Jeremiah 51:1-14·~1 min

Judgment on Babylon

The LORD announces that He is rousing a destructive wind against Babylon and her inhabitants, sending winnowers to strip and empty the land on every side in the day of disaster. The invaders are not to spare Babylon's fighters, and the slain will fall throughout Chaldea. Yet in the middle of this judgment there is an assurance: though the land is full of guilt, Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by the LORD of Hosts. Therefore the exiles are told to flee from Babylon and save their own lives rather than be cut off in her punishment.

T¹his is what the LORD says: ²I will send strangers to Babylon ³Do not let the archer bend his bow ⁴And they will fall slain in the land of the Chaldeans, ⁵For Israel and Judah have not been abandoned ⁶Flee from Babylon! Escape with your lives!

Babylon is described as a golden cup in the LORD's hand that made the nations drunk, but now she has suddenly fallen and been shattered. The nations try to heal her and find it impossible, so they leave her to the sky-high reach of her judgment. In response the people of God confess that the LORD has brought forth their vindication and call one another to declare in Zion what He has done.

⁷Babylon was a gold cup in the hand of the LORD, ⁸Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been shattered. ⁹“We tried to heal Babylon, ¹⁰“The LORD has brought forth our vindication;

The arrows are sharpened and the shields taken up because the LORD has stirred the spirit of the kings of the Medes; His plan against Babylon is vengeance for His temple. Signals are raised against the walls, watch is strengthened, and the siege is fixed because the LORD both planned and will perform what He spoke. Babylon, dwelling by many waters and rich in treasures, has reached her end, and the LORD swears by Himself that He will fill her with attackers whose battle cry will drown her out.

¹¹Sharpen the arrows! ¹²Raise a banner against the walls of Babylon; ¹³You who dwell by many waters, ¹⁴The LORD of Hosts has sworn by Himself:

Section summaryThe LORD declares that He is stirring up a destroying wind against Babylon and will send strangers to winnow and empty her land in the day of calamity. Babylon's wounded will fall throughout the Chaldean land, yet Israel and Judah have not been abandoned by their God. The exiles are urged to flee and not perish in Babylon's punishment, for Babylon—once a golden cup in the LORD's hand—has suddenly shattered beyond healing. The nations are told to prepare for her overthrow because the LORD is avenging His temple, and Babylon's great waters and treasures cannot save her from the sworn certainty of being filled with the conqueror's shout.

Role in the chapterThis opening section frames Babylon's fall as both judgment and temple-vengeance while calling the people of God to separate themselves from the doomed empire.