Jeremiah 51:42
Jeremiah 51:42 in Multiple Translations
The sea has come up over Babylon; she is covered in turbulent waves.
The sea is come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof.
The sea is come up upon Babylon; she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof.
The sea has come up over Babylon; she is covered with the mass of its waves.
It's as if the sea has flooded over Babylon, covering her in crashing waves.
The sea is come vp vpon Babel: he is couered with the multitude of the waues thereof.
Come up against Babylon hath the sea, With a multitude of its billows it hath been covered.
The sea has come up on Babylon. She is covered with the multitude of its waves.
The sea is come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of its waves.
The sea is come up over Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof.
The enemies of Babylon will cover the city like huge waves of the sea [DOU].
Berean Amplified Bible — Jeremiah 51:42
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 51:42 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
עָלָ֥ה
עַל
בָּבֶ֖ל
הַ/יָּ֑ם
בַּ/הֲמ֥וֹן
גַּלָּ֖י/ו
נִכְסָֽתָה
עָלָ֥ה
ʻâlâh
H5927
to ascend
V-Qal-Perf-3ms
עַל
ʻal
H5921
upon
Prep
בָּבֶ֖ל
Bâbel
H894
Babylon
N-proper
הַ/יָּ֑ם
yâm
H3220
West
Art | N-ms
בַּ/הֲמ֥וֹן
hâmôwn
H1995
crowd
Prep | N-ms
גַּלָּ֖י/ו
gal
H1530
heap
N-mp | Suff
נִכְסָֽתָה
kâçâh
H3680
to cover
V-Niphal-Perf-3fs
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Jeremiah 51:42
עָלָ֥ה
ʻâlâh
H5927
"to ascend"
V-Qal-Perf-3ms
To ascend means to go up or rise, like the smoke from an altar going up to God, as described in many Bible passages, including Leviticus and Psalms.
Definition: : rise/go 1) to go up, ascend, climb 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go up, ascend 1a2) to meet, visit, follow, depart, withdraw, retreat 1a3) to go up, come up (of animals) 1a4) to spring up, grow, shoot forth (of vegetation) 1a5) to go up, go up over, rise (of natural phenomenon) 1a6) to come up (before God) 1a7) to go up, go up over, extend (of boundary) 1a8) to excel, be superior to 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be taken up, be brought up, be taken away 1b2) to take oneself away 1b3) to be exalted 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to bring up, cause to ascend or climb, cause to go up 1c2) to bring up, bring against, take away 1c3) to bring up, draw up, train 1c4) to cause to ascend 1c5) to rouse, stir up (mentally) 1c6) to offer, bring up (of gifts) 1c7) to exalt 1c8) to cause to ascend, offer 1d) (Hophal) 1d1) to be carried away, be led up 1d2) to be taken up into, be inserted in 1d3) to be offered 1e) (Hithpael) to lift oneself
Usage: Occurs in 817 OT verses. KJV: arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, [idiom] mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, [phrase] perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work. See also: Genesis 2:6; Exodus 34:4; Joshua 7:6.
עַל
ʻal
H5921
"upon"
Prep
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Definition: prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) 1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity) 1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion) 1h) to (as a dative)
Usage: Occurs in 4493 OT verses. KJV: above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, [idiom] with. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 24:13; Genesis 41:33.
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.
הַ/יָּ֑ם
yâm
H3220
"West"
Art | N-ms
Refers to a large body of water like the Mediterranean Sea or a sea in general, sometimes specifically the west or seaward direction.
Definition: This name means sea, seaward, westward Another name of eph.ron (עֶפְרוֹן "(Mount )Ephron" H6085H)
Usage: Occurs in 339 OT verses. KJV: sea ([idiom] -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward). See also: Genesis 1:10; Joshua 17:10; Psalms 8:9.
בַּ/הֲמ֥וֹן
hâmôwn
H1995
"crowd"
Prep | N-ms
Being in a state of turmoil or having a lot of noise is what this Hebrew word means. It can also refer to a large crowd or abundance of something, like in the book of Proverbs where it describes a multitude of people.
Definition: 1) murmur, roar, crowd, abundance, tumult, sound 1a) sound, murmur, rush, roar 1b) tumult, confusion 1c) crowd, multitude 1d) great number, abundance 1e) abundance, wealth
Usage: Occurs in 78 OT verses. KJV: abundance, company, many, multitude, multiply, noise, riches, rumbling, sounding, store, tumult. See also: Genesis 17:4; Isaiah 33:3; Psalms 37:16.
גַּלָּ֖י/ו
gal
H1530
"heap"
N-mp | Suff
A gal is a heap of stones, a spring of water, or a wave, used in various contexts like ratifying a covenant or describing God's chastisement.
Definition: : heap/pile 1) heap, spring, wave, billow 1a) heap (of stones) 1a1) over dead body 1a2) alone 1a3) used in ratifying a covenant 1b) waves (fig. of chastisement of Jehovah) 1c) spring Also means: gal (גַּל ": wave" H1530H)
Usage: Occurs in 31 OT verses. KJV: billow, heap, spring, wave. See also: Genesis 31:46; Psalms 107:29; Psalms 42:8.
נִכְסָֽתָה
kâçâh
H3680
"to cover"
V-Niphal-Perf-3fs
To cover something means to fill up hollows or hide something from view, as seen in many biblical stories. This verb is used in various forms throughout the Bible, such as to cover oneself with clothing or to conceal something for protection. It can also mean to overwhelm or spread over something.
Definition: 1) to cover, conceal, hide 1a) (Qal) conceal, covered (participle) 1b) (Niphal) to be covered 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to cover, clothe 1c2) to cover, conceal 1c3) to cover (for protection) 1c4) to cover over, spread over 1c5) to cover, overwhelm 1d) (Pual) 1d1) to be covered 1d2) to be clothed 1e) (Hithpael) to cover oneself, clothe oneself
Usage: Occurs in 149 OT verses. KJV: clad self, close, clothe, conceal, cover (self), (flee to) hide, overwhelm. Compare H3780 (כָּשָׂה). See also: Genesis 7:19; Psalms 32:1; Psalms 32:5.
Study Notes — Jeremiah 51:42
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Jeremiah 51:42 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 51:42
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 51:42
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:42
- Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:42
- Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:42
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:42
- Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 51:42
- Barnes' Notes on Jeremiah 51:42
- Sermons on Jeremiah 51:42
Context — Babylon’s Punishment
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. 44I will punish Bel in Babylon. I will make him spew out what he swallowed. The nations will no longer stream to him; even the wall of Babylon will fall.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 8:7–8 | the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates — the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks. It will pour into Judah, swirling and sweeping over it, reaching up to the neck; its spreading streams will cover your entire land, O Immanuel! |
| 2 | Daniel 9:26 | Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing. Then the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood, and until the end there will be war; desolations have been decreed. |
| 3 | Psalms 18:4 | The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me. |
| 4 | Psalms 18:16 | He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. |
| 5 | Psalms 93:3 | The floodwaters have risen, O LORD; the rivers have raised their voice; the seas lift up their pounding waves. |
| 6 | Jeremiah 51:55 | For the LORD will destroy Babylon; He will silence her mighty voice. The waves will roar like great waters; the tumult of their voices will resound. |
| 7 | Psalms 65:7 | You stilled the roaring of the seas, the pounding of their waves, and the tumult of the nations. |
| 8 | Psalms 42:7 | Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and waves have rolled over me. |
| 9 | Luke 21:25 | There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves. |
| 10 | Ezekiel 27:26–34 | Your oarsmen have brought you onto the high seas, but the east wind will shatter you in the heart of the sea. Your wealth, wares, and merchandise, your sailors, captains, and shipwrights, your merchants and all the warriors within you, with all the other people on board, will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall. The countryside will shake when your sailors cry out. All who handle the oars will abandon their ships. The sailors and all the captains of the sea will stand on the shore. They will raise their voices for you and cry out bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes. They will shave their heads for you and wrap themselves in sackcloth. They will weep over you with anguish of soul and bitter mourning. As they wail and mourn over you, they will take up a lament for you: ‘Who was ever like Tyre, silenced in the middle of the sea? When your wares went out to sea, you satisfied many nations. You enriched the kings of the earth with your abundant wealth and merchandise. Now you are shattered by the seas in the depths of the waters; your merchandise and the people among you have gone down with you. |
Jeremiah 51:42 Summary
[Jeremiah 51:42 is a powerful picture of God's judgment on the city of Babylon, using the image of a sea overwhelming the city to convey the idea of a powerful and unstoppable force. This verse reminds us that God is sovereign and all-powerful, and that His judgment can be fierce and overwhelming, as seen in verses like Jeremiah 51:40-44 and Revelation 6:15-17. Just as the sea can be a destructive force, God's judgment can be a devastating reality for those who oppose Him, but for those who trust in Him, it can also be a reminder of His love and care, as seen in Psalm 107:23-32.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the 'sea' represent in Jeremiah 51:42?
The 'sea' in this verse is likely a metaphor for the powerful and overwhelming forces of God's judgment, as seen in other passages like Isaiah 5:30 and Revelation 21:1, where the sea is associated with chaos and destruction.
Is Jeremiah 51:42 a literal or symbolic prophecy?
While the verse may have a literal fulfillment in the sense of Babylon being overrun by armies, the language used is also richly symbolic, drawing on the biblical theme of the sea as a force of chaos, as seen in Genesis 1:2 and Psalm 104:6-9.
How does Jeremiah 51:42 relate to the surrounding verses?
This verse is part of a larger prophetic oracle against Babylon, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of God's judgment, as seen in Jeremiah 51:40-44, where Babylon is described as being utterly devastated and desolate.
What does this verse teach us about God's power and judgment?
Jeremiah 51:42 highlights God's sovereign power to execute judgment on nations and empires, as seen in verses like Jeremiah 51:43-44, and serves as a reminder of the importance of fearing and revering God, as taught in Proverbs 1:7 and Matthew 10:28.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways in which God's judgment can be like a 'sea' in my own life, overwhelming and transformative?
- How can I apply the lesson of Jeremiah 51:42 to my own life, in terms of trusting in God's power and sovereignty?
- In what ways can I see the 'turbulent waves' of God's judgment at work in the world around me, and how should I respond?
- What does this verse teach me about the importance of humility and repentance in the face of God's judgment, as seen in 1 Peter 5:6-7?
Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 51:42
The sea is come up upon Babylon,.... A vast army, comparable to the great sea for the multitude thereof, even the army of the Medes and Persians under Cyrus; so the Targum, "a king with his armies,
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 51:42
The sea is come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof. The sea is come up upon Babylon - "the sea" - i:e., the host of Median invaders. The image (cf.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:42
A multitude of enemies, that are like the sea in which there is a multitude of waters, or that will overrun them as the sea overfloweth the shore, or any land into which it once breaketh.
Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:42
Jeremiah 51:42 The sea is come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof.Ver. 42. The sea is come up upon Babylon.] A sea of hostile forces; what wonder, therefore, though she be taken?
Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:42
(42) The sea is come up upon Babylon . . .—The literal explanation of the words as referring to the foundation of the Euphrates adopted by some commentators is clearly inadmissible, and is at variance with the next verse. The prophet falls back on an image which he had used before (Jeremiah 46:7), and which had become familiar through Isaiah (Isaiah 8:7-8; Isaiah 17:12), and speaks of Babylon as covered with the great sea of nations that were sweeping over her.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Jeremiah 51:42
Verse 42. The sea is come up] A multitude of foes have inundated the city.
Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 51:42
42. The sea is come up] the hostile army arriving in overwhelming force. Cp. Jeremiah 46:7-8, Jeremiah 47:2; Isaiah 17:12.
Barnes' Notes on Jeremiah 51:42
By a grand metaphor the invading army is compared to the sea.
Sermons on Jeremiah 51:42
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Epistle 56 by George Fox | George Fox preaches about the importance of heeding the light of Christ within, which calls our minds away from worldly lusts and evil desires, and towards God for renewal and wors |
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Jude #3 - the Angels That Sinned by Chuck Missler | In this sermon, the speaker discusses a controversial passage in the Bible, specifically verse 6 of Jude. The speaker presents three views on the interpretation of this verse. The |
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The Forbidden Chapter Isa 52-53 by Jacob Prasch | In this sermon, the speaker addresses the omission of Isaiah 52 and 53, which is often referred to as the "Forbidden Chapter," from synagogue liturgy. The speaker reads from Isaiah |
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Midrash - Messiah, Son of Joseph-David by Jacob Prasch | In this sermon, Dr. Pat addresses the reasons why many Jewish people, including rabbis, struggle to accept Jesus as the Messiah. He acknowledges the history of persecution and viol |
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Demonstration 17 (Of Christ the Son of God) by Aphraates | Aphraates addresses the Jews who blaspheme the Gentiles for worshiping Jesus as the Son of God, countering their argument by explaining that righteous men like Moses were also call |
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Parable of the Pounds (Part 1) by J.C. Ryle | J.C. Ryle discusses the Parable of the Pounds, emphasizing the misunderstanding of Jesus' disciples regarding the immediate establishment of God's kingdom. He highlights their erro |
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The King of the North by John F. Walvoord | John F. Walvoord preaches about the prophetic significance of the great world conflict predicted in the Scriptures, involving a revived Roman Empire, a ten-nation confederacy, and |