Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? God declares the futility of unjust labor. Is it not of the LORD of hosts (הֲלוֹא הִנֵּה מֵאֵת יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת/halo hinneh me'et YHWH tseva'ot)—this comes from the LORD of armies, the sovereign commander of heaven's forces. That the people shall labour in the very fire (וְיִיגְעוּ עַמִּים בְּדֵי־אֵשׁ/veyig'u ammim bedei-esh)—peoples exhaust themselves only for fire. Their labor produces nothing lasting; it all burns up. בְּדֵי (bedei) means 'enough for' or 'sufficient for'—they work just enough to fuel the fire of judgment.
And the people shall weary themselves for very vanity (וּלְאֻמִּים בְּדֵי־רִיק יִעָפוּ/ule'ummim bedei-riq yi'afu)—nations grow faint for mere emptiness. רִיק (riq) means empty, vain, nothing. All the effort, all the building, all the conquest—it amounts to nothing, produces nothing lasting. This echoes Ecclesiastes: 'Vanity of vanities, all is vanity' (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Work disconnected from God and justice produces nothing eternal. Jeremiah 51:58 quotes this verse directly about Babylon: 'The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain.' All human achievement apart from God ends in fire and vanity.
Historical Context
Babylon's magnificent buildings, built through such enormous labor, stood less than a century before the city declined. The Hanging Gardens, one of the ancient world's seven wonders, disappeared completely—archaeologists still debate their exact location. The walls, gates, and palaces gradually crumbled. By the time of Christ, Babylon was largely ruins. Centuries of labor produced structures that burned, crumbled, or vanished. The contrast with Jerusalem is striking: though destroyed multiple times, Jerusalem remains a living city, because it was built on God's purposes, not merely human ambition. The principle applies universally: work not grounded in God's justice and purposes ultimately produces nothing lasting (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). Only what's done for God's kingdom endures.
Questions for Reflection
How can you ensure your labor produces lasting fruit rather than 'very vanity' that ultimately burns?
What is the difference between human ambition that ends in futility and work grounded in God's purposes that endures eternally?
How does this verse challenge cultural definitions of success that emphasize achievement, building, and legacy apart from justice and righteousness?
Analysis & Commentary
Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity? God declares the futility of unjust labor. Is it not of the LORD of hosts (הֲלוֹא הִנֵּה מֵאֵת יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת/halo hinneh me'et YHWH tseva'ot)—this comes from the LORD of armies, the sovereign commander of heaven's forces. That the people shall labour in the very fire (וְיִיגְעוּ עַמִּים בְּדֵי־אֵשׁ/veyig'u ammim bedei-esh)—peoples exhaust themselves only for fire. Their labor produces nothing lasting; it all burns up. בְּדֵי (bedei) means 'enough for' or 'sufficient for'—they work just enough to fuel the fire of judgment.
And the people shall weary themselves for very vanity (וּלְאֻמִּים בְּדֵי־רִיק יִעָפוּ/ule'ummim bedei-riq yi'afu)—nations grow faint for mere emptiness. רִיק (riq) means empty, vain, nothing. All the effort, all the building, all the conquest—it amounts to nothing, produces nothing lasting. This echoes Ecclesiastes: 'Vanity of vanities, all is vanity' (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Work disconnected from God and justice produces nothing eternal. Jeremiah 51:58 quotes this verse directly about Babylon: 'The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain.' All human achievement apart from God ends in fire and vanity.