Jeremiah 50:31 · Bible study
Jeremiah 50:31 Commentary: The Day of Visitation for the Proud
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study the meaning of Jeremiah 50:31: God declares judgment on Babylon's pride. Explore the 'day of visitation' as historical event and enduring pattern.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God declares personal opposition to the proud (Babylon) and announces that the appointed day of punishment has arrived.
- Key words: zadon (pride/arrogance), et (time), paqad (visit/attend to with judgment).
- Main debate: Whether the primary reference is to the historical fall of Babylon in 539 BC or to a recurring typological pattern that includes final eschatological judgment.
- Theological theme: God's consistent opposition to human pride and His sovereignty over the timing of justice.
- Best use: As a warning against personal and national pride, and as a comfort to those who wait for God to act against arrogant evil.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
“Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts, “for your day has come, the time when I will punish you.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“Behold, I am against you, you proud one,” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies; “for your day has come, the time that I will visit you.
KJV King James Version 1769
Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord God of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Behold, I am against thee, O thou proud one, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts; for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Lo, I am against thee, O pride, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah of Hosts, For thy day hath come, the time of thy inspection.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Behold, I am against thee, proud one, saith the Lord Jehovah of hosts; for thy day is come, the time that I visit thee:
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Behold I come against thee, O proud one, saith the Lord the God of hosts: for thy day is come, the time of thy visitation.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
He aquí yo contra ti, oh soberbio, dice el Señor Jehová de los ejércitos: porque tu día es venido, el tiempo en que te visitaré.
Eis que eu contra ti, ó soberbo,diz o Senhor DEUS dos exércitos; porque veio o teu dia, o tempo em que te castigarei.
Voici, j’ en veux à toi, orgueilleuse!
Siehe, du Stolzer, ich will an dich, spricht der Herr HERR Zebaoth; denn dein Tag ist gekommen, die Zeit deiner Heimsuchung.
Ziet, Ik wil aan u, gij trotse! spreekt de HEERE, de HEERE der heirscharen; want uw dag is gekomen, de tijd, dat Ik u bezoeken zal.
Eccomi a te, o arrogante, dice il Signore, l’Eterno degli eserciti; poiché il tuo giorno è giunto, il tempo ch’io ti visiterò.
Otom ja przeciwko tobie, o hardy! mówi Pan, Pan zastępów; bo już przyszedł dzień twój i czas, abym cię nawiedził.
Вот, Я - на тебя, гордыня, говорит Господь Бог Саваоф; ибо пришел день твой, время посещения твоего.
主─萬軍 之耶和華 說： 你這狂傲的啊，我與你反對，因為 我追討你 的日子 已經來到。
See, I am against you, O pride, says the Lord, the Lord of armies, for your day has come, the time when I will send punishment on you.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 50:31
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse directly addresses Babylon as the embodiment of pride. Adam Clarke notes the Hebrew zadon means "pride in the abstract," and Barnes adds that Babylon is here called "Pride" just as earlier she was called "Double-rebellion" (Jeremiah 50:21). Gill calls Babylon "intolerably proud," pointing to Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. The central claim is straightforward: God opposes the proud. Matthew Henry summarizes that God will "resist the proud" and that the day of visitation has come. Calvin emphasizes that God calls the Babylonians proud because they assailed God and humanity without reverence. The "day" and "time" signify the God-ordained moment for justice. All traditions see this as both a historical judgment on Babylon and a pattern of how God deals with human arrogance. The certainty of God's word is underscored by the direct speech: "I am against you."
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Historical Babylon judgment: The primary context is the fall of Babylon in 539 BC, supported by the surrounding historical oracles and the consistent identification of Babylon as the proud oppressor.
- Typological pattern for all proud powers: Calvin and others argue that the prophecy follows a pattern applicable to every age; the same language is used against Jerusalem (Jer 21:13) and Edom (Jer 49:16).
- Eschatological judgment against the Antichrist: Gill connects the verse to 2 Thessalonians 2:4, seeing Babylon's pride as a foreshadowing of the final opponent of God.
What is clear: God opposes pride and will bring an appointed day of judgment against it, whether in this age or the next.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The identity of "the proud one" | All traditions agree the primary referent is Babylon, either as a nation or its king. | Some see it strictly as a historical reference (Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar); others read it as a typological archetype that can apply to any proud power, including the end-times figure of 2 Thessalonians 2:4. |
| The nature of the "visitation" | There is broad agreement that <em>pequddah</em> refers to a punitive act of divine justice. | Catholics and Orthodox tend to see temporal punishment and the possibility of repentance; some Protestant traditions emphasize it as irreversible judgment parallel to the final judgment. |
| The timing of fulfillment | All hold that the prophecy was fulfilled in some sense in the fall of Babylon to the Persians (539 BC). | Some interpreters consider the fulfillment complete in the ancient event; others see an ongoing, repeated pattern culminating in Christ's final victory over pride. |
| Application to individuals versus nations | The verse is seen as a warning against pride in any form. | Some apply it primarily to corporate entities (nations, institutions); others insist on personal application to every human heart. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah 50 is part of a collection of oracles against the nations (chapters 46, 51). Babylon had been God's instrument to judge Judah (Jeremiah 25:9), but now she faces judgment for her own pride. Verse 29 supplies the charge: "she has been proud against Yahweh, against the Holy One of Israel." The surrounding verses (27, 32) depict battle scenes, archers summoned, young men slain, and repeatedly use the phrase "their day has come, the time of their visitation" (v27). The Hebrew pequddah ("visitation") carries the sense of an official inspection that results in punishment.
Historically, this prophecy was fulfilled in 539 BC when the Persian king Cyrus captured Babylon without a fight, according to ancient sources. The pride of Babylon, its boastful kings, its fortified walls, its view of itself as eternal, collapsed. The Cambridge Bible notes that "Pride" becomes a proper name for Babylon. The Targum (an early Aramaic paraphrase) applies the verse to the king: "Behold, I send my fury against you, O wicked king." The cross-references to Jeremiah 21:13 (against Jerusalem's pride) and 49:16 (against Edom's pride) show that God's opposition to pride is consistent across nations. For the exiled Judeans who first heard this oracle, the message was one of hope: the same God who used Babylon to discipline them would also hold Babylon accountable. Calvin observes that the declaration "I am against you" was necessary because the faithful could hardly believe the prophecy otherwise. The verse trains God's people to wait for His appointed time of justice.
Textual Notes
The consulted commentaries and lexical sources note no significant textual variants for Jeremiah 50:31. The Hebrew text is consistent across available manuscripts.
Reception History
Jeremiah 50:31 has been read across Christian history as a standing warning against pride and a pledge of divine justice. Early interpreters saw Babylon as a type of all worldly powers that exalt themselves against God. In the medieval period, the verse was used in moral treatises on the sin of pride. The Reformers, including Calvin, emphasized its relevance for their own time, applying it to the pride of religious and political authorities. In more recent centuries, the verse has been cited in sermons on social justice, assuring the oppressed that God sees the arrogance of the powerful and will act. Its enduring power lies in its simplicity: God opposes the proud, and His appointed time is sure.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God stands against pride. The first-person declaration "I am against you" removes all ambiguity. Pride is not simply a personality flaw; it is a posture of opposition to God. Babylon's self-exaltation made her God's adversary.
- God's time is certain. The phrase "your day has come" points to a predetermined moment. Human arrogance assumes there will be no reckoning. The prophet insists that the appointed time arrives exactly when God intends.
- God's justice is complete. Verse 32 (following immediately) shows the proud one stumbling with no one to raise him up. Judgment is total, leaving no room for recovery through human effort.
Five-point outline
- The nature of pride: self-exaltation against the Holy One of Israel.
- The divine declaration: "I am against you", God personally opposes the proud.
- The certainty of the day: God's timetable, not ours, governs judgment.
- The visitation: both an inspection and a decisive punishment.
- The result: utter fall, with no help from anyone.
Illustration hooks
- A student who habitually cheats, believing they are above the rules, until a single investigation undoes their reputation.
- A corporation that builds its brand on perceived invincibility, ignoring ethical red flags, then collapses when hidden practices surface.
- A nation that boasts of its power and mocks its neighbors, only to be overrun in a single night, history offers many examples.
Questions your congregation is asking
- "Is God against me when I struggle with pride, or is this warning only for obvious tyrants?"
- "Why do the proud seem to get away with it for so long?"
- "How can I tell the difference between healthy confidence and the pride that God opposes?"
Leading a Discussion
This verse confronts us with a God who personally opposes pride. Babylon had been the superpower of its day, yet the prophecy treats it as a single figure, "Pride", whose destruction is certain. As you discuss, let the weight of God's direct speech sink in: "I am against you."
Discussion questions
- What does the phrase "Behold, I am against you" reveal about God's character and His response to pride?
- In what ways was Babylon proud against the Holy One of Israel? (See verse 29 and cross-references like Jeremiah 48:29.)
- Why does the prophet personify Babylon as "the proud one" rather than simply naming the nation?
- What do the words "day" and "time" tell us about how God executes judgment? How does this challenge our impatience with injustice?
- Where do you see the pattern of pride leading to a fall in the world around you today?
- How can this verse speak hope to someone who feels crushed by a proud person or system?
- What safeguards can we build into our own lives to resist the pride that God opposes?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Job 40:11 | Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low. |
| Job 40:12 | Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place. |
| Jeremiah 21:13 | Behold, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, and of the rock of the plain,’ says Yahweh. ‘You that say, “Who would come down against us?” or, “Who would enter into our homes?” |
| Jeremiah 48:29 | “We have heard of the pride of Moab. He is very proud in his loftiness, his pride, his arrogance, and the arrogance of his heart. |
| Jeremiah 49:16 | As for your terror, the pride of your heart has deceived you, O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill, though you should make your nest as high as the eagle, I will bring you down from there,” says Yahweh. |
| Jeremiah 50:29 | “Call together the archers against Babylon, all those who bend the bow. Encamp against her all around. Let none of it escape. Pay her back according to her work. According to all that she has done, do to her; for she has been proud against Yahweh, against the Holy One of Israel. |
| Jeremiah 50:32 | The proud one will stumble and fall, and no one will raise him up. I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it will devour all who are around him.” |
| Jeremiah 51:25 | “Behold, I am against you, destroying mountain,” says Yahweh, “which destroys all the earth. I will stretch out my hand on you, roll you down from the rocks, and will make you a burned mountain. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the Hebrew word behind the phrase "O thou most proud," which is "zadon," meaning pride in the abstract. He sees this as addressing the very embodiment of pride, the proudest of all people, not merely a proud individual.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that the prophet gives Babylon a symbolic name, calling it Pride. This mirrors a practice in Jeremiah where Babylon is called Double-rebellion, using a name to capture the city's defining spiritual character rather than its geography.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that God's apparent delay in judging the proud is not indifference but a fixed time of visitation unknown to us. This delay serves as a bridle on our impatience, teaching us to wait for God's appointed moment rather than demanding immediate vengeance when we see oppression.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
31, 32 . O thou proud one … the proud one ] Heb. as mg. ( O Pride and Pride respectively), applied as a proper name to Babylon. With these vv . cp. Jer_21:13 f.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note highlights that God personally confronts the proud man, not merely speaking about him but directly to him. The emphasis falls on the certainty of divine judgment: the appointed day has come, and God Himself will carry out the visitation.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill zeroes in on the phrase "most proud" and renders it as "pride" itself or "man of pride" — a superlative arrogance that puts the proud person in direct opposition to God. He applies this specifically to the kings of Babylon and, prophetically, to the "man of sin" who exalts himself above God.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the Hebrew word translated "most proud" is literally "pride," meaning a man of pride, and identifies this as the king of Babylon. They also clarify that "visit" in this context means to punish, not merely to call upon.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange personifies Babylon as Pride itself, the concentrated essence of worldly arrogance against God. He argues that this judgment has universal application, reaching every earthly power that trusts in
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry underscores the irony that Babylon, the brutal hammer God used to crush other nations, is now shattered by the same divine hand. Its destruction is a direct judgment for its pride and open defiance against the Lord of hosts.