53
ThoughכִּיBabylonבָבֶלshould go upתַעֲלֶהto the heavens,הַשָּׁמַיִםand thoughוְכִיshe should fortifyתְבַצֵּרthe heightמְרוֹםof her strength,עֻזָּהּfrom meמֵאִתִּיdevastatorsשֹׁדְדִיםwill comeיָבֹאוּto her,לָהּdeclaresנְאֻםYHWH.יְהוָה
Jeremiah 51:53
Study it in the app“Though Babylon should go up to the heavens, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, from me devastators will come to her, declares YHWH.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Jeremiah 51:53, word by word
- Babylonבָבֶלvavel
Babel, Babylon
See it on the mapWhere else “vavel” appears- should go upתַעֲלֶהtaale
go up
To go from a low place to a higher one: up the mountain, to Jerusalem or to a city.
Where else “taale” appears- to the heavensשָּׁמַיִםshamayim
sky
The high space seen above the earth, where the birds, clouds, sun and stars are.
Where else “shamayim” appears- she should fortifyתְבַצֵּרtevatser
fortify
To surround a city with walls.
Where else “tevatser” appears- the heightמְרוֹםmerom
height
What is on high: the height, the highest heaven.
Where else “merom” appears- of her strengthעֻזָּuza
refuge
A strong refuge.
Where else “uza” appears- devastatorsשֹׁדְדִיםshoddim
destroyer
The one who ruins and loots.
Where else “shoddim” appears- will comeיָבֹאוּyavou
come
To come, arrive: "days are coming".
Where else “yavou” appears- declaresנְאֻםneum
declaration
Solemn words God himself speaks: "oracle of YHWH".
Where else “neum” appears- YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears
Places in this verse
Babylon
Today: Babylon ruins, near Hillah, Iraq
A great city on the Euphrates River, in present-day Iraq, about 53 miles (85 km) south of Baghdad.
In its land the languages were confused at Babel (Gen 11:9). Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and took the people captive there (2 Kgs 25:1-11). Daniel lived there (Dan 1:1-6).
The context
52Therefore, look, days are coming, declares YHWH, when I will punish her carved images, and throughout all her land the wounded will groan.
53 · This verse (above)
54A sound of crying from Babylon, and great breaking from the land of the Chaldeans!