And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

JEREMIAH 51:64KJV
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Jeremiah 51:64 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 51:64 mean?

Jeremiah 51:64 describes how Babylon will be brought down by God’s judgment and will not recover from the disaster that is coming upon it; the people will be exhausted by what happens. The verse closes by noting that these are the last words Jeremiah spoke about Babylon’s fate.

In this scene, Jeremiah’s words are being relayed as a prophetic message against Babylon, a powerful empire known for its oppression of Israel. The verse uses the image of Babylon “sinking” to show complete downfall, and the statement “they shall be weary” highlights the utter defeat and exhaustion of its people. The verse also marks the end of Jeremiah’s prophecies concerning Babylon, signaling the completion of his message.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 51:64

  • “sink” (טָבַע, ṭāvaʿ) is a word often used for something going down into water and not coming back up, emphasizing Babylon’s total and irreversible fall.
  • “weary” (יָגַע, yāgaʿ) means to be worn out or exhausted, painting a picture of Babylon’s people left drained and powerless after judgment.
  • “evil” (רַע, raʿ) here refers to calamity or disaster, not just moral evil, making clear that the trouble coming on Babylon is a destructive force sent by God.

Why Jeremiah 51:64 matters

  • This verse makes it clear that Babylon’s fall is final and complete, not just a temporary setback.
  • The closing note, “Thus far are the words of Jeremiah,” shows that this is the end of Jeremiah’s prophecies about Babylon, giving a sense of closure to his warnings.
  • The vivid language of sinking and weariness helps the reader grasp the depth of Babylon’s coming defeat, connecting the prophecy to the larger theme of God’s justice against powerful nations.

Where else these words appear

“sink” Hebrew H8257 · used in 6 verses

  • Numbers 11:2 And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.
  • Job 41:1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?
  • Amos 8:8 Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.

“weary” Hebrew H3286 · used in 9 verses

  • Isaiah 40:28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
  • Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
  • Jeremiah 51:58 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.

“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;