Jeremiah 51:41
Jeremiah 51:41 in Multiple Translations
How Sheshach has been captured! The praise of all the earth has been seized. What a horror Babylon has become among the nations!
How is Sheshach taken! and how is the praise of the whole earth surprised! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!
How is Sheshach taken! and the praise of the whole earth seized! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!
How is Babylon taken! and the praise of all the earth surprised! how has Babylon become a cause of wonder among the nations!
How could it be? Babylon has fallen! The most famous city in the world has been conquered! What a horrible sight Babylon has become to everyone watching!
How is Sheshach taken! and howe is the glory of the whole earth taken! how is Babel become an astonishment among the nations!
How hath Sheshach been captured, Yea, caught is the praise of the whole earth, How hath Babylon been for an astonishment among nations.
“How Sheshach is taken! How the praise of the whole earth is seized! How Babylon has become a desolation among the nations!
How is Sheshach taken! and how is the praise of the whole earth surprised! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!
How is Sesach taken, and the renowned one of all the earth surprised? How is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations?
People all over the earth now ◄honor/praise► Babylon; they say that it is a great city. But I will cause it to become a place about which people of all nations are horrified.
Berean Amplified Bible — Jeremiah 51:41
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Jeremiah 51:41 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
אֵ֚יךְ
נִלְכְּדָ֣ה
שֵׁשַׁ֔ךְ
וַ/תִּתָּפֵ֖שׂ
תְּהִלַּ֣ת
כָּל
הָ/אָ֑רֶץ
אֵ֣יךְ
הָיְתָ֧ה
לְ/שַׁמָּ֛ה
בָּבֶ֖ל
בַּ/גּוֹיִֽם
אֵ֚יךְ
ʼêyk
H349
how?
Part
נִלְכְּדָ֣ה
lâkad
H3920
to capture
V-Niphal-Perf-3fs
שֵׁשַׁ֔ךְ
Shêshak
H8347
Babylon
N-proper
וַ/תִּתָּפֵ֖שׂ
tâphas
H8610
to capture
Conj | V-Niphal-ConsecImperf-3fs
תְּהִלַּ֣ת
tᵉhillâh
H8416
praise
N-fs
כָּל
kôl
H3605
all
N-ms
הָ/אָ֑רֶץ
ʼerets
H776
land
Art | N-cs
אֵ֣יךְ
ʼêyk
H349
how?
Part
הָיְתָ֧ה
hâyâh
H1961
to be
V-Qal-Perf-3fs
לְ/שַׁמָּ֛ה
shammâh
H8047
horror
Prep | N-fs
בָּבֶ֖ל
Bâbel
H894
Babylon
N-proper
בַּ/גּוֹיִֽם
gôwy
H1471
Gentile
Prep | N-mp
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
Use ← → arrow keys to navigate between words.
Hebrew Word Reference — Jeremiah 51:41
אֵ֚יךְ
ʼêyk
H349
"how?"
Part
In the Bible, this word means 'how' or 'where', like in Genesis when God asks Adam 'where are you'. It's also used to express surprise or excitement.
Definition: interrog adv how?
Usage: Occurs in 74 OT verses. KJV: how, what. See also: Genesis 26:9; Ecclesiastes 2:16; Psalms 11:1.
נִלְכְּדָ֣ה
lâkad
H3920
"to capture"
V-Niphal-Perf-3fs
This verb means to capture or seize, often using a net or trap. In the Bible, it is used to describe taking control of something or someone, and is also used figuratively to describe being caught or stuck in a situation.
Definition: 1) to capture, take, seize 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to capture, seize 1a2) to capture (of men) (fig.) 1a3) to take (by lot) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be captured 1b2) to be caught (of men in trap, snare) (fig.) 1c) (Hithpael) to grasp each other
Usage: Occurs in 112 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, catch (self), be frozen, be holden, stick together, take. See also: Numbers 21:32; 2 Kings 18:10; Psalms 9:16.
שֵׁשַׁ֔ךְ
Shêshak
H8347
"Babylon"
N-proper
Sheshak is a symbolic name for Babylon, a major city in the ancient world. It appears in the book of Jeremiah, where the prophet writes about the city's destruction, as seen in Jeremiah 25:26.
Definition: Sheshach = "thy fine linen" another name for Babylon apparently taken from the goddess 'Shach' Another name of ba.vel (בָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶל "Babylon" H0894)
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: Sheshach. See also: Jeremiah 25:26; Jeremiah 51:41.
וַ/תִּתָּפֵ֖שׂ
tâphas
H8610
"to capture"
Conj | V-Niphal-ConsecImperf-3fs
To capture or seize something, like in 1 Kings 13:4, where a prophet grabs the king's altar. It means to take hold of or grasp something firmly.
Definition: 1) to catch, handle, lay hold, take hold of, seize, wield 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lay hold of, seize, arrest, catch 1a2) to grasp (in order to) wield, wield, use skilfully 1b) (Niphal) to be seized, be arrested, be caught, be taken, captured 1c) (Piel) to catch, grasp (with the hands)
Usage: Occurs in 60 OT verses. KJV: catch, handle, (lay, take) hold (on, over), stop, [idiom] surely, surprise, take. See also: Genesis 4:21; Jeremiah 2:8; Psalms 10:2.
תְּהִלַּ֣ת
tᵉhillâh
H8416
"praise"
N-fs
Tehillah means praise or a song of praise, often directed towards God. It can also refer to a hymn or an act of public praise, acknowledging God's qualities or deeds.
Definition: 1) praise, song or hymn of praise 1a) praise, adoration, thanksgiving (paid to God) 1b) act of general or public praise 1c) praise-song (as title) 1d) praise (demanded by qualities or deeds or attributes of God) 1e) renown, fame, glory 1e1) of Damascus, God 1e2) object of praise, possessor of renown (fig)
Usage: Occurs in 57 OT verses. KJV: praise. See also: Exodus 15:11; Psalms 106:47; Psalms 9:15.
כָּל
kôl
H3605
"all"
N-ms
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
הָ/אָ֑רֶץ
ʼerets
H776
"land"
Art | N-cs
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Definition: : soil 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth 1e) (almost wholly late in usage) 1e1) lands, countries 1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
Usage: Occurs in 2190 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 42:13.
אֵ֣יךְ
ʼêyk
H349
"how?"
Part
In the Bible, this word means 'how' or 'where', like in Genesis when God asks Adam 'where are you'. It's also used to express surprise or excitement.
Definition: interrog adv how?
Usage: Occurs in 74 OT verses. KJV: how, what. See also: Genesis 26:9; Ecclesiastes 2:16; Psalms 11:1.
הָיְתָ֧ה
hâyâh
H1961
"to be"
V-Qal-Perf-3fs
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Definition: 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about 1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Usage: Occurs in 3131 OT verses. KJV: beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 17:4; Genesis 36:11.
לְ/שַׁמָּ֛ה
shammâh
H8047
"horror"
Prep | N-fs
Shammâh refers to a state of horror or ruin, often describing a waste or desolate land. It can also mean consternation or appalment, and is used in the Bible to describe the aftermath of war or disaster.
Definition: : destroyed/waste 1) waste, horror, appalment 1a) a waste (of land, city, etc) 1b) appalment, horror Also means: sham.mah (שַׁמָּה ": appalled" H8047H)
Usage: Occurs in 39 OT verses. KJV: astonishment, desolate(-ion), waste, wonderful thing. See also: Deuteronomy 28:37; Jeremiah 29:18; Psalms 46:9.
בָּבֶ֖ל
Bâbel
H894
"Babylon"
N-proper
Babel refers to Babylon, a city and empire in the Bible, meaning confusion or mixing. It appears in Genesis 11:9 and is associated with the tower of Babel. The city was situated on the Euphrates River.
Definition: § Babel or Babylon = "confusion (by mixing)" Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates
Usage: Occurs in 233 OT verses. KJV: Babel, Babylon. See also: Genesis 10:10; Jeremiah 29:22; Psalms 87:4.
בַּ/גּוֹיִֽם
gôwy
H1471
"Gentile"
Prep | N-mp
This word refers to a Gentile, someone who is not Hebrew or Israeli. It can also describe a large group of animals or a nation of people, emphasizing their unity and shared identity.
Definition: 1) nation, people 1a) nation, people 1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people 1a2) of descendants of Abraham 1a3) of Israel 1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.) 1c) Goyim? = "nations" Also named: ethnos (ἔθνος "Gentiles" G1484)
Usage: Occurs in 511 OT verses. KJV: Gentile, heathen, nation, people. See also: Genesis 10:5; Judges 4:16; Psalms 2:1.
Study Notes — Jeremiah 51:41
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Jeremiah 51:41 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 51:41
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 51:41
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:41
- Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:41
- Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:41
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:41
- Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 51:41
- Barnes' Notes on Jeremiah 51:41
- Sermons on Jeremiah 51:41
Context — Babylon’s Punishment
39While they are flushed with heat, I will serve them a feast, and I will make them drunk so that they may revel; then they will fall asleep forever and never wake up, declares the LORD.
40I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with male goats.
41How Sheshach has been captured! The praise of all the earth has been seized. What a horror Babylon has become among the nations!
42The sea has come up over Babylon; she is covered in turbulent waves. 43Her cities have become a desolation, a dry and arid land, a land where no one lives, where no son of man passes through.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 25:26 | all the kings of the north, both near and far, one after another—all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. And after all of them, the king of Sheshach will drink it too. |
| 2 | Isaiah 13:19 | And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 49:25 | How is the city of praise not forsaken, the town that brings Me joy? |
| 4 | Deuteronomy 28:37 | You will become an object of horror, scorn, and ridicule among all the nations to which the LORD will drive you. |
| 5 | 2 Chronicles 7:21 | And when this temple has become a heap of rubble, all who pass by it will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ |
| 6 | Daniel 4:30 | the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great, which I myself have built by the might of my power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” |
| 7 | Isaiah 14:4 | you will sing this song of contempt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has ceased, and how his fury has ended! |
| 8 | Revelation 18:10–19 | 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.” And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because there is no one left to buy their cargo— cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; of cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots; of slaves and souls of men. And they will say: “The fruit of your soul’s desire has departed from you; all your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be seen again.” The merchants who sold these things and grew their wealth from her will stand at a distance, in fear of her torment. They will weep and mourn, saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!” Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. “What city was ever like this great city?” they will exclaim. Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.” |
| 9 | Daniel 4:22 | you, O king, are that tree! For you have become great and strong; your greatness has grown to reach the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth. |
| 10 | Daniel 5:1–5 | Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone. At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. As the king watched the hand that was writing, |
Jeremiah 51:41 Summary
Jeremiah 51:41 tells us that Babylon, a powerful and admired city, has been captured and has become a place of horror among the nations. This happened because Babylon turned away from God and became proud and sinful, much like the sins described in Isaiah 13:19 and Jeremiah 50:13. The Bible teaches us that when we turn away from God and become proud, we can expect God's judgment, as seen in Jeremiah 25:12-14 and Psalms 9:17. Just like Babylon, we can fall from being admired to being a place of horror if we do not follow God's commands and humble ourselves before Him, as described in 1 Peter 5:6 and Proverbs 29:23.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of Sheshach in Jeremiah 51:41?
Sheshach is another name for Babylon, as indicated in Jeremiah 25:26, where it is decoded as Babylon, highlighting the city's capture and the end of its pride as a center of worship and admiration for the surrounding nations, much like the downfall described in Isaiah 13:19.
Why does the verse say Babylon has become a horror among the nations?
This is because Babylon, once a center of power and admiration, has been overthrown by God's judgment, as prophesied in Jeremiah 51:41, and has become a desolate and feared place, much like the desolation described in Jeremiah 50:13 and the horror of God's judgment in Jeremiah 49:17.
How does this verse relate to God's judgment on sinful nations?
Jeremiah 51:41 illustrates God's judgment on sinful nations, like Babylon, which had become arrogant and idolatrous, much like the nations described in Psalms 9:17, and serves as a warning to all nations of the consequences of rebelling against God, as seen in Jeremiah 25:12-14 and Isaiah 13:11.
What does the phrase 'the praise of all the earth has been seized' mean?
This phrase suggests that Babylon, once admired and praised by all nations for its grandeur and power, has now been taken captive and its beauty and influence have been removed, much like the removal of beauty and influence described in Lamentations 1:1 and Ezekiel 26:17-18.
Reflection Questions
- How does the fall of Babylon serve as a reminder of God's power and judgment in our own lives and the world around us, and what does Jeremiah 32:17 say about God's power?
- In what ways can we, like Babylon, become proud and self-reliant, and how can we humble ourselves before God, as described in 1 Peter 5:6 and Proverbs 29:23?
- What does it mean for a nation or a person to become 'a horror' in the eyes of others, and how can we avoid this fate by following God's commands, as seen in Deuteronomy 28:37 and Proverbs 10:12?
- How does the capture of Sheshach (Babylon) illustrate the transient nature of human power and the enduring nature of God's kingdom, as described in 1 Peter 1:24-25 and Psalms 102:26-27?
Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 51:41
How is Sheshach taken!.... Not the city Shushan, as Sir John Marsham thinks (e); but Babylon, as is plain from a following clause; and so the Targum, "how is Babylon subdued!'' called Sheshach, by a
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 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! Sheshach - Babylon (cf. note, Jeremiah 25:20).
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:41
We meet with this term Sheshach only here, and ; both places leave it doubtful whether it be to be taken for an idol, which they called by the name of Shach, or a name given to the city of Babylon, which worshipped that idol, to the honour of which the Babylonians kept a yearly festival for several days; in the time of which festival they say it was that Cyrus took the city of Babylon. The praise of the whole earth; Babylon, that was so famous over all the world for her splendour. And so it is interpreted in the next words, wherein Babylon, for the punishment brought upon it, is said to be an astonishment to all nations; which makes it probable that Babylon is what was called Sheshach, by the doubling of a letter, because she worshipped Shach.
Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:41
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!Ver. 41. How is Sheshach taken?] i.e., How is Babylon destroyed beyond all expectation? See Jeremiah 25:26.
Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:41
(41) How is Sheshach taken!—“Sheshach,” it will be remembered, is the cypher which, as explained in the Note on Jeremiah 25:26, stands for Babylon. Here, in the parallelism of Hebrew poetry, it balances the actual name of the city in the second clause of the verse. The word “surprised” is the same as that rendered “stopped” in Jeremiah 51:32.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:41
Verse 41. How is Sheshach taken!] Perhaps the city is here called by the name of its idol. The praise of the whole earth] One of the seven wonders of the world; superexcellent for the height, breadth, and compass of its walls, its hanging gardens, the temple of Belus, &c., &c.
Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 51:41
41. Sheshach] i.e. Babylon. See on Jeremiah 25:26. a desolation] mg. an astonishment. Cp. Jeremiah 51:43.
Barnes' Notes on Jeremiah 51:41
Sheshach - Babylon: see the Jeremiah 51:1 note. Surprised - i. e., seized, captured.
Sermons on Jeremiah 51:41
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nebuchadnezzar Exemplifying God's Grace for Humility by Bob Hoekstra | Bob Hoekstra preaches on the transformation of Nebuchadnezzar from pride to humility, showcasing God's opposition to pride and grace for humility. Despite being driven into the fie |
|
Practical Atheism, in Denying the Agency of Divine Providence, Exposed by Samuel Davies | Samuel Davies preaches about the prevalence of practical atheism in denying the agency of divine providence, exposing the consequences of settling on one's own understanding and ne |
|
Daniel 4:34 by Chuck Smith | Chuck Smith emphasizes the importance of learning life's lessons, particularly the dangers of pride, through the story of Nebuchadnezzar. He illustrates how God desires us to under |
|
The Church According to God's Thought (Continued) Ii by T. Austin-Sparks | T. Austin-Sparks emphasizes that the Cross of Christ removes the curse of Babel, which represents humanity's attempt at self-salvation and glory. He explains that Babel symbolizes |
|
|
(How to Understand the Kjv Bible) 12 Psalm 137 by Keith Simons | Keith Simons teaches on Psalm 137, emphasizing its prophetic nature and the deep sorrow of the Israelites in Babylon after the destruction of Jerusalem. He explores the contrast be |
|
Isaiah and the Nations by A.B. Simpson | A.B. Simpson emphasizes the significance of understanding Isaiah's prophecies in the context of the surrounding nations that influenced Israel's history. He explains how Judah and |
|
|
Isaiah Chapter 5 Isaiah and the Nations by A.B. Simpson | A.B. Simpson emphasizes the significance of understanding the geopolitical context of Isaiah's prophecies, particularly the neighboring nations that influenced Israel and Judah. He |