Jeremiah Chapter 50 · Verse 26

Authorized King James Version

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Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses: cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.

Original Language Analysis

בֹּֽאוּ Come H935
בֹּֽאוּ Come
Strong's: H935
Word #: 1 of 13
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
לָ֤הּ H0
לָ֤הּ
Strong's: H0
Word #: 2 of 13
מִקֵּץ֙ against her from the utmost border H7093
מִקֵּץ֙ against her from the utmost border
Strong's: H7093
Word #: 3 of 13
an extremity; adverbially (with prepositional prefix) after
פִּתְח֣וּ open H6605
פִּתְח֣וּ open
Strong's: H6605
Word #: 4 of 13
to open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carve
מַאֲבֻסֶ֔יהָ her storehouses H3965
מַאֲבֻסֶ֔יהָ her storehouses
Strong's: H3965
Word #: 5 of 13
a granary
סָלּ֥וּהָ cast her up H5549
סָלּ֥וּהָ cast her up
Strong's: H5549
Word #: 6 of 13
to mound up (especially a turnpike); figurative, to exalt; reflexively, to oppose (as by a dam)
כְמוֹ H3644
כְמוֹ
Strong's: H3644
Word #: 7 of 13
as, thus, so
עֲרֵמִ֖ים as heaps H6194
עֲרֵמִ֖ים as heaps
Strong's: H6194
Word #: 8 of 13
a heap; specifically, a sheaf
וְהַחֲרִימ֑וּהָ and destroy her utterly H2763
וְהַחֲרִימ֑וּהָ and destroy her utterly
Strong's: H2763
Word #: 9 of 13
to seclude; specifically (by a ban) to devote to religious uses (especially destruction); physical and reflexive, to be blunt as to the nose
אַל H408
אַל
Strong's: H408
Word #: 10 of 13
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
תְּהִי H1961
תְּהִי
Strong's: H1961
Word #: 11 of 13
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
לָ֖הּ H0
לָ֖הּ
Strong's: H0
Word #: 12 of 13
שְׁאֵרִֽית׃ let nothing of her be left H7611
שְׁאֵרִֽית׃ let nothing of her be left
Strong's: H7611
Word #: 13 of 13
a remainder or residual (surviving, final) portion

Analysis & Commentary

Come against her from the utmost border—invaders are summoned from distant lands, fulfilling Isaiah 13:5's prophecy of God bringing forces 'from a far country.' Open her storehouses—Babylon's famed granaries and treasuries that held wealth from conquered nations would be plundered. The irony: what Babylon stored from others' labor enriches her conquerors.

Cast her up as heaps—the Hebrew arem (עֲרֵמָה, heap, pile) suggests grain heaps. Babylon stored grain in massive quantities; now Babylon itself becomes a heap of ruins. Destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left—herem (חֶרֶם, devoted to destruction, under the ban) is the same term used for Canaanite cities God commanded Israel to destroy completely (Joshua 6:17). Babylon receives the judgment she inflicted on others, including Jerusalem.

Historical Context

Though Cyrus conquered Babylon in 539 BC, the city remained inhabited for centuries, gradually declining. Complete desolation came later through Persian Xerxes's destruction (484 BC) after Babylonian revolts, Alexander the Great's plans to rebuild it (331 BC) that never materialized, and final abandonment by the Parthian period. By the medieval era, Babylon was buried ruins. Today, the site lies in Iraq—heaps of rubble testifying to fulfilled prophecy. Saddam Hussein's attempted reconstruction in the 1980s never succeeded. The 'heaps' remain.

Questions for Reflection