Jeremiah 51:59-64

Expanded Bible

A Message to Babylon

⁵⁹ This is the message that Jeremiah the prophet gave to the officer Seraiah son of Neriah, who was the son of Mahseiah [^Cprobably Baruch’s brother; 32:12]. Seraiah went to Babylon with Zedekiah king of Judah in the fourth year Zedekiah was king of Judah [^C593 bc]. ·His duty was to arrange the king’s food and housing on the trip [^LHe was the quartermaster]. ⁶⁰ Jeremiah had written on a scroll all the ·terrible [disastrous; evil] things that would happen to Babylon, all these words about Babylon. ⁶¹ Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “As soon as you come to Babylon, be sure to read this message so all the people can hear you. ⁶² Then say, ‘Lord, you have said that you will ·destroy [^Lcut off] this place so that no people or animals will live in it. It will be an ·empty ruin [desolation] forever.’ ⁶³ After you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates River. ⁶⁴ Then say, ‘In the same way Babylon will sink and will not rise again because of the ·terrible [disastrous; evil] things I will make happen here. Her people will fall.’”

·The words of Jeremiah end here [Thus far are the words of Jeremiah].