Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces. "Their horses are swifter than leopards And keener than wolves in the evening Their horsemen come galloping, Their horsemen come from afar; They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour. All rights reserved. The land was sacked by the Elamites and Amorites in the period 1960-1830 b.c. In the Bible generally, and in Revelation in particular, Babylon represents the world against God fallen, sinful humankind. "As I live," declares the LORD, "even though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were a signet ring on My right hand, yet I would pull you off; and I will give you over into the hand of those who are seeking your life, yes, into the hand of those whom you dread, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of the Chaldeans. "He who dwells in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence; but he who goes out and falls away to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live, and he will have his own life as booty. In an age when empires rose and fell, Babylon enjoyed an unusually long reign of power and grandeur. Prepare for his sons a place of slaughterBecause of the iniquity of their fathers.They must not arise and take possession of the earthAnd fill the face of the world with cities.. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality., The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.. With great deference, Daniel then gave the interpretation. read more. They must not arise and take possession of the earth, And fill the face of the world with cities., I will rise up against them, declares the, I will also make it a possession for the hedgehog and swamps of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction, declares the. From the city he took one official who was overseer of the men of war, and five of the king's advisers who were found in the city; and the scribe of the captain of the army who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city. Mystery Babylon is a city that sits on seven hills. It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon and he will burn it with fire.. In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. Babylon is called, mother of prostitutes and of earths abominations in Revelation 17:5. 5:5-11). Babylon, the symbol of religious confusion, was to appear again in the apostate church of Revelation 17, and its political power was to be revived in the final form of the Roman Empire as depicted in Revelation 18. His successors were insignificant by comparison. And Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came to the city, while his servants were besieging it. read more. A copy of the edict to be issued as law in every province was published to all the peoples so that they should be ready for this day. "Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs." Sheshbazzar brought them all up with the exiles who went up from Babylon to Jerusalem. Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children. The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and a bronze capital was on it; the height of the capital was three cubits, with a network and pomegranates on the capital all around, all of bronze. Who have trafficked with you from your youth; Bel has been put to shame, Marduk has been shattered; Her images have been put to shame, her idols have been shattered.. And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. And they went by way of the Arabah. The word which the Lord spoke concerning Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, through Jeremiah the prophet: Against the land of Merathaim, go up against it,And against the inhabitants of Pekod.Slay and utterly destroy them, declares the Lord,And do according to all that I have commanded you. On the aged you made your yoke very heavy. read more. The Bible describes her as "a woman" and a "great prostitute," having a name that is "a mystery: 'Babylon the Great.'" ( Revelation 17: 1, 3, 5) The book of Revelation is presented "in signs," so it is reasonable to conclude that Babylon the Great is a symbol, not a literal woman. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. How can we sing the LORD'S song In a foreign land? The whore of Babylon has influence over culture and over people. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth If I do not remember you, If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy. At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon went up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. The Bible tells the story of the tower of Babel and how the language of mankind was confused there. The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. 'I will pour out My indignation on you; I will blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and I will give you into the hand of brutal men, skilled in destruction. The story of the Tower of Babel in the Bible (Genesis 11: 1-9) never mentions Babylon specifically but only references "the city and the tower". How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones Against the rock. And some of your sons who will issue from you, whom you will beget, will be taken away, and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon. Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good. For he thought, For there will be peace and truth in my days.. "Now, then, hear this, you sensual one, Who dwells securely, Who says in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one besides me I will not sit as a widow, Nor know loss of children.'. God sometimes used the Babylonian Empire to punish Israel, but his prophets foretold that Babylon's sins would eventually cause its own destruction. So the kings scribes were called at that time in the third month (that is, the month Sivan), on the twenty-third day; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, the satraps, the governors and the princes of the provinces which extended from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to every province according to its script, and to every people according to their language as well as to the Jews according to their script and their language. Then they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all its fortified buildings with fire and destroyed all its valuable articles. Behold, the land of the Chaldeansthis is the people which was not; They said, Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top. So Judah was led away into exile from its land. And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It is symbolic of the evil state of affairs just prior to the second coming of Jesus Christ (Revelation 19). read more. It is thought that the Hebrew scribes associated the tower with Babylon due to a misinterpretation of the Akkadian name for Babylon which meant "Gate of the Gods" with the Hebrew word for "confusion". O my threshed people, and my afflicted of the threshing floor! When I saw her, I wondered greatly. He will even oppose the Prince of princes. And Babylon, the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans' pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and they seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times--for it was the custom of the king so to speak before all who knew law and justice and were close to him: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had access to the king's presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom-- "According to law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?" and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. 'Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.'" He, inDeuteronomy 28:49-58, tells of sending people into exile if they disobey Him, which Israel did. "How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled. And though she should fortify her lofty stronghold, From Me destroyers will come to her, declares the. Now, then, hear this, you sensual one,Who dwells securely,Who says in your heart,I am, and there is no one besides me.I will not sit as a widow,Nor know loss of children.. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! For behold, I am going to arouse and bring up against Babylon. These events are recorded in 2 Kings 1725 and 2 Chronicles 3236. The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and a bronze capital was on it; the height of the capital was three cubits, with a network and pomegranates on the capital all around, all of bronze. For you shall no longer be called tender and delicate. The number of the men of the people of Israel: the sons of Parosh, 2,172; the sons of Shephatiah, 372; the sons of Arah, 775; the sons of Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,812; the sons of Elam, 1,254; the sons of Zattu, 945; the sons of Zaccai, 760; the sons of Bani, 642; the sons of Bebai, 623; the sons of Azgad, 1,222; the sons of Adonikam, 666; the sons of Bigvai, 2,056; the sons of Adin, 454; the sons of Ater of Hezekiah, 98; the sons of Bezai, 323; the sons of Jorah, 112; the sons of Hashum, 223; the sons of Gibbar, 95; the men of Bethlehem, 123; the men of Netophah, 56; the men of Anathoth, 128; the sons of Azmaveth, 42; the sons of Kiriath-arim, Chephirah and Beeroth, 743; the sons of Ramah and Geba, 621; the men of Michmas, 122; the men of Bethel and Ai, 223; the sons of Nebo, 52; the sons of Magbish, 156; the sons of the other Elam, 1,254; the sons of Harim, 320; the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 725; the men of Jericho, 345; the sons of Senaah, 3,630. read more. the earth is shaken, and an outcry is heard among the nations. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/history-of-babylon-3867031. He burned the house of the Lord, the kings house and all the houses of Jerusalem; even every large house he burned with fire. Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 'Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes. She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.The number of men of the people of Israel: These came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah.The number of the men of the people of Israel: When the LORD will have compassion on Jacob and again choose Israel, and settle them in their own land, then strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob. You felt secure in your wickedness and said,No one sees me,Your wisdom and your knowledge, they have deluded you;For you have said in your heart,I am, and there is no one besides me. But evil will come on youWhich you will not know how to charm away;And disaster will fall on youFor which you cannot atone;And destruction about which you do not knowWill come on you suddenly. At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. Letters were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to seize their possessions as plunder. The Biblical description of the tower is in keeping with the characteristics of the area. After him came an inferior kingdom (538-539 BC Cyrus, Medo-Persia), and then a third kingdom of bronze (330 BC, Alexander the Great, Greek Empire). A stone (cut by no human hands) struck the image on its feet and broke them into pieces, followed by the whole image becoming as chaff and blown by the wind. . So Jeremiah wrote in a single scroll all the calamity which would come upon Babylon, that is, all these words which have been written concerning Babylon. To prevent further arrogance, God confused the people's language so they could not overstep his limits on them. Then the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest, with the three officers of the temple. In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years; then he turned and rebelled against him. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol. However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. If I forget you, O Jerusalem, May my right hand forget her skill. And the second pillar was like these with network. So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two. "They are dreaded and feared; Their justice and authority originate with themselves. I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. And they went by way of the Arabah. Now the bronze pillars which were in the house of the Lord, and the stands and the bronze sea which were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried the bronze to Babylon. Now it came about in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he became king, released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison; and he spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon. "Sheol from beneath is excited over you to meet you when you come; It arouses for you the spirits of the dead, all the leaders of the earth; It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones. Though Babylon should ascend to the heavens. Though Babylon should ascend to the heavens,And though she should fortify her lofty stronghold,From Me destroyers will come to her, declares the Lord. They took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the spoons, and all the bronze vessels which were used in temple service. behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, declares the Lord, and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants and against all these nations round about; and I will utterly destroy them and make them a horror and a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. A horde of great nations from the land of the north. 'Moreover, I will take from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. "As I live," declares the LORD, "even though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were a signet ring on My right hand, yet I would pull you off; and I will give you over into the hand of those who are seeking your life, yes, into the hand of those whom you dread, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of the Chaldeans. Lisa Loraine Baker is the multiple award-winning author of Someplace to be Somebody. "Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs." Although the city of Babylon does not rise to prominence until 1830 b.c., the area in which it is located, called Babylonia, had a long history. The whole earth is at rest and is quiet; Even the cypress trees rejoice over you, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since you were laid low, no tree cutter comes up against us.. But he *said to me, Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. And Daniel made request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego over the administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel was at the kings court. And I will stretch out My hand against you, So all Israel was enrolled by genealogies; and behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two. The term, Babylon, has been foisted upon everything from the world's system, to Rome, to a literal city in Iraq which was being rebuilt by SaddamHussein, who considered himself a modern-day Nebuchadnezzar. After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. Now a capital of bronze was on it; and the height of each capital was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the capital all around, all of bronze. It is: "Babylon the Great, the mother of prostitutes and of the abomination of the earth.". So I will give over all Judah to the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will carry them away as exiles to Babylon and will slay them with the sword. It is significant because, after the fall of Babylon, the Jews were allowed to return home. Then the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest, with the three officers of the temple. It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come. - And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying; and he cried with a strong voice, saying. So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem. Salem Media Group. The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying, read more. ', and all the kings of the north, near and far, one with another; and. Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. But some of the poorest people who had nothing, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard left behind in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at that time. read more. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile., However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. Now these are those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan and Immer, but they were not able to give evidence of their fathers' households and their descendants, whether they were of Israel: the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 652. They also feared the LORD and appointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who acted for them in the houses of the high places. "You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory; and wherever the sons of men dwell, or the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all. that you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon, and say,How the oppressor has ceased,And how fury has ceased! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, Amen. Some scholars believe that the name Babylon is derived from the Akkadian name "babilani" and is translated "the gates of the gods.". These include New York City, Saudi Arabia, An Evil world system, Rome, the Vatican, and even Iraq. For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong. Isaiah 13:19. The period of the early dynasties (2800-2360 b.c.) A drought on her waters, and they will be dried up!For it is a land of idols,And they are mad over fearsome idols. The king of Egypt did not come out of his land again, for the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the brook of Egypt to the river Euphrates. "This day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's conduct will speak in the same way to all the king's princes, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger. To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning. For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong. They forsook all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. The Scriptures record that the Lord judged the people and confounded their language with the result that the city and the tower were left unfinished (Genesis 11:5-8). Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you. In those days and at that time, declares the Lord, the sons of Israel will come, both they and the sons of Judah as well; they will go along weeping as they go, and it will be the Lord their God they will seek. Because of the iniquity of their fathers. Behold, she will be the least of the nations. For much of its early history, Babylon was a small, obscure city-state until King Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC) chose it as his capital, expanding the empire that became Babylonia. And the angel said to me, Why do you wonder? At that time Berodach-baladan a son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. recorded an advanced civilization including great temples, canals, and other construction. and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of Sepharvaim. Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus says the Lord: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the Lords house will now shortly be brought again from Babylon; for they are prophesying a lie to you. The prophet Jeremiah like Isaiah devotes two long chapters to the prediction of Babylons ultimate judgment and destruction (Jeremiah 50, 51). Just a few short decades after Nebuchadnezzar's death, Babylon was taken by the Persian conqueror Cyrus II, who reduced the city to just another outpost in his vast, Iran-based empire. "For thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I am going to make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; and while your eyes look on, they will fall by the sword of their enemies So I will give over all Judah to the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will carry them away as exiles to Babylon and will slay them with the sword. Prior to this event, the Babylonian Empire had already fallen on evil days. Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes and had his meals in the king's presence regularly all the days of his life; read more. And he will destroy many while they are at ease. when the Neo-Babylonian Empire was founded by Nabopolassar, the father of Nebuchadnezzar. Dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Hazor," declares the LORD; "For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has formed a plan against you And devised a scheme against you.