Jeremiah 51:53

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Even if Babylon ascends to the heavens and fortifies her lofty stronghold, from Me destroyers will come against her, declares the Lord.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּֽי־תַעֲלֶ֤ה בָבֶל֙ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְכִ֥י תְבַצֵּ֖ר מְר֣וֹם עֻזָּ֑הּ מֵאִתִּ֗י יָבֹ֧אוּ שֹׁדְדִ֛ים לָ֖הּ נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ ס

Transliteration

kî-taʿăleh bāḇel haššāmayim wəḵî təḇaṣṣēr mərom ʿuzzāh mēʾittî yāḇōʾû šōdədîm lāh nəʾum-YHWH

Grammar Details

• *kî*: conjunction - though/although/if
• *taʿăleh*: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular - she ascends/goes up
• *bāḇel*: proper noun - Babylon
• *haššāmayim*: definite article + masculine dual/plural noun - the heavens
• *wəḵî*: conjunction + conjunction - and though/and if
• *təḇaṣṣēr*: Piel imperfect 3rd person feminine singular - fortifies/strengthens
• *mərom*: masculine singular construct - height/high place of
• *ʿuzzāh*: masculine singular noun + 3rd person feminine singular suffix - her strength
• *mēʾittî*: preposition + preposition + 1st person singular suffix - from me
• *yāḇōʾû*: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural - they shall come
• *šōdədîm*: Qal participle masculine plural - destroyers/plunderers
• *lāh*: preposition + 3rd person feminine singular suffix - to/for her
• *nəʾum*: construct state - declaration of
• *YHWH*: divine name

Word Meanings

• *taʿăleh*: ascends/goes up/climbs
• *təḇaṣṣēr*: fortifies/makes inaccessible/strengthens
• *mərom*: height/high place/elevation
• *ʿuzzāh*: strength/might/power
• *šōdədîm*: destroyers/plunderers/devastators

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the LORD.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Though Babylon should ascend to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from Me shall destroyers come to her, says the LORD.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the LORD.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Though Babylon{H894} should mount up{H5927} to heaven,{H8064} and though she should fortify{H1219} the height{H4791} of her strength,{H5797} yet{H227} from me shall destroyers{H7703} come{H935} unto her, saith{H5002} Jehovah.{H3068}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Though Babylon{H894} should mount up{H5927}{(H8799)} to heaven{H8064}, and though she should fortify{H1219}{(H8762)} the height{H4791} of her strength{H5797}, yet{H227} from me shall spoilers{H7703}{(H8802)} come{H935}{(H8799)} unto her, saith{H5002}{(H8803)} the LORD{H3068}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Though Babilon clymmed vp in to heaue, and kepte her power an hie: yet shal I sende her destroyers saieth the LORDE.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Though Babel should mount vp to heauen, and though shee should defend her strength on hye, yet from mee shall her destroyers come, sayth the Lord.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Though Babylon clymed vp into heauen, and kept her power on hye, yet shall I sende her destroyers saith the Lorde.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, [yet] from me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the LORD.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Though Babylon should mount up to the sky, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall destroyers come to her, says Yahweh.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  Because Babylon goeth up to the heavens, And because it fenceth the high place of its strength, From Me come into it do spoilers, An affirmation of Jehovah.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall destroyers come unto her, saith Jehovah.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall destroyers come unto her, saith Jehovah.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Even if Babylon was lifted up to heaven, even if she had the high places of her strength shut in with walls, still I would send against her those who will make her waste, says the Lord.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Though Babylon should mount up to the sky, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall destroyers come to her, says Yahweh.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Even if Babylon climbs high into the sky and fortifies her elevated stronghold, I will send destroyers against her,” says the LORD.

Referenced Verses

• Jer 49:16 : 16 The terror you inspire and the pride of your heart have deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, holding the heights of the hill. Though you build your nest as high as the eagle, from there I will bring you down, declares the LORD.
• Gen 11:4 : 4 Then they said, "Come, let us build a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
• Ps 139:8-9 : 8 If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.
• Jer 51:25 : 25 Behold, I am against you, the destroying mountain, declares the Lord, you who destroy the whole earth. I will stretch out My hand against you, roll you off the cliffs, and make you a burned-out mountain.
• Jer 51:48 : 48 Then the heavens and the earth and all that is in them will shout for joy over Babylon, because out of the north destroyers will come against her, declares the Lord.
• Jer 51:58 : 58 This is what the Lord of Hosts says: The broad walls of Babylon will be utterly demolished, and her high gates burned with fire. The peoples labor in vain; the nations exhaust themselves only to fuel the flames.
• Ezek 31:9-9 : 9 I made it beautiful with its many branches, and all the trees of Eden, which were in the garden of God, envied it. 10 Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: Because it grew tall, lifting its top among the clouds, and its heart became arrogant because of its height, 11 I handed it over to a mighty ruler among the nations; he dealt with it according to its wickedness. I drove it out.
• Dan 4:30 : 30 Immediately, what was spoken about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people, ate grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
• Amos 9:4 : 4 'If they go into captivity before their enemies, from there I will command the sword to kill them. I will set My eyes on them for harm and not for good.'
• Obad 1:3-4 : 3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; you say in your heart, "Who will bring me down to the ground?" 4 Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, even from there I will bring you down, declares the LORD.
• Isa 10:6-7 : 6 I send him against a godless nation; I dispatch him against a people at My wrath, to seize plunder, to take spoil, and to trample them down like mud in the streets. 7 But this is not what he intends, nor does he plan it in his heart. Instead, his purpose is to destroy and to cut off many nations.
• Isa 13:2-5 : 2 Lift up a banner on a bare hill; shout to them. Wave your hand so they may enter the gates of the nobles. 3 I have commanded My consecrated ones; I have also summoned My mighty ones, those who exult in My majesty, to carry out My anger. 4 Listen! A tumult on the mountains, like that of a great multitude. Listen! An uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathering together. The LORD of Hosts is mustering an army for battle. 5 They come from a distant land, from the ends of the heavens—the LORD and the weapons of His wrath—to destroy the whole earth.
• Isa 13:17 : 17 Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who do not value silver and have no delight in gold.
• Isa 14:12-15 : 12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, you who laid low the nations. 13 You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the north.' 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. 15 But you will be brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit.
• Isa 41:25 : 25 I have stirred up someone from the north, and he has come; from the rising of the sun, he calls on my name. He treads rulers as if they were clay, like a potter trampling the mud.
• Isa 45:1-5 : 1 This is what the LORD says to His anointed one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have strengthened to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut. 2 I will go before you and level the mountains; I will break down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron. 3 I will give you treasures hidden in darkness, and riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name. 4 For the sake of my servant Jacob and Israel, my chosen one, I have called you by name and given you a title of honor, though you do not know me. 5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you do not acknowledge me.
• Isa 47:5 : 5 Sit silently and enter into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans, for you will no longer be called the mistress of kingdoms.
• Isa 47:7 : 7 You said, 'I will be a mistress forever,' but you did not take these things to heart or remember their outcome.
• Jer 50:9-9 : 9 For behold, I am stirring up and bringing against Babylon a coalition of great nations from the north. They will line up for battle against her; from there she will be captured. Their arrows are like skilled warriors; they will not return empty-handed. 10 Chaldea will become plunder; all who plunder her will be satisfied,' declares the LORD.
• Jer 50:21 : 21 Attack the land of Merathaim and those who live in Pekod! Pursue them, kill them completely, and devote them to destruction, declares the LORD. Do everything I have commanded you.
• Jer 50:25 : 25 The LORD has opened His armory and brought out the weapons of His wrath, for the Sovereign LORD of Hosts has a task to accomplish in the land of the Chaldeans.
• Jer 50:31-34 : 31 Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one, declares the Sovereign LORD of Hosts, for your day has come, the time for Me to punish you. 32 The arrogant one will stumble and fall, and no one will help him up. I will set fire to his cities, and it will devour all around him. 33 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: The people of Israel and the people of Judah are oppressed together. All their captors hold them fast and refuse to let them go. 34 But their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of Hosts is His name. He will vigorously defend their cause to bring rest to the land but unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon.
• Jer 50:45 : 45 Therefore, hear the counsel of the LORD that He has purposed against Babylon and the plans He has devised against the land of the Chaldeans. Surely, the little ones of the flock will be dragged away; surely, their pasture will be appalled at their fate.
• Jer 51:1-4 : 1 This is what the Lord says: 'Behold, I am stirring up a destructive wind against Babylon and against the inhabitants of Leb-qamai.' 2 I will send strangers against Babylon to scatter her and empty her land, for they will surround her on the day of calamity. 3 Do not let the archer bend his bow or put on his armor. Do not spare her young men; completely destroy her entire army. 4 The slain will fall in the land of the Chaldeans, those pierced by the sword in her streets.
• Jer 51:11 : 11 Sharpen the arrows; fill the quivers! The Lord has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy her. This is the Lord's vengeance, the vengeance for His temple.