O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jeremiah 51:13
What does Jeremiah 51:13 mean?
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Jeremiah 51:13
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The phrase "the measure of your covetousness" is a powerful wordplay. It suggests that their insatiable greed has reached its appointed limit, and like a weaver's finished cloth, their life itself is now being cut off.
O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah's prophecy against Babylon continues, personifying the city as a wealthy merchant dwelling by the abundant waters of the Euphrates and its extensive canal system. These waters, though a source of wealth and defense, ironically become the very means of its downfall, as the invading forces will exploit them to conquer the city. The prophet declares that Babylon's insatiable greed has reached its limit, and its destined time of destruction has arrived.
Jeremiah calls Babylon 'she who dwells by many waters.' What does this seemingly poetic description reveal about the city's power, its defenses, and its ultimate vulnerability?
Babylon's strategic location on the Euphrates River, coupled with an extensive network of canals and irrigation systems, was central to its identity and strength.
A City of Defense and Life
This intimate relationship with water, while a source of wealth and security, also defined its boundaries. The "many waters" were a symbol of its dominion but also a sign that its life was intrinsically tied to this environment.
Babylon was "rich in treasures," yet the prophetic word is stark: "your end has come; the thread of your life is cut." How does this verse connect worldly riches to a sudden, definitive end?
The verse starkly contrasts Babylon's immense wealth with its impending doom. The phrase "rich in treasures" speaks to the vast riches accumulated through conquest and trade, making Babylon a symbol of material abundance and earthly power.
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However, the text immediately pivots to a powerful metaphor for the end of life: "the thread of your life is cut."
The Weaver's Loom and Life's Measure
This isn't just about losing wealth; it's about the cessation of their very being, a finality that worldly treasures cannot prevent.
The verse vividly portrays Babylon's downfall, highlighting its strategic watery defenses and immense wealth, which were both products of its imperial might and ultimately insufficient to prevent its end. The 'measure of your covetousness' speaks to the appointed limit of its greedy expansion and exploitation, a limit that was reached with the Persian conquest.
c. 700-650 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Expansion of Babylon
Babylonian kings like Nebuchadnezzar I and II undertook massive building projects, including intricate canal systems and vast defensive moats around the city, earning it the description 'dwellest upon many waters'. These projects also facilitated trade and irrigation, contributing to Babylon's wealth.
605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar II Ascends Throne
Nebuchadnezzar II began his reign, marking the height of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Under his rule, Babylon became a magnificent city, renowned for its riches and impressive infrastructure, but also for its imperial ambition and exploitation of conquered peoples.
c. 547 BC
Persian Conquest of Lydia
The Persian Empire, under Cyrus the Great, conquered Lydia and other territories, accumulating vast treasures. These riches, along with those from other conquered nations, flowed into the Persian treasury and eventually to Babylon after its conquest.
539 BC— this verse
Fall of Babylon to Persia
Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon, a pivotal event in ancient history. This marked the end of Babylonian independence and the beginning of Persian dominance in the region.
c. 538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
Following the conquest, Cyrus issued an edict allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples. This directly relates to the prophecies concerning Babylon's fall and the liberation of its captives.
This passage also speaks of a powerful entity dwelling 'by many waters,' which is interpreted as multitudes of people, nations, and languages, echoing Jeremiah's description of Babylon's vast influence and the source of its wealth.
Isaiah 38:12This verse uses a similar metaphor of life being cut off like a weaver's work, directly paralleling Jeremiah's declaration that 'the thread of your life is cut,' emphasizing the finality of the judgment.
Psalm 137:1This psalm mentions the rivers of Babylon, directly referencing the 'many waters' of Jeremiah 51:13 and vividly portraying the setting of the city that is now facing judgment.
Ezekiel 28:4This passage describes Tyre as becoming rich and abundant in treasures due to its trade, similar to how Babylon amassed wealth, and also faces a divine judgment for its pride and excess.
barnesJeremiah 51:13: "O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness."
Upon many waters - The great wealth of Babylonia was caused not merely by the Euphrates, but by a vast system of canals, which served for defense as well as for irrigation. The measure of thy covetousness - i. e., the appointed end of thy gain. Some render it: the ell of thy cutting off, i. e., the appointed measure at which thou art to be cut off, at which thy…
clarkeJeremiah 51:13: "O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness."
O thou that dwellest upon many waters - Thou who hast an abundant supply of waters. It was built on the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates; the latter running through the city. But the many waters may mean the many nations which belonged to the Babylonish empire; nations and people are frequently so called in Scripture.
The phrase "the measure of your covetousness" is a powerful wordplay. It suggests that their insatiable greed has reached its appointed limit, and like a weaver's finished cloth, their life itself is now being cut off.
Jeremiah's prophecy against Babylon continues, personifying the city as a wealthy merchant dwelling by the abundant waters of the Euphrates and its extensive canal system. These waters, though a source of wealth and defense, ironically become the very means of its downfall, as the invading forces will exploit them to conquer the city. The prophet declares that Babylon's insatiable greed has reached its limit, and its destined time of destruction has arrived.
Jeremiah's prophecy against Babylon continues, personifying the city as a wealthy merchant dwelling by the abundant waters of the Euphrates and its extensive canal system. These waters, though a source of wealth and defense, ironically become the very means of its downfall, as the invading forces will exploit them to conquer the city. The prophet declares that Babylon's insatiable greed has reached its limit, and its destined time of destruction has arrived.
"O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut." — The phrase "the measure of your covetousness" is a powerful wordplay. It suggests that their insatiable greed has reached its appointed limit, and like a weaver's finished cloth, their life itself is…
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Last reviewed October 2026