Jeremiah 51:39

In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the LORD.

In their heat {H2527} I will make {H7896} their feasts {H4960}, and I will make them drunken {H7937}, that they may rejoice {H5937}, and sleep {H3462} a perpetual {H5769} sleep {H8142}, and not wake {H6974}, saith {H5002} the LORD {H3068}.

When they are hot with desire, I will prepare them a drink. I will make them so drunk they will have convulsions, sleep forever and never wake up," says ADONAI.

While they are flushed with heat, I will serve them a feast, and I will make them drunk so that they may revel; then they will fall asleep forever and never wake up, declares the LORD.

When they are heated, I will make their feast, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith Jehovah.

Jeremiah 51:39 is a powerful declaration of God's impending judgment against Babylon, portraying their final, irreversible downfall through a vivid, ironic metaphor.

Context

This verse is found within Jeremiah's extensive prophecy concerning the downfall of Babylon, the mighty empire that had oppressed Judah and destroyed Jerusalem. Chapters 50 and 51 detail God's specific judgments against Babylon, often contrasting their pride and perceived invincibility with the Lord's absolute sovereignty. The imagery here likely alludes to the historical circumstances of Babylon's fall to the Medes and Persians, where their leaders and people were reportedly feasting when the city was breached (as recorded by ancient historians like Herodotus and Xenophon).

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Retribution: The verse unequivocally states God's direct involvement in Babylon's demise. He is the one who "will make them drunken" and decree their "perpetual sleep," emphasizing that their destruction is not accidental but a divinely ordained consequence for their wickedness and oppression, particularly against His people, Israel.
  • Ironic Reversal: Babylon was known for its lavish feasts and revelry. God turns their source of pleasure and perceived security into the very instrument of their downfall. Their "heat" (ardor for feasting) leads to their stupor and ultimate destruction, highlighting the vanity of worldly pleasures when faced with divine wrath.
  • Finality of Doom: The phrase "perpetual sleep, and not wake" is a powerful metaphor for utter and irreversible destruction. It signifies not merely a defeat, but the complete end of Babylon as a dominant power, a judgment from which there is no recovery. This echoes similar prophecies of desolation found elsewhere, such as in Isaiah 13:20.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV uses "In their heat," translating the Hebrew word ḥammātām (חַמָּתָם), which can mean 'their ardor,' 'their rage,' or 'their feverish excitement.' In this context, it vividly describes the intense passion and abandon with which the Babylonians engaged in their feasts and revelry. This "heat" of indulgence becomes the very condition God exploits for their undoing. The phrase "perpetual sleep" (Hebrew: shenat 'olam - שְׁנַת עוֹלָם) is a stark metaphor for death and irreversible destruction. It signifies a permanent cessation of their power and existence as an empire, a sleep from which there is no awakening, unlike the hope of resurrection for the righteous.

Reflection and Application

Jeremiah 51:39 serves as a potent reminder of several enduring truths. Firstly, it underscores God's absolute sovereignty over all nations and empires. No power, no matter how great or secure it seems, can defy His ultimate will or escape His righteous judgment. Secondly, it offers a cautionary tale against pride, self-indulgence, and spiritual complacency. Babylon's downfall, orchestrated during their moments of unbridled revelry, illustrates that worldly pleasures and perceived invincibility can blind one to impending doom. For believers today, this verse reinforces the importance of spiritual vigilance and soberness, recognizing that God's justice will ultimately prevail, and that true security is found not in earthly power or possessions, but in Him alone. It provides assurance that God sees and acts on behalf of His oppressed people, bringing justice in His perfect timing.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 51:57

    And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise [men], her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name [is] the LORD of hosts.

  • Jeremiah 25:27

    Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.

  • Nahum 1:10

    For while [they be] folden together [as] thorns, and while they are drunken [as] drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.

  • Isaiah 22:12

    And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

  • Isaiah 22:14

    And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

  • Nahum 3:11

    Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy.

  • Daniel 5:1

    ¶ Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

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