Jeremiah 51:4

And they will fall slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and pierced through in her streets.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The prophet pronounces judgment on Babylon (the Chaldeans) immediately after commanding their army to be devoted to destruction. The oracle follows the military directives of Jeremiah 51:3 and precedes the reassurance that Israel and Judah remain under God's care despite their guilt.

The words — וְנָפְלוּ חֲלָלִים (ve./na.fe.Lu cha.la.Lim) translates literally as "and they will fall slain," while וּמְדֻקָּרִים (u./me.du.ka.Rim) means "and pierced through." These terms specify the physical manner of the coming defeat without metaphorical ambiguity.

The thread — The pattern of young men falling in the streets and warriors being silenced appears in Jeremiah 49:26 and Jeremiah 50:30. Isaiah 13:15 contributes a parallel description of those caught being stabbed and captured dying by the sword.

Why it lands — The text states that military might will end in physical slaughter within the enemy's own territory. It requires the reader to accept that collective guilt produces inevitable, concrete consequences.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְנָפְל֥וּve./na.fe.Luand/ they will fall חֲלָלִ֖יםcha.la.Limslain בְּאֶ֣רֶץbe./'E.retzin/ [the] land of כַּשְׂדִּ֑יםkas.Dim[the] Chaldeans וּמְדֻקָּרִ֖יםu./me.du.ka.Rimand/ pierced through בְּחוּצוֹתֶֽיהָ׃be./chu.tzo.Tei./hain/ streets/ its

King James Version

Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 49:26 For her young men will fall in the streets, and all her warriors will be silenced in that day,” declares the LORD of Hosts.
Isaiah 13:15 Whoever is caught will be stabbed, and whoever is captured will die by the sword.
Jeremiah 50:30 Therefore, her young men will fall in the streets, and all her warriors will be silenced in that day,” declares the LORD.
Isaiah 14:19 But you are cast out of your grave like a rejected branch, covered by those slain with the sword, and dumped into a rocky pit like a carcass trampled underfoot.
Jeremiah 50:37 A sword is against her horses and chariots and against all the foreigners in her midst, and they will become like women. A sword is against her treasuries, and they will be plundered.