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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Jeremiah 51:1–58. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The particulars of this copious prophecy are dispersed and interwoven, and the same things left and returned to so often that it could not well be divided into parts, but we must endeavor to collect them under their proper heads. Let us then observe here,
I.An acknowledgment of the great pomp and power that Babylon had been in and the use that God in his providence had made of it (Jer 51:7):
Babylon hath been a golden cup, a rich and glorious empire, a golden city (Isa 14:4), a head of gold (Dan 2:38), filled with all good things, as a cup with wine. Nay, she had been a golden cup in the Lord's hand; he had in a particular manner filled and favoured her with blessings; he had made the earth drunk with this cup; some were intoxicated with her pleasures and debauched by her, others intoxicated with her terrors and destroyed by her. In both senses the New Testament Babylon is said to have made the kings of the earth drunk, Rev 17:2; Rev 18:3. Babylon had also been God's battle-axe; it was so at this time, when Jeremiah prophesied, and was likely to be yet more so, Jer 51:20. The forces of Babylon were God's weapons of war, tools in his hand, with which he broke in pieces, and knocked down, nations and kingdoms, - horses and chariots, which are so much the strength of kingdoms (Jer 51:21), - man and woman, young and old, with which kingdoms are replenished (Jer 51:22), - the shepherd and his flock, the husbandman and his oxen, with which kingdoms are maintained and supplied, Jer 51:23. Such havoc as this the Chaldeans had made when God employed them as instruments of his wrath for the chastising of the nations; and yet now Babylon itself must fall. Note, Those that have carried all before them a great while will yet at length meet with their match, and their day also will come to fall; the rod will itself be thrown into the fire at last. Nor can any think it will exempt them from God's judgments that they have been instrumental in executing his judgments on others.
II.A just complaint made of Babylon, and a charge drawn up against her by the Israel of God.
1. She is complained of for her incorrigible wickedness (Jer 51:9): We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed. The people of God that were captives among the Babylonians endeavoured, according to the instructions given them (Jer 10:11), to convince them of the folly of their idolatry, but they could not do it; still they doted as much as ever upon their graven images, and therefore the Israelites resolved to quit them and go to their own country. Yet some understand this as spoken by the forces they had hired for their assistance, declaring that they had done their best to save her from ruin, but that it was all to no purpose, and therefore they might as well go home to their respective countries; "for her judgment reaches unto heaven, and it is in vain to withstand it or think to avert it." 2. She is complained of for her inveterate malice against Israel. Other nations had been hardly used by the Chaldeans, but Israel only complains to God of it, and with confidence appeals to him (Jer 51:34, Jer 51:35): "The king of Babylon has devoured me, and crushed me, and never thought he could do enough ruin to me; he has emptied me of all that was valuable, has swallowed me up as a dragon, or whale, swallows up the little fish by shoals; he has filled his belly, filled his treasures, with my delicates, with all my pleasant things, and has cast me out, cast me away as a vessel in which there is no pleasure; and now let them be accountable for all this." Zion and Jerusalem shall say, "Let the violence done to me and my children, that are my own flesh, and pieces of myself, and all the blood of my people, which they have shed like water, be upon them; let the guilt of it lie upon them, and let it be required at their hands." Note, Ruin is not far off from those that lie under the guilt of wrong done to God's people.
III.Judgment given upon this appeal by the righteous Judge of heaven and earth, on behalf of Israel against Babylon.
he sits in the throne judging right, is ready to receive complaints, and answers (Jer 51:36): "I will plead thy cause. Leave it with me; I will in due time plead it effectually and take vengeance for thee, and every drop of Jerusalem's blood shall be accounted for with interest." Israel and Judah seemed to have been neglected and forgotten, but God had an eye to them, Jer 51:5. It is true their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. They were a provoking people and their sings were a great offence to God, as a holy God, and as their God, their Holy One; and therefore he justly delivered them up into the hands of their enemies, and might justly have abandoned them and left them to perish in their hands; but God deals better with them than they deserve, and, notwithstanding their iniquities and his severities, Israel is not forsaken, is not cast off, though he be cast out, but is owned and looked after by his God, by the Lord of hosts. God is his God still, and will act for him as the Lord of hosts, a God of power. Note, Though God's people may have broken his laws and fallen under his rebukes, yet it does not therefore follow that they are thrown out of covenant; but God's care of them and love to them will flourish again, Psa 89:30-33. The Chaldeans thought they should never be called to an account for what they had done against God's Israel; but there is a time fixed for vengeance, Jer 51:6. We cannot expect it should come sooner than the time fixed, but then it will come; he will render unto Babylon a recompence, for the avenging of Israel is the vengeance of the Lord, who espouses their cause; it is the vengeance of his temple, Jer 51:11, as before, Jer 50:28. The Lord God of recompences, the God to whom vengeance belongs, will surely requite (Jer 51:56), will pay them home; he will render unto Babylon all the evil they have done in Zion (Jer 51:24); he will return it in the sight of his people. They shall have the satisfaction to see their cause pleaded with jealousy. They shall not only live to see those judgments brought upon Babylon, but they shall plainly see them to be the punishment of the wrong they have done to Zion; any man may see it, and say, Verily there is a God that judges in the earth; for just as Babylon has caused the slain of Israel to fall, has not only slain those that were found in arms, but all without distinction, even all the land (almost all were put to the sword), so at Babylon shall fall the slain not only of the city, but of all the country, Jer 51:49. Cyrus shall measure to the Chaldeans the same that they measured to the Jews, so that every observer may discern that God is recompensing them for what they did against his people; but Zion's children shall in a particular manner triumph in it (Jer 51:10): The Lord has brought forth our righteousness; he has appeared in our behalf against those that dealt unjustly with us, and has given us redress; he has also made it to appear that he is reconciled to us and that we are yet in his eyes a righteous nation. Let it therefore be spoken of to his praise: Come and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God, that others may be invited to join with us in praising him.
IV.A declaration of the greatness and sovereignty of that God who espouses Zion's cause and undertakes to reckon with this proud and potent enemy, Jer 51:14. It is the Lord of hosts that has said it, that has sworn it, has sworn it by himself (for he could swear by no greater), that he will fill Babylon with vast and incredible numbers of the enemy's forces, will fill it with men as with caterpillars, that shall overpower it will multitudes, and need only to lift up a shout against it, for that shall be so terrible as to dispirit all the inhabitants and make them an easy prey to this numerous army. But who, and where, is he that can break so powerful a kingdom as Babylon? The prophet gives an account of him from the description he had formerly given of him, and of his sovereignty and victory over all pretenders (Jer 10:12-16), which was there intended for the conviction of the Babylonian idolaters and the confirmation of God's Israel in the faith and worship of the God of Israel; and it is here repeated to show that God will convince those by his judgments who would not be convinced by his word that he is God over all. Let not any doubt but that he who has determined to destroy Babylon is able to make his words good, for, 1. he is the God that made the world (Jer 51:15), and therefore nothing is too hard for him to do; it is in his name that our help stands, and on him our hope is built. 2. He has the command of all the creatures that he has made (Jer 51:16); his providence is a continued creation. He has wind and rain at his disposal. if he speak the word, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens (and it is a wonder how they hang there), fed by vapours out of the earth, and it is a wonder how they ascend thence. Lightnings and rain seem contraries, as fire and water, and yet they are produced together; and the wind, which seems arbitrary in its motions, and we know not whence it comes, is yet, we are sure, brought out of his treasuries. 3. The idols that oppose the accomplishment of his word are a mere sham and their worshippers brutish people, Jer 51:17, Jer 51:18. The idols are falsehood, they are vanity, they are the work of errors; when they come to be visited (to be examined and enquired into) they perish, that is, their reputation sinks and they appear to be nothing; and those that make them are like unto them. But between the God of Israel and these gods of the heathen there is no comparison (Jer 51:19): The portion of Jacob is not like them; the God who speaks this and will do it is the former of all things and the Lord of all hosts, and therefore can do what he will; and there is a near relation between him and his people, for he is their portion and they are his; they put a confidence in him as their portion and he is pleased to take a complacency in them and a particular care of them as the lot of his inheritance; and therefore he will do what is best for them. The repetition of these things here, which were said before, intimates both the certainty and the importance of them, and obliges us to take special notice of them; God hath spoken once; yea, twice have we heard this, that power belongs to God, power to destroy the most formidable enemies of his church; and if God thus speak once, yea, twice, we are inexcusable if we do not perceive it and attend to it.
V.A description of the instruments that are to be employed in this service.
God has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes (Jer 51:11), Darius and Cyrus, who come against Babylon by a divine instinct; for God's device is against Babylon to destroy it. They do it, but God devised it, he designed it; they are but accomplishing his purpose, and acting as he directed. Note, God's counsel shall stand, and according to it all hearts shall move. Those whom God employs against Babylon are compared (Jer 51:1) to a destroying wind, which either by its coldness blasts the fruits of the earth or by its fierceness blows down all before it. This wind is brought out of God's treasuries (Jer 51:16), and it is here said to be raised up against those that dwell in the midst of the Chaldeans, those of other nations that inhabit among them and are incorporated with them. The Chaldeans rise up against God by falling down before idols, and against them God will raise up destroyers, for he will be too hard for those that contend with him. These enemies are compared to fanners (Jer 51:2), who shall drive them away as chaff is driven away by the fan. The Chaldeans had been fanners to winnow God's people (Jer 15:7) and to empty them, and now they shall themselves be in like manner despoiled and dispersed.
VI.An ample commission given them to destroy and lay all waste.
Let them bend their bow against the archers of the Chaldeans (Jer 51:3) and not spare her young men, but utterly destroy them, for the Lord has both devised and done what he spoke against Babylon, Jer 51:12. This may animate the instruments he employs, but assuring them of success. The methods they take are such as God has devised and therefore they shall surely prosper; what he has spoken shall be done, for he himself will do it; and therefore let all necessary preparations be made. This they are called to, Jer 51:27, Jer 51:28. Let a standard be set up, under which to enlist soldiers for this expedition; let a trumpet be blown to call men together to it and animate them in it; let the nations, out of which Cyrus's army is to be raised, prepare their recruits; let the kingdoms of Ararat, and Minni, and Ashkenaz, of Armenia, both the higher and the lower, and of Ascania, about Phrygia and Bithynia, send in their quota of men for his service; let general officers be appointed and the cavalry advance; let the horses come up in great numbers, as the caterpillars, and come, like them, leaping and pawing in the valley; let them lay the country waste, as caterpillars do (Joe 1:4), especially rough caterpillars; let the kings and captains prepare nations against Babylon, for the service is great and there is occasion for many hands to be employed it.
VII.The weakness of the Chaldeans, and their inability to make head against this threatening destroying force.
When God employed them against other nations they had spirit and strength to act offensively, and went on with admirable resolution, conquering and to conquer; but now that it comes to their turn to be reckoned with all their might and courage are gone, their hearts fail them, and none of all their men of might and mettle have found their hands to act so much as defensively. They are called upon here to prepare for action, but it is ironically and in an upbraiding way (Jer 51:11): Make bright the arrows, which have grown rusty through disuse; gather the shields, which in a long time of peace and security have been scattered and thrown out of the way (Jer 51:12); set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, upon the towers on those walls, to summon all that owed suit and service to that mother-city, now to come in to her assistance; let them make the watch as strong as they can, and appoint the sentinels to their respective posts, and prepare ambushes for the reception of the enemy. This intimates that they would be found very secure and remiss, and would need to be thus quickened (and they were so to such a degree that they were in the midst of their revels when the city was taken), but that all their preparations should come to no purpose. Whoever will may call them to it, but they shall have no heart to come at the call, Jer 51:29. The whole land shall tremble, and sorrow (a universal consternation) shall seize upon them; for they shall see both the irresistible arm and the irreversible counsel and decree of God against them. They shall see that God is making Babylon a desolation, and therein is performing what he has purposed; and then the mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight, Jer 51:30. God having taken away their strength and spirit, so that they have remained in their holds, not daring so much as to peep forth, the might both of their hearts and of their hands fails; they become as timorous as women, so that the enemy has, without any resistance, burnt her dwelling-places and broken her bars. It is to the same purport with Jer 51:56-58. When the spoiler comes upon Babylon her mighty men, who should make head against him, are immediately taken, their weapons of war fail them, every one of their bows is broken and stands them in no stead. Their politics fail them; they call councils of war, but their princes and captains, who sit in council to concert measures for the common safety, are made drunk; they are as men intoxicated through stupidity or despair; they can form no right notions of things; they stagger and are unsteady in their counsels and resolves, and dash one against another, and, like drunken men, fall out among themselves. At length they sleep a perpetual sleep, and never awake from their wine, the wine of God's wrath, for it is to them an opiate that lays them into a fatal lethargy. The walls of their city fail them, Jer 51:58. When the enemy had found ways to ford Euphrates, which was thought impassable, yet surely, think they, the walls are impregnable, they are the broad walls of Babylon or (as the margin reads it), the walls of broad Babylon. The compass of the city, within the walls, was 385 furlongs, some say 480, that is, about sixty miles; the walls were 200 cubits high, and fifty cubits broad, so that two chariots might easily pass by one another upon them. Some say that there was a threefold wall about the inner city and the like about the outer, and that the stones of the wall, being laid in pitch instead of mortar (Gen 11:3), were scarcely separable; and yet these shall be utterly broken, and the high gates and towers shall be burnt, and the people that are employed in the defence of the city shall labour in vain in the fire; they shall quite tire themselves, but shall do no good.
VIII.The destruction that shall be made of Babylon by these invaders.
1.It is a certain destruction; the doom has passed and it cannot be reversed; a divine power is engaged against it, which cannot be resisted (Jer 51:8): Babylon is fallen and destroyed, is as sure to fall, to fall into destruction, as if it were fallen and destroyed already; though when Jeremiah prophesied this, and many a year after, it was in the height of its power and greatness. God declares, God appears against Babylon (Jer 51:25): Behold, I am against thee; and those cannot stand long whom God is against. He will stretch out his hand upon it, a hand which no creature can bear the weight of nor withstand the force of. It is his purpose, which shall be performed, that Babylon must be a desolation, Jer 51:29.
2.It is a righteous destruction. Babylon has made herself meet for it, and therefore cannot fail to meet with it. For (Jer 51:25) Babylon has been a destroying mountain, very lofty and bulky as a mountain, and destroying all the earth, as the stones that are tumbled from high mountains spoil the grounds about them; but now it shall itself be rolled down from its rocks, which were as the foundations on which it stood. It shall be levelled, its pomp and power broken. It is now a burning mountain, like Aetna and the other volcanoes, that throw out fire, to the terror of all about them. But it shall be a burnt mountain; it shall at length have consumed itself, and shall remain a heap of ashes. So will this world be at the end of time. Again (Jer 51:33), "Babylon is like a threshing-floor, in which the people of God have been long threshed, as sheaves in the floor; but now the time has come that she shall herself be threshed and her sheaves in her; her princes and great men, and all her inhabitants, shall be beaten in their own land, as in the threshing-floor. The threshing-floor is prepared. Babylon is by sin made meet to be a seat of war, and her people, like corn in harvest, are ripe for destruction," Rev 14:15; Mic 4:12.
3.It is an unavoidable destruction. Babylon seems to be well-fenced and fortified against it: She dwells upon many waters (Jer 51:13); the situation of her country is such that it seems inaccessible, it is so surrounded, and the march of an enemy into it so embarrassed, by rivers. In allusion to this, the New Testament Babylon is said to sit upon many waters, that is, to rule over many nations, as the other Babylon did, Rev 17:15. Babylon is abundant in treasures; and yet "thy end has come, and neither they waters nor thy wealth shall secure thee." This end that comes shall be the measure of thy covetousness; it shall be the stint of thy gettings, it shall set bounds to thy ambition and avarice, which otherwise would have ben boundless. God, by the destruction of Babylon, said to its proud waves, Hitherto shall you come, and no further. Note, if men will not set a measure to their covetousness by wisdom and grace, God will set a measure to it by his judgments. Babylon, thinking herself very safe and very great, was very proud; but she will be deceived (Jer 51:53): Though Babylon should mount her walls and palaces up to heaven, and though (because what is high is apt to totter) she should take care to fortify the height of her strength, yet all will not do; God will send spoilers against her, that shall break through her strength and bring down her height.
4.It is a gradual destruction, which, if they had pleased, they might have foreseen and had warning of; for (Jer 51:46) "A rumor will come one year that Cyrus is making vast preparations for war, and after that, in another year, shall come a rumour that his design is upon Babylon, and he is steering his course that way;" so that when he was a great way off they might have sent and desired conditions of peace; but they were too proud, too secure, to do that, and their hearts were hardened to their destruction.
5.Yet, when it comes, it is a surprising destruction: Babylon has suddenly fallen (Jer 51:8); the destruction came upon them when they did not think of it and was perfected in a little time, as that of the New Testament Babylon - in one hour, Rev 18:17. The king of Babylon, who should have been observing the approaches of the enemy, was himself at such a distance from the place where the attack was made that it was a great while ere he had notice that the city was taken; so that those who were posted near the place sent one messenger, one courier, after another, with advice of it, Jer 51:31. The foot-posts shall meet at the court from several quarters with this intelligence to the king of Babylon that his city is taken at one end, and there is nothing to obstruct the progress of the conquerors, but they will be at the other end quickly. They are to tell him that the enemy has seized the passes (Jer 51:32), the forts or blockades upon the river, and that, having got over the river, he has set fire to the reeds on the river side, to alarm and terrify the city, so that all the men of war are affrighted and have thrown down their arms and surrendered at discretion. The messengers come, like Job's, one upon the heels of another, with these tidings, which are immediately confirmed with a witness by the enemies' being in the palace and slaying the king himself, Dan 5:30. That profane feast which they were celebrating at the very time when the city was taken, which was both an evidence of their strange security and a great advantage to the enemy, seems here to be referred to (Jer 51:38, Jer 51:39): They shall roar together like lions, as men in their revels do, when the wine has got into their heads. They call it singing; but in scripture-language, and in the language of sober men, it is called yelling like lions' whelps. It is probable that they were drinking confusion to Cyrus and his army with loud huzzas. Well, says God, in their heat, when they are inflamed (Isa 5:11) and their heads are hot with hard drinking, I will make their feasts, I will give them their portion. They have passed their cup round; now the cup of the Lord's right hand shall be turned unto them (Hab 2:15, Hab 2:16), a cup of fury, which shall make them drunk that they may rejoice (or rather that they may revel it) and sleep a perpetual sleep; let them be as merry as they can with that bitter cup, but it shall lay them to sleep never to wake more (as Jer 51:57); for on that night, in the midst of the jollity, was Belshazzar slain.
6.It is to be a universal destruction. God will make thorough work of it; for, as he will perform what he has purposed, so he will perfect what he has begun. The slain shall fall in great abundance throughout the land of the Chaldeans; multitudes shall be thrust through in her streets, Jer 51:4. They are brought down like lambs to the slaughter (Jer 51:40), in such great numbers, so easily, and the enemies make no more of killing them than the butcher does of killing lambs. The strength of the enemy, and their invading them, are here compared to an irruption and inundation of waters (Jer 51:42): The sea has come up upon Babylon, which, when it has once broken through its bounds, there is no fence against, so that she is covered with the multitude of its waves, overpowered by a numerous army; her cities then become a desolation, an uninhabited uncultivated desert, Jer 51:43.
7.It is a destruction that shall reach the gods of Babylon, the idols and images, and fall with a particular weight upon them. "In token that the whole land shall be confounded and all her slain shall fall and that throughout all the country the wounded shall groan, I will do judgment upon her graven images," Jer 51:47 and again Jer 51:52. All must needs perish if their gods perish, from whom they expect protection. Though the invaders are themselves idolaters, yet they shall destroy the images and temples of the gods of Babylon, as an earnest of the abolishing of all counterfeit deities. Bel was the principal idol that the Babylonians worshipped, and therefore that is by name here marked for destruction (Jer 51:44): I will punish Bel, that great devourer, that image to which such abundance of sacrifices are offered and such rich spoils dedicated, and to whose temple there is such a vast resort. He shall disgorge what he has so greedily regaled himself with. God will bring forth out of his temple all the wealth laid up there, Job 20:15. His altars shall be forsaken, none shall regard him any more, and so that idol which was thought to be a wall to Babylon shall fall and fail them.
8.It shall be a final destruction. You may take balm for her pain, but in vain; she that would not be healed by the word of God shall not be healed by his providence, Jer 51:8, Jer 51:9. Babylon shall become heaps (Jer 51:37), and, to complete its infamy, no use shall be made even of the ruins of Babylon, so execrable shall they be, and attended with such ill omens (Jer 51:26): They shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations. People shall not care for having any thing to do with Babylon, or whatever belonged to it. Or it denotes that there shall be nothing left in Babylon on which to ground any hopes or attempts of raising it into a kingdom again; for, as it follows here, it shall be desolate for ever. St. Jerome says that in his time, though the ruins of Babylon's walls were to be seen, yet the ground enclosed by them was a forest of wild beasts.
IX.Here is a call to God's people to go out of Babylon.
It is their wisdom, when the ruin is approaching, to quit the city and retire into the country (Jer 51:6): "Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and get into some remote corner, that you may save your lives, and may not be cut off in her iniquity." When God's judgments are abroad it is good to get as far as we can from those against whom they are levelled, as Israel from the tents of Korah. This agrees with the advice Christ gave his disciples, with reference to the destruction of Jerusalem. Let those who shall be in Judea flee to the mountains, Mat 24:16. It is their wisdom to get out of the midst of Babylon, lest they be involved, if not in her ruins, yet in her fears (Jer 51:45, Jer 51:46): Lest your heart faint, and you fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land. Though God had told them that Cyrus should be their deliverer, and Babylon's destruction their deliverance, yet they had been told also that in the peace thereof they should have peace, and therefore the alarms given to Babylon would put them into a fright, and perhaps they might not have faith and consideration enough to suppress those fears, for which reason they are here advised to get out of the hearing of the alarms. Note, Those who have not grace enough to keep their temper in temptation should have wisdom enough to keep out of the way of temptation. But this is not all; it is not only their wisdom to quit the city when the ruin is approaching, but it is their duty to quit the country too when the ruin is accomplished, and they are set at liberty by the pulling down of the prison over their heads. This they are told, Jer 51:50, Jer 51:51 : "You Israelites, who have escaped the sword of the Chaldeans your oppressors, and of the Persians their destroyers, now that the year of release has come, go away, stand not still; hasten to your own country again, however you may be comfortably seated in Babylon, for this is not your rest, but Canaan is." 1. He puts them in mind of the inducements they had to return: "Remember the Lord afar off, his presence with you now, though you are here afar off from your native soil; his presence with your fathers formerly in the temple, though you are now afar off from the ruins of it." Note, Wherever we are, in the greatest depths, at the greatest distances, we may and must remember the Lord our God; and in the time of the greatest fears and hopes it is seasonable to remember the Lord. "And let Jerusalem come into your mind. Though it be now in ruins, yet favour its dust (Psa 102:14); though few of you ever saw it, yet believe the report you have had concerning it from those that wept when they remembered Zion; and think of Jerusalem until you come up to a resolution to make the best of your way thither." Note, When the city of our solemnities is out of sight, yet it must not be out of mind; and it will be of great use to us, in our journey through this world, to let the heavenly Jerusalem come often into our mind. 2. He takes notice of the discouragement which the returning captives labour under (Jer 51:51); being reminded of Jerusalem, they cry out, "We are confounded; we cannot bear the thought of it; shame covers our faces at the mention of it, for we have heard of the reproach of the sanctuary, that is profaned and ruined by strangers; how can we think of it with any pleasure?" To this he answers (Jer 51:52) that the God of Israel will now triumph over the gods of Babylon, and so that reproach will be for ever rolled away. Note, The believing prospect of Jerusalem's recovery will keep us from being ashamed of Jerusalem's ruins.
X.Here is the diversified feeling excited by Babylon's fall, and it is the same that we have with respect to the New Testament Babylon, Rev 18:9, Rev 18:19.
1.Some shall lament the destruction of Babylon. There is the sound of a cry, a great outcry coming from Babylon (Jer 51:54), lamenting this great destruction, the voice of mourning, because the Lord has destroyed the voice of the multitude, that great voice of mirth which used to be heard in Babylon, Jer 51:55. We are told what they shall say in their lamentations (Jer 51:41): "How is Sheshach taken, and how are we mistaken concerning her! How is that city surprised and become an astonishment among the nations that was the praise, and glory, and admiration of the whole earth!" See how that may fall into a general contempt which has been universally cried up.
2.Yet some shall rejoice in Babylon's fall, not as it is the misery of their fellow-creatures, but as it is the manifestation of the righteous judgment of God and as it opens the way for the release of God's captives; upon these accounts the heaven and the earth, and all that is in both, shall sing for Babylon (Jer 51:48); the church in heaven and the church on earth shall give to God the glory of his righteousness, and take notice of it with thankfulness to his praise. Babylon's ruin is Zion's praise.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
Jerusalem here is called Babylon, noted among the surrounding countries as the one who worked the hardest at imitating Babylon, and in no way lagging behind these other countries. Indeed, having arrived at almost a state of perfection in this regard, it tolerated no respect for the law or benefit from prophetic instruction.
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Summary
Jeremiah 51:9 serves as a lament and a divine declaration concerning Babylon, asserting that despite any potential desire or effort to mend its ways, its spiritual and moral corruption had become so deeply ingrained as to be incurable. This pronouncement is immediately followed by an urgent call for God's people to abandon the city and return to their homelands, for Babylon's accumulated wickedness and the impending divine judgment against it had reached an overwhelming magnitude, ascending to the very heavens and demanding a decisive response from God.
Context
Literary Context
Jeremiah 51:9 is situated within a lengthy prophetic oracle against Babylon, spanning chapters 50 and 51 of the book of Jeremiah. These chapters form a distinct literary unit, detailing God's comprehensive judgment on the nation that had been His instrument of chastisement against Judah but had exceeded its commission through its pride, idolatry, and cruelty. Specifically, verse 9 follows a vivid description of Babylon's sudden fall, depicted in Jeremiah 51:8, and precedes further calls for flight and declarations of God's vengeance, as seen in Jeremiah 51:10-11. The lament "We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed" sets the stage for the imperative to "forsake her," emphasizing the finality of Babylon's doom and the necessity of separation for those who wish to avoid its fate. This section powerfully contrasts Babylon's incurable state with the eventual restoration promised to Israel, underscoring the divine faithfulness to His covenant people amidst the judgment of their oppressors.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecies in Jeremiah were delivered during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, leading up to and during the Babylonian exile (605-586 BC). The Neo-Babylonian Empire, under Nebuchadnezzar, had risen to prominence, destroying Jerusalem and carrying its inhabitants into captivity. Culturally, Babylon was renowned for its immense power, its elaborate idolatry (e.g., the worship of Marduk and its numerous temples), its architectural marvels (like the Hanging Gardens and the massive ziggurat, Etemenanki), and its reputation as a global economic and political center. The historical fulfillment of these prophecies occurred in 539 BC when Babylon fell to the Medo-Persian forces under Cyrus the Great, a swift and decisive overthrow. The statement about Babylon's incurable state reflects a divine assessment of a nation that had repeatedly rejected opportunities for repentance and continued in its oppressive and idolatrous practices, thus sealing its own fate through persistent rebellion against the moral order of God.
Key Themes
Jeremiah 51:9 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Jeremiah and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the theme of Divine Judgment against nations that oppose God and oppress His people. Babylon, though used by God as an instrument of chastisement, is held fully accountable for its own sin and pride. Secondly, the phrase "she is not healed" highlights Incorrigible Wickedness or impenitence, suggesting a point of no return where a nation's moral corruption becomes irreversible, making divine intervention through judgment inevitable. This echoes the concept of a hardened heart seen elsewhere in Scripture, such as Pharaoh's heart in Exodus 7:3. Thirdly, the command to "forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country" emphasizes the theme of Separation and Exodus from systems under divine judgment, a crucial message for God's people to avoid partaking in the consequences of sin. This call to flee is reiterated throughout Jeremiah's prophecies against Babylon, as seen in Jeremiah 50:8 and Jeremiah 51:6, and finds powerful resonance in later biblical calls for spiritual separation, such as in Revelation 18:4. Finally, the imagery of judgment reaching "unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies" vividly portrays the Magnitude of Sin, indicating that Babylon's offenses were not merely earthly transgressions but had accumulated to such a degree that they provoked a direct, cosmic, and heavenly response, reminiscent of the sins of Babel in Genesis 11:4 and the metaphorical Babylon in Revelation 18:5.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root (H7495) means "to mend (by stitching)," and figuratively, "to cure" or "restore." Its double use in the phrase "We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed" carries profound metaphorical weight. It implies an attempt, perhaps by God or by those who wished for Babylon's reformation, to bring about moral, spiritual, or even political restoration. The emphatic declaration that "she is not healed" signifies Babylon's utter resistance to any form of remedy or repentance, indicating a state of incurable spiritual sickness that sealed its fate.
Derived from a primitive root (H5800) meaning "to loosen," "relinquish," or "permit." In this context, it functions as a strong imperative, commanding God's people to abandon Babylon. This is not merely a suggestion but a divine directive to disengage completely from a system that is irrevocably condemned. It signifies a necessary act of separation for self-preservation and adherence to God's will, emphasizing that continued association with Babylon would lead to sharing in its judgment.
From the root shâphaṭ (H4941), this word properly refers to "a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially," encompassing a sentence, formal decree, law, justice, or penalty. Here, "her judgment" refers to the divine verdict and the impending execution of that verdict against Babylon. The phrase "reacheth unto heaven" signifies that Babylon's actions have been weighed in the divine courtroom, and a definitive, inescapable sentence has been handed down, not merely a human assessment but a cosmic decree of divine justice.
Verse Breakdown
"We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed:"
This opening clause expresses a profound sense of finality regarding Babylon's spiritual and moral condition. The "we" can be interpreted as either the nations who might have sought to reform Babylon or, more profoundly, as God Himself (or His prophetic messengers), whose attempts at calling Babylon to repentance proved fruitless. The repetition of "healed" emphasizes the complete and utter failure of any such attempts, signifying Babylon's deep-seated and unyielding wickedness, rendering it beyond remedy or reform. This highlights God's patience, yet also the ultimate consequence of persistent impenitence.
"forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country:"
This is a direct, urgent command, likely from the perspective of God's people or even other nations who recognize Babylon's impending doom. It is a call to immediate separation and flight. "Forsake her" implies a complete abandonment of all ties to Babylon—its culture, its idolatry, its oppressive systems. The directive to "go every one into his own country" underscores the necessity for individuals to return to their rightful places, away from the sphere of Babylon's destruction, ensuring their safety and preserving their identity as God's covenant people.
"for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies."
This clause provides the compelling reason for the urgent call to flee. The imagery is one of immense scale and gravity. Babylon's accumulated sin ("her judgment" in the sense of the verdict against her, or the just recompense for her actions) has ascended to the highest reaches of the cosmos. This hyperbole emphasizes that Babylon's wickedness is not merely a terrestrial offense but has provoked a cosmic, divine response. It signifies that God's justice is not arbitrary but a direct consequence of the overwhelming measure of Babylon's iniquity, which has become undeniable even to the heavenly realm, demanding immediate and decisive action from God.
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 51:9 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message of impending doom and divine justice. The most prominent is Personification, where Babylon is treated as a living entity capable of being "healed" or resisting healing, giving a vivid sense of its moral and spiritual state as one of deep-seated and unyielding corruption. The phrase "We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed" uses Repetition of the word "healed" for emphatic effect, underscoring the futility of any attempts at reform and the incurable nature of Babylon's corruption. Furthermore, the verse utilizes striking Hyperbole in "her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies." This exaggeration is not meant to be taken literally but powerfully conveys the immense scale and gravity of Babylon's accumulated sin, indicating that its offenses have provoked a cosmic, divine response that is inescapable. The phrase also employs Parallelism ("reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies"), reinforcing the idea of the vastness of Babylon's iniquity and the certainty of its divine reckoning through a balanced and rhythmic structure. Finally, the Imperative "forsake her, and let us go" serves as a direct, urgent command, highlighting the critical necessity of immediate action for those who wish to escape the impending judgment.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jeremiah 51:9 profoundly articulates the biblical principle that persistent and unrepentant sin, especially on a national scale, inevitably leads to divine judgment. It reveals God's patience and even a metaphorical "desire to heal," but also His unwavering justice when such efforts are rejected. The verse underscores the truth that there comes a point where wickedness becomes so ingrained and pervasive that it is beyond human or even divine intervention for reform, necessitating a decisive act of judgment. This passage serves as a stark warning against spiritual incorrigibility and highlights the importance of discerning when a system or entity has crossed the threshold of no return. It also emphasizes God's sovereignty over nations, demonstrating that even powerful empires like Babylon are subject to His moral law and ultimate authority. The call to "forsake her" is a timeless theological imperative for God's people to separate themselves from corrupting influences and systems that stand in opposition to divine righteousness, ensuring their spiritual and physical preservation from impending judgment.
Reflection and Application
Jeremiah 51:9 offers profound insights for both individual believers and the Church in every age. It compels us to recognize that there are indeed moments when individuals, institutions, or societal systems become so deeply entrenched in their rebellion against God that they become "unhealable" or beyond reform. This discernment is crucial, guiding us away from futile efforts to mend what God has deemed irreparable and towards focusing our energies where true repentance and transformation are possible. The urgent command to "forsake her" is a powerful call to spiritual discernment and courageous action. It challenges us to identify and separate ourselves from corrupting influences, idolatrous systems, or relationships that are spiritually toxic and destined for judgment. This separation is not born of self-righteousness but of wisdom and a desire to align with God's purposes and to avoid partaking in the consequences of persistent sin. Ultimately, the verse reminds us of the unwavering certainty of divine justice; though judgment may seem delayed, it is assured for those whose pride, oppression, and sin "reach unto heaven." This should inspire both a holy fear of God and a confident trust that He will ultimately set all things right, holding all nations and individuals accountable for their actions.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who is the "we" that "would have healed Babylon"?
The "we" in this verse is open to several interpretations, each carrying theological weight. It could refer to the nations or peoples who might have attempted to reform Babylon or mitigate its destructive policies, but failed. More profoundly, it can be understood as a divine lament, where "we" represents God and His prophetic messengers (like Jeremiah) who extended opportunities for repentance and healing to Babylon, but whose calls were consistently rejected. This interpretation highlights God's patience and desire for nations to turn from their wickedness, even as He ultimately brings judgment upon those who remain incorrigible. It underscores that Babylon's destruction was not arbitrary but a consequence of its persistent refusal to be "healed," a refusal that sealed its fate.
What does it mean for Babylon's "judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies"?
This is a powerful hyperbolic expression, meaning that Babylon's accumulated sins and wickedness have reached an overwhelming and undeniable magnitude in the sight of God. It's not a literal measurement but a vivid metaphor indicating that Babylon's iniquity has ascended to the very throne of God, demanding a divine response and righteous judgment. This imagery emphasizes the cosmic scale of Babylon's offenses, suggesting that its pride, idolatry, and cruelty were not merely earthly transgressions but an affront to the divine order itself. Similar imagery is used in Genesis 11:4 regarding the Tower of Babel and in Revelation 18:5 concerning the metaphorical "Babylon the Great," signifying that the measure of sin has been filled, necessitating divine intervention.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Jeremiah 51:9, while a prophecy of judgment against ancient Babylon, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in several ways. The declaration that "We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed" foreshadows the ultimate inability of any human system, self-effort, or worldly wisdom to cure the deep-seated sinfulness of humanity. Just as Babylon was incurably sick with pride, idolatry, and rebellion, so too is humanity apart from divine intervention. This highlights the absolute necessity of Christ, the Great Physician, whose healing is not merely superficial but transforms the very heart of humanity, as promised in the new covenant (see Jeremiah 31:33 and Hebrews 8:10). The urgent command to "forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country" finds its ultimate spiritual echo in Christ's call to abandon the "world system" (often symbolized as "Babylon" in the New Testament, as in Revelation 17) and come into His kingdom. Jesus Himself calls His followers to count the cost, to "deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24), which implies a radical separation from anything that opposes God's righteous rule. Furthermore, the idea that Babylon's "judgment reacheth unto heaven" points to the universal reality of sin's cosmic offense against a holy God. This offense, which demands divine judgment, is fully and perfectly addressed in Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross. He bore the judgment that our sins deserved, becoming the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world). Thus, through Christ, believers are not only healed from their incurable spiritual sickness but are also delivered from the judgment that reaches to the heavens, finding refuge and true citizenship in the heavenly Jerusalem rather than any earthly "Babylon."