New International Version
Jeremiah 51:9
9“ ‘We would have healed Babylon, but she cannot be healed; let us leave her and each go to our own land, for her judgment reaches to the skies, it rises as high as the heavens.’
Jeremiah 51:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.
- English Standard Version (ESV)We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed. Forsake her, and let us go each to his own country, for her judgment has reached up to heaven and has been lifted up even to the skies.
- New King James Version (NKJV)We would have healed Babylon, But she is not healed. Forsake her, and let us go everyone to his own country; For her judgment reaches to heaven and is lifted up to the skies.
- New Living Translation (NLT)We would have helped her if we could, but nothing can save her now. Let her go; abandon her. Return now to your own land. For her punishment reaches to the heavens; it is so great it cannot be measured.
Context of Jeremiah 51:9
7Babylon was a gold cup in the Lord’s hand; she made the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore they have now gone mad. 8Babylon will suddenly fall and be broken. Wail over her! Get balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed. “ ‘We would have healed Babylon, but she cannot be healed; let us leave her and each go to our own land, for her judgment reaches to the skies, it rises as high as the heavens.’ 10“ ‘The Lord has vindicated us; come, let us tell in Zion what the Lord our God has done.’ 11“Sharpen the arrows, take up the shields! The Lord has stirred up the kings of the Medes, because his purpose is to destroy Babylon. The Lord will take vengeance, vengeance for his temple.
Read all of Jeremiah 51Jeremiah 51:9 word by word
רִפִּ֣ינוּ אֶת־בָּבֶל֙ וְלֹ֣א נִרְפָּ֔תָה עִזְב֕וּהָ וְנֵלֵ֖ךְ אִ֣ישׁ לְאַרְצ֑וֹ כִּֽי־נָגַ֤ע אֶל־הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ מִשְׁפָּטָ֔הּ וְנִשָּׂ֖א עַד־שְׁחָקִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- We would have healedרָפָאrâphâ' râphâh · to healH7495
- Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894
- forsakeעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
- her, and let us goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- every oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- into his own countryאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- for her judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941
- reachethנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
- unto heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- and is lifted upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: raiseH5375
- to the skiesשַׁ֫חַקshachaq · cloudH7834
Cross-references for Jeremiah 51:9
- Jeremiah 8:20“The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved.”
- Jeremiah 46:16They will stumble repeatedly; they will fall over each other. They will say, ‘Get up, let us go back to our own people and our native lands, away from the sword of the oppressor.’
- Jeremiah 50:16Cut off from Babylon the sower, and the reaper with his sickle at harvest. Because of the sword of the oppressor let everyone return to their own people, let everyone flee to their own land.
- Isaiah 13:14Like a hunted gazelle, like sheep without a shepherd, they will all return to their own people, they will flee to their native land.
- Isaiah 47:15That is all they are to you— these you have dealt with and labored with since childhood. All of them go on in their error; there is not one that can save you.
- Matthew 25:10“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
- 2 Chronicles 28:9But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army when it returned to Samaria. He said to them, “Because the Lord, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven.
- Ezra 9:6and prayed: “I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.
- Daniel 4:20The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth,
- Revelation 18:5for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 51:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9We would have healed Babylon - Had it been in our power, we would have saved her; but we could not turn away the judgment of God.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Omit would. All was done that it was possible to do to heal her. To the skies - Or, to the clouds.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-10Nothing could save Babylon; her punishment was immense. After Babylon fell, the exiles would return home. There, they could share stories of God's wonderful acts for them.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-98-9. Her friends and confederates, who behold her fall, are invited to her aid. They reply, her case is incurable, and that they must leave her to her fate. (Is 21:9; Re 14:8; 18:2, 9). balm--(Jr 8:22; 46:11).Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 51:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 51
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries