Jeremiah 51:8
6 Flee from Babylon! Escape with your lives! Do not be destroyed in her punishment. For this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance; He will pay her what she deserves.
7 Babylon was a gold cup in the hand of the LORD, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations have gone mad.
Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been shattered. Wail for her; get her balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed.
9 “We tried to heal Babylon, but she could not be healed. Abandon her! Let each of us go to his own land, for her judgment extends to the sky and reaches to the clouds.”
10 “The LORD has brought forth our vindication; come, let us tell in Zion what the LORD our God has accomplished.”
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been shattered. Wail for her; get her balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed.
- KJV
- Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
- WEB
- Babylon has suddenly fallen and been destroyed! Wail for her! Take balm for her pain. Perhaps she may be healed.
- ASV
- Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: wail for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
- DARBY
- Babylon is suddenly fallen and ruined. Howl over her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
- BLB
- Suddenly Babylon has fallen and has been shattered! Wail over her, [and] take balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed.
- ÅB
- Med ett er Babel falt og blitt knust; jamre over det, hent balsam for dets smerte! Kanskje det kunne leges.
- OTB
- Han har slått opp teltene til sin kommando, Dekkede sine samlingssteder, Han har gått opp til henne, og hennes unge menn har falt i hennes gater.
- B1930
- Med ett er Babel falt og blitt knust; jamre over det, hent balsam for dets smerte! Kanskje det kunde læges.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Isaiah 21:9
Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”
Read in contextJeremiah 46:11
Go up to Gilead for balm, O Virgin Daughter of Egypt! In vain you try many remedies, but for you there is no healing.
Read in contextRevelation 14:8
Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.”
Read in contextRevelation 18:2
And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.
Read in contextJeremiah 50:2
“Announce and declare to the nations; lift up a banner and proclaim it; hold nothing back when you say, ‘Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is shattered, her images are disgraced, her idols are broken in pieces.’
Read in contextJeremiah 48:20
Moab is put to shame, for it has been shattered. Wail and cry out! Declare by the Arnon that Moab is destroyed.
Read in contextRevelation 18:17–19
For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!” Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance
Read in contextRevelation 18:8–11
Therefore her plagues will come in one day— death and grief and famine— and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”
Read in context