of Babylon's downfall. It dismisses any notion of mere human triumph or historical coincidence, placing the entire event firmly within the realm of divine judgment and sovereign decree.

• "and they shall become exhausted.": This concluding pronouncement details the final state of Babylon. The exhaustion isn't just physical weariness but a spiritual and national debilitation, rendering the empire incapable of defending itself or recovering, sealing its fate as forever fallen.

Jeremiah 51 64 Bonus section

• Performative Prophecy: This verse is the culmination of a unique form of prophecy—a symbolic action that prefigures and confirms the future event. Seraiah's act wasn't just descriptive; it was prescriptive, enacted under divine command to manifest the certainty of the coming judgment.
• Significance of the Euphrates: By sinking the scroll in the Euphrates, a river integral to Babylon's identity, irrigation, defense, and trade, the prophecy essentially contaminates the very lifeblood of the empire with its doom. The river that brought prosperity would become the instrument (symbolically) of its burial.
• Prophetic Redaction: The concluding phrase, "Thus far the words of Jeremiah," suggests the hand of an editor or scribe. In the Masoretic Text (MT), it immediately precedes Chapter 52, which recounts the fall of Jerusalem and the release of Jehoiachin, serving as a historical appendix. However, in the Septuagint (LXX), the anti-Babylonian oracles (Jer 50-51) appear much earlier, after chapter 25, suggesting different editorial arrangements. Regardless of its placement, the phrase definitively closes Jeremiah's prophetic message against Babylon.
• Irrevocable Judgment: The use of "not rise again" implies an even more severe judgment than that leveled against other significant cities and empires prophesied by Jeremiah or other prophets. While some were destroyed, they often experienced some form of resurgence or rebuilding (e.g., Tyre). Babylon, by this prophecy, was to remain in irreversible desolation.

Jeremiah 51 64 Commentary

Jeremiah 51:64 provides the dramatic climax to the scroll prophecy against Babylon. The instruction for Seraiah to tie a stone to the scroll and cast it into the Euphrates is a powerful visual and performative symbol. Just as the physical scroll, carrying the burden of prophecy, sinks irretrievably into the river's depths, so too would Babylon, burdened by its sins and the weight of God's judgment, plunge into destruction, never to resurface as a world power. The emphasis on "not rise again" distinguishes Babylon's fate from other empires that might suffer defeat but eventually recover. This unique finality underscores the magnitude of God's wrath against its pride, idolatry, and oppression of His people. Yahweh Himself claims direct responsibility for this "disaster," asserting His supreme authority over history and the rise and fall of nations. The ensuing "exhaustion" of Babylon signals not just military defeat, but a complete depletion of its vitality, resources, and spirit, leaving it utterly powerless and unable to reconstitute itself. The editorial note, "Thus far the words of Jeremiah," serves to authenticate the prophecy as a complete message delivered through the prophet, a testament to God's unfailing word against even the most dominant human empires. This verse serves as a stark reminder that no power is beyond divine judgment and that pride ultimately precedes an irreversible fall.