Jeremiah 50:13
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The verse doesn't just describe Babylon's destruction as a judgment, but specifically highlights the reaction of onlookers. Their astonishment and "hissing" aren't just expressions of shock, but a scornful mockery, a celebration of its downfall, underscoring Babylon's ultimate shame and the public display of God's vengeance. This shows that God's judgment isn't just about punishment, but also about making His power and righteousness undeniably visible.
Because of the wrath of the LORD she shall not be inhabited but shall be an utter desolation; everyone who passes by Babylon shall be appalled, and hiss because of all her wounds.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of Jeremiah's prophecy against Babylon, following his pronouncements against other nations. It describes the utter destruction of the city as a direct consequence of God's righteous anger against its sin and its oppressive actions against His people. Travelers who witness this desolate ruin will be stunned and mock its downfall, serving as a stark warning about the irreversible judgment of God.
Why does God's anger matter so much for a city's fate? This verse points to something far beyond human conflict.
Jeremiah 50:13 opens with a profound statement: Babylon's fate is sealed 'Because of the wrath of the LORD.' This isn't just a divine temper tantrum; it's the inevitable consequence of profound rebellion and injustice against God and His people.
Divine Justice in Action
Calvin highlights that this judgment demonstrates God's vengeance against the Chaldeans for their 'unjustly raged against the Church.' Gill adds that Babylon provoked God through idolatry, luxury, mistreatment of His people, and defiling sacred objects.
This emphasizes that human empires, no matter how powerful, are accountable to the Creator. Their rise and fall are not random but fall under God's sovereign justice. When a nation or people directly oppose God's purposes and people, the result is desolation, not prosperity.
Imagine passing by a once-mighty city, now utterly ruined. What would you feel? What would you say?
The verse paints a vivid picture of the aftermath: 'everyone who passes by Babylon shall be appalled, and hiss because of all her wounds.' This describes the reaction of observers to Babylon's complete destruction.
A Spectacle of Judgment
Commentators note this is a repeated prophetic formula, often used to describe extreme desolation (Jeremiah 19:8, 49:17). It signifies not just emptiness but a horrifying spectacle.
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This reaction highlights how the judgment of God on a wicked city becomes a public testament, a lesson for all who witness or hear of it. It serves as a warning and a confirmation of God's power over human pride.
Understand the original words
chemah · Hebrew Noun
A manifestation of God's holy and righteous reaction against sin, rebellion, and injustice. It is not merely emotional anger but a judicial response of the Creator against evil.
shemamah · Hebrew Noun
A state of complete destruction or ruin, often as a result of divine judgment for sin, where a place becomes uninhabitable and desolate.
Jeremiah's prophecy against Babylon wasn't just about its military defeat by Persia, but about its utter and permanent desolation as a consequence of its sins against God and His people. The awe and scorn of passersby highlight the shocking finality of God's judgment.
c. 605 BC
Babylon's First Deportation of Judeans
Nebuchadnezzar I conquers Jerusalem, beginning the Babylonian exile. This event marks the start of Babylon's oppressive rule over Judah and the profanation of the Temple.
587/586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar II destroys Jerusalem and its magnificent Temple, a catastrophic event for the Judean people and a sign of God's judgment.
c. 550 BC
Rise of Cyrus the Great
Cyrus the Great begins his ascent, uniting the Medes and Persians, setting the stage for the eventual conquest of Babylon.
539 BC— this verse
Conquest of Babylon by Persia
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, ending the Neo-Babylonian Empire. This event fulfills prophecies concerning Babylon's downfall, though Jeremiah's prophecy speaks of its ultimate desolation.
c. 450 BC
Herodotus Describes Babylon's Walls
The Greek historian Herodotus visits the region and describes Babylon's immense fortifications and its still-impressive, though diminished, city structure.
c. AD 150
Pausanias Notes Babylon's Ruins
The traveler Pausanias notes that by his time, only the walls of Babylon remained, indicating a significant degree of decay and abandonment.
This passage shares striking similarities, describing Babylon's complete destruction and abandonment as a result of God's judgment, echoing the 'utter desolation' and the idea that it will never be inhabited again.
Jeremiah 19:8This verse uses the exact same imagery of being 'astonished' and 'hissing' at the plagues of a desolate city, showing this is a recurring prophetic motif for divine judgment.
Jeremiah 49:17Similar to Edom's fate, this verse describes a terrifying desolation where passersby will be astonished and hiss, reinforcing the theme of widespread ruin as a consequence of sin.
Deuteronomy 28:37This passage directly connects the curses for disobedience to becoming 'a proverb and a byword' and being 'astonished' and 'hissing,' providing the Old Testament legal basis for this kind of prophetic warning.
Revelation 18:2This New Testament passage describes Babylon's fall with similar language, proclaiming 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!' and that she has become a dwelling place for demons and a haunt for every unclean bird, underscoring the enduring concept of Babylon's ultimate destruction.
calvinJeremiah 50:13: "Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues."
- Ab indignatione Jehovae non habitabitur (hoc est, praee indignatione, aut, propter indignationem,) et erit vastitas tota; quisquis transierit per Babylonem stupebit, et sibilabit super omnibus plagis ejus.
Jeremiah again repeats that the destruction of Babylon would be an evidence of God's vengeance,…
gillJeremiah 50:13: "Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues."
Because of the wrath of the Lord, it shall not be inhabited,.... That is, Babylon; which the Targum expresses, "because thou, Babylon, hast provoked the Lord;'' by their idolatry, luxury, ill usage of his people, and profanation of the vessels of the sanctuary; therefore it should be destroyed, and left w…
The verse doesn't just describe Babylon's destruction as a judgment, but specifically highlights the reaction of onlookers. Their astonishment and "hissing" aren't just expressions of shock, but a scornful mockery, a celebration of its downfall, underscoring Babylon's ultimate shame and the public display of God's vengeance. This shows that God's judgment isn't just about punishment, but also about making His power and righteousness undeniably visible.
This passage is part of Jeremiah's prophecy against Babylon, following his pronouncements against other nations. It describes the utter destruction of the city as a direct consequence of God's righteous anger against its sin and its oppressive actions against His people. Travelers who witness this desolate ruin will be stunned and mock its downfall, serving as a stark warning about the irreversible judgment of God.
This passage is part of Jeremiah's prophecy against Babylon, following his pronouncements against other nations. It describes the utter destruction of the city as a direct consequence of God's righteous anger against its sin and its oppressive actions against His people. Travelers who witness this desolate ruin will be stunned and mock its downfall, serving as a stark warning about the irreversible judgment of God.
"Because of the wrath of the LORD she shall not be inhabited but shall be an utter desolation; everyone who passes by Babylon shall be appalled, and hiss because of all her wounds." — The verse doesn't just describe Babylon's destruction as a judgment, but specifically highlights the reaction of onlookers. Their astonishment and "hissing" aren't just expressions of shock, but a…
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Last reviewed October 2026
