Jeremiah 50:22
A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.
Original Language Analysis
מִלְחָמָ֖ה
of battle
H4421
מִלְחָמָ֖ה
of battle
Strong's:
H4421
Word #:
2 of 5
a battle (i.e., the engagement); generally, war (i.e., war-fare)
Historical Context
The conquest of Babylon by Cyrus in 539 BC involved both military siege and internal collapse. While ancient sources describe the city falling with minimal resistance, the surrounding regions experienced significant warfare as the Medo-Persian army conquered Babylonian territories. The 'great destruction' also applies to the gradual decline of Babylon over subsequent centuries—from world capital to abandoned ruins. The 'sound of battle' that once echoed through Babylon is now silence—equally testimony to God's fulfilled word.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the vivid auditory imagery ('sound of battle,' 'great destruction') make God's judgment more real and immediate?
- What does the certainty of prophetic language (describing future as if present) teach about the reliability of God's word?
- In what ways does this verse's starkness—no explanation, just the sound of destruction—emphasize the seriousness of divine judgment?
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Analysis & Commentary
A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction—the Hebrew qol milchamah (קוֹל מִלְחָמָה, sound of battle) and shever gadol (שֶׁבֶר גָּדוֹל, great destruction) create vivid auditory imagery. War's noise—clashing weapons, shouting armies, collapsing structures—echoes through Babylon. Shever (שֶׁבֶר) means breaking, fracture, ruin, collapse—used for catastrophic destruction. The brevity and starkness of this verse create dramatic effect: after detailed prophecies of judgment, we hear the sound of its fulfillment. No explanation, no elaboration—just the terrible reality of war and ruin.
This verse functions as a pivot point in the oracle. Previous verses commanded the attack and detailed Babylon's sins. This verse presents the result: devastating warfare. Following verses will elaborate on Babylon's complete downfall. The 'sound' emphasizes that this isn't theoretical or distant—it's immediate, present, happening now. Prophetic perfect tense treats the future as already accomplished because God's word is certain. This echoes Revelation's description of Babylon's fall: 'Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen' (Revelation 18:2)—the certainty expressed as present reality.