Lexical Summary Babulón: Babylon Original Word: Βαβυλών Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Babylon. Of Hebrew origin (Babel); Babylon, the capitol of Chaldaea (literally or figuratively (as a type of tyranny)) -- Babylon. see HEBREW Babel HELPS Word-studies 897 Babylṓn – Babylon, the wicked, godless city in ancient Mesopotamia, was the most powerful city in the world in OT times (especially from 605 NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof Akk. origin, cf. Babel Definition "gate of god(s)," Babylon, a large city situated astride the Euphrates river NASB Translation Babylon (12). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 897: ΒαβυλώνΒαβυλών, Βαβυλῶνος, ἡ (Hebrew בָּבֶל from בָּלַל to confound, according to Genesis 11:9; cf. Aeschylus Pers. 52 Βαβυλών δ' ἡ πολύχρυσος παμμικτον ὄχλον πέμπει σύρδην. But more correctly, as it seems, from בַּל בָּאב the gate i. e. the court or city of Belus (Assyr.Bab-Il the Gate of God; (perhaps of Il, the supreme God); cf. Schrader, Keilinschr. u. d. Alt. Test. 2te Aufl., p. 127f; Oppert in the Zeitsch. d. Deutsch. Morg. Gesellschaft, viii., p. 595)), Babylon, formerly a very celebrated and large city, the residence of the Babylonian kings, situated on both banks of the Euphrates. Cyrus had formerly captured it, but Darius Hystaspis threw down its gates and walls, and Xerxes destroyed (?) the temple of Belus. At length the city was reduced almost to a solitude, the population having been drawn off by the neighboring Seleucia, built on the Tigris by Seleucus Nicanor. (Cf. Prof. Rawlinson in B. D. under the word and his Herodotus, vol. i. Essays vi. and viii., vol. ii. Essay iv.) The name is used in the N. T. 1. of the city itself: Acts 7:43; 1 Peter 5:13 (where some have understood Babylon, a small town in Egypt, to be referred to; but in opposition cf. Mayerhoff, Einl. in die petrin. Schriften, p. 126ff; (cf. 3 at the end below)). 2. of the territory, Babylonia: Matthew 1:11f, 17; (often so in Greek writings). 3. allegorically, of Rome as the most corrupt seat of idolatry and the enemy of Christianity: Revelation 14:8 (here Rec.elz Βαβουλων); Babylon first enters the biblical narrative as the plain of Shinar where human pride expressed itself in the tower of Babel (Genesis 11). In the eighth to sixth centuries BC it became the imperial power that carried Judah into exile, a watershed event through which God disciplined His covenant people while preserving a faithful remnant (Jeremiah 25; 2 Kings 24–25). The prophets repeatedly announced Babylon’s own downfall (Isaiah 13–14; Jeremiah 50–51), establishing the city as the archetype of human rebellion destined for divine judgment. This back-story shapes every New Testament occurrence of Βαβυλών (Babylon). Occurrences in the New Testament • Matthew 1:11–17 (fivefold): marks the deportation to Babylon as the central hinge of Jesus’ genealogy, dividing Israel’s account into three periods of fourteen generations each. Babylon and the Genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:11–17) Matthew highlights the exile “to Babylon” as the darkest moment in Israel’s history, then traces the line forward to the birth of Christ. By doing so he proclaims that the Messiah arrives precisely where human power, exemplified by Babylon, had seemed to triumph. The mention of Babylon, therefore, magnifies God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises in the face of judgment. Babylon in Stephen’s Speech (Acts 7:43) Stephen warns the Sanhedrin that persistent idolatry invites exile. Citing Amos, he places Babylon in continuity with Israel’s sin of heart-level rebellion. His argument establishes that physical proximity to the temple is meaningless without repentance and faith, a truth that continues to speak to every generation of believers. “The Church in Babylon” (1 Peter 5:13) Peter writes to scattered believers in Asia Minor who suffer hostility for their allegiance to Christ. By identifying his location as “Babylon” he underscores both the reality of their exile and the certainty of God’s triumph. If “Babylon” is Rome, Peter affirms that the very heart of worldly power cannot silence the gospel. If the term is literal, it demonstrates the geographic spread of the church even into historic centers of paganism. In either case the greeting assures Christians that they are part of a global fellowship sustained by grace. Apocalyptic Babylon (Revelation 14–18) 1. Moral corruption: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality” (Revelation 14:8). Theological Themes • Sovereignty: Babylon rises and falls by God’s decree, demonstrating that even the most formidable powers serve His redemptive purposes. Pastoral and Ministry Implications 1. Discernment: Christians must recognize Babylon-like patterns—pride, sensuality, commercial greed—in their own cultures and guard their hearts accordingly. Summary Across the New Testament Βαβυλών functions as a geographical marker, a historical reminder and an eschatological symbol. It testifies that God disciplines, delivers and ultimately triumphs over every manifestation of human pride. For the church today, the motif of Babylon both warns against compromise and inspires steadfast hope in the coming reign of Jesus Christ. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 1:11 N-GFSGRK: τῆς μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος NAS: of the deportation to Babylon. KJV: they were carried away to Babylon: INT: of the deportation to Babylon Matthew 1:12 N-GFS Matthew 1:17 N-GFS Matthew 1:17 N-GFS Acts 7:43 N-GFS 1 Peter 5:13 N-DFS Revelation 14:8 N-NFS Revelation 16:19 N-NFS Revelation 17:5 N-NFS Revelation 18:2 N-NFS Revelation 18:10 N-NFS Revelation 18:21 N-NFS Strong's Greek 897 |
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