Table of Contents
Jeremiah 51 prophesies the inevitable destruction of Babylon as divine punishment for its arrogance, idolatry, and oppression of Israel. The chapter vividly describes the downfall of the once-mighty empire, emphasizing that despite its power, Babylon will be reduced to ruins, highlighting the certainty of God’s justice.
Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the disaster that I am bringing upon her, and they shall become exhausted.
Jeremiah 51:64
The transformation of the Hebrew name בָּבֶל (Bavel) into the English name “Babylon” is a result of linguistic changes over time as the name passed through different languages and cultures.
- Hebrew (בָּבֶל – Bavel): In the original Hebrew, the city is called Bavel. This name is related to the Akkadian word Bāb-ili, which means “Gate of God” (from bābu meaning “gate” and ili meaning “god”).
- Akkadian (Bāb-ili): The Akkadian name Bāb-ili was the name used by the Babylonians themselves and reflects their own language and culture.
- Greek (Βαβυλών – Babylōn): As the name Bavel/Bāb-ili was adopted into Greek, it became Babylōn (Βαβυλών). The Greeks often transliterated foreign names to fit their own phonetic and writing systems.
- Latin (Babylon): The Greek Babylōn was then adopted into Latin, retaining the form Babylon. Latin was the language of the Roman Empire and the Catholic Church, and many biblical texts were translated into Latin (such as the Vulgate).
- English (Babylon): From Latin, the name Babylon was passed into English, maintaining the form used in Latin. Over time, this became the standard English name for the ancient city.
Thus, the name Bavel evolved into Babylon as it passed through different languages and was adapted to fit the phonetic and orthographic conventions of each.
| Chapter-Verse | Hebrew Text with Literal Translation |
|---|---|
| 51:11 | הַרְנּוּ הַחִצִּים מִלְּאוּ הַשְּׁלָטִים הֵעִיר יְהוָה אֶת־רוּחַ מַלְכֵי מָדָי כִּי עֲלֵי בָבֶל מְזִמָּתוֹ לְהַשְׁחִיתָהּ כִּי־נָקָם יְהוָה נִקְמַת הֵיכָלוֹ׃ “Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers! YHWH has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His purpose against Babylon is to destroy it, for it is the vengeance of YHWH, the vengeance for His temple.” |
| 51:12 | עַל־חוֹמוֹת בָּבֶל שְׂאוּ־נֵס הַחֲזִיקוּ הַמִּשְׁמָרוֹת הָקִימוּ שֹׁמְרִים הָכִינוּ הָאֹרְבִים כִּי־גַם זָמַם יְהוָה גַּם־עָשָׂה אֵת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר אֶל־יֹשְׁבֵי בָבֶל׃ “Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon; strengthen the guard, station watchmen, prepare the ambushes; for YHWH has both planned and done what He spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.” |
| 51:13 | שֹׁכֶנֶת עַל־מַיִם רַבִּים רַבַּת אֹצָרוֹת בָּא קִצֵּךְ מִדַּת בְּצַעֲךְ׃ “O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come, the measure of your covetousness.” |
| 51:14 | נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת בְּנַפְשׁוֹ כִּי אִם־מִלֵּאתִיךְ אָדָם כָּיֵקָק וְעָנוּ עָלַיִךְ הֵידִד׃ “YHWH of hosts has sworn by Himself: Surely I will fill you with men as with locusts, and they shall raise a shout against you.” |
| 51:15 | עֹשֵׂה אֶרֶץ בְּכֹחוֹ מֵכִין תֵּבֵל בְּחָכְמָתוֹ וּבִתְבוּנָתוֹ נָטָה שָׁמָיִם׃ “He made the earth by His power, He established the world by His wisdom, and by His understanding stretched out the heavens.” |
| 51:16 | לְקוֹל תִּתּוֹן מוֹן מַיִם בַּשָּׁמַיִם וַיַּעַל נְשִׂאִים מִקְצֵה־אָרֶץ בְּרָקִים לַמָּטָר עָשָׂה וַיּוֹצֵא רוּחַ מֵאֹצְרוֹתָיו׃ “When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain, and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.” |
| 51:17 | נִבְעַר כָּל־אָדָם מִדַּעַת הֹבִישׁ כָּל־צוֹרֵף מִפֶּסֶל כִּי־שֶׁקֶר נִסְכּוֹ וְאֵין־רוּחַ בָּם׃ “Every man is stupid, devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his molten images are deceitful, and there is no breath in them.” |
| 51:18 | הֶבֶל הֵמָּה מַעֲשֵׂה תָעֲתִים בְּעֵת פְּקֻדָתָם יֹאבֵדוּ׃ “They are worthless, a work of delusion; in the time of their punishment they shall perish.” |
| 51:19 | לֹא־כְאֵלֶּה חֵלֶק יַעֲקֹב כִּי־יוֹצֵר הַכֹּל הוּא וְשֵׁבֶט נַחֲלָתוֹ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ׃ “Not like these is the portion of Jacob, for He is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; YHWH of hosts is His name.” |
| 51:20 | מַפֵּץ אַתָּה לִי כְּלֵי מִלְחָמָה וְנִפַּצְתִּי בְךָ גּוֹיִם וְהִשְׁחַתִּי בְךָ מַמְלָכוֹת׃ “You are My hammer and weapon of war; with you I shatter nations; with you I destroy kingdoms;” |
| 51:21 | וְנִפַּצְתִּי בְךָ סוּס וְרֹכְבוֹ וְנִפַּצְתִּי בְךָ מֶרְכָּבָה וְרֹכְבָהּ׃ “With you I shatter the horse and his rider, with you I shatter the chariot and its rider;” |
| 51:22 | וְנִפַּצְתִּי בְךָ אִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה וְנִפַּצְתִּי בְךָ זָקֵן וָנָעַר וְנִפַּצְתִּי בְךָ בָּחוּר וּבְתוּלָה׃ “With you I shatter man and woman, with you I shatter old man and youth, with you I shatter young man and virgin;” |
| 51:23 | וְנִפַּצְתִּי בְךָ רֹעֶה וְעֵדֶרוֹ וְנִפַּצְתִּי בְךָ אִכָּר וּצְמִדּוֹ וְנִפַּצְתִּי בְךָ פַּח וּפָתוּחַ׃ “With you I shatter shepherd and his flock, with you I shatter farmer and his yoke of oxen, with you I shatter governors and commanders.” |
| Chapter-Verse | Hebrew Text with Literal Translation |
|---|---|
| 51:24 | וְשִׁלַּמְתִּי לְבָבֶל וּלְכָל־יֹשְׁבֵי כַשְׂדִּים אֵת כָּל־רָעָתָם אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְצִיּוֹן לְעֵינֵיכֶם נְאֻם־יְהוָה׃ “I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all the evil that they have done in Zion before your eyes, declares YHWH.” |
| 51:25 | הִנְנִי אֵלֶיךָ הַר הַמַּשְׁחִית נְאֻם־יְהוָה הַמַּשְׁחִית אֶת־כָּל־הָאָרֶץ וְנָטִיתִי אֶת־יָדִי עָלֶיךָ וְגִלְגַּלְתִּיךָ מִן־הַסְּלָעִים וּנְתַתִּיךָ לְהַר שְׂרֵפָה׃ “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, declares YHWH, which destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out My hand against you, and roll you down from the rocks, and make you a burnt mountain.” |
| 51:26 | וְלֹא־יִקְחוּ מִמְּךָּ אֶבֶן לְפִנָּה וְאֶבֶן לְמֹסָדוֹת כִּי־שְׁמָמוֹת עוֹלָם תִּהְיֶה נְאֻם־יְהוָה׃ “No stone shall be taken from you for a corner, and no stone for a foundation, for you shall be a perpetual desolation, declares YHWH.” |
| 51:27 | שְׂאוּ־נֵס בָּאָרֶץ תִּקְעוּ שׁוֹפָר בַּגּוֹיִם הָקְדִּישׁוּ עָלֶיהָ גּוֹיִם הַשְׁמִיעוּ עָלֶיהָ מַמְלְכוֹת אֲרָרָט מִנִּי וְאַשְׁכְּנַז מַנְּדוּ עָלֶיהָ קָצִין הַעֲלוּ סוּס כַּיָּלָק הַסָּר׃ “Set up a standard in the land; blow the trumpet among the nations; prepare the nations for war against her; summon against her the kingdoms: Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a marshal against her; bring up horses like bristling locusts.” |
| 51:28 | הַקְדִּישׁוּ עָלֶיהָ גּוֹיִם אֶת־מַלְכֵי מָדָי אֶת־פַּחוֹתֶיהָ וְאֵת כָּל־סְגָנֶיהָ וְאֵת כָּל־אֶרֶץ מֶמְשַׁלְתָּה׃ “Prepare the nations for war against her, the kings of the Medes, their governors and all their deputies, and every land under their dominion.” |
| 51:29 | וַתִּרְעַשׁ הָאָרֶץ וַתְּחוֹלֵל כִּי־קוּם עַל־בָּבֶל מַחְשְׁבוֹת יְהוָה לָשׂוּם אֶת־אֶרֶץ בָּבֶל לִשְׁמָה מִבְּלִי יוֹשֵׁב׃ “The land trembles and writhes in pain, for YHWH’s purposes against Babylon stand: to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.” |
| 51:30 | חָדְלוּ גִּבּוֹרֵי בָבֶל לְהִלָּחֵם יָשְׁבוּ בַמְּצָרוֹת נָשְׁתָה גְּבוּרָתָם הָיוּ לְנָשִׁים הִצִּיתוּ מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֶיהָ נִשְׁבְּרוּ בְרִיחֶיהָ׃ “The warriors of Babylon have ceased fighting, they remain in their strongholds; their strength has failed, they have become women; her dwellings are set on fire, her bars are broken.” |
| 51:31 | רָצוּץ רָצוּץ יָרוּץ לִקְרַאת רָצוּץ וְמַגִּיד לִקְרַאת מַגִּיד לְהַגִּיד לְמֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל כִּי נִלְכְּדָה עִירוֹ מִקָּצֶה׃ “One runner runs to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to tell the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every side;” |
| 51:32 | וְהַמַּעְבְּרוֹת נִתְפָּשׂוּ וְאֶת־הָאֲגַמִּים שָׂרְפוּ בָאֵשׁ וְאַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה נִבְהָלוּ׃ “The fords have been seized, the marshes are burned with fire, and the soldiers are in panic.” |
| 51:33 | כִּי־כֹה אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּת־בָּבֶל כְּגֹרֶן עֵת הִדְרִיכָהּ עוֹד מְעַט וּבָא עֵת הַקָּצִיר לָהּ׃ “For thus says YHWH of hosts, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time when it is trodden; yet a little while and the time of harvest will come for her.” |
| 51:34 | אֲכָלַנִי שִׁבַּרַנִי נָתַן־נִי כְּלִי רֵק נִמְלָא כְתַנִּין בִּלְעָהנִי מִלֵּא כְרֵסוֹ מֵעֲדָנָי הֱדִיחַנִי׃ “Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me, he has crushed me; he has made me an empty vessel, he has swallowed me like a dragon, he has filled his belly with my delicacies, he has rinsed me out.” |
| 51:35 | חֲמָסִי וּשְׁאֵרִי עָל־בָּבֶל תֵּשֵׁב יוֹשֶׁבֶת צִיּוֹן וְדָמִי אֶל־יֹשְׁבֵי כַשְׂדִּים תֹּאמַר יְרוּשָׁלִָם׃ “The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say.” |
| 51:36 | לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה הִנְנִי רִיב אֶת־רִיבֵךְ וְנִקַּמְתִּי אֶת־נִקְמָתֵךְ וְהֶחֱרַבְתִּי אֶת־יָמָהּ וְהוֹבַשְׁתִּי אֶת־מְקוֹרוֹ׃ “Therefore thus says YHWH: Behold, I will plead your cause and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea and make her fountain dry.” |
| 51:37 | וְהָיְתָה בָבֶל לִתְלֵי עֲיֵים מְעוֹן תַּנִּים שַׁמָּה וְשְׁרֵקָה מֵאֵין יוֹשֵׁב׃ “And Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals, a horror and a hissing, without inhabitant.” |
| 51:38 | יַחְדָּו כְּכְפִרִים שָׁאֲגוּ נָעֲרוּ כְּגוֹרֵי אַרְיוֹת׃ “They shall roar together like lions; they shall growl like lion’s cubs.” |
| 51:39 | בְּחַמָּתָם אָשִׁית לָהֶם מַשְׁתֵּיהֶם וַהֲרִדְּתִים לְמַעַן יַעְלֹזוּ וְיָשְׁנוּ שְׁנַת עוֹלָם וְלֹא יָקִיצוּ נְאֻם־יְהוָה׃ “While they are inflamed I will prepare them a feast and make them drunk, that they may become merry and sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, declares YHWH.” |
| 51:40 | אוֹרִידֵם כְּכָרִים לַטֶּבַח כְּאֵילִים עִם־עַתּוּדִים׃ “I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams and goats.” |
| 51:41 | אֵיךְ נִלְכְּדָה שֵׁשַׁךְ וַתִּתָּפֵשׂ תְּהִלַּת כָּל־הָאָרֶץ אֵיךְ הָיְתָה לְשַׁמָּה בָּבֶל בַּגּוֹיִם׃ “How Sheshach is taken, the praise of the whole earth seized! How Babylon has become a horror among the nations!” |
| 51:42 | בָּאָה עַל־בָּבֶל הַיָּם בְּהֻמוֹן גַּלָּיו נִכְסְתָה׃ “The sea has come up over Babylon; she is covered with the multitude of its waves.” |
| 51:43 | הָיוּ עָרֶיהָ לְשַׁמָּה אֶרֶץ צִיָּה וְעָרָבָה אֶרֶץ לֹא־יֵשֵׁב בָּהּ אִישׁ וְלֹא־יַעֲבוֹר בָּהּ בֶּן־אָדָם׃ “Her cities have become a desolation, a dry land and a desert, a land where no one dwells, nor does any son of man pass through.” |
| 51:44 | וּפָקַדְתִּי עַל־בֵּל בְּבָבֶל וְהוֹצֵאתִי אֶת־בִּלְעוֹ מִפִּיו וְלֹא־יִנְהֲרוּ אֵלָיו עוֹד גּוֹיִם גַּם־חוֹמַת בָּבֶל נָפָלָה׃ “And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and take out of his mouth what he has swallowed. The nations shall no longer flow to him; the wall of Babylon has fallen.” |
| 51:45 | צְאוּ מִתּוֹכָהּ עַמִּי וּמַלְּטוּ אִישׁ נַפְשׁוֹ מִחֲרוֹן אַף־יְהוָה׃ “Go out of the midst of her, My people! Let every one save his life from the fierce anger of YHWH!” |
| 51:46 | וּפֶן־יֵרַךְ לְבַבְכֶם וְתִירְאוּ בַשְּׁמוּעָה הַנִּשְׁמַעַת בָּאָרֶץ וּבָאָה בְשָׁנָה הַשְּׁמוּעָה וְאַחֲרֶי־כֵן בְּשָׁנָה הַשְּׁמוּעָה וַחֲמָס בָּאָרֶץ וּמֹשֵׁל עַל־מֹשֵׁל׃ “Let not your heart faint, and be not fearful at the rumor heard in the land, when a rumor comes in one year, and afterward a rumor in another year, and violence in the land, and ruler against ruler.” |
| 51:47 | לָכֵן הִנֵּה־יָמִים בָּאִים וּפָקַדְתִּי עַל־פִּסְלֵי בָבֶל וְכָל־אַרְצָהּ תֵּבוֹשׁ וְכָל־חַלְלֶיהָ יִפְּלוּ בְתוֹכָהּ׃ “Therefore, behold, the days are coming when I will punish the images of Babylon; her whole land shall be put to shame, and all her slain shall fall in her midst.” |
| 51:48 | וְרִנְּנוּ עַל־בָּבֶל שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר־בָּהּ כִּי מִצָּפוֹן יָבֹאוּ לָהּ הַשֹּׁדְדִים נְאֻם־יְהוָה׃ “Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, shall sing for joy over Babylon, for the destroyers shall come against her out of the north, declares YHWH.” |
| 51:49 | גַּם־בָּבֶל לִנְפֹּל חַלְלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל גַּם־לְבָבֶל נָפְלוּ חַלְלֵי כָל־הָאָרֶץ׃ “As Babylon has caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth.” |
| 51:50 | פְּלֵיטִים מֵחֶרֶב הֲלֹכוּ אַל־תַּעֲמֹדוּ זִכְרוּ מֵרָחוֹק אֶת־יְהוָה וְתָבוֹא יְרוּשָׁלִַם עַל־לְבַבְכֶם׃ “You who have escaped from the sword, go, do not stand still! Remember YHWH from afar, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.” |
| 51:51 | בּוֹשְׁנוּ כִּי שָׁמַעְנוּ חֶרְפָּה כִּסְּתָה כְּלִמָּה פָּנֵינוּ כִּי־בָאוּ זָרִים עַל־מִקְדְּשֵׁי בֵּית־יְהוָה׃ “We are put to shame, for we have heard reproach; disgrace has covered our faces, for foreigners have come into the holy places of YHWH’s house.” |
| 51:52 | לָכֵן הִנֵּה־יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם־יְהוָה וּפָקַדְתִּי עַל־פִּסְלֶיהָ וְנֶאֱנָק כָּל־חַלְלֶיהָ בְּכָל־אַרְצָהּ׃ “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares YHWH, when I will punish her images, and through all her land the wounded shall groan.” |
| 51:53 | כִּי תַעֲלֶה בָבֶל הַשָּׁמַיִם וְכִי תִבְצִיעַ מָרוֹם עֻזָּהּ מֵאִתִּי יָבֹאוּ לָהּ שֹׁדְדִים נְאֻם־יְהוָה׃ “Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify her strong height, yet destroyers would come from Me against her, declares YHWH.” |
| 51:54 | קוֹל זְעָקָה מִבָּבֶל וּשְׁבִיר גָּדוֹל מֵאֶרֶץ כַּשְׂדִּים׃ “A voice! A cry from Babylon! The noise of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!” |
| 51:55 | כִּי־שֹׁדֵד יְהוָה אֶת־בָּבֶל וְהִבַּד מִנָּהּ קוֹל־גָּדוֹל וְהֵמָה גַּעֲשׁוּ כַּמַּיִם רַבִּים נִתַּן קוֹלָם׃ “For YHWH is laying Babylon waste and stilling her mighty voice. Their waves roar like many waters; the noise of their voice is raised;” |
| 51:56 | כִּי־בָא עָלֶיהָ עַל־בָּבֶל שֹׁדֵד וְנִלְכְּדוּ גִּבּוֹרֶיהָ נִשְׁבַּר קַשְׁתּוֹתָם כִּי אֵל גְּמֻלוֹת יְהוָה שָׁלֵם יְשַׁלֵּם׃ “For a destroyer has come upon her, upon Babylon; her warriors are taken; their bows are broken in pieces, for YHWH is a God of recompense; He will surely repay.” |
| 51:57 | וְהִשְׁכַּרְתִּי שָׂרֶיהָ וַחֲכָמֶיהָ פַּחוֹתֶיהָ וּסְגָנֶיהָ וְגִבּוֹרֶיהָ וְיָשְׁנוּ שְׁנַת־עוֹלָם וְלֹא יָקִיצוּ נְאֻם־הַמֶּלֶךְ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ׃ “I will make drunk her officials and her wise men, her governors, her commanders, and her warriors; they shall sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, declares the King, whose name is YHWH of hosts.” |
| 51:58 | כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת חוֹמוֹת בָּבֶל הָרְחָבָה בַּעְיָר תִּתְפֹּוצְצֶינָה וּשְׁעָרֶיהָ הַגְּבֹהִים בָּאֵשׁ יִשָּׂרְפוּ וְיָגְעוּ עַמִּים בְּדֵי־רִיק וּלְאֻמִּים בְּדֵי־אֵשׁ וְיָעֵפוּ׃ “Thus says YHWH of hosts: The broad wall of Babylon shall be leveled to the ground, and her high gates shall be burned with fire. The peoples labor for nothing, and the nations weary themselves only for fire.” |
| 51:59 | הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יִרְמְיָהוּ הַנָּבִיא אֶת־שְׂרָיָה בֶן־נֵרִיָּה בֶן־מַחְסֵיָה בְּלֶכְתּוֹ אֶת־צִדְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה בָּבֶלָה בִּשְׁנַת הָרְבִעִית לְמָלְכוֹ וְשְׂרָיָה שַׂר מְנוּחָה׃ “The word that Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah king of Judah to Babylon, in the fourth year of his reign. Seraiah was the quartermaster.” |
| 51:60 | וַיִּכְתֹּב יִרְמְיָהוּ אֵת כָּל־הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר תָּבוֹא אֶל־בָּבֶל אֶל־סֵפֶר אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה הַכְּתוּבִים אֶל־בָּבֶל׃ “Jeremiah wrote in a book all the disaster that should come upon Babylon, all these words that are written concerning Babylon.” |
| 51:61 | וַיֹּאמֶר יִרְמְיָהוּ אֶל־שְׂרָיָה כְּבוֹאֲךָ בָבֶלָה וּרְאִיתָ וְקָרָאתָ אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה׃ “And Jeremiah said to Seraiah: ‘When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words.'” |
| 51:62 | וְאָמַרְתָּ יְהוָה אַתָּה דִּבַּרְתָּ אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה לְהַכְרִיתוֹ לְבִלְתִּי הִשָּׁב בּוֹ מִיֹּשֵׁב מֵאָדָם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָה כִּי שְׁמָמִים יִהְיוּ׃ “And say, ‘O YHWH, you have said concerning this place that you will cut it off, so that nothing shall dwell in it, neither man nor beast, and it shall be desolate forever.’” |
| 51:63 | וְהָיָה כְכַלֹּתְךָ לִקְרֹא אֶת־הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה תִּקְשֹׁר עָלָיו אֶבֶן וְהִשְׁלַכְתּוֹ אֶל־תוֹךְ פְּרָת׃ “When you finish reading this book, tie a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates,” |
| 51:64 | וְאָמַרְתָּ כֵּן תִּשְׁקַע בָּבֶל וְלֹא־תָקוּם מִפְּנֵי הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מֵבִיא עָלֶיהָ וְיָעֵפוּ עַד־הֵנָּה דִּבְרֵי יִרְמְיָהוּ׃ “and say, ‘Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the disaster that I am bringing upon her, and they shall become exhausted.’ Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.” |
Revelation 17 and 18
Revelation 17 and 18 describe a vision of “Babylon the Great,” which is depicted as a symbol of a powerful, corrupt, and oppressive empire or system, or more broadly, any worldly power that stands in opposition to God.
The association of “Babylon” with “Atlantis” is not explicitly stated in the text of Revelation, but there is a symbolic parallel in how both are portrayed as powerful civilizations that meet a sudden and catastrophic end due to their moral corruption and opposition to divine will.
Revelation 17-18: Babylon the Great
In these chapters, Babylon the Great is described in apocalyptic terms:
- Revelation 17:1-6: Babylon is depicted as a great prostitute sitting on many waters, drunk with the blood of the saints, symbolizing her immense power and moral depravity.
- Revelation 17:5: She is called “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and of the Abominations of the Earth.”
- Revelation 17:16-17: The beast and the ten horns, which represent kings, turn against Babylon, strip her naked, eat her flesh, and burn her with fire, symbolizing her ultimate destruction.
- Revelation 18: This chapter continues with the fall of Babylon, lamented by kings, merchants, and mariners who profited from her, emphasizing the suddenness and totality of her demise.
Atlantis: A Symbolic Parallel
Atlantis, as described by Plato in the dialogues Timaeus and Critias, is an advanced and powerful civilization that becomes corrupt and is ultimately destroyed by divine forces through a catastrophic event—often interpreted as a great flood or earthquake. The story of Atlantis serves as a moral and philosophical allegory about the dangers of hubris, corruption, and the consequences of deviating from divine or natural law.
Symbolic Connections Between Babylon and Atlantis
While Revelation does not directly equate Babylon with Atlantis, the two share significant symbolic elements:
- Corruption and Hubris:
- Babylon the Great is portrayed as the epitome of moral and spiritual corruption, indulging in luxuries, persecuting the righteous, and opposing God.
- Atlantis similarly falls into corruption and decadence, abandoning its original virtues and falling out of favor with the gods.
- Divine Judgment:
- Babylon is destroyed as a result of divine judgment, emphasizing that no power, however great, can stand against God’s will.
- Atlantis is also destroyed by divine forces, as a punishment for its pride and moral decay.
- Sudden and Total Destruction:
- Both Babylon in Revelation and Atlantis in Plato’s account are destroyed suddenly and completely, leaving a lasting impression of the consequences of corruption.
Interpretation of Babylon in Revelation as Atlantis
Some interpreters may draw a parallel between Atlantis and Babylon as both symbolize the fall of great civilizations due to moral decay and divine retribution. However, this is an interpretive and allegorical connection rather than a direct one stated in the biblical text.
- Allegorical Reading: In a broader allegorical sense, one could interpret “Babylon the Great” in Revelation as representing any civilization or system that, like Atlantis, rises to power but eventually falls due to its opposition to divine principles and moral order.
Conclusion
While Revelation 17 and 18 do not explicitly identify Babylon as Atlantis, the symbolic parallels between the two can be drawn, especially in terms of their representation of corrupt and powerful civilizations that face divine judgment and destruction. Both serve as potent symbols of the ultimate futility of power and wealth when separated from righteousness and divine favor. The connection is more thematic and allegorical, reflecting a shared narrative of downfall due to moral and spiritual corruption.
