Jeremiah 50:10
And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith the LORD.
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
Babylon's wealth was legendary. It controlled trade routes, extracted tribute from conquered territories, and systematically looted nations including Judah (2 Kings 24:13, 25:13-17). The temple treasures of Jerusalem, Egypt, and other nations filled Babylonian storehouses. When Cyrus conquered Babylon, he gained control of this accumulated wealth, funding his vast empire. The book of Ezra records Cyrus returning Jewish temple vessels (Ezra 1:7-11), but Persian records show he kept the vast majority. Archaeological finds include Babylonian treasures dispersed throughout the Persian Empire. The 'satisfaction' of plunderers was literal—there was more wealth than even greedy conquerors could exhaust. This fulfilled the prophetic principle that oppressors eventually face the same treatment they inflicted (Revelation 18:6: 'Reward her even as she rewarded you').
Questions for Reflection
- How does the principle of 'measure for measure' judgment (what you do to others will be done to you) manifest in this verse?
- What does the 'satisfaction' of Babylon's plunderers teach about the thoroughness of God's justice?
- How should the certainty of divine retribution affect how nations and individuals treat others today?
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Analysis & Commentary
And Chaldea shall be a spoil—Chaldea (כַּשְׂדִּים, Kasdim) refers to southern Mesopotamia, Babylon's heartland. The term 'spoil' (meshissah, מְשִׁסָּה, plunder, booty) indicates comprehensive looting. What Babylon did to other nations (Jeremiah 50:17, 51:34) will be done to them—the law of retaliation (lex talionis) applied on a national scale.
All that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith the LORD—the verb sava' (שָׂבַע, satisfied, sated) suggests abundance beyond expectation. Conquerors will find such wealth that even their greed will be satisfied. Historically, Babylon's accumulated plunder from decades of conquest made it unimaginably wealthy. Herodotus (Histories 1.178-183) describes Babylon's golden statues, gates, and treasures. When Cyrus conquered it, the spoils enriched the Persian Empire for generations. The Cyrus Cylinder boasts of treasures taken.
The phrase 'saith the LORD' (ne'um-YHWH, נְאֻם־יְהוָה) is prophetic authentication—this isn't Jeremiah's speculation but divine decree. The irony is profound: Babylon, which gorged itself on plundered nations, becomes the ultimate feast for its conquerors. This principle of retributive justice echoes throughout Scripture (Obadiah 15: 'as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee').