Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.

JEREMIAH 50:39KJV
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Jeremiah 50:39 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 50:39 mean?

Jeremiah 50:39 says that wild animals and birds will live in Babylon’s ruins, and people will never live there again. The verse describes a total and lasting desolation, where the city will be so empty and destroyed that only creatures of the wilderness will remain.

The prophet Jeremiah is speaking God’s message about Babylon’s future to the people of Judah and surrounding nations. Babylon, once a powerful city, is pictured as becoming uninhabited forever, emphasizing the seriousness of God’s judgment. The verse uses vivid language to show that Babylon’s fall will be complete and permanent, not just a temporary setback.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 50:39

  • "desert" (צִיִּים, tsiyyim): This word refers to wild desert creatures, often associated with desolate, uninhabited places. Its use highlights the total abandonment of Babylon.
  • "dwell" (יָשַׁב, yashav): This verb appears several times, meaning "to live" or "to settle." Its repetition stresses that no human will ever settle there again.
  • "owls" (בְּנוֹת יַעֲנָה, benot ya'anah): Literally "daughters of the owl" or "ostriches," this phrase refers to creatures that symbolize loneliness and desolation in ancient Hebrew poetry.
  • "ever" (נֶצַח, netzach): This word means "forever" or "perpetually," underlining the idea that Babylon’s ruin is not just for a season but for all time.

Why Jeremiah 50:39 matters

  • Jeremiah 50:39 makes clear that Babylon’s destruction is not partial or temporary, but a final and irreversible judgment.
  • The verse uses specific Hebrew words for wild animals and perpetual desolation, showing that the prophecy is about more than just military defeat—it is about utter abandonment.
  • This verse connects to the larger theme in Jeremiah 50, where God promises to judge Babylon for its pride and cruelty, reassuring the exiled people of Judah that their oppressor will not last forever.

Where else these words appear

“islands” Hebrew H338 · used in 3 verses

  • Isaiah 13:22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.
  • Isaiah 34:14 The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest.

“desert” Hebrew H6728 · used in 6 verses

  • Psalms 72:9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
  • Psalms 74:14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
  • Isaiah 23:13 Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.

“owls” Hebrew H3284 · used in 8 verses

  • Leviticus 11:16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind,
  • Job 30:29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.
  • Isaiah 34:13 And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, and a court for owls.

“ever” Hebrew H5331 · used in 42 verses

  • 1 Samuel 15:29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.
  • Psalms 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
  • Proverbs 21:28 A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.