Jeremiah 51:59
in Jeremiah 51This is the message that Jeremiah the prophet gave to the quartermaster Seraiah son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went to Babylon with King Zedekiah of Judah in the fourth year of Zedekiah’s reign.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Now Seraiah was chief chamberlain.
KJV
The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah into Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And this Seraiah was a quiet prince.
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This verse in Jeremiah 51
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThe word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah,.... This word is no other than the above prophecy concerning the destruction of Babylon, contained in this and the preceding chapter; or rather the order the prophet gave this prince to take a copy of it with him to Babylon, and there read it, and their cast it into the river Euphrates, with a stone bound it.
This site's exposition
commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah
on Jeremiah 51:59-61
The last of the book's sign-acts is given a named courier, Seraiah, brother to Baruch the scribe by the same father Neriah (32:12), a quiet prince who traveled with Zedekiah to Babylon, a trip the text records though Kings does not. Jeremiah writes in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, the sixty-three preceding verses bound into a single scroll and carried into the very city they condemn. The instruction that follows is precise, when thou comest to Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words, the prophecy meant to be spoken aloud on the ground it concerns.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
In the fourth year - This circumstance lets us know that this prophecy was many years before Babylon was destroyed; for it was seven years before Jerusalem was taken; so as it must be above sixty years before it was fulfilled in the first degree.
He went with Zedekiah, or (as the margin reads it) on the behalf of Zedekiah, into Babylon. The character given of him is observable, that this Seraiah was a quiet prince, a prince of rest. He was in honour and power, but not, as most f the princes then were, hot and heady, making parties, and heading factions, and driving things furiously.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Historical appendix. In his fourth year Zedekiah journeyed to Babylon either to obtain some favor from Nebuchadnezzar, or because he was summoned to be present on some state occasion. Jeremiah took the opportunity of sending to the exiles at Babylon this prophecy. Jer 51:59 Seraiah - Brother to Baruch. A quiet prince - literally, “prince of the resting place, i. e., quartermaster.” It was his business to ride forward each day, and select the place where the king would halt and pass the night. Jer 51:60 In a book - literally, in one book, on one scroll of parchment.
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַדָּבָ֞ר | hadavar | the word | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוָּ֣ה׀ | tzivah | he commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ | yirmeyahu | Jeremiah | H3414 → | 147 times |
| הַנָּבִ֗יא | hanavi' | the prophet | H5030 → | 314 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שְׂרָיָ֣ה | serayah | Seraiah | H8304 → | 20 times |
| בֶן־ | ven- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| נֵרִיָּה֮ | neriyah | Neriah | H5374 → | 10 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| מַחְסֵיָה֒ | machseyah | Mahseiah | H4271 → | |
| בְּלֶכְתּ֞וֹ | belekhto | when went he | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| צִדְקִיָּ֤הוּ | tzidkiyahu | Zedekiah | H6667 → | 63 times |
| מֶֽלֶךְ־ | melekh- | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יְהוּדָה֙ | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| בָּבֶ֔ל | bavel | Babylon | H894 → | 262 times |
| בִּשְׁנַ֥ת | bishnat | in [the] year | H8141 → | 877 times |
| הָרְבִעִ֖ית | hareviit | <the> fourth | H7243 → | 56 times |
| לְמָלְכ֑וֹ | lemalekho | of reigning his | H4427 → | 348 times |
| וּשְׂרָיָ֖ה | userayah | and Seraiah | H8304 → | 20 times |
| שַׂ֥ר | sar | [was] an official of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| מְנוּחָֽה׃ | menuchah | a resting place | H4496 → |
הַדָּבָ֞רthe word
hadavarH1697 →1440 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
צִוָּ֣ה׀he commanded
tzivahH6680 →494 times
יִרְמְיָ֣הוּJeremiah
yirmeyahuH3414 →147 times
הַנָּבִ֗יאthe prophet
hanavi'H5030 →314 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שְׂרָיָ֣הSeraiah
serayahH8304 →20 times
בֶן־[the] son of
ven-H1121 →4930 times
נֵרִיָּה֮Neriah
neriyahH5374 →10 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
מַחְסֵיָה֒Mahseiah
machseyahH4271 →
בְּלֶכְתּ֞וֹwhen went he
belekhtoH1980 →1546 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
צִדְקִיָּ֤הוּZedekiah
tzidkiyahuH6667 →63 times
מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of
melekh-H4428 →2525 times
יְהוּדָה֙Judah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
בָּבֶ֔לBabylon
bavelH894 →262 times
בִּשְׁנַ֥תin [the] year
bishnatH8141 →877 times
הָרְבִעִ֖ית<the> fourth
hareviitH7243 →56 times
לְמָלְכ֑וֹof reigning his
lemalekhoH4427 →348 times
וּשְׂרָיָ֖הand Seraiah
userayahH8304 →20 times
שַׂ֥ר[was] an official of
sarH8269 →421 times
מְנוּחָֽה׃a resting place
menuchahH4496 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 36:4So Jeremiah called Baruch son of Neriah, and at the dictation of Jeremiah, Baruch wrote on a scroll all the words that the LORD had spoken to Jeremiah.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 32:12
and I gave this deed to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of my cousin Hanamel and the witnesses who were signing the purchase agreement and all the Jews…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 36:32
Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch son of Neriah, and at Jeremiah’s dictation he wrote on it all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 2:9
Then I looked and saw a hand reaching out to me, and in it was a scroll,
- Jeremiah 32:12
Through
Jeremiah 45:1This is the word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch son of Neriah when he wrote these words on a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 36:1
In the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
- Jeremiah 36:4
So Jeremiah called Baruch son of Neriah, and at the dictation of Jeremiah, Baruch wrote on a scroll all the words that the LORD had spoken to Jeremiah.
- Jeremiah 36:1
Through
Jeremiah 52:1Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.
it leads to
- 2 Kings 24:18
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.
- Joshua 10:29
Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah.
- 2 Kings 24:18
Through
Jeremiah 28:1In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, near the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, said to…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 27:1
At the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD.
- Jeremiah 27:1
About Jeremiah

Who and where
4 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsJudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line to Christ (…
- PersonLate monarchy / ExileJeremiahPriest of Anathoth called before birth to uproot and to plant; the weeping prophet of Jerusalem's fall who bought a field in the s…
- PersonExileZedekiahJudah's last king, who broke his oath to Babylon against Jeremiah's word; his sons slain before his eyes at Riblah, and the city a…
- PlaceBabil Governorate (archaeological site)BabylonAncient Mesopotamian city and imperial capital; site of the Israelite exile and a recurring biblical symbol of worldly power.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
