King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 50:26 Mean?

Jeremiah 50:26 in the King James Version says “Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses: cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothin...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 50 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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. from: Heb. from the end cast: or, tread her”

Jeremiah 50:26 · King James Version

Context

24

I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the LORD.

25

The LORD hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation: for this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.

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. from: Heb. from the end cast: or, tread her

27

Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.

28

The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple.

Read Jeremiah 50 full chapter

Commentaries4 scholars

KJV Study CommentaryPublic Domain
Come against her from the utmost border—invaders are summoned from distant lands, fulfilling Isaiah 13:5's prophecy of God bringing forces 'from a far country.' Open her storehouses—Babylon's famed granaries and treasuries that held wealth from conquered nations would be plundered. The irony: what Babylon stored from others' labor enriches her conquerors.

Cast her up as heaps—the Hebrew arem (עֲרֵמָה, heap, pile) suggests grain heaps. Babylon stored grain in massive quantities; now Babylon itself becomes a heap of ruins. Destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left—herem (חֶרֶם, devoted to destruction, under the ban) is the same term used for Canaanite cities God commanded Israel to destroy completely (Joshua 6:17). Babylon receives the judgment she inflicted on others, including Jerusalem.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Though Cyrus conquered Babylon in 539 BC, the city remained inhabited for centuries, gradually declining. Complete desolation came later through Persian Xerxes's destruction (484 BC) after Babylonian revolts, Alexander the Great's plans to rebuild it (331 BC) that never materialized, and final abandonment by the Parthian period. By the medieval era, Babylon was buried ruins. Today, the site lies in Iraq—heaps of rubble testifying to fulfilled prophecy. Saddam Hussein's attempted reconstruction in the 1980s never succeeded. The 'heaps' remain.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does Babylon's complete destruction teach about the certainty and thoroughness of God's judgment?
  2. How does the fate of Babylon's storehouses—plundered by others—illustrate the principle that unjust wealth eventually changes hands?
  3. What warning does Babylon's desolation offer to modern nations or institutions that accumulate power and wealth through oppression?

Compare 4 commentaries from different scholars and time periods for a richer understanding.

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 13 words
בֹּֽאוּ1 of 13

“Come”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

לָ֤הּ2 of 13
H0
מִקֵּץ֙3 of 13

“against her from the utmost border”

H7093

an extremity; adverbially (with prepositional prefix) after

פִּתְח֣וּ4 of 13

“open”

H6605

to open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carve

מַאֲבֻסֶ֔יהָ5 of 13

“her storehouses”

H3965

a granary

סָלּ֥וּהָ6 of 13

“cast her up”

H5549

to mound up (especially a turnpike); figurative, to exalt; reflexively, to oppose (as by a dam)

כְמוֹ7 of 13
H3644

as, thus, so

עֲרֵמִ֖ים8 of 13

“as heaps”

H6194

a heap; specifically, a sheaf

וְהַחֲרִימ֑וּהָ9 of 13

“and destroy her utterly”

H2763

to seclude; specifically (by a ban) to devote to religious uses (especially destruction); physical and reflexive, to be blunt as to the nose

אַל10 of 13
H408

not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (job 24:25) as a noun, nothing

תְּהִי11 of 13
H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

לָ֖הּ12 of 13
H0
שְׁאֵרִֽית׃13 of 13

“let nothing of her be left”

H7611

a remainder or residual (surviving, final) portion

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 50:26 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 50:26 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Isaiah 14:23Jeremiah 50:10Isaiah 45:3Revelation 18:21-24Isaiah 25:10Jeremiah 51:44

Places in This Verse

BabyloniaRegion · Modern: Babylon · 32.54°N, 44.42°E15 verses across 2 books
View all places in Jeremiah 50 →

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