Jeremiah 51:13
New International Version
You who live by many waters and are rich in treasures, your end has come, the time for you to be destroyed.

New Living Translation
You are a city by a great river, a great center of commerce, but your end has come. The thread of your life is cut.

English Standard Version
O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.

Berean Standard Bible
You who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.

Berean Literal Bible
O dweller by many waters, abundant in treasures, your end has come, the measure of your dishonest gain!

King James Bible
O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness.

New King James Version
O you who dwell by many waters, Abundant in treasures, Your end has come, The measure of your covetousness.

New American Standard Bible
You who live by many waters, Abundant in treasures, Your end has come, The measure of your end.

NASB 1995
O you who dwell by many waters, Abundant in treasures, Your end has come, The measure of your end.

NASB 1977
O you who dwell by many waters, Abundant in treasures, Your end has come, The measure of your end.

Legacy Standard Bible
O you who dwell by abundant waters, Abundant in treasures, Your end has come, The measure of your end.

Amplified Bible
[O Babylon] you who live by many waters, Rich in treasures, Your end has come, And the line measuring your life is cut.

Berean Annotated Bible
You who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.

Christian Standard Bible
You who reside by abundant water, rich in treasures, your end has come, your life thread is cut.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You who reside by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come, your life thread is cut.

American Standard Version
O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, the measure of thy covetousness.

Contemporary English Version
People of Babylon, you live along the Euphrates River and are surrounded by canals. You are rich, but now the time has come for you to die.

English Revised Version
O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, the measure of thy covetousness.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Babylon, you live beside many rivers and are rich with treasures, but your end has come. The thread of your life has been cut off.

Good News Translation
That country has many rivers and rich treasures, but its time is up, and its thread of life is cut.

International Standard Version
You who live beside many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come, your life thread is cut.

NET Bible
"You who live along the rivers of Babylon, the time of your end has come. You who are rich in plundered treasure, it is time for your lives to be cut off.

New Heart English Bible
You who dwell on many waters, abundant in treasures, your end has come, the measure of your covetousness.

Webster's Bible Translation
O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thy end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness.
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
You who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.

World English Bible
You who dwell on many waters, abundant in treasures, your end has come, the measure of your covetousness.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
O dweller on many waters, abundant in treasures, "" Your end has come—the measure of your dishonest gain.

Berean Literal Bible
O dweller by many waters, abundant in treasures, your end has come, the measure of your dishonest gain!

Young's Literal Translation
O dweller on many waters, abundant in treasures, Come in hath thine end, the measure of thy dishonest gain.

Smith's Literal Translation
Dwelling upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end came, the measure of thy plunder.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
O thou that dwellest upon many waters, rich in treasures, thy end is come for thy entire destruction.

Catholic Public Domain Version
You who live above many waters, rich in treasures: your end has arrived, your measure has been cut short.

New American Bible
You who dwell by mighty waters, rich in treasure, Your end has come, the time at which you shall be cut off!

New Revised Standard Version
You who live by mighty waters, rich in treasures, your end has come, the thread of your life is cut.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
O you that dwell by many waters, abundant in treasures, your end has come and your wound is grievous.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
One who dwells in many waters: your treasures are many, your end has arrived and your plague is severe!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
O thou that dwellest upon many waters, Abundant in treasures, Thine end is come, The measure of thy covetousness.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
dwelling on many waters, and amidst the abundance of her treasures; thine end is come verily into thy bowels.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Judgment on Babylon
12Raise a banner against the walls of Babylon; post the guard; station the watchmen; prepare the ambush. For the LORD has both devised and accomplished what He spoke against the people of Babylon. 13You who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut. 14The LORD of Hosts has sworn by Himself: “Surely I will fill you up with men as with locusts, and they will shout in triumph over you.”…

Cross References
You who dwell by many waters,

Revelation 17:1
Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.

Revelation 17:15
Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

Nahum 3:8
Are you better than Thebes, stationed by the Nile with water around her, whose rampart was the sea, whose wall was the water?
rich in treasures,

Revelation 18:12-17
cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; / of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; of cattle, sheep, horses, and carriages; of bodies and souls of slaves. / And they will say: “The fruit of your soul’s desire has departed from you; all your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be seen again.” …

Nahum 2:9
“Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!” There is no end to the treasure, an abundance of every precious thing.

Ezekiel 28:4-5
By your wisdom and understanding you have gained your wealth and amassed gold and silver for your treasuries. / By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, but your heart has grown proud because of it.
your end has come;

Ezekiel 7:6
The end has come! The end has come! It has roused itself against you. Behold, it has come!

Daniel 5:26-28
And this is the interpretation of the message: MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. / TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. / PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”

Revelation 18:10
In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”
the thread of your life is cut.

Isaiah 38:12
My dwelling has been picked up and removed from me like a shepherd’s tent. I have rolled up my life like a weaver; He cuts me off from the loom; from day until night You make an end of me.

Ecclesiastes 12:6
Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is crushed, before the pitcher is shattered at the spring and the wheel is broken at the well,

Job 6:9
that God would be willing to crush me, to unleash His hand and cut me off!
Isaiah 47:1-15
“Go down and sit in the dust, O Virgin Daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, O Daughter of the Chaldeans! For you will no longer be called tender or delicate. / Take millstones and grind flour; remove your veil; strip off your skirt, bare your thigh, and wade through the streams. / Your nakedness will be uncovered and your shame will be exposed. I will take vengeance; I will spare no one.” …

Revelation 18:7
As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow and will never see grief.’

Revelation 18:16-19
saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! / For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!” Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance / and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. “What city was ever like this great city?” they will exclaim. …

Nahum 3:4
because of the many harlotries of the harlot, the seductive mistress of sorcery, who betrays nations by her prostitution and clans by her witchcraft.


Treasury of Scripture

O you that dwell on many waters, abundant in treasures, your end is come, and the measure of your covetousness.

dwellest

Jeremiah 51:36
Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry.

Revelation 17:1,15
And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: …

abundant

Jeremiah 50:37
A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.

Isaiah 45:3
And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

Habakkuk 2:5-10
Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: …

thine

Jeremiah 17:11
As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.

Jeremiah 50:27,31
Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation…

Genesis 6:18
But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.

and the

Habakkuk 2:9-11
Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! …

Luke 12:19-21
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry…

2 Peter 2:3,14,15
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not…

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Abundant Covetousness Cut Dishonest Dwell Dweller Dwellest End Ended Evil Gain Great Life Measure Profit Rapacity Rich Stores Thread Time Treasures Waters Wide
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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












You who dwell by many waters
This phrase refers to Babylon, which was situated near the Euphrates River and had an extensive network of canals and waterways. The abundance of water contributed to Babylon's prosperity and strategic importance. In biblical symbolism, "many waters" often represent nations or peoples (Revelation 17:1, 15). Babylon's location and resources made it a powerful empire, but also a target for divine judgment.

rich in treasures
Babylon was known for its wealth and opulence, accumulated through conquest and trade. The city's riches are mentioned in other scriptures, such as Isaiah 13:19 and Revelation 18:11-13, where Babylon is depicted as a center of commerce and luxury. This wealth, however, became a source of pride and idolatry, leading to its downfall as prophesied by Jeremiah.

your end has come
This prophecy foretells the imminent destruction of Babylon. Historically, Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians in 539 BC, fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy. The phrase underscores the certainty of God's judgment against nations that oppose His will. It serves as a reminder of the temporal nature of earthly power and wealth.

the thread of your life is cut
This imagery suggests the sudden and irreversible nature of Babylon's demise. The metaphor of a "thread" being cut is reminiscent of the fragility of life and the sovereignty of God over human affairs. Similar imagery is found in Job 6:9 and Isaiah 38:12, emphasizing the finality of divine judgment. This phrase also foreshadows the ultimate judgment of all nations, as seen in Revelation 18, where Babylon's fall is depicted as part of God's eschatological plan.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Babylon
The primary subject of this verse, Babylon was a powerful empire known for its wealth and influence. It was situated by the Euphrates River, which is likely referenced as "many waters."

2. Jeremiah
The prophet who delivered God's messages, including the prophecy against Babylon. He warned of Babylon's impending judgment due to its pride and idolatry.

3. The Euphrates River
A significant geographical feature of Babylon, symbolizing its wealth and strategic advantage.

4. God's Judgment
The event prophesied in this verse, where God declares the end of Babylon's prosperity and power.

5. The Chaldeans
The people of Babylon, often synonymous with the Babylonians, who were known for their wealth and military prowess.
Teaching Points
The Illusion of Security
Babylon's wealth and strategic location gave it a false sense of security. We must not place our trust in material wealth or worldly power, as they are temporary and can be swiftly taken away.

God's Sovereignty
This verse reminds us of God's ultimate control over nations and history. No empire, regardless of its might, can withstand God's judgment.

The Consequences of Pride
Babylon's downfall serves as a warning against pride and self-reliance. Humility and dependence on God are essential for true security.

The Certainty of God's Promises
Just as God fulfilled His promise to bring Babylon to an end, we can trust that He will fulfill all His promises, both of judgment and salvation.

The Call to Repentance
Recognizing the impending judgment, we are called to examine our lives, repent of our sins, and turn to God for forgiveness and restoration.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Jeremiah 51:13?

2. How does Jeremiah 51:13 warn against trusting in wealth and abundance today?

3. What parallels exist between Babylon's fate and modern societies in Jeremiah 51:13?

4. How can believers ensure their security is in God, not "abundant in treasures"?

5. What scriptural connections link Jeremiah 51:13 to warnings about pride and downfall?

6. How can Jeremiah 51:13 inspire Christians to prioritize spiritual over material wealth?

7. What does Jeremiah 51:13 reveal about God's judgment on nations relying on wealth and power?

8. How does Jeremiah 51:13 reflect the historical context of Babylon's downfall?

9. What theological implications does Jeremiah 51:13 have for understanding divine justice?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 51?

11. Throughout 2 Corinthians 4, aren't these grand spiritual claims inconsistent with more concrete Old Testament narratives that focus on tangible signs and wonders?

12. Who were the believers in the Old Testament?

13. How does Jeremiah 2:13's depiction of God as 'the fountain of living waters' align with ancient cultures attributing water sources to other deities?

14. Zechariah 13:1 - How can a 'fountain' literally cleanse sin and impurity, and is there historical or scientific evidence of such an event occurring?
What Does Jeremiah 51:13 Mean
You who dwell by many waters

• Jeremiah addresses Babylon, literally situated on the Euphrates River and laced with canals, a city “by many waters.”

• The phrase highlights God’s precise knowledge of Babylon’s geographic strength (Jeremiah 51:12, 42) while also anticipating the later picture of end-time Babylon sitting “on many waters” in Revelation 17:1, 15.

• Though surrounded by life-giving rivers, Babylon would learn that no earthly advantage can shield a nation from the Lord’s judgment (Psalm 33:10-11; Acts 17:26).


rich in treasures

• Babylon amassed vast wealth through conquest, tribute, and trade—gold from conquered temples (2 Kings 24:13), trophies from Jerusalem (Daniel 1:2), and goods from caravans that crossed Mesopotamia (Isaiah 14:4).

• Prosperity fostered pride (Jeremiah 50:37) and idolatry (Jeremiah 51:17), drawing a sharp contrast with the God who owns “the cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10).

• Scripture warns that material riches, apart from righteousness, invite divine reckoning (Proverbs 11:4; James 5:1-3).


your end has come

• God sets a definite limit on empire and individual alike (Job 14:5). Babylon’s countdown had begun: “Flee from Babylon! … For this is the time of the Lord’s vengeance” (Jeremiah 51:6).

• The Medo-Persian armies would breach Babylon’s walls in 539 BC, fulfilling prophecies stated decades earlier (Isaiah 13:17-22; Jeremiah 51:29).

• The fall prefigures the swift collapse of the final, global Babylon in Revelation 18:8-10—proof that every power opposing God has an appointed termination date.


the thread of your life is cut

• The image recalls a weaver’s thread suddenly severed—final, irrevocable, and beyond human repair (Isaiah 38:12).

• Daniel read the handwriting on Babylon’s wall: “God has numbered your kingdom and brought it to an end” (Daniel 5:26-28). That very night the king fell, and the empire passed to the Persians.

• When God cuts the thread, no army, alliance, or economy can splice it back together (Jeremiah 50:31-32; Nahum 1:6). The lesson extends to every nation and individual living in presumed security (Luke 12:20).


summary

Jeremiah 51:13 delivers a four-fold message: Babylon’s strategic setting, immense wealth, and apparent invincibility could not avert the divinely appointed moment when her life-thread would be severed. The verse assures believers of God’s sovereignty over geography, economy, and history, while warning that unchecked pride and dependence on material strength guarantee certain judgment. Confidence belongs not to earthly resources but to the Lord, whose word unfailingly comes to pass.

(13) O thou that dwellest upon many waters.--The words find an illustration of singular interest in an inscription of Nebuchadnezzar's given by Oppert (Exped. en Mesop. i. p. 231): "I made water to flow all around in this immense dyke of earth. I carried an aqueduct across these great waters that are like unto the depths of the sea." See also Records of the Past, v. 128. The channels which were cut for the waters of the Euphrates seemed at once intended for a line of defence against attack, and for irrigation and navigation. To some extent Babylon, though an inland city, must have presented an appearance like that of Venice or Amsterdam.

The measure of thy covetousness.--The measure is literally "an ell," and for "covetousness" many commentators give the meaning of "that which is cut off," a "piece" or "section." So taken, we may translate the ell-measure of thy portion, the allotted time of prosperity decreed in the Divine counsels. Others, following the Vulgate, "pedalis precisionis tu?," give "the ell-measure of thy cutting off," i.e., the appointed time of destruction.

Verse 13. - Babylon is addressed as thou that dwellest upon many waters, with reference, not only to the Euphrates, but to the canals, dykes, and marshes which surrounded the city. The measure of thy covetousness. A strange expression, even when we have supplied (and have we a right to do so?) a suitable verb, such as "is full." "Measure" is, literally, ell, "covetousness" should rather be gain, or spoil. Another possible rendering is, "The ell measure of thy cutting off." In fact, the root meaning of the word rendered "gain," or "covetousness," is "to cut off;" and the figure of cutting off a man's half-finished life, like a web from the loom, is familiar to us from the psalm of Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:12; comp. Job 6:9).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You who dwell
שֹׁכַנְתְּ֙ (šō·ḵant)
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7931: To settle down, abide, dwell

by
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

many
רַבִּ֔ים (rab·bîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

waters,
מַ֣יִם (ma·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

rich
רַבַּ֖ת (rab·baṯ)
Adjective - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

in treasures,
אֽוֹצָרֹ֑ת (’ō·w·ṣā·rōṯ)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 214: Treasure, store, a treasury, storehouse

your end
קִצֵּ֖ךְ (qiṣ·ṣêḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 7093: An extremity, after

has come,
בָּ֥א (bā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

the thread of your life
אַמַּ֥ת (’am·maṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 520: A mother, a cubit, a door-base

is cut.
בִּצְעֵֽךְ׃ (biṣ·‘êḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 1215: Gain made by violence, unjust gain, profit


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 51:13 You who dwell on many waters abundant (Jer.)
Jeremiah 51:12
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