Jeremiah 51:6
Flee from Babylon! Escape with your lives! Do not be destroyed in her punishment. For this is the time of the LORD's vengeance; He will pay her what she deserves.
Flee from Babylon
The call to "flee from Babylon" is a divine imperative urging the Israelites to separate themselves from the impending judgment upon Babylon. The Hebrew root for "flee" (נוס, nus) conveys urgency and a sense of immediate escape. Historically, Babylon was a symbol of pride and idolatry, and this command reflects God's desire for His people to avoid the corrupting influences of a sinful society. Spiritually, it serves as a timeless reminder for believers to distance themselves from worldly temptations and to seek refuge in God's righteousness.

Escape with your lives
This phrase emphasizes the urgency and seriousness of the situation. The Hebrew word for "escape" (מלט, malat) suggests a narrow deliverance, highlighting the peril that awaits those who remain. The call to "escape with your lives" underscores the value God places on life and His desire for His people to be preserved. It is a call to prioritize spiritual well-being over material attachments, reflecting the biblical theme of choosing life and obedience to God over the fleeting pleasures of sin.

Do not be destroyed in her punishment
Here, the warning is clear: those who remain in Babylon will share in its fate. The Hebrew word for "destroyed" (דמה, damah) can also mean to be silenced or cut off, indicating total ruin. This phrase serves as a caution against complacency and the dangers of aligning with a culture under divine judgment. It is a call to discernment, urging believers to recognize the spiritual consequences of their associations and to choose paths that lead to life and blessing.

For this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance
The "time of the LORD’s vengeance" refers to a divinely appointed period when God enacts justice. The Hebrew word for "vengeance" (נקם, naqam) is not about human revenge but about God's righteous judgment. This phrase reassures believers that God is just and will hold nations accountable for their actions. It is a reminder of God's sovereignty and the certainty of His promises, encouraging believers to trust in His timing and justice.

He will pay her what she deserves
This phrase speaks to the principle of divine retribution. The Hebrew concept of "deserves" (גמל, gamal) involves recompense or reward, whether for good or evil. It reflects the biblical truth that God is fair and will ensure that justice is served. For believers, this is a call to live righteously, knowing that God sees all actions and will reward or punish accordingly. It is an encouragement to remain faithful, trusting that God will ultimately vindicate His people and His name.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A major prophet in the Old Testament, known for his prophecies concerning the judgment and restoration of Israel and the surrounding nations.

2. Babylon
An ancient city and empire known for its wealth, power, and eventual downfall. In the context of Jeremiah, it represents a place of sin and impending divine judgment.

3. The LORD's Vengeance
Refers to God's righteous judgment against Babylon for its sins and oppression of His people.

4. The Exiles
The people of Judah who were taken captive to Babylon. They are urged to flee to avoid sharing in Babylon's punishment.

5. The Punishment
The divine retribution that God promises to bring upon Babylon for its idolatry and mistreatment of His people.
Teaching Points
Call to Separation
Believers are called to separate themselves from sinful influences and environments, just as the exiles were urged to flee Babylon.

God's Righteous Judgment
God's judgment is just and inevitable for those who persist in sin. Understanding this should motivate us to live righteously.

Urgency of Obedience
The command to "flee" implies urgency. We should respond promptly to God's warnings and guidance in our lives.

Trust in God's Deliverance
Just as God provided a way of escape for the exiles, He offers deliverance for us from spiritual bondage through Christ.

Awareness of Spiritual Babylon
In a modern context, "Babylon" can represent any system or lifestyle contrary to God's will. We must be vigilant and discerning.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does Babylon represent in your life, and how can you "flee" from it in practical terms?

2. How does understanding God's vengeance and justice influence your view of His character and your relationship with Him?

3. In what ways can you ensure that you are not complicit in the "punishment" of modern-day Babylon?

4. How can the urgency of the command to flee from Babylon be applied to your spiritual walk today?

5. What parallels can you draw between the call to flee Babylon and the New Testament teachings on separation from the world?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Revelation 18
This chapter echoes the call to flee from Babylon, symbolizing the final judgment on a corrupt world system.

Isaiah 48:20
Similar to Jeremiah 51:6, this verse calls for the people to leave Babylon, emphasizing deliverance and redemption.

2 Corinthians 6:17
Paul urges believers to separate themselves from worldly influences, paralleling the call to flee from Babylon.
Escape for Thy Life!S. Conway Jeremiah 51:6
Fleeing from the City of DestructionLectures on Pilgrim's Progress, G. H. CheeverJeremiah 51:6
Individual EscapeD. Young Jeremiah 51:6
The Duty of Separating from the WorldA.F. Muir Jeremiah 51:6, 50
People
Ashchenaz, Ashkenaz, Babylonians, Jacob, Jeremiah, Maaseiah, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadrezzar, Neriah, Seraiah, Zedekiah
Places
Ararat, Babylon, Chaldea, Euphrates River, Jerusalem, Leb-kamai, Zion
Topics
Babylon, Cut, Deliver, Deserves, Destroyed, Evil-doing, Flee, Flight, Iniquity, Lord's, Midst, Pay, Punishment, Recompence, Recompense, Render, Rendering, Requital, Reward, Run, Save, Sins, Soul, Vengeance
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 51:6

     5178   running
     5493   retribution
     5603   wages

Jeremiah 51:6-8

     6103   abomination

Jeremiah 51:6-10

     5801   brokenness

Library
The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
The Medes and Cimmerians: Lydia--The conquest of Egypt, of Arabia, and of Elam. As we have already seen, Sennacherib reigned for eight years after his triumph; eight years of tranquillity at home, and of peace with all his neighbours abroad. If we examine the contemporary monuments or the documents of a later period, and attempt to glean from them some details concerning the close of his career, we find that there is a complete absence of any record of national movement on the part of either Elam,
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8

'As Sodom'
'Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2. And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 3. For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. 4. And it came to pass, in the ninth year of his reign,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

How those who Fear Scourges and those who Contemn them are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 14.) Differently to be admonished are those who fear scourges, and on that account live innocently, and those who have grown so hard in wickedness as not to be corrected even by scourges. For those who fear scourges are to be told by no means to desire temporal goods as being of great account, seeing that bad men also have them, and by no means to shun present evils as intolerable, seeing they are not ignorant how for the most part good men also are touched by them. They are to be admonished
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Christian Meekness
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth Matthew 5:5 We are now got to the third step leading in the way to blessedness, Christian meekness. Blessed are the meek'. See how the Spirit of God adorns the hidden man of the heart, with multiplicity of graces! The workmanship of the Holy Ghost is not only curious, but various. It makes the heart meek, pure, peaceable etc. The graces therefore are compared to needlework, which is different and various in its flowers and colours (Psalm 45:14).
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Covenanting Adapted to the Moral Constitution of Man.
The law of God originates in his nature, but the attributes of his creatures are due to his sovereignty. The former is, accordingly, to be viewed as necessarily obligatory on the moral subjects of his government, and the latter--which are all consistent with the holiness of the Divine nature, are to be considered as called into exercise according to his appointment. Hence, also, the law of God is independent of his creatures, though made known on their account; but the operation of their attributes
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

A Discourse of the House and Forest of Lebanon
OF THE HOUSE OF THE FOREST OF LEBANON. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. That part of Palestine in which the celebrated mountains of Lebanon are situated, is the border country adjoining Syria, having Sidon for its seaport, and Land, nearly adjoining the city of Damascus, on the north. This metropolitan city of Syria, and capital of the kingdom of Damascus, was strongly fortified; and during the border conflicts it served as a cover to the Assyrian army. Bunyan, with great reason, supposes that, to keep
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
Jeremiah 51:6 NIV
Jeremiah 51:6 NLT
Jeremiah 51:6 ESV
Jeremiah 51:6 NASB
Jeremiah 51:6 KJV

Jeremiah 51:6 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Jeremiah 51:5
Top of Page
Top of Page