Jeremiah 50:26
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse describes not just plundering, but a complete demolition, using imagery of piled-up grain sheaves to illustrate the utter destruction and dispersal of everything Babylon possessed. This emphasizes a total obliteration, leaving no trace, which powerfully contrasts with God's promise of a remnant for His own people.
Come against her from every quarter; open her granaries; pile her up like heaps of grain, and devote her to destruction; let nothing be left of her.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah has been prophesying judgment against Babylon, detailing its impending destruction by the Medes and Persians. This verse is a direct command from God calling His chosen instruments of wrath to fully descend upon the city, to plunder its abundant stores and utterly annihilate it, leaving no trace behind. This call to complete destruction stands in stark contrast to the promised restoration for Israel, emphasizing the thoroughness of divine judgment against nations that oppose Him.
Imagine an enemy so powerful, so relentless, that they are called to attack from every single direction at once. That's the image God paints for Babylon's downfall.
The Ultimate Siege
The phrase 'from the utmost border' or 'from every quarter' emphasizes the overwhelming and comprehensive nature of Babylon's judgment. It wasn't a localized attack, but a coordinated invasion drawing forces from all imaginable directions.
God doesn't just want Babylon defeated; He wants her wealth and resources exposed and treated like common grain. What does this imagery reveal about divine justice?
Exposing and Scrutinizing Wealth
The command to 'open her granaries' and 'pile her up like heaps of grain' carries profound meaning:
Ask a follow-up
The finality of this judgment is stark: 'devote her to destruction; let nothing be left of her.' What does it mean for something to be 'devoted' in this context?
The Wrath of the Herem
The command to 'devote her to destruction' uses a concept often translated as a 'ban' or 'devoted thing.' In the Old Testament, this often referred to something set apart for God's judgment, to be utterly destroyed and never to be reclaimed or used.
Understand the original words
charam · Hebrew Verb
To set apart or consecrate, usually for destruction in the context of divine judgment. It implies an object or people are completely surrendered to God and cannot be repurposed or reclaimed for human use.
This prophecy against Babylon highlights the completeness of its destruction, including the plundering of its vast stores. The timing of its fulfillment under Cyrus the Great, who conquered the city and allowed the Jewish exiles to return home, underscores the biblical narrative of judgment and restoration.
c. 605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's First Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquers Judah, initiating a series of deportations of its citizens, including members of the royal family and educated elite, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Second Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and the First Temple, exiling more of the population to Babylon. This event is a pivotal moment of devastation and displacement for the people of Judah.
c. 550 BC
Rise of Cyrus the Great and the Persian Empire
Cyrus the Great unites the Medes and Persians, establishing a vast empire that soon poses a significant threat to the Babylonian kingdom.
539 BC— this verse
Fall of Babylon to Cyrus
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, ending the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The city's immense wealth and resources, including its granaries and storehouses, are plundered as prophesied.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus and Jewish Return
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. This marks a turning point for the exiled community and the fulfillment of some prophecies.
This passage echoes the imagery of plundering and destruction, describing the vast wealth and goods of a fallen Babylon, much like the 'granaries' and 'heaps' mentioned in Jeremiah.
Deuteronomy 13:15This passage describes the command to utterly destroy a city that has turned to idolatry, mirroring the complete devastation commanded against Babylon ('devote her to destruction; let nothing be left of her').
Joshua 6:24After the walls of Jericho fell, the city and everything in it were devoted to destruction by fire, similar to the complete annihilation called for against Babylon.
Jeremiah 5:10This verse speaks of God's judgment on Judah for her sins, commanding his people to 'devote them to destruction' and leave no remnant, showing a consistent pattern of divine judgment and complete destruction for unfaithfulness.
gillJeremiah 50:26: "Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses: cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left."
Come against her from the utmost border,.... Or, "from the end" (a); from the end of the earth; from the Persian gulf, and the Caspian sea, on which the Persians and Medes bordered; from the most distant countries; for the Medes and Persians, who are here called unto, brought others along with them in their army from places still more remote…
pooleJeremiah 50:26: "Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses: cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left."
The prophet in the name of God calleth to the enemies of Babylon, the Medes, to come up from the furthest parts of their dominions, or from all parts, to fight against Babylon; to open the granaries, or store-houses, or treasuries of the Babylonians, and to cast up the cities as heaps of rubbish, and utterly to destroy the city with such a t…
The verse describes not just plundering, but a complete demolition, using imagery of piled-up grain sheaves to illustrate the utter destruction and dispersal of everything Babylon possessed. This emphasizes a total obliteration, leaving no trace, which powerfully contrasts with God's promise of a remnant for His own people.
Jeremiah has been prophesying judgment against Babylon, detailing its impending destruction by the Medes and Persians. This verse is a direct command from God calling His chosen instruments of wrath to fully descend upon the city, to plunder its abundant stores and utterly annihilate it, leaving no trace behind. This call to complete destruction stands in stark contrast to the promised restoration for Israel, emphasizing the thoroughness of divine judgment against nations that oppose Him.
Jeremiah has been prophesying judgment against Babylon, detailing its impending destruction by the Medes and Persians. This verse is a direct command from God calling His chosen instruments of wrath to fully descend upon the city, to plunder its abundant stores and utterly annihilate it, leaving no trace behind. This call to complete destruction stands in stark contrast to the promised restoration for Israel, emphasizing the thoroughness of divine judgment against nations that oppose Him.
"Come against her from every quarter; open her granaries; pile her up like heaps of grain, and devote her to destruction; let nothing be left of her." — The verse describes not just plundering, but a complete demolition, using imagery of piled-up grain sheaves to illustrate the utter destruction and dispersal of everything Babylon possessed. This emp…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
