Discovery BoxJeremiah 51:58-61 
Context51:58 This is what the Lord who rules over all 1 says,
“Babylon’s thick wall 2 will be completely demolished. 3
Her high gates will be set on fire.
The peoples strive for what does not satisfy. 4
The nations grow weary trying to get what will be destroyed.” 5
51:59 This is the order Jeremiah the prophet gave to Seraiah son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he went to King Zedekiah of Judah in Babylon during the fourth year of his reign. 6 (Seraiah was a quartermaster.) 7 51:60 Jeremiah recorded 8 on one scroll all the judgments 9 that would come upon Babylon – all these prophecies 10 written about Babylon. 51:61 Then Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “When you arrive in Babylon, make sure 11 you read aloud all these prophecies. 12
1 sn See the note at Jer 2:19.
2 tn The text has the plural “walls,” but many Hebrew
3 tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following finite verb. Another option is to translate, “will certainly be demolished.”
4 tn Heb “for what is empty.”
5 tn Heb “and the nations for fire, and they grow weary.”
6 sn This would be 582
7 tn Heb “an officer of rest.”
8 tn Or “wrote.”
9 tn Or “disaster”; or “calamity.”
10 tn Heb “words” (or “things”).
11 tn Heb “see [that].”
12 tn Heb “words” (or “things”).
