Topical Bible: Babylon: Situated Beyond the Euphrates

◄ Babylon: Situated Beyond the Euphrates ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Babylon, an ancient city of great significance in biblical history, is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures as a symbol of human pride, idolatry, and opposition to God. Located beyond the Euphrates River, Babylon was the capital of the Babylonian Empire and played a pivotal role in the narratives of the Old Testament.

Historical and Geographical Context

Babylon was situated in Mesopotamia, in what is now modern-day Iraq. The city was renowned for its impressive architecture, including the Hanging Gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Euphrates River, which flowed through the city, was a vital source of life and commerce, contributing to Babylon's prosperity and influence.

Biblical Significance

In the Bible, Babylon is first mentioned in Genesis 10:10 as part of Nimrod's kingdom: "The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar." The Tower of Babel narrative in Genesis 11:1-9 further illustrates Babylon's early association with human ambition and defiance against God. The people sought to build a tower reaching the heavens, prompting God to confuse their language and scatter them across the earth.

Babylon's prominence resurfaces in the prophetic books, particularly in the context of the Babylonian Exile. The city became the instrument of God's judgment against Judah, as prophesied by Jeremiah and other prophets. In 2 Kings 24-25, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II besieged Jerusalem, leading to the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the Jewish people. This event marked a significant period of suffering and reflection for the Israelites, as captured in Psalm 137:1, "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept when we remembered Zion."

Prophetic Imagery and Symbolism

Babylon is often depicted as a symbol of worldly power and opposition to God throughout the prophetic literature. Isaiah 13-14 and Jeremiah 50-51 contain oracles against Babylon, foretelling its eventual downfall as a divine act of judgment. Isaiah 13:19 declares, "And Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah."

In the New Testament, Babylon's imagery is further expanded in the Book of Revelation. Revelation 17-18 portrays Babylon as a harlot and a great city representing the corrupt systems of the world in opposition to God's kingdom. Revelation 18:2 proclaims, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit."

Theological Implications

Babylon's role in the biblical narrative serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of pride, idolatry, and rebellion against God. It represents the ultimate futility of human endeavors apart from divine guidance and the inevitable triumph of God's purposes. The fall of Babylon, both historically and eschatologically, underscores the sovereignty of God over the nations and His commitment to justice and righteousness.

Conclusion

While Babylon's physical city has long since fallen, its spiritual and symbolic significance endures in the biblical narrative. It serves as a reminder of the transient nature of earthly power and the enduring truth of God's kingdom.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 11:31
And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran, and dwelled there.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Joshua 24:2,3
And Joshua said to all the people, Thus said the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelled on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Chapter xi
... at Borsippa usually called Birs Nimr?�d and situated southwest of ... of the temple of
Marduk in Babylon, called Esagil ... to have served other gods beyond the River ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xi.htm

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty
... lieutenants of the "Cossaean King of Babylon""who had ... people had cherished against
expeditions beyond the isthmus ... The royal quarters were situated at one end ...
/.../chapter iiithe eighteenth theban dynasty.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... that they voluntarily kept aloof from the countries in which, previous to their
advent, Babylon had held ... were situated beyond the Euphrates, and they ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

The Rise of the Assyrian Empire
... taken to be the Cossaean kings of Babylon, and not ... Turuki and the Nigimkhi were probably
situated somewhere to ... on the other they had pushed beyond the river ...
/.../chapter iithe rise of the.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
... with the northern affluent of the Euphrates called on ... the respective areas of influence
of Babylon and Nineveh ... The fief of Arashtua, situated beyond the Turnat ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... one of the principal Elamite gods, was, perhaps, situated among the ... The submission
of Babylon is evident ... in order to extend his authority beyond the Euphrates ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty --(Continued)
... The Euphrates, in the ... The word signifies pools, marshes, the provinces situated beyond
Egyptian territory ... support and perhaps of subsidies from Babylon, and the ...
/.../chapter ithe eighteenth theban dynastycontinued.htm

Introduction
... sense of the word, hardly goes back beyond the age ... king would thus have been carried
to Babylon after the ... the district in which Telloh was situated, made for ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/introduction.htm

Jews and Gentiles in "The Land"
... Immediately beyond it lay the country over which the ... Idumaean colonists"the former
brought from Babylon, under the ... only one of those cities situated west of ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 2 jews and gentiles.htm

Ancient Chaldaea
... Beyond Malatiyeh, the Euphrates bends abruptly to the south ... Gulf; and the island
of Dilmun, situated some forty ... falls into the Bahr-i-Nedjif; Babylon, the "gate ...
/.../chapter iancient chaldaea.htm