Jeremiah 51:37
New International Version
Babylon will be a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals, an object of horror and scorn, a place where no one lives.

New Living Translation
and Babylon will become a heap of ruins, haunted by jackals. She will be an object of horror and contempt, a place where no one lives.

English Standard Version
and Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, the haunt of jackals, a horror and a hissing, without inhabitant.

Berean Standard Bible
Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals, an object of horror and scorn, without inhabitant.

King James Bible
And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.

New King James Version
Babylon shall become a heap, A dwelling place for jackals, An astonishment and a hissing, Without an inhabitant.

New American Standard Bible
“Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals, An object of horror and hissing, without inhabitants.

NASB 1995
“Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals, An object of horror and hissing, without inhabitants.

NASB 1977
“And Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals, An object of horror and hissing, without inhabitants.

Legacy Standard Bible
Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals, An object of horror and hissing, without inhabitants.

Amplified Bible
“Babylon will become a heap [of ruins], a haunt and dwelling place of jackals, An object of horror (an astonishing desolation) and a hissing [of scorn and amazement], without inhabitants.

Christian Standard Bible
Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a jackals’ den, a desolation and an object of scorn, without inhabitant.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a jackals’ den, a desolation and an object of scorn, without inhabitant.

American Standard Version
And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.

Contemporary English Version
Babylon will be a pile of rubble where only jackals live, and everyone will be afraid to walk among the ruins.

English Revised Version
And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for jackals, an astonishment, and an hissing, without inhabitant.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Babylon will become piles of rubble. It will become a dwelling place for jackals, something horrible, and an object of contempt, where no one lives.

Good News Translation
That country will become a pile of ruins where wild animals live. It will be a horrible sight; no one will live there, and all who see it will be terrified.

International Standard Version
Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a refuge for jackals, a desolate place and an object of scorn.

Majority Standard Bible
Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals, an object of horror and scorn, without inhabitant.

NET Bible
Babylon will become a heap of ruins. Jackals will make their home there. It will become an object of horror and of hissing scorn, a place where no one lives.

New Heart English Bible
Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for dragons, an astonishment, and a hissing, without an inhabitant.

World English Bible
Babylon will become heaps, a dwelling place for jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Babylon has been for heaps, "" A habitation of dragons, "" An astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.

Young's Literal Translation
And Babylon hath been for heaps, A habitation of dragons, An astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Babel was for heaps, a habitation of jackals, an astonishment and a hissing, from none inhabiting.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Babylon shall be reduced to heaps, a dwelling place for dragons, an astonishment and a hissing, because there is no inhabitant.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Babylon will become a tumult, the habitation of dragons, an astonishment, and a hissing, because there is no inhabitant.

New American Bible
Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals; A place of horror and hissing, without inhabitants.

New Revised Standard Version
and Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, a den of jackals, an object of horror and of hissing, without inhabitant.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for jackals, an astonishment and a hissing, without an inhabitant.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Babel shall be desolate, a dwelling for jackals and for an astonishment and for hissing, without one inhabitant in it
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Babylon shall become heaps, A dwelling-place for jackals, An astonishment, and a hissing, Without inhabitant.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Babylon shall be a desolation, and shall not be inhabited.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Babylon's Punishment
36Therefore this is what the LORD says: “Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance on your behalf; I will dry up her sea and make her springs run dry. 37Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals, an object of horror and scorn, without inhabitant. 38They will roar together like young lions; they will growl like lion cubs.…

Cross References
Isaiah 13:19-22
And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. / She will never be inhabited or settled from generation to generation; no nomad will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flock there. / But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill her houses. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about. ...

Revelation 18:2
And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.

Isaiah 34:11-15
The desert owl and screech owl will possess it, and the great owl and raven will dwell in it. The LORD will stretch out over Edom a measuring line of chaos and a plumb line of destruction. / No nobles will be left to proclaim a king, and all her princes will come to nothing. / Her towers will be overgrown with thorns, her fortresses with thistles and briers. She will become a haunt for jackals, an abode for ostriches. ...

Revelation 14:8
Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.”

Isaiah 47:1-5
“Go down and sit in the dust, O Virgin Daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, O Daughter of the Chaldeans! For you will no longer be called tender or delicate. / Take millstones and grind flour; remove your veil; strip off your skirt, bare your thigh, and wade through the streams. / Your nakedness will be uncovered and your shame will be exposed. I will take vengeance; I will spare no one.” ...

Revelation 17:1-5
Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. / The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.” / And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. ...

Isaiah 14:22-23
“I will rise up against them,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will cut off from Babylon her name and her remnant, her offspring and her posterity,” declares the LORD. / “I will make her a place for owls and for swamplands; I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of Hosts.

Revelation 18:21-24
Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again. / And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again. / The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.” ...

Isaiah 21:9
Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

Revelation 16:19
The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.

Isaiah 24:10-12
The city of chaos is shattered; every house is closed to entry. / In the streets they cry out for wine. All joy turns to gloom; rejoicing is exiled from the land. / The city is left in ruins; its gate is reduced to rubble.

Revelation 19:2-3
For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her hand.” / And a second time they called out: “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises forever and ever.”

Isaiah 25:2
Indeed, You have made the city a heap of rubble, the fortified town a ruin. The fortress of strangers is a city no more; it will never be rebuilt.

Revelation 18:10
In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”

Isaiah 13:6-9
Wail, for the Day of the LORD is near; it will come as destruction from the Almighty. / Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man’s heart will melt. / Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look at one another, their faces flushed with fear. ...


Treasury of Scripture

And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.

become

Jeremiah 51:25,26,29
Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain…

Jeremiah 25:9,12,18
Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations…

Jeremiah 50:12,13,23-26,38-40
Your mother shall be sore confounded; she that bare you shall be ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert…

an hissing

Jeremiah 18:16
To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.

Jeremiah 19:8
And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof.

Jeremiah 29:18
And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:

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Astonishment Babylon Cause Dragons Dwelling Dwellingplace Dwelling-Place Habitation Haunt Heap Heaps Hissing Hole Horror Inhabitant Inhabitants Jackals Mass Object Ruins Scorn Surprise Walls Wonder
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Astonishment Babylon Cause Dragons Dwelling Dwellingplace Dwelling-Place Habitation Haunt Heap Heaps Hissing Hole Horror Inhabitant Inhabitants Jackals Mass Object Ruins Scorn Surprise Walls Wonder
Jeremiah 51
1. The severe judgment of God against Babylon, in revenge of Israel
59. Jeremiah delivers the book of this prophecy to Seraiah, to be cast into Euphrates,
64. in token of the perpetual sinking of Babylon














Babylon
The name "Babylon" is derived from the Hebrew "Babel," which means "confusion." Historically, Babylon was a powerful city-state in ancient Mesopotamia, known for its grandeur and as a center of idolatry and opposition to God. In the biblical narrative, Babylon often symbolizes human pride and rebellion against God. The prophecy against Babylon in Jeremiah 51 is a declaration of divine judgment against a nation that epitomized arrogance and defiance. This serves as a reminder of the ultimate futility of human pride and the sovereignty of God over all nations.

will become a heap of rubble
The phrase "heap of rubble" signifies complete destruction and desolation. In Hebrew, the word for "rubble" can also imply ruins or debris left after a catastrophic event. This prophecy foretells the utter downfall of Babylon, once a symbol of human achievement and power. The imagery of a "heap of rubble" underscores the transient nature of earthly kingdoms and the enduring power of God's judgment. It serves as a warning that no matter how mighty a nation may seem, it is ultimately subject to God's will.

a haunt of jackals
The term "haunt of jackals" evokes a picture of desolation and abandonment. Jackals are scavengers, often associated with deserted and uninhabitable places. In the Hebrew context, the presence of jackals indicates a place that has been forsaken by humans and left to wild animals. This imagery reinforces the idea of Babylon's complete desolation, transforming from a bustling metropolis to a wilderness. It serves as a metaphor for the spiritual desolation that results from turning away from God.

an object of horror and scorn
The phrase "object of horror and scorn" reflects the reaction of onlookers to Babylon's downfall. In Hebrew, "horror" conveys a sense of fear and astonishment, while "scorn" implies derision and contempt. This prophecy indicates that Babylon, once revered and feared, will become a cautionary tale of divine retribution. It highlights the reversal of fortunes that occurs when a nation or individual sets itself against God. The transformation from glory to disgrace serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of pride and idolatry.

without inhabitant
The phrase "without inhabitant" emphasizes the totality of Babylon's destruction. In the Hebrew context, the absence of inhabitants signifies a complete and irreversible desolation. This prophecy underscores the finality of God's judgment, leaving no room for recovery or restoration. It serves as a sobering reminder of the seriousness of divine justice and the importance of aligning oneself with God's will. The desolation of Babylon stands as a testament to the ultimate triumph of God's righteousness over human rebellion.

(37) Babylon shall become heaps . . .--It is significant, as emphasising the law of retribution, that the terms are the same as those used of Jerusalem in Jeremiah 9:11; Jeremiah 19:8; Jeremiah 25:9; Jeremiah 25:18. Nothing is more characteristic of the present aspect of Babylon than the "heaps" or mounds of brickwork, fragments of pottery and earth, that are now scattered over the plain, and are slowly yielding up their records of the past to explorers. The "dragons" here (not the same word as in Jeremiah 51:34) are the "jackals" that howl in the ruins. (See Note on Jeremiah 10:22.) . . . Verse 37. - Heaps. "Vast 'heaps,' or mounds, shapeless and unsightly, are scattered at intervals over the entire region where it is certain that Babylon anciently stood" (Rawlinson, 'Ancient Monarchies,' 2:521). Dragons; rather, jackals.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Babylon
בָבֶ֨ל ׀ (ḇā·ḇel)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 894: Babylon -- an eastern Mediterranean empire and its capital city

will become
וְהָיְתָה֩ (wə·hā·yə·ṯāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

a heap of rubble,
לְגַלִּ֧ים ׀ (lə·ḡal·lîm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1530: Something rolled, a heap of stone, dung, a spring of water

a haunt
מְעוֹן־ (mə·‘ō·wn-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4583: An abode, of God, men, animals, a retreat

of jackals,
תַּנִּ֛ים (tan·nîm)
Noun - common plural
Strong's 8577: A marine, land monster, sea-serpent, jackal

an object of horror
שַׁמָּ֥ה (šam·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8047: Ruin, consternation

and scorn,
וּשְׁרֵקָ֖ה (ū·šə·rê·qāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8322: (object of derisive) hissing

without
מֵאֵ֥ין (mê·’ên)
Preposition-m | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

inhabitant.
יוֹשֵֽׁב׃ (yō·wō·šêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 51:37 Babylon shall become heaps a dwelling place (Jer.)
Jeremiah 51:36
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