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 64 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 50:40 | "As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, its neighbors, and the desolate man who dwells there," | Parallel passage about overthrowing like Sodom |
| Genesis 19:24 | "Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven." | The foundational account of Sodom's destruction |
| Isaiah 13:19 | "And Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the Babylonians' pride, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah." | Another prophetic judgment on Babylon |
| Luke 17:29 | "but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all." | Jesus referencing Sodom's destruction |
| 2 Peter 2:6 | "and if by a mere overthrow he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, turning them to ashes, setting aExample for the godless to come." | Peter explaining Sodom as an example |
| Jeremiah 51:42 | "The sea has come up over Babylon; she is covered with its multitude of waves." | imagery of engulfing destruction |
| Revelation 18:2 | "He called out with a mighty voice, 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!'" | New Testament prophecy of Babylon's fall |
| Revelation 18:10 | "'Alas! Alas, you great city! You mighty city, Babylon! For in one hour your judgment has come.'" | Judgment paralleled with a single moment |
| Revelation 18:21 | "Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and flung it into the sea, saying, 'So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will not be found again.'" | imagery of total obliteration |
| Isaiah 13:21-22 | "But wild animals will lie down there, and its houses will be filled with jackals; and ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about there. Its fortified towers will become dens, a haunt for jackals, for all wild animals. It will be a desolation for all time, declares the LORD, the LORD." | Description of uninhabitable desolation |
| Jeremiah 17:27 | "But if you do not obey me by hallowing the Sabbath day and by not carrying a burden and bringing it in on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem and shall not be quenched.” | divine judgment through fire |
| Ezekiel 6:14 | "And I will lay your waste desolate across the coast of the wilderness." | judgment involving desolate land |
| Amos 4:11 | "I overthrew some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a brand plucked out of the fire, yet you returned not to me, declares the LORD." | God's past judgments and people's unresponsiveness |
| Psalm 37:35-36 | "I have seen a wicked man, a terror to his neighbors, flourishing like a leafy native tree, but he passed away, and behold, he was no more; I sought him, but he could not be found." | Destruction and complete absence |
| Nahum 3:7 | "And it shall come to pass that all who look on you shall shrink from you and say, 'Nineveh is ruined! Who will go and lament for her?'" | destruction of another great city |
| Zephaniah 2:14-15 | "and the flocks and all the wild beasts will lie down in it. Both the owl and the python will lodge in its capitals; its windows will cry out; ruin will be in its doorways; it will be stripped of its beams. 15 This is the exultant city that lived carelessly, that said in its heart, 'I am the only one, and there is no other.' What a desolation she has become, a lair for wild beasts! Everyone who passes by her will hiss and shake his fist." | Description of absolute ruin and desolation |
| Jeremiah 50:3 | "For a nation has come up from the north; it has made their land a desolation, and from its inhabitants no one will dwell in it; both man and beast have fled and gone." | Depopulation as a result of judgment |
| Matthew 11:23 | "And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day." | Jesus equating judgment on Capernaum with Sodom |
| Revelation 17:5 | "Also on her forehead was written this name: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF EARTH'S ABOMINATIONS." | identification of Babylon's spiritual identity |
| Isaiah 21:9 | "Lo, here comes cavalry, horsemen in pairs!” And he answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon!" | Immediate declaration of Babylon's fall |
Jeremiah 51 verses
Jeremiah 51 64 Meaning
This verse declares that the great city of Babylon will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when they were overthrown. The imagery signifies complete destruction and permanent desolation, with no future habitation. It serves as a powerful divine judgment against a city that has stood against God's people and His purposes.
Jeremiah 51 64 Context
Jeremiah 51 concludes the prophecy against Babylon. This chapter details the complete destruction and judgment that will befall this powerful empire for its oppressions, idolatry, and opposition to God's people. The verse in question is part of the concluding pronouncements on the finality of Babylon's ruin, using the extreme example of Sodom and Gomorrah. Historically, Babylon was a formidable world power known for its military might, vast empire, and luxury, but also for its cruelty and corruption, particularly its role in exiling Judah. This prophecy was delivered during the Babylonian exile, serving as a message of hope for the exiled Israelites and a warning to their oppressors.
Jeremiah 51 64 Word Analysis
כִּי (ki): "for," "because," "indeed," "when." This conjunction introduces the reason or the manner of the preceding declaration. Here, it signals the comparison that explains Babylon's fate.
הֵן (hen): "behold," "lo," "indeed." An interjection used to draw attention. It emphasizes the absolute nature of the ensuing description of destruction.
לַהֲפֹכִי (lahapoḵi): "as that it is overturned," "as it is turned over." From the root hafaḵ (הָפַךְ), meaning "to turn," "to overturn," "to destroy." This vividly portrays a violent, complete reversal and ruin, directly referencing the nature of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
כְּמֹהֹהַּ (kəmōhōhă): "like it" or "like them." Refers back to Sodom and Gomorrah, specifically the state in which they were left after God's judgment.
סְדֹם (Sĕdōm): "Sodom." One of the cities destroyed by God in Genesis 19 for its extreme wickedness.
וַאֲמֹרָה (wa'ămōrăh): "and Gomorrah." The other city destroyed alongside Sodom.
מֹשְׁבֶיהָ (mōšəḇĕhâ): "its inhabitants," "its dwellers." The people who lived in Babylon. The verse asserts that no one will inhabit Babylon anymore.
בָּהּ (bāh): "in her" (referring to Babylon). This pronoun links the desolation to the city itself.
Group Analysis:
- "For indeed, like its overthrow, like Sodom and Gomorrah and its villages..." (כִּי הֵן לַהֲפֹכִי כְּמֹהֹהַּ סְדֹם וַאֲמֹרָה וּשְׁכֵנְתֶּיהָ): This phrase directly links Babylon's destruction to the catastrophic and absolute obliteration of Sodom and Gomorrah. The phrase "its villages" (וּשְׁכֵנְתֶּיהָ) expands the scope of the judgment to the surrounding areas of Babylon, mirroring how nearby cities were affected by Sodom's destruction. The use of "overthrow" emphasizes a sudden, violent, and complete reversal of the city's status.
- "...so shall no inhabitant dwell therein." (כֵּן לֹא יֵשֵׁב־בָּהּ יֹשֵׁב): This clause unequivocally states the consequence: perpetual uninhabitation. The parallelism with Sodom, which became a desolate wasteland, confirms that Babylon too will be rendered uninhabitable. The repetition of "inhabit" (יֵשֵׁב... יֹשֵׁב) stresses the complete absence of any human presence.
Jeremiah 51 64 Bonus Section
The prophecy's conclusion with this stark imagery underscores that God's judgment is not merely a political defeat but a complete annihilation of the city's presence and future. The chosen comparison to Sodom is significant because that judgment was particularly associated with sexual immorality and extreme wickedness, which often characterized the oppressive systems that defied God. Babylon, in the biblical narrative, represented not only military and economic power but also spiritual rebellion, idolatry, and the exploitation of peoples, aligning it with the sort of depravity for which Sodom was destroyed. This finality speaks to the absolute sovereignty of God over all nations and powers, ensuring that even the greatest human constructions are subject to His ultimate justice.
Jeremiah 51 64 Commentary
Jeremiah 51:64 pronounces an ultimate judgment upon Babylon, comparing its downfall to the exemplary destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This comparison highlights not just the magnitude of the disaster but also its finality and the righteous divine judgment involved. Just as Sodom and Gomorrah were turned to ashes and became a perpetual warning against wickedness, Babylon, a symbol of worldly power, pride, and opposition to God, would suffer a similar fate, rendering it utterly uninhabitable. This serves as a potent reminder that God will not tolerate persistent rebellion and corruption, even in seemingly unshakeable empires. The New Testament echoes this imagery, with Revelation depicting a "New Babylon" also facing complete destruction and permanent oblivion.