For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon is like a threshingfloor, it is time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come.
For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon is like a threshingfloor, it is time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come. This agricultural metaphor depicts divine judgment with pastoral imagery familiar to Jeremiah's audience. The daughter of Babylon (Hebrew bat-Bavel, בַּת־בָּבֶל) personifies the city and empire, highlighting vulnerability despite apparent strength.
Like a threshingfloor uses goren (גֹּרֶן), the hard-packed surface where grain was trampled to separate kernels from chaff. The phrase it is time to thresh her employs et hadrikah (עֵת הַדְרִיכָהּ), denoting the appointed moment for trampling—suggesting divinely ordained timing. The threshing metaphor implies violent separation, crushing, and judgment (Isaiah 21:10, 41:15, Micah 4:12-13).
Yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come introduces temporal tension: preparation (thresh) versus consummation (harvest). The Hebrew qatsir (קָצִיר, harvest) often symbolizes judgment (Joel 3:13, Revelation 14:15-16). The promise of imminent fulfillment—yet a little while—assured exiles that Babylon's apparent invincibility was temporary. This echoes Jesus's parable of the wheat and tares, where harvest represents final judgment (Matthew 13:30, 39). God's patience delays but does not cancel His righteous reckoning.
Historical Context
Written during Babylon's zenith of power (likely 594-570 BC), this prophecy seemed improbable. Babylon dominated the ancient Near East, had defeated Assyria, Egypt, and Judah, and appeared unconquerable. Yet Jeremiah declared that Babylon's 'threshing' was prepared and her 'harvest' imminent. Within decades, Cyrus the Persian conquered Babylon (539 BC) without significant battle—a bloodless transfer of power that nevertheless ended Babylonian dominance. The agricultural imagery resonated with Israelite farmers who understood that threshing required specific preparation (hard surface, proper timing) and that harvest meant reaping what was sown. Babylon had sown violence, oppression, and idolatry; her harvest would be judgment. This principle extends to all human empires that exalt themselves against God.
Questions for Reflection
How does the threshing/harvest metaphor help us understand divine judgment as both violent and purposeful?
What does God's precise timing ('yet a little while') teach about His sovereignty over human history?
In what ways does this prophecy about historical Babylon inform our understanding of eschatological judgment in Revelation?
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Analysis & Commentary
For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon is like a threshingfloor, it is time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come. This agricultural metaphor depicts divine judgment with pastoral imagery familiar to Jeremiah's audience. The daughter of Babylon (Hebrew bat-Bavel, בַּת־בָּבֶל) personifies the city and empire, highlighting vulnerability despite apparent strength.
Like a threshingfloor uses goren (גֹּרֶן), the hard-packed surface where grain was trampled to separate kernels from chaff. The phrase it is time to thresh her employs et hadrikah (עֵת הַדְרִיכָהּ), denoting the appointed moment for trampling—suggesting divinely ordained timing. The threshing metaphor implies violent separation, crushing, and judgment (Isaiah 21:10, 41:15, Micah 4:12-13).
Yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come introduces temporal tension: preparation (thresh) versus consummation (harvest). The Hebrew qatsir (קָצִיר, harvest) often symbolizes judgment (Joel 3:13, Revelation 14:15-16). The promise of imminent fulfillment—yet a little while—assured exiles that Babylon's apparent invincibility was temporary. This echoes Jesus's parable of the wheat and tares, where harvest represents final judgment (Matthew 13:30, 39). God's patience delays but does not cancel His righteous reckoning.