King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 50:32 Mean?

Jeremiah 50:32 in the King James Version says “And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it s...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 50 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him. the: Heb. pride”

Jeremiah 50:32 · KJV

Context

30

Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD.

31

Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee. most: Heb. pride

32

And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him. the: Heb. pride

33

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go.

34

Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And the most proud shall stumble and fall—zdon (זָדוֹן, the pride, arrogance) personified will kashal (כָּשַׁל, stumble, totter) and naphal (נָפַל, fall, collapse). Pride goes before destruction (Proverbs 16:18). And none shall raise him up—no ally, no god, no power can restore what God casts down. Babylon had numerous vassal nations and alleged divine patrons, yet none could prevent or reverse its fall.

And I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him—fire symbolizes complete, purifying judgment. The Hebrew ba'ar (בָּעַר, kindle, burn) and akal (אָכַל, devour, consume) suggest unstoppable destruction spreading from Babylon proper to surrounding regions. This echoes Amos's judgment oracles where fire consumes palaces (Amos 1:4, 7, 10, 12, 14). The fire represents both literal destruction and God's consuming wrath.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Though Cyrus's conquest was relatively peaceful, subsequent fires did consume Babylon. Xerxes I burned Babylon after revolts in 484 BC. Alexander the Great found the city partially ruined by 331 BC. The Parthians and Sassanians ruled over a steadily declining Babylon. Medieval travelers found only ruins. The 'fire' of judgment consumed Babylon progressively but completely. Today, the site lies desolate in Iraq, with Saddam Hussein's attempted reconstruction in the 1980s-90s never succeeding. The proud city has no 'raiser' to restore it.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the certainty that 'none shall raise him up' demonstrate the finality of God's judgments?
  2. What does the spreading fire 'round about him' teach about how sin and its consequences affect surrounding areas and peoples?
  3. What hope does this verse offer to those oppressed by the proud, and what warning to the arrogant?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 12 words
וְכָשַׁ֤ל1 of 12

“shall stumble”

H3782

to totter or waver (through weakness of the legs, especially the ankle); by implication, to falter, stumble, faint or fall

זָדוֹן֙2 of 12

“And the most proud”

H2087

arrogance

וְנָפַ֔ל3 of 12

“and fall”

H5307

to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)

וְאֵ֥ין4 of 12
H369

a nonentity; generally used as a negative particle

ל֖וֹ5 of 12
H0
מֵקִ֑ים6 of 12

“and none shall raise him up”

H6965

to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)

וְהִצַּ֤תִּי7 of 12

“and I will kindle”

H3341

to burn or set on fire; figuratively, to desolate

אֵשׁ֙8 of 12

“a fire”

H784

fire (literally or figuratively)

בְּעָרָ֔יו9 of 12

“in his cities”

H5892

a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)

וְאָכְלָ֖ה10 of 12

“and it shall devour”

H398

to eat (literally or figuratively)

כָּל11 of 12
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

סְבִיבֹתָֽיו׃12 of 12

“all round about”

H5439

(as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without preposition) around

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 50:32 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 50:32 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jeremiah 49:27Jeremiah 21:14Isaiah 10:12-15Revelation 18:8Amos 2:5Proverbs 16:18

Places in This Verse

Babylon 1Settlement · Modern: Babylon · 32.54°N, 44.42°E296 verses across 15 books
View all places in Jeremiah 50 →

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