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.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is therein, will sing for joy over Babylon; for the destroyers will come to her from the north,” says Yahweh.
- BSB Then heaven and earth and all that is in them will shout for joy over Babylon because the destroyers from the north will come against her,” declares the LORD.
- NKJV Then the heavens and the earth and all that is in them Shall sing joyously over Babylon; For the plunderers shall come to her from the north,” says the Lord.
- NASB “Then heaven and earth and everything that is in them Will shout for joy over Babylon, Because the destroyers will come to her from the north,” Declares the Lord.
- NLT Then the heavens and earth will rejoice, for out of the north will come destroying armies against Babylon,” says the Lord.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Heaven and earth and all in them will sing for joy over Babylon's fall when destroyers come from the north. All creation rejoices when oppression is judged.
Overview
The universal rejoicing reflects that Babylon's tyranny offended the moral order, so her downfall is cause for cosmic praise. The 'destroyers from the north' are again the Medo-Persian forces God appoints. This anticipates the heavenly rejoicing over Babylon's fall in Revelation 18-19, when God's righteous judgment vindicates His people and His Christ is glorified.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Isa 44:23Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
- Rev 18:20Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
- Jer 50:3For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast.
- Isa 48:20Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob.
- Isa 49:13Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
- Jer 50:41Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
- Rev 15:1–4And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
- Jer 50:9For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.
- Rev 16:4–7And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
- Rev 19:1–7And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
- Ps 58:10–11The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
- Prov 11:10When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
- Jer 51:10–11The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.
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Christ at the center
Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.
How Jeremiah 51:48 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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