The Meaning of Jeremiah 51:44 Explained

Jeremiah 51:44

KJV: And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.

YLT: And I have seen after Bel in Babylon, And I have brought forth that which he swallowed -- from his mouth, And flow no more unto him do nations, Also the wall of Babylon hath fallen.

Darby: And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth what he hath swallowed up; and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon is fallen.

ASV: And I will execute judgment upon Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up; and the nations shall not flow any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I will punish  Bel  in Babylon,  and I will bring forth  out of his mouth  that which he hath swallowed up:  and the nations  shall not flow together  any more unto him: yea, the wall  of Babylon  shall fall. 

What does Jeremiah 51:44 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Yahweh would humiliate Bel (lit. lord; cf. Jeremiah 50:2), the representative god of Babylon. The nation, personified as Bel and the Dragon , would regurgitate or give back what it had taken from other nations (cf. Jeremiah 51:34). Nations would no longer seek Babylon out because it would become weak and vulnerable to attack. Even her walls, which enclosed an area of200 miles, would fall down. [1]
"The city wall proper was of double construction. The outer component was12feet thick, so that is [2] was wide enough to allow several chariots to drive abreast along the walls. Towers were set into the walls at intervals of about60 feet. Outside the walls lay a ditch lined with bricks and bitumen and kept filled with water from the Euphrates." [3]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 51

1  The severe judgment of God against Babylon, in revenge of Israel
59  Jeremiah delivers the book of this prophecy to Seraiah, to be cast into Euphrates,
64  in token of the perpetual sinking of Babylon

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 51:44 mean?

And I will punish upon Bel in Babylon and I will bring out - what he has swallowed of his mouth and not shall stream to him anymore the nations Yes the wall of Babylon shall fall
וּפָקַדְתִּ֨י עַל־ בֵּ֜ל בְּבָבֶ֗ל וְהֹצֵאתִ֤י אֶת־ בִּלְעוֹ֙ מִפִּ֔יו וְלֹֽא־ יִנְהֲר֥וּ אֵלָ֛יו ע֖וֹד גּוֹיִ֑ם גַּם־ חוֹמַ֥ת בָּבֶ֖ל נָפָֽלָה

וּפָקַדְתִּ֨י  And  I  will  punish 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
בֵּ֜ל  Bel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֵּל  
Sense: a chief Babylonian deity.
בְּבָבֶ֗ל  in  Babylon 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּבֶל  
Sense: Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates.
וְהֹצֵאתִ֤י  and  I  will  bring  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בִּלְעוֹ֙  what  he  has  swallowed 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֶּלַע 
Sense: a swallowing, devouring (fig.
מִפִּ֔יו  of  his  mouth 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
וְלֹֽא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִנְהֲר֥וּ  shall  stream 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָהַר 
Sense: to shine, beam, light, burn.
אֵלָ֛יו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
ע֖וֹד  anymore 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
גּוֹיִ֑ם  the  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
גַּם־  Yes 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
חוֹמַ֥ת  the  wall 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֹומָה  
Sense: wall.
בָּבֶ֖ל  of  Babylon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּבֶל  
Sense: Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates.
נָפָֽלָה  shall  fall 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.