The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet.

JEREMIAH 50:1KJV
Know the Bible

Jeremiah 50:1 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 50:1 mean?

Jeremiah 50:1 introduces a message that God gave to Jeremiah the prophet, specifically directed against Babylon and the land of the Chaldeans. This verse sets the stage for a prophecy where God declares His intentions toward Babylon, marking the beginning of a longer section about its coming downfall.

Jeremiah, speaking as God’s messenger, is delivering a word from the LORD (the God of Israel) about Babylon, a powerful empire at that time. The verse makes clear that what follows is not Jeremiah’s own opinion, but a divine message (“the word that the LORD spake”) aimed at Babylon and its people, the Chaldeans. This introduction signals a shift in focus from earlier prophecies about Israel and Judah to a new subject: God’s judgment on a foreign nation.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 50:1

  • דָּבָר (davar, H1697): This word means “word” or “message.” Here, it emphasizes that what follows is an official, weighty communication from God, not just a casual statement.
  • יְהוָה (YHWH, H3068): This is the personal name of the God of Israel, often rendered as “the LORD.” Its use here highlights that the prophecy comes with divine authority.
  • בָּבֶל (Bavel, H894): This is the Hebrew name for Babylon, the dominant world power at the time. Naming Babylon directly leaves no doubt about who the prophecy targets.
  • כַּשְׂדִּים (Kasdim, H3778): This term refers to the Chaldeans, the ethnic group ruling Babylon. Mentioning both Babylon and the Chaldeans underlines that the whole land and its rulers are included in the prophecy.

Why Jeremiah 50:1 matters

  • Jeremiah 50:1 clarifies that the following chapters are not about Israel or Judah, but about Babylon—a major shift in the book’s focus.
  • The verse stresses that Jeremiah’s message is not self-generated; it is a direct word from God, giving it special weight and authority.
  • By naming both Babylon and the Chaldeans, the verse makes it clear that the prophecy concerns the entire Babylonian empire, not just its capital city.

Where else these words appear

“Chaldeans” Hebrew H3778 · used in 80 verses

  • Genesis 11:28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.
  • Jeremiah 32:4 And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes;
  • Jeremiah 43:3 But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon.

“Jeremiah” Hebrew H3414 · used in 133 verses

  • 2 Kings 23:31 Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
  • Jeremiah 28:15 Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.
  • Jeremiah 38:7 Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;