Mesopotamia, on the Euphrates · Today: near Hillah, Iraq
Babylon in the Bible
Babylon is the tower of Genesis, the empire that burns Jerusalem and deports Judah, and finally the New Testament's symbol for every proud city that sets itself against God.
Archaeology
The Ishtar Gate, Nebuchadnezzar's ration tablets naming King Jehoiachin of Judah among those receiving oil, and the Babylonian Chronicle's account of Jerusalem's capture in 597 BC all survive.
Verses mentioning Babylon
298 occurrences across 261 verses in the King James Version.
- Jeremiah 51:6
Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD'S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:7
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD'S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:8
Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:9
We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:11
Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple. bright: Heb. pure
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:12
Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon. ambushes: Heb. liers in wait
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:24
And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:29
And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:30
The mighty men of Babylon have forborn to fight, they have remained in their holds: their might hath failed; they became as women: they have burned her dwellingplaces; her bars are broken.
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:31
One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to shew the king of Babylon that his city is taken at one end,
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:33
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. it is: or, in the time that he thresheth her
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:34
Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out.
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:35
The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say. The violence: Heb. My violence flesh: or, remainder inhabitant: Heb. inhabitress
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:37
And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:41
How is Sheshach taken! and how is the praise of the whole earth surprised! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:42
The sea is come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof.
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:44
And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:47
Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her. do: Heb. visit upon
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:48
Then the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for Babylon: for the spoilers shall come unto her from the north, saith the LORD.
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:49
As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth. As: or, Both Babylon is to fall, O ye slain of Israel, and with Babylon, etc the earth: or, the country
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:53
Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the LORD.
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:54
A sound of a cry cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans:
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:55
Because the LORD hath spoiled Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves do roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered:
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:56
Because the spoiler is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, every one of their bows is broken: for the LORD God of recompences shall surely requite.
Read in context - Jeremiah 51:58
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary. The broad: or, The walls of broad Babylon broken: or, made naked
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