Jeremiah 51:58
New International Version
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Babylon’s thick wall will be leveled and her high gates set on fire; the peoples exhaust themselves for nothing, the nations’ labor is only fuel for the flames.”

New Living Translation
This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: “The thick walls of Babylon will be leveled to the ground, and her massive gates will be burned. The builders from many lands have worked in vain, for their work will be destroyed by fire!”

English Standard Version
“Thus says the LORD of hosts: The broad wall of Babylon shall be leveled to the ground, and her high gates shall be burned with fire. The peoples labor for nothing, and the nations weary themselves only for fire.”

Berean Standard Bible
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Babylon’s thick walls will be leveled, and her high gates consumed by fire. So the labor of the people will be for nothing; the nations will exhaust themselves to fuel the flames.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Thus says the LORD of hosts: “The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, And her high gates shall be burned with fire; The people will labor in vain, And the nations, because of the fire; And they shall be weary.”

New American Standard Bible
This is what the LORD of armies says: “The broad wall of Babylon will be completely demolished, And her high gates will be set on fire; So the peoples will labor for nothing, And the nations become exhausted only for fire.”

NASB 1995
Thus says the LORD of hosts, “The broad wall of Babylon will be completely razed And her high gates will be set on fire; So the peoples will toil for nothing, And the nations become exhausted only for fire.”

NASB 1977
Thus says the LORD of hosts, “The broad wall of Babylon will be completely razed, And her high gates will be set on fire; So the peoples will toil for nothing, And the nations become exhausted only for fire.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “The broad wall of Babylon will be completely razed, And her high gates will be set on fire; So the peoples will toil for nothing, And the nations become weary only for fire.”

Amplified Bible
Thus says the LORD of hosts, “The broad wall of Babylon will be completely overthrown and the foundations razed And her high gates will be set on fire; The peoples will labor in vain, And the nations become exhausted [only] for fire [that will destroy their work].”

Christian Standard Bible
This is what the LORD of Armies says: Babylon’s thick walls will be totally demolished, and her high gates set ablaze. The peoples will have labored for nothing; the nations will weary themselves only to feed the fire.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
This is what Yahweh of Hosts says: Babylon’s thick walls will be totally demolished, and her high gates consumed by fire. The peoples will have labored for nothing; the nations will exhaust themselves only to feed the fire.

American Standard Version
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly overthrown, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the peoples shall labor for vanity, and the nations for the fire; and they shall be weary.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Thus says LORD JEHOVAH of Hosts: “The broad walls of Babel shall surely be overthrown, and its high gates shall burn up in fire and the nations shall labor for nothing, and the peoples shall be afflicted in fire

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thus saith the Lord, The wall of Babylon was made broad, but it shall be completely broken down, and her high gates shall be burnt with fire; and the peoples shall not labour in vain, nor the nations fail in their rule.

Contemporary English Version
The thick walls of that city will be torn down, and its huge gates burned. Everything that nation worked so hard to gain will go up in smoke.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Thus saith the Lord of hosts: That broad wall of Babylon shall be utterly broken down, and her high gates shall be burnt with fire, and the labours of the people shall come to nothing, and of the nations shall go to the fire, and shall perish.

English Revised Version
Thus saith the LORD of hosts: The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly overthrown, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the peoples shall labour for vanity, and the nations for the fire; and they shall be weary.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
This is what the LORD of Armies says: The thick walls of Babylon will be leveled, and its high gates will be set on fire. People exhaust themselves for nothing. The nations wear themselves out only to have a fire.

Good News Translation
The walls of mighty Babylon will be thrown to the ground, and its towering gates burned down. The work of the nations is all for nothing; their efforts go up in flames. I, the LORD Almighty, have spoken."

International Standard Version
This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "The broad wall of Babylon will be completely leveled, and its high gate set on fire. and so the peoples toil for nothing, and the nations weary themselves only for fire."

JPS Tanakh 1917
Thus saith the LORD of hosts: The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly overthrown, And her high gates shall be burned with fire; And the peoples shall labour for vanity, And the nations for the fire; And they shall be weary.

Literal Standard Version
Thus said YHWH of Hosts: The wall of Babylon—The broad one—is made utterly bare, | And her high gates are burned with fire, | And peoples labor in vain, | And nations in fire, and have been weary!”

Majority Standard Bible
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Babylon’s thick walls will be leveled, and her high gates consumed by fire. So the labor of the people will be for nothing; the nations will exhaust themselves to fuel the flames.”

New American Bible
Thus says the LORD of hosts: The walls of spacious Babylon shall be leveled to the ground, its lofty gates destroyed by fire. The toil of the peoples is for nothing; the nations weary themselves for what the flames consume.

NET Bible
This is what the LORD who rules over all says, "Babylon's thick wall will be completely demolished. Her high gates will be set on fire. The peoples strive for what does not satisfy. The nations grow weary trying to get what will be destroyed."

New Revised Standard Version
Thus says the LORD of hosts: The broad wall of Babylon shall be leveled to the ground, and her high gates shall be burned with fire. The peoples exhaust themselves for nothing, and the nations weary themselves only for fire.

New Heart English Bible
Thus says the LORD of hosts: "The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly overthrown, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the peoples shall labor for vanity, and the nations for the fire; and they shall be weary."

Webster's Bible Translation
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 labor in vain, and the people in the fire, and they shall be weary.

World English Bible
Yahweh of Armies says: “The wide walls of Babylon will be utterly overthrown. Her high gates will be burned with fire. The peoples will labor for vanity, and the nations for the fire; and they will be weary.”

Young's Literal Translation
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, the wall of Babylon -- The broad one -- is utterly made bare, And her high gates with fire are burnt, And peoples labour in vain, And nations in fire, and have been weary!

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Babylon's Punishment
57I will make her princes and wise men drunk, along with her governors, officials, and warriors. Then they will fall asleep forever and not wake up,” declares the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts. 58This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Babylon’s thick walls will be leveled, and her high gates consumed by fire. So the labor of the people will be for nothing; the nations will exhaust themselves to fuel the flames.”

Cross References
Isaiah 13:2
Raise a banner on a barren hilltop; call aloud to them. Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.

Isaiah 45:1
This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut:

Isaiah 45:2
"I will go before you and level the mountains; I will break down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron.

Isaiah 47:13
You are wearied by your many counselors; let them come forward now and save you--your astrologers who observe the stars, who monthly predict your fate.

Jeremiah 9:5
Each one betrays his friend; no one tells the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they wear themselves out committing iniquity.

Jeremiah 50:15
Raise a war cry against her on every side! She has thrown up her hands in surrender; her towers have fallen; her walls are torn down. Since this is the vengeance of the LORD, take out your vengeance upon her; as she has done, do the same to her.

Jeremiah 51:44
I 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.


Treasury of Scripture

Thus said 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 labor in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.

The broad walls of babylon.

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.

Jeremiah 50:15
Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.

broken.

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.

Isaiah 45:1,2
Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; …

the people

Jeremiah 51:9,64
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…

Psalm 127:1
A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Isaiah 65:23
They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.

Jump to Previous
Armies Babylon Babylon's Broad Broken Burned Completely Exhausted Fire Flames Folk Fuel Gates High Hosts Labor Nations Overthrown Peoples Razed Themselves Thick Toil Utterly Vain Vanity Wall Walls Weary
Jump to Next
Armies Babylon Babylon's Broad Broken Burned Completely Exhausted Fire Flames Folk Fuel Gates High Hosts Labor Nations Overthrown Peoples Razed Themselves Thick Toil Utterly Vain Vanity Wall Walls Weary
Jeremiah 51
1. The severe judgment of God against Babylon, in revenge of Israel
59. Jeremiah delivers the book of this prophecy to Seraiah, to be cast into Euphrates,
64. in token of the perpetual sinking of Babylon














(58) Her high gates shall be burned with fire.--These were part of the works on which Nebuchadnezzar prided himself as the restorer of the city. The inscription already quoted refers to these as well as to the walls: "Babylon is the refuge of the god Merodach. I have finished Imgur Bel, his great enclosure. In the threshold of the great gates I have adjusted folding-doors in brass." (Oppert, ut supra; Comp. also Records of the Past, v. pp. 125, 127).

The people shall labour in vain.--The words are all but verbally identical, in some MSS. absolutely so, with those of Habakkuk 2:13. In both the thought is that the stately edifices which had been raised with so much toil by the slave-labour of Nebuchadnezzar's subjects and captives should all be fruitless. The walls of Babylon are described by Herod. (1, 173), possibly with some exaggeration, as 50 cubits (= 75 feet) thick and 200 high.

Verse 58. - The broad walls of Babylon... and her high gates. See Herod., 1:179, 181, and the parallel accounts from other authors, cited by Duncker ('Hist. of Antiquity,' 3:373, etc.), who taxes Herodotus with exaggeration, but admits as probable that the walls were not less than forty feet broad. Utterly broken; rather, destroyed even to the ground (literally, made bare). The people; rather, peoples.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
This is what
כֹּֽה־ (kōh-)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

the LORD
יְהוָ֣ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

of Hosts
צְבָא֗וֹת (ṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯ)
Noun - common plural
Strong's 6635: A mass of persons, reg, organized for, war, a campaign

says:
אָמַ֞ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Babylon’s
בָּבֶ֤ל (bā·ḇel)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 894: Babylon -- an eastern Mediterranean empire and its capital city

thick
הָֽרְחָבָה֙ (hā·rə·ḥā·ḇāh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7342: Wide, broad

walls
חֹ֠מוֹת (ḥō·mō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 2346: A wall of protection

will be leveled,
עַרְעֵ֣ר (‘ar·‘êr)
Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 6209: To bare, to demolish

and her high
הַגְּבֹהִ֖ים (hag·gə·ḇō·hîm)
Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 1364: Elevated, powerful, arrogant

gates
וּשְׁעָרֶ֥יהָ (ū·šə·‘ā·re·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

consumed
יִצַּ֑תּוּ (yiṣ·ṣat·tū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3341: To burn, set on fire, to desolate

by fire.
בָּאֵ֣שׁ (bā·’êš)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 784: A fire

So the labor
וְיִֽגְע֨וּ (wə·yiḡ·‘ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3021: To gasp, to be exhausted, to tire, to toil

of the people
עַמִּ֧ים (‘am·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

will be for nothing;
רִ֛יק (rîq)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7385: Emptiness, a worthless thing, in vain

the nations
וּלְאֻמִּ֥ים (ū·lə·’um·mîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3816: A community

will exhaust themselves
וְיָעֵֽפוּ׃ (wə·yā·‘ê·p̄ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3286: To be weary, faint

to fuel the flames.”
אֵ֖שׁ (’êš)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 784: A fire


Links
Jeremiah 51:58 NIV
Jeremiah 51:58 NLT
Jeremiah 51:58 ESV
Jeremiah 51:58 NASB
Jeremiah 51:58 KJV

Jeremiah 51:58 BibleApps.com
Jeremiah 51:58 Biblia Paralela
Jeremiah 51:58 Chinese Bible
Jeremiah 51:58 French Bible
Jeremiah 51:58 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Jeremiah 51:58 Thus says Yahweh of Armies: The broad (Jer.)
Jeremiah 51:57
Top of Page
Top of Page