King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 51:24 Mean?

Jeremiah 51:24 in the King James Version says “And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your ... — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 51 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 51:24 · KJV


Context

22

With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid;

23

I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers.

24

And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.

25

Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.

26

And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the LORD. desolate: Heb. everlasting desolations


Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD—This verse shifts from Babylon as instrument (vv. 20-23) to Babylon as target. The Hebrew shalam (שָׁלַם, "render/repay") carries the sense of full recompense or settling accounts—divine justice operates on a lex talionis (law of retaliation) principle at the national level, though individual salvation operates on grace.

The phrase "in your sight" is striking—God will vindicate His people visibly. Israel's exile involved watching Babylon destroy Jerusalem, burn the temple, and murder their compatriots (2 Kings 25). Now God promises they will witness Babylon's repayment. This connects to Revelation 18:20: "Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her," where eschatological Babylon faces judgment for persecuting God's people.

Theologically: (1) divine justice may be delayed but is certain; (2) God vindicates His people and His name; (3) evil done to God's covenant community is personally registered by God; (4) the same measure used against others returns upon the perpetrator (Matthew 7:2). This isn't petty revenge but cosmic justice maintaining moral order.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Babylon's "evil done in Zion" (586 BCE) included destroying the temple—God's dwelling place—murdering priests and prophets, killing King Zedekiah's sons before his eyes, deporting the population, and desecrating sacred objects by placing them in pagan temples (2 Kings 25:8-21; Daniel 5:2-3).

The promised repayment occurred in stages: Belshazzar's feast (Daniel 5) where Babylonian king blasphemed by drinking from Jerusalem's temple vessels, followed immediately by Babylon's fall; Cyrus's decree (539 BCE) allowing Jewish return and temple rebuilding (Ezra 1); and Babylon's gradual decline into insignificance. By the first century CE, Babylon was largely abandoned ruins. The exiles who witnessed Jerusalem's destruction in 586 BCE would not see Babylon's fall (539 BCE), but their children would—fulfilling "in your sight" for the covenant community across generations.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does God's promise to repay Babylon's evil "in your sight" comfort those suffering injustice?
  2. What does this verse teach about God's relationship to His people when they face oppression?
  3. How should Christians understand divine vengeance versus personal forgiveness (Romans 12:19-21)?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 14 words
וְשִׁלַּמְתִּ֨י1 of 14

And I will render

H7999

to be safe (in mind, body or estate); figuratively, to be (causatively, make) completed; by implication, to be friendly; by extension, to reciprocate

לְבָבֶ֜ל2 of 14

unto Babylon

H894

babel (i.e., babylon), including babylonia and the babylonian empire

וּלְכֹ֣ל׀3 of 14
H3605

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

יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י4 of 14

and to all the inhabitants

H3427

properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

כַשְׂדִּ֗ים5 of 14

of Chaldea

H3778

a kasdite, or descendant of kesed; by implication, a chaldaean (as if so descended); also an astrologer (as if proverbial of that people

אֵ֧ת6 of 14
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

כָּל7 of 14
H3605

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

רָעָתָ֛ם8 of 14

all their evil

H7451

bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)

אֲשֶׁר9 of 14
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

עָשׂ֥וּ10 of 14

that they have done

H6213

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

בְצִיּ֖וֹן11 of 14

in Zion

H6726

tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of jerusalem

לְעֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם12 of 14

in your sight

H5869

an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)

נְאֻ֖ם13 of 14

saith

H5002

an oracle

יְהוָֽה׃14 of 14

the LORD

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god


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 51:24 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 51:24 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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