ScriptureDepth's study of Jeremiah 50
“For, behold, I will stir up and cause to come up against Babylon a company of great nations from the north country; and they will set themselves in array against her. She will be taken from there. Their arrows will be as of an expert mighty man. None of them will return in vain.”
Jeremiah 50:9
Yahweh declares to Babylon that a powerful coalition from the north will attack her, ensuring her defeat and desolation as foretold in this chapter.
What Jeremiah 50 is about
Yahweh speaks through Jeremiah about Babylon's downfall. He instructs the nations to declare Babylon's defeat and that its gods are failed. A nation from the north will invade and make Babylon desolate (vv. 1-3). Destruction will come because Babylon has sinned against Yahweh. Those who attack will find her as a prey (vv. 4-10). Babylon's punishment will be severe. Her proud mother will be ashamed and the land will be empty (vv. 11-16). Israel and Judah will be restored. They will seek Yahweh and return to their land, finding forgiveness (vv. 17-20). Yahweh calls the nations to battle against Babylon, commanding total destruction against her (vv. 21-34). Lastly, Yahweh decrees judgment on Babylon's leaders and assures that her end is near. The earth trembles at her fate (vv. 35-46).
Yahweh promises to restore Israel and judge Babylon, leaving the fate of Jerusalem in focus.
Jeremiah 50 at a glance
- Jeremiah 50:1–2Prophecy Against Babylon Announced
- Jeremiah 50:3–10Desolation and Judgment Declared
- Jeremiah 50:11–16Babylon's Punishment Described
- Jeremiah 50:17–20Israel's Restoration Promised
- Jeremiah 50:21–34Call to Battle Against Babylon
- Jeremiah 50:35–46Final Decrees and Assurance
Key verse: Jeremiah 50:9
One thing to notice
The command to declare the fall of Babylon is present in vv. 1-2, where Yahweh instructs Jeremiah to announce the destruction of Babylon, calling attention to the disappointment of its idols. The phrase 'publish, and don’t conceal' invites a wide proclamation of Babylon's fate.
Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.
Chapter text
Read Jeremiah 50 (WEB)
Prophecy Against Babylon Announced Jeremiah 50:1–2
1Verse 1. The word that Yahweh spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by Jeremiah the prophet. 2Verse 2. “Declare among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and don’t conceal: say, ‘Babylon has been taken, Bel is disappointed, Merodach is dismayed! Her images are disappointed. Her idols are dismayed.’
Desolation and Judgment Declared Jeremiah 50:3–10
3Verse 3. For a nation comes up out of the north against her,which will make her land desolate,and no one will dwell in it.They have fled.They are gone,both man and animal.4Verse 4. “In those days, and in that time,” says Yahweh,“the children of Israel will come,they and the children of Judah together;they will go on their way weeping,and will seek Yahweh their God.5Verse 5. They will inquire concerning Zion with their faces turned toward it,saying, ‘Come, and join yourselves to Yahweh in an everlasting covenantthat will not be forgotten.’6Verse 6. My people have been lost sheep.Their shepherds have caused them to go astray.They have turned them away on the mountains.They have gone from mountain to hill.They have forgotten their resting place.7Verse 7. All who found them have devoured them.Their adversaries said, ‘We are not guilty,because they have sinned against Yahweh,the habitation of righteousness,even Yahweh, the hope of their fathers.’8Verse 8. “Flee out of the middle of Babylon!Go out of the land of the Chaldeans,and be as the male goats before the flocks.9Verse 9. For, behold, I will stir upand cause to come up against Babylon a company of great nations from the north country;and they will set themselves in array against her.She will be taken from there.Their arrows will be as of an expert mighty man.None of them will return in vain.10Verse 10. Chaldea will be a prey.All who prey on her will be satisfied,” says Yahweh.
Babylon's Punishment Described Jeremiah 50:11–16
11Verse 11. “Because you are glad,because you rejoice,O you who plunder my heritage,because you are wanton as a heifer that treads out the grain,and neigh as strong horses;12Verse 12. your mother will be utterly disappointed.She who bore you will be confounded.Behold, she will be the least of the nations,a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.13Verse 13. Because of Yahweh’s wrath she won’t be inhabited,but she will be wholly desolate.Everyone who goes by Babylon will be astonished,and hiss at all her plagues.14Verse 14. Set yourselves in array against Babylon all around,all you who bend the bow;shoot at her.Spare no arrows;for she has sinned against Yahweh.15Verse 15. Shout against her all around.She has submitted herself.Her bulwarks have fallen.Her walls have been thrown down,for it is the vengeance of Yahweh.Take vengeance on her.As she has done, do to her.16Verse 16. Cut off the sower from Babylon,and him who handles the sickle in the time of harvest.For fear of the oppressing sword,they will each return to their own people,and they will each flee to their own land.
Israel's Restoration Promised Jeremiah 50:17–20
17Verse 17. “Israel is a hunted sheep.The lions have driven him away.First, the king of Assyria devoured him,and now at last Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has broken his bones.”18Verse 18. Therefore Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says:“Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land,as I have punished the king of Assyria.19Verse 19. I will bring Israel again to his pasture,and he will feed on Carmel and Bashan.His soul will be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and in Gilead.20Verse 20. In those days, and in that time,” says Yahweh,“the iniquity of Israel will be sought for,and there will be none;also the sins of Judah,and they won’t be found;for I will pardon them whom I leave as a remnant.
Call to Battle Against Babylon Jeremiah 50:21–34
21Verse 21. “Go up against the land of Merathaim,even against it, and against the inhabitants of Pekod.Kill and utterly destroy after them,” says Yahweh,“and do according to all that I have commanded you.22Verse 22. A sound of battle is in the land,and of great destruction.23Verse 23. How the hammer of the whole earth is cut apart and broken!How Babylon has become a desolation among the nations!24Verse 24. I have laid a snare for you,and you are also taken, Babylon,and you weren’t aware.You are found,and also caught,because you have fought against Yahweh.25Verse 25. Yahweh has opened his armory,and has brought out the weapons of his indignation;for the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, has a work to do in the land of the Chaldeans.26Verse 26. Come against her from the farthest border.Open her storehouses.Cast her up as heaps.Destroy her utterly.Let nothing of her be left.27Verse 27. Kill all her bulls.Let them go down to the slaughter.Woe to them! For their day has come,the time of their visitation.28Verse 28. Listen to those who flee and escape out of the land of Babylon,to declare in Zion the vengeance of Yahweh our God,the vengeance of his temple.29Verse 29. “Call together the archers against Babylon,all those who bend the bow.Encamp against her all around.Let none of it escape.Pay her back according to her work.According to all that she has done, do to her;for she has been proud against Yahweh,against the Holy One of Israel.30Verse 30. Therefore her young men will fall in her streets.All her men of war will be brought to silence in that day,” says Yahweh.31Verse 31. “Behold, I am against you, you proud one,” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies;“for your day has come,the time that I will visit you.32Verse 32. The proud one will stumble and fall,and no one will raise him up.I will kindle a fire in his cities,and it will devour all who are around him.”33Verse 33. Yahweh of Armies says: “The children of Israel and the children of Judah are oppressed together.All who took them captive hold them fast.They refuse to let them go.34Verse 34. Their Redeemer is strong:Yahweh of Armies is his name.He will thoroughly plead their cause,that he may give rest to the earth,and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
Final Decrees and Assurance Jeremiah 50:35–46
35Verse 35. “A sword is on the Chaldeans,” says Yahweh,“and on the inhabitants of Babylon,on her princes,and on her wise men.36Verse 36. A sword is on the boasters,and they will become fools.A sword is on her mighty men,and they will be dismayed.37Verse 37. A sword is on their horses,on their chariots,and on all the mixed people who are in the middle of her;and they will become as women.A sword is on her treasures,and they will be robbed.38Verse 38. A drought is on her waters,and they will be dried up;for it is a land of engraved images,and they are mad over idols.39Verse 39. Therefore the wild animals of the desertwith the wolves will dwell there.The ostriches will dwell therein;and it will be inhabited no more forever;neither will it be lived in from generation to generation.40Verse 40. As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and its neighbor cities,” says Yahweh,“so no man will dwell there,neither will any son of man live therein.41Verse 41. “Behold, a people comes from the north;and a great nation and many kings will be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.42Verse 42. They take up bow and spear.They are cruel, and have no mercy.Their voice roars like the sea.They ride on horses,everyone set in array,as a man to the battle,against you, daughter of Babylon.43Verse 43. The king of Babylon has heard the news of them,and his hands become feeble:anguish has taken hold of him,pains as of a woman in labor.44Verse 44. Behold, the enemy will come up like a lionfrom the pride of the Jordan against the strong habitation;for I will suddenly make them run away from it.Whoever is chosen,I will appoint him over it;for who is like me?Who will appoint me a time?Who is the shepherd who can stand before me?”45Verse 45. Therefore hear the counsel of Yahweh,that he has taken against Babylon;and his purposes,that he has purposed against the land of the Chaldeans:Surely they will drag them away,even the little ones of the flock.Surely he will make their habitation desolate over them.46Verse 46. At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth trembles;and the cry is heard among the nations.
World English Bible (public domain)
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Main themes in Jeremiah 50
Divine Judgment
Jeremiah 50 expresses divine judgment through the prophecy against Babylon, declaring her impending desolation. In verses 14-16, it calls for nations to prepare for battle, stating, 'for she has sinned against Yahweh.' The text details how Babylon will be punished and rendered desolate due to her actions, showing that divine retribution is inevitable and thorough.
Deliverance and Redemption
In verses 4-5, Yahweh assures that 'the children of Israel will come' back to Him, seeking a 'covenant that will not be forgotten.' This promise follows the announcement of Babylon's impending judgment, indicating that as Babylon faces desolation, Israel is offered a renewed hope for restoration. This connection illustrates a transition from punishment to the possibility of redemption for God's people.
Sovereignty of God
In Jeremiah 50, God's sovereignty is asserted through His control over the nations and their fates. Verses 43-44 depict Babylon's king experiencing fear at the news of approaching enemies, illustrating that 'anguish has taken hold of him.' The chapter culminates in verse 45 with God's counsel against Babylon, affirming that His purposes will prevail over human endeavors.
Pride and Humility
Verses 30-32 portray pride and humility through Yahweh's declaration of opposition to Babylon, stating, 'Behold, I am against you, you proud one.' The text details Babylon's downfall, serving as a warning against arrogance. The assertion that 'the proud one will stumble and fall' points to the consequences of pride and the necessity of humility before God.
Chapter outline
How Jeremiah 50 unfolds
Jeremiah 50:1–2 Prophecy Against Babylon Announced
Yahweh speaks through Jeremiah, commanding the nations to declare the fall of Babylon and the disappointment of its gods, Bel and Merodach (vv. 1-2).
Jeremiah 50:3–10 Desolation and Judgment Declared
A nation from the north will come to desolate Babylon, leaving it uninhabited, as the people flee (vv. 3-5). The Israelites will seek Yahweh, longing for a covenant with Him (vv. 4-5).
Jeremiah 50:11–16 Babylon's Punishment Described
Babylon's punishment is framed as a reaction to its pride and oppression of Israel, with vivid imagery of devastation and failure (vv. 11-16). The call to attack Babylon emphasizes its fallen state (v. 15).
Jeremiah 50:17–20 Israel's Restoration Promised
Yahweh promises to restore Israel, who has suffered under Babylonian rule, assuring that their iniquities will be forgiven as He brings them back to their homeland (vv. 19-20).
Jeremiah 50:21–34 Call to Battle Against Babylon
A call to battle against Babylon is issued, detailing the reasons for vengeance and outlining the destruction that will come upon her for her pride against Yahweh (vv. 21-34).
Jeremiah 50:35–46 Final Decrees and Assurance
Final decrees against Babylon include threats of desolation and the trembling of the earth at her downfall, affirming that her days are numbered (vv. 35-46). The vengeance of Yahweh is emphasized throughout these verses.
Key verses
Jeremiah 50:9Yahweh declares to Babylon that a powerful coalition from the north will attack her, ensuring her defeat and desolation as foretold in this chapter.
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Study questions
Questions for studying Jeremiah 50
- observeIn v4, who will come together weeping to seek Yahweh?
- observeWhat does Yahweh say will happen to Babylon in v13?
- interpretIn v20, why will the iniquity of Israel be sought and found to be none?
- interpretIn v24, how is Babylon described as being caught and unaware?
- applyWhen have you turned away from a 'resting place' like the people in v6?
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Cross-references
Passages that echo Jeremiah 50
- Jeremiah 51Jeremiah 50:8 and Jeremiah 51:6Both call to flee: Jeremiah 50:8 says, ‘Flee out of the middle of Babylon,’ while Jeremiah 51:6 states, ‘Flee out of the middle of Babylon!’.
- Isaiah 43Jeremiah 50:20 and Isaiah 43:25Both proclaim pardon: Jeremiah 50:20 states, ‘I will pardon them’ while Isaiah 43:25 says, ‘I will not remember your sins.’
- Isaiah 13Jeremiah 50:2 and Isaiah 13:2Both summon nations: Jeremiah 50:2 calls to ‘declare among the nations,’ while Isaiah 13:2 urges to ‘set up a banner on the bare mountain.’
- Revelation 18Jeremiah 50:8 and Revelation 18:4Both urge to leave: Jeremiah 50:8 says, ‘Flee out of the middle of Babylon,’ while Revelation 18:4 declares, ‘Come out of her, my people.’
- Jeremiah 31Jeremiah 50:4 and Jeremiah 31:31Both envision a future return: Jeremiah 50:4 describes, ‘they will go on their way weeping,’ while Jeremiah 31:31 speaks of ‘a new covenant.’
- Isaiah 14Jeremiah 50:23 and Isaiah 14:12Both lament Babylon's fall: Jeremiah 50:23 says, ‘How Babylon has become a desolation,’ while Isaiah 14:12 states, ‘How you have fallen from heaven.’
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