Jeremiah 51:7

“A cup of gold was Babylon in the hand of YHWH, making drunk all the earth; of her wine the nations drank; therefore the nations go mad.”
Jeremiah 51:7 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

A cupכּוֹסof goldזָהָבwas Babylonבָּבֶלin the handבְּיַדof YHWH,יְהוָהmaking drunkמְשַׁכֶּרֶתallכָּלthe earth;הָאָרֶץof her wineמִיֵּינָהּthe nationsגוֹיִםdrank;שָׁתוּthereforeעַל כֵּןthe nationsגוֹיִםgo mad.יִתְהֹלְלוּ

Allusion · Revelation 14:8

Go to Revelation 14:8

Both texts speak of the fall of Babylon, which made the nations drink her wine.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

נָפְלָהnaflaH5307ἜπεσενEpesenG4098“fall; decline”
בָּבֶלbavelH894ΒαβυλὼνBabylōnG897“Babylon”
יֵּינָyenaH3196οἴνουoinouG3631“wine”
שָׁתוּshatuH8354πεπότικενpepotikenG4222“drink”
גוֹיִםgoyimH1471ἔθνηethnēG1484“nation”

Jeremiah 51:7, word by word

A cupכּוֹסkos

cup

A drinking vessel; also the lot that falls to each one to drink, good or bad.

Where else “kos” appears

of goldזָהָבzahav

gold

Gold.

Where else “zahav” appears

was Babylonבָּבֶלbavel

Babel, Babylon

See it on the map Where else “bavel” appears

in the handיַדyad

power

Literally "the hand": the strength and control someone has.

Where else “yad” appears

of 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

making drunkמְשַׁכֶּרֶתmeshakeret

make drunk

To make another drunk.

Where else “meshakeret” appears

the earthאָרֶץarets

people

The people who live on the earth.

Where else “arets” appears

of her wineיֵּינָyena

wine

Wine; also drunkenness.

Where else “yena” appears

the nationsגוֹיִםgoyim

Gentiles

The peoples other than Israel.

Where else “goyim” appears

drankשָׁתוּshatu

drink

Drink.

Where else “shatu” appears

go madיִתְהֹלְלוּyithollu

go mad

To lose one's reason and behave without control, like a madman.

Where else “yithollu” appears

Places in this verse

Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.

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).
Genesis 11:9 2 Kings 25:1 Psalms 137:1 Daniel 1:1

The context

6Flee from the midst of Babylon, and save, each one, his life! Do not be silenced in her iniquity, for this is a time of vengeance for YHWH; a recompense he is paying to her.

7 · This verse (above)

8Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.

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