Jeremiah 51:24
And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Babylon's "evil done in Zion" (586 BCE) included destroying the temple—God's dwelling place—murdering priests and prophets, killing King Zedekiah's sons before his eyes, deporting the population, and desecrating sacred objects by placing them in pagan temples (2 Kings 25:8-21; Daniel 5:2-3).
The promised repayment occurred in stages: Belshazzar's feast (Daniel 5) where Babylonian king blasphemed by drinking from Jerusalem's temple vessels, followed immediately by Babylon's fall; Cyrus's decree (539 BCE) allowing Jewish return and temple rebuilding (Ezra 1); and Babylon's gradual decline into insignificance. By the first century CE, Babylon was largely abandoned ruins. The exiles who witnessed Jerusalem's destruction in 586 BCE would not see Babylon's fall (539 BCE), but their children would—fulfilling "in your sight" for the covenant community across generations.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's promise to repay Babylon's evil "in your sight" comfort those suffering injustice?
- What does this verse teach about God's relationship to His people when they face oppression?
- How should Christians understand divine vengeance versus personal forgiveness (Romans 12:19-21)?
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Analysis & Commentary
And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD—This verse shifts from Babylon as instrument (vv. 20-23) to Babylon as target. The Hebrew shalam (שָׁלַם, "render/repay") carries the sense of full recompense or settling accounts—divine justice operates on a lex talionis (law of retaliation) principle at the national level, though individual salvation operates on grace.
The phrase "in your sight" is striking—God will vindicate His people visibly. Israel's exile involved watching Babylon destroy Jerusalem, burn the temple, and murder their compatriots (2 Kings 25). Now God promises they will witness Babylon's repayment. This connects to Revelation 18:20: "Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her," where eschatological Babylon faces judgment for persecuting God's people.
Theologically:
This isn't petty revenge but cosmic justice maintaining moral order.