King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.
Complete Jewish Bible:
The earth quakes and writhes, as ADONAI's designs against Bavel are fulfilled, to make the land of Bavel a ruin, with no one living there.
Berean Standard Bible:
The earth quakes and writhes because the LORD’s intentions against Babylon stand: to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.
American Standard Version:
And the land trembleth and is in pain; for the purposes of Jehovah against Babylon do stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And the land{H776} shall tremble{H7493} and sorrow{H2342}: for every purpose{H4284} of the LORD{H3068} shall be performed{H6965} against Babylon{H894}, to make{H7760} the land{H776} of Babylon{H894} a desolation{H8047} without an inhabitant{H3427}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Jeremiah 51:43
- Her cities are a desolation, a dry land, and a wilderness, a land wherein no man dwelleth, neither doth [any] son of man pass thereby.
Jeremiah 51:11
- Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device [is] against Babylon, to destroy it; because it [is] the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.
Jeremiah 51:12
- Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon.
Jeremiah 8:16
- The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.
Jeremiah 50:45
- Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make [their] habitation desolate with them.
Jeremiah 50:13
- Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues.
Amos 8:8
- Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as [by] the flood of Egypt.
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Commentary for Jeremiah 51:29
Jeremiah 51:29 is part of the larger section of prophecies in the Book of Jeremiah concerning the downfall of Babylon. This verse specifically speaks to the theme of divine judgment against nations that oppose God's will. It reflects the historical context of the Babylonian Empire's dominance and its eventual decline, which was of great significance to the people of Judah who had been exiled by the Babylonians.
In this verse, the land of Babylon is described as being destined for a catastrophic fate, where it will "tremble and sorrow." The phrase "every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon" indicates that Babylon's destruction is not merely a consequence of political or military dynamics but is ultimately an act of God's sovereign will. The purpose of this divine action is to render Babylon a "desolation without an inhabitant," a hyperbolic expression of total devastation that emphasizes the completeness of God's judgment.
The historical context behind this prophecy is the Babylonian exile, which began in 586 BCE when Babylon conquered Judah, destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem, and deported many of its inhabitants to Babylon. Jeremiah's prophecies were delivered during this period of exile and captivity. His message of Babylon's future destruction would have been a source of hope for the exiled Jews, assuring them that God had not abandoned them and that their oppressors would eventually face divine retribution.
This verse also touches on the broader biblical theme of God's sovereignty over all nations and His use of them as instruments of judgment, as well as His willingness to judge those same instruments when they overstep their divine purpose. It serves as a reminder of the impermanence of earthly empires in the face of God's eternal plan.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H776
There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֶרֶץ
Transliteration: ʼerets
Pronunciation: eh'-rets
Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. - Strong's Number: H7493
There are 30 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָעַשׁ
Transliteration: râʻash
Pronunciation: raw-ash
Description: a primitive root; to undulate (as the earth, the sky, etc.; also a field of grain), particularly through fear; specifically, to spring (as a locust); make afraid, (re-) move, quake, (make to) shake, (make to) tremble. - Strong's Number: H2342
There are 58 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חוּל
Transliteration: chûwl
Pronunciation: khool
Description: or חִיל; a primitive root; properly, to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e. (specifically) to dance, to writhe in pain (especially of parturition) or fear; figuratively, to wait, to pervert; bear, (make to) bring forth, (make to) calve, dance, drive away, fall grievously (with pain), fear, form, great, grieve, (be) grievous, hope, look, make, be in pain, be much (sore) pained, rest, shake, shapen, (be) sorrow(-ful), stay, tarry, travail (with pain), tremble, trust, wait carefully (patiently), be wounded. - Strong's Number: H4284
There are 52 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַחֲשָׁבָה
Transliteration: machăshâbâh
Pronunciation: makh-ash-aw-baw'
Description: or מַחֲשֶׁבֶת; from חָשַׁב; a contrivance, i.e. (concretely) a texture, machine, or (abstractly) intention, plan (whether bad, a plot; or good, advice); cunning (work), curious work, device(-sed), imagination, invented, means, purpose, thought. - Strong's Number: H3068
There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהֹוָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה. - Strong's Number: H6965
There are 596 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קוּם
Transliteration: qûwm
Pronunciation: koom
Description: a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative); abide, accomplish, [idiom] be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, [idiom] be dim, endure, [idiom] enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, [idiom] but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, (a-) rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), (e-) stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -rising). - Strong's Number: H894
There are 233 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בָּבֶל
Transliteration: Bâbel
Pronunciation: baw-bel'
Description: from בָּלַל; confusion; Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire; Babel, Babylon. - Strong's Number: H7760
There are 550 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שׂוּם
Transliteration: sûwm
Pronunciation: soom
Description: or שִׂים; a primitive root; to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically); [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, [phrase] disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, [phrase] name, [idiom] on, ordain, order, [phrase] paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), [phrase] regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, [phrase] stedfastly, take, [idiom] tell, [phrase] tread down, (over-)turn, [idiom] wholly, work. - Strong's Number: H8047
There are 39 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שַׁמָּה
Transliteration: shammâh
Pronunciation: sham-maw'
Description: from שָׁמֵם; ruin; by implication, consternation; astonishment, desolate(-ion), waste, wonderful thing. - Strong's Number: H3427
There are 980 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָשַׁב
Transliteration: yâshab
Pronunciation: yaw-shab'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry; (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.