Text -- Jeremiah 51:55-64 (NET)

51:55 For the Lord is ready to destroy Babylon, and put an end to her loud noise. Their waves will roar like turbulent waters. They will make a deafening noise. 51:56 For a destroyer is attacking Babylon. Her warriors will be captured; their bows will be broken. For the Lord is a God who punishes; he pays back in full. 51:57 “I will make her officials and wise men drunk, along with her governors, leaders, and warriors. They will fall asleep forever and never wake up,” says the King whose name is the Lord who rules over all. 51:58 This is what the Lord who rules over all says, “Babylon’s thick wall will be completely demolished. Her high gates will be set on fire. fire. The peoples strive for what does not satisfy. satisfy. The nations grow weary trying to get what will be destroyed.” 51:59 This is the order Jeremiah the prophet gave to Seraiah son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he went to King Zedekiah of Judah in Babylon during the fourth year of his reign. (Seraiah was a quartermaster.) 51:60 Jeremiah recorded on one scroll all the judgments that would come upon Babylon– all these prophecies written about Babylon. 51:61 Then Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “When you arrive in Babylon, make sure you read aloud all these prophecies. 51:62 Then say, ‘O Lord, you have announced that you will destroy this place so that no people or animals live in it any longer. Certainly it will lie desolate forever!’ 51:63 When you finish reading this scroll aloud, tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates River. 51:64 Then say, ‘In the same way Babylon will sink and never rise again because of the judgments I am ready to bring upon her; they will grow faint.’” The prophecies of Jeremiah end here.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Jer 51:55

¹ tn The antecedent of the third masculine plural pronominal suffix is not entirely clear. It probably refers back to the “destroyers” mentioned in v. 53 as the agents of God’s judgment on Babylon.

² tn Or “mighty waters.”

³ tn Heb “and the noise of their sound will be given,”

NET Notes: Jer 51:56

¹ tn Heb “for a destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon.”

² tn The Piel form (which would be intransitive here, see GKC 142 §52.k) should probably be emended to Qal.

³ tn Or “God of retribution.”

⁴ tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following finite verb. Another option is to translate, “he certainly pays one back.” The translation assumes that the imperfect verbal form here describes the Lord’s characteristic actions. Another option is to take it as referring specifically to his judgment on Babylon, in which case one should translate, “he will pay (Babylon) back in full.”

NET Notes: Jer 51:57

¹ sn For discussion of the terms “governors” and “leaders” see the note at Jer 51:23.

² sn See the note at Jer 51:39.

³ tn For the title “Yahweh of armies” see the study note on Jer 2:19.

NET Notes: Jer 51:58

¹ sn See the note at Jer 2:19.

² tn The text has the plural “walls,” but many Hebrew mss read the singular “wall,” which is also supported by the ancient Greek version. The modifying adjective “thick” is singular as well.

³ tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following finite verb. Another option is to translate, “will certainly be demolished.”

⁴ tn Heb “for what is empty.”

⁵ tn Heb “and the nations for fire, and they grow weary.”

NET Notes: Jer 51:59

¹ sn This would be 582 b.c.

² tn Heb “an officer of rest.”

NET Notes: Jer 51:60

¹ tn Or “wrote.”

² tn Or “disaster”; or “calamity.”

³ tn Heb “words” (or “things”).

NET Notes: Jer 51:61

¹ tn Heb “see [that].”

² tn Heb “words” (or “things”).

NET Notes: Jer 51:63

¹ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied for clarity.

NET Notes: Jer 51:64

¹ tn Or “disaster”; or “calamity.”

² sn The final chapter of the book of Jeremiah does not mention Jeremiah or record any of his prophecies.