Babylon

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Babylon
View of the ancient city of Babylon
Administrative DistrictCapital of ancient Babylonia
LocationMesopotamia
On the banks of the Euphrates River, approximately 89 km south of Baghdad
FeaturesThe center of western Asian civilization,
a symbol of the false church opposing God

Babylon was an ancient city in Mesopotamia, often referenced in the Bible to signify Babylonia—the kingdom with Babylon as its capital—especially during the period of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Around 586 B.C., the Neo-Babylonian Empire conquered the southern kingdom of Judah. However, in 539 B.C., the empire was overthrown by Cyrus II of the Medo-Persian Empire.

In the New Testament, particularly in the book of Revelation, Babylon symbolizes false churches opposing God and serves as a dwelling place of Satan, destined for judgment.

Meaning of Babylon

The term Babel (בָּבֶל)[1] originates from the Akkadian word Bab-ilu, meaning “gate of god.” In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word balal (בָּלַל),[2] meaning “to mix” or “to confuse,” is used phonetically to render Babylon as Babel, which means "confusion.”[3]

In the Old Testament, the term Babylon primarily refers to the Neo-Babylonian Empire, although it occasionally denotes the city of Babylon itself. In the book of Genesis, Babylon is mentioned as the city established by Nimrod in the land of Shinar (Hebrew: שִׁנְעָר[4]).[5] Additionally, there is a record stating that after the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, they relocated Babylonian people to the region of northern Israel.[6]

  • Babylonian Empire: There was a Babylonian civilization that thrived in the 18th century B.C., followed by a later Babylonian Empire that claimed succession from the ancient Babylon, dominating the Near East in the 7th to 6th centuries B.C. Both empires shared Babylon as their capital and controlled similar territories. To distinguish between these two periods, the earlier one is referred to as the “Old Babylonian Empire,” while the latter one is termed the “Neo-Babylonian Empire.”
  • Chaldea: The Old Testament refers to the Neo-Babylonian Empire as both Babylon and Chaldea. This association arose because the ruling class of the Neo-Babylonian Empire consisted of Chaldeans. Originally, the term Chaldea denoted the southern part of the Mesopotamian region, but its meaning expanded to become synonymous with Babylon.[7] The Bible also describes King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon as the King of Chaldea.[8]

Characteristics of Babylon

Geography

The Old Babylonian and Neo-Babylonian empires controlled territories between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, encompassing the southern Sumerian region and the northern Akkadian region of Mesopotamia. This area, known as the “Fertile Crescent,” offered advantages for agriculture and held significant commercial and strategic importance due to its proximity to the sea. Consequently, this led to a concentration of population and the emergence of various city-states. The irregular flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers necessitated large-scale irrigation projects to sustain agricultural productivity.[9]

Culture

The Old Babylonian and Neo-Babylonian empires, due to their geographical characteristics, had frequent interactions with external entities and were often subject to invasions by foreign peoples, resulting in an open and complex culture.

The Old Babylonians emphasized the strengthening of royal authority to establish a unified state. Influenced by the cultural practices of the Sumerians, who were the first to believe in astrology, they claimed that their kings were divine or had a divine origin.[10] In terms of religion, both the Old Babylonian and Neo-Babylonian empires embraced various deities from Mesopotamia, including Marduk.

The Neo-Babylonian Empire inherited the gods of the Old Babylonians while also advancing the practice of astrology. As astrology gained prominence, Neo-Babylonian society developed elaborate spiritual rituals, seeking divine guidance in deciding matters of national importance.[11] In terms of urban culture, the city of Babylon actively leveraged its role as the capital by constructing magnificent structures and monuments that symbolized its strong royal authority. As a traditional trading hub, Babylon developed into the largest and most splendid international city in the ancient world.[12]

Major Gods of Babylon
Name
Name in the Bible
Features
Bel Bel[13] The god of the sun, wind, and storm: His name means lord or master, similar to Baal in Canaan (Palestine).

After the time of Hammurabi, Bel was combined with Marduk, and was worshiped as the supreme deity.

Marduk Merodach[13] The god believed to have restored the order of heaven and earth: After King Hammurabi made Marduk the protector god of Babylon, Marduk gained the position of the supreme god among the Sumerian deities and was worshiped nationally as “Bel (Baal) Marduk.”
Tammuz Tammuz[14] The god of fertility who oversees livestock and vegetation: He has been worshiped since the Sumerian era.

During the time of Hammurabi, a religion dedicated to the goddess Ishtar and the god Tammuz was established, and temples for them were built in various places.

Ishtar Ashtoreth or Ashtaroth[15] The ancient Babylonian goddess of love and war: She is the deification of the planet Venus, and is known as the goddess of dawn and dusk. In inscriptions from the time of Hammurabi, she is recorded as Asratum. The name was transmitted to Canaan, where she was transformed into Ashtoreth, Asherah, and Astarte in Phoenicia. In the Bible, she is mentioned as “Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians.”
Nebo Nebo[16] The god of agriculture: The names of Babylonian kings Nabopolassar, Nebuchadnezzar, and Nabonidus are associated with the god Nebo.

Ruins

Map of the City of Babylon
The lion is the symbolic animal of Babylon. This statue depicts a lion trampling a person.[17]

German archaeologist Robert Johann Koldewey excavated the ruins of Babylon for about 15 years, beginning in 1899. The city of Babylon was a massive fortress, with wall thickness ranging from 11.58 meters to 23.5 meters (approx. 38 feet to 77.1 feet). The city walls had a circumference of 96 kilometers (60 miles), with each side measuring 24 kilometers (15 miles) and reaching a height of 100 meters (328 feet). Each wall contained more than 100 gates. The Euphrates River flowed both inside and outside the city, providing water while also serving as a barrier against external invasions.

This excavation suggests that Babylon was larger than Nineveh and was the biggest city in Mesopotamia at that time. A medieval city is a densely populated area surrounded by walls, and according to this concept, no city larger than Babylon has been discovered to this day.[18] Additionally, the splendid and grand appearance of Babylon described by Herodotus in his book, The Histories, has been proven to be an unexaggerated fact. Representative ruins discovered by Koldewey include the Hanging Gardens, the Ishtar Gate, the Processional Way of Babylon, the Tower of Babel, and the Lion of Babylon.

Koldewey expressed his feelings upon encountering the ruins, stating, “Although it is just a ruin, seeing it in person is incomparable to what I had seen in books all this time. The scale of the tower was so immense that it is understandable why the Old Testament symbolized the Tower of Babel as a representation of human arrogance. There were countless storerooms, endless stretches of white walls, magnificent bronze doors, and fortifications surrounding the tower, along with thousands of watchtowers. No other architectural marvel in all of Babylonia was as splendid and grand as this.”[19]

  • Lion of Babylon
The lion is a symbolic animal of Babylon, and its image is frequently found in Babylonian ruins.[20] The lion motif on the blue bricks of the Ishtar Gate, the procession of 120 lions carved into the walls along the Babylonian Processional Way, the lion design adorning the front of Nebuchadnezzar's throne, and the lion decorations on the façade of the audience hall in the southern palace of Beit Tabrath Nisayel are remarkable examples of this artistry.[21] At the northern end of the Babylon’s Processional Way, a lion statue made of black basalt was excavated. Believed to have been created 2,600 years ago, this statue stands 2.6 meters (8.5 feet) tall, measures 11.68 meters (38 feet) in length, and weighs 7,000 kilograms (15,000 pounds). It is estimated that a statue of the goddess Ishtar once stood on its back. The Lion of Babylon is regarded as a symbol of the strength of Babylon’s national power.

Ethnicity

  • Amorites
The Amorites (Amurru in Akkadian) were the people who built the Old Babylonian Empire. They were one of the ancient Semitic peoples and dominated the history of Mesopotamia, Syria, and Palestine from around the 20th to the 16th centuries B.C.[22][23][24]
  • Chaldeans
The Chaldeans were the people who built the Neo-Babylonian Empire. They were a Semitic nomadic group residing in West Asia who migrated to Mesopotamia around the 10th to 9th centuries B.C. Originally, the term Chaldean referred to the inhabitants of the southern region of Babylonia. However, as they came to rule all of Babylonia, the terms Chaldea and Babylon became synonymous.

History

Mesopotamian Civilization Period

Around 3800 B.C., the Sumerian civilization began in the southern region of the Mesopotamian plain. The world’s first city, Erech (or Uruk),[25] was established, followed by the emergence of many other cities along the banks of the Euphrates River. Between the 24th and 23rd centuries B.C., the Akkadians conquered all the city-states of Sumer and established the Akkadian Empire, integrating the Sumerian and Akkadian regions, collectively known as Babylonia. Subsequently, the Mesopotamian region was repeatedly unified and divided by various peoples, including the Gutians and the Urukites. During this process, the southern Sumerian cities declined, making way for emerging northern cities, one of which was Babylon.[26]

Old Babylonian Empire (Amorite Dynasty)

The kingdom of the Old Babylonian Empire

Around the 21st century B.C., the Amorites, who lived a nomadic lifestyle near the Mediterranean coastal region of Canaan, advanced into the Mesopotamian plain and established the cities of Isin and Larsa.[27][28] In the early 19th century B.C., a group that had gained independence from Isin founded the Amorite dynasty (the First Babylonian Empire), centered around the city of Babylon along the banks of the Euphrates River. The Amorite dynasty expanded its territory by conquering surrounding cities.

The sixth king, Hammurabi (reigned 1792–1750 B.C.), conquered the regions of Uruk, Isin, and Larsa, establishing control over Sumer and unifying the broader Mesopotamian area to form the Babylonian Empire. It is estimated that the Code of Hammurabi, one of the three world’s most significant legal codes, was recorded during this period. After Hammurabi’s death, several rebellions occurred, and around 1600 B.C., the Hittites[29] attacked and destroyed Babylon. Historians classify the period from the 19th to the 16th century B.C. as the Old Babylonian Empire.[30]

Rule of Assyria

Following this period, the Kassite dynasty (Kassites) came to power in Babylon. The Kassites established a peace treaty with the Assyrians (Neo-Assyrian Empire), who were expanding their influence at the time, in an effort to revive the Babylonian Empire. However, Assyria, which had grown into a powerful empire based on iron, broke the peace treaty and invaded Babylon in 728 B.C., completely occupying the city. Approximately 150,000 Babylonians were forcibly relocated to Assyria, and Babylon was destroyed. Subsequently, the Second Dynasty of Isin (the Fourth Babylonian Dynasty) succeeded Babylon, but it remained under Assyrian rule, enduring severe oppression.

Neo-Babylonian Empire (Chaldean Dynasty)

Territory of the Neo-Babylonian Empire

Around 625 B.C., as Assyria’s power waned during the reign of King Ashurbanipal, Nabopolassar of Chaldea declared independence in the city of Babylon and became the first king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Around 612 B.C., Babylon allied with Media to capture Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, securing a decisive victory. Nebuchadnezzar II (reigned 605–562 B.C.), the son of Nabopolassar, ascended the throne and led the Neo-Babylonian Empire into its golden age.

Fall to the Persian Empire

After Nebuchadnezzar’s death, Nabonidus ascended to the throne, following a period of chaos caused by a struggle for power. He worshiped the god Sin (Nanna), but most Babylonians adhered to the worship of Marduk, which led to his loss of popular support. He also appointed his son Belshazzar as his successor and had him rule while being away from the capital for an extended period. During this time, Cyrus, who unified Media and established the Persian Empire (Achaemenid Empire), invaded Babylon. The Persian army diverted the flow of the Euphrates River around Babylon to conquer the city, and around 539 B.C., King Cyrus entered Babylon peacefully with the cooperation of its inhabitants.[31] Thus, Neo-Babylonian power was completely dismantled. Cyrus appointed Darius, a Mede, to govern Babylon and freed the captives of Israel.

Babylon in the Bible

Babylon (Neo-Babylonian Empire) is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament during the period of the divided kingdoms of Israel and the Babylonian Exile. When the southern kingdom of Judah fell into idolatry and broke God’s covenant, God punished Judah through King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.[32] However, God prophesied that, in due time, the people of Judah would return to their homeland, and Babylon, which oppressed His people, would be destroyed.[33][34] When the prophesied period was fulfilled, Babylon fell to King Cyrus of the Medo-Persian Empire, and the people of Judah were liberated to return to their homeland.[35]

Period of the Divided Kingdom of Israel

  • Hezekiah and the Babylonian Envoys
The Assyrians, who held dominance in the region, destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel and invaded the southern kingdom of Judah. Judah, which observed the Passover, achieved victory with God’s help by defeating 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in a single night. However, soon after, King Hezekiah fell gravely ill and was near death. As he wept and prayed, God heard his prayer and granted him an additional 15 years of life.[36] When King Merodach-Baladan of Babylon heard the news of Hezekiah’s recovery, he sent envoys to Judah.[37] Delighted, Hezekiah showed the envoys all the treasures of Judah, including the storerooms of the kingdom’s wealth and its armory.[38] As a result, the prophet Isaiah prophesied, “Everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. And some of your descendants, who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”[39]
  • Jehoiakim Gives Babylon a Justification for Invasion
Death of King Josiah by Francesco Conti
After King Josiah was killed in the Battle of Megiddo against Egypt,[40] his son Jehoahaz ascended to the throne of Judah. However, after Pharaoh Necho was defeated by Babylon at the Battle of Carchemish and retreated, he executed Jehoahaz and installed Jehoiakim as king.[41] In the early years of his reign, Jehoiakim served Egypt, but as pressure from Babylon increased, he began paying tribute to Babylon. However, after three years, he returned to his allegiance to Egypt. In response, Babylon, along with the allied forces of Aram, Moab, and Ammon, invaded Judah.

Babylonian Captivity of Judah

No. King of Judah Year (B.C.) Content
1st Jehoiakim 606 Nobles including Daniel were taken to Babylon.
2nd Jehoiachin 597 The king, officials, and artisans were taken to Babylon, including Ezekiel.
3rd Zedekiah 586 The king and the remaining inhabitants of Jerusalem were taken captive, while the temple and city walls of Jerusalem were completely destroyed.
  • First Babylonian Exile

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. . . . Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.

Daniel 1:1–4

Around 606 B.C., Babylon invaded Judah and took the royal family and noble youths as hostages. The purpose was to educate them in the language and literature of Babylon for the administration of Judah.[42] Among those taken captive to Babylon at that time were Daniel (Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego).
  • Second Babylonian Exile
Around 597 B.C., Babylon captured approximately 10,000 of Jerusalem’s finest individuals as captives.[43] King Jehoiachin, who succeeded Jehoiakim, was also taken captive, and his uncle Zedekiah was appointed king of Judah. The prophet Jeremiah foretold that Jerusalem would be destroyed and that the people would live as captives in Babylon for 70 years. He emphasized that the invasion by Babylon was God’s punishment for the idolatry and wickedness of Judah, urging the people to surrender to Babylon. However, the people were more inclined to listen to the messages of peace from false prophets like Hananiah than to the judgment proclaimed by Jeremiah.
  • Third Babylonian Exile
Around 588 B.C., King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon led his army to lay siege to Jerusalem. Zedekiah was offered honorable treatment if he surrendered, but he disregarded Jeremiah’s advice and chose to resist. Around 586 B.C., Jerusalem was ultimately captured by the Babylonian army after an 18-month siege.

In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall was broken through.

Jeremiah 39:1–2

Zedekiah fled toward the Arabah but was captured by Babylonian soldiers in the plains of Jericho. Before Zedekiah’s eyes, his sons were killed; then his eyes were put out, and he was bound with shackles and taken to Babylon.[44] Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard of Babylon left behind some of the poorest people in Jerusalem to work the vineyards and fields while taking the rest of the population captive. He also carried away all the sacred articles of the temple to Babylon, leaving nothing of value in Jerusalem.[45]

The Babylonians set fire to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city, along with those who had gone over to him, and the rest of the people. But Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.

Jeremiah 39:8–10

After the fall of Jerusalem and witnessing the tragic sight of the people dying within the city, Jeremiah mourned and wrote the Lamentations.

For details, refer to: Babylonian Captivity

Fall of Babylon

  • Belshazzar, the Last King of Babylon
Belshazzar’s Feast by Rembrandt
King Belshazzar held a grand banquet and used the sacred vessels taken from the Jerusalem temple as drinking cups, praising various gods.[46] However, during the feast, a human hand suddenly appeared and wrote the words, “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin.” This was a revelation from God indicating that Belshazzar’s time had ended and that his kingdom would be given to the Medes and Persians.[47] That night, Belshazzar was killed, and Babylon fell to the army of King Cyrus of Persia.[48]
  • Cyrus’ Conquest of Babylon and the Liberation of the Captives
The prophet Isaiah, active during the reigns of Ahaz and Hezekiah of Judah, prophesied that Babylon would fall to Cyrus and that Israel would be freed from captivity to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.[49][16]

“This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.”

Isaiah 45:1–3

As prophesied, Cyrus conquered Babylon and freed the Jews who had been held captive, allowing them to return to their homeland. He also issued a decree for the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple, providing the necessary resources for its restoration.

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.’ ”

Ezra 1:1–3

For details, refer to: Cyrus (II)

Symbolic Meaning of Babylon

The Babylon of the Old Testament serves as a foreshadowing of the spiritual Babylon described in the New Testament. In the book of Revelation, Babylon is depicted as a dwelling place of demons and a stronghold of Satan, opposing God, spiritually enslaving God’s people, and committing acts of spiritual adultery (Revelation 17–18). Babylon, whose sins and iniquities have reached heaven, is destined for God’s judgment. Therefore, God calls His people, saying, “Come out of her, My people.”[50]

Identity of the Spiritual Babylon

In Revelation 17, a great prostitute is introduced, bearing the name “Babylon the Great.”

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. . . .” The name written on her forehead was a mystery: BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Revelation 17:1, 5


A prostitute refers to a woman who has committed adultery, and in the Bible, a woman symbolizes the church.[51][52] Spiritual adultery refers to having friendship with the world instead of with God.[53] Therefore, the prostitute seated on many waters[54]—symbolizing her dominion over nations and peoples—represents Babylon the Great, a false church that has turned away from God and become secularized. Babylon the Great is referred to as the mother of prostitutes, signifying that there are false churches that have emerged from it.

Judgment on Spiritual Babylon

In Revelation chapter 17, and continuing into chapter 18, the great city of Babylon is mentioned, with a focus on the judgment and calamities it will face.

“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, . . .” Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “ ‘Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.”

Revelation 18:2–5


Babylon the Great is a place where the devil,[55] demons, and unclean and impure spirits, gather. God is deeply angered by the sins of spiritual Babylon and has made it clear that it will be destroyed by plagues. The Bible delivers God’s message to His people, who have been captivated and ensnared by the false church of spiritual Babylon, urging them to come out from there.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Strong's Hebrew: 894. בָּבֶל, Bible Hub
  2. ↑ Strong's Hebrew: 1101. בָּלַל, Bible Hub
  3. ↑ Babel, Babble, and Babylon, Israel Bible Center, September 23, 2020
  4. ↑ Strong's Hebrew: 8152. שִׁנְעָר, Bible Hub
  5. ↑ "Genesis 10:10".
  6. ↑ "2 Kings 17:24".
  7. ↑ Chaldea, Britannica
  8. ↑ "2 Chronicles 36:6, 17".
  9. ↑ history of Mesopotamia, Britannica
  10. ↑ Religion and Power: Divine Kingship in the Ancient World and Beyond, The University Of Chicago
  11. ↑ Babylonian Astrology: How Mesopotamian Priests Influenced Your Horoscope, Ancient Origins, October 7, 2018
  12. ↑ The Babylonian World, Gwendolyn Leick, Taylor & Francis, 2009, pg.2
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Jeremiah 50:2".
  14. ↑ "Ezekiel 8:14".
  15. ↑ "1 Kings 11:33".
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Isaiah 46:1".
  17. ↑ Ancient Iraq: Lion of Babylon, Google Arts & Culture
  18. ↑ Historical Dictionary of Iraq, Beth K. Dougherty, Edmund A. Ghareeb, Scarecrow Press, 2013, pg.11
  19. ↑ The Excavations at Babylon, Robert Koldewey, Macmillan and Company, limited, 1914
  20. ↑ Lion of Babylon [Detail], World History Encyclopedia
  21. ↑ A Short History of Babylon, Karen Radner, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020
  22. ↑ "Genesis 14:7".
  23. ↑ "Exodus 3:8".
  24. ↑ "Judges 1:34".
  25. ↑ "Genesis 10:10".
  26. ↑ A Short History of the Ancient Near East, Siegfried J. Schwantes, Baker Book House, 1969
  27. ↑ Genesis 14:9
  28. ↑ A Basic Bible Dictionary, Michael Counsell, Canterbury Press, 2004, pg.165
  29. ↑ "2 Kings 7:6".
  30. ↑ Beautiful Babylon: Jewel of the Ancient World, National Geographic
  31. ↑ The first declaration of human rights in Ancient Persia, TEHRAN TIMES, February 24, 2011
  32. ↑ "2 Kings 25:1–4".
  33. ↑ "Jeremiah 25:9–12".
  34. ↑ "Jeremiah 24:5–7".
  35. ↑ "Ezra 1:1–3".
  36. ↑ "Isaiah 38:2–6".
  37. ↑ "Isaiah 39:1".
  38. ↑ "Isaiah 39:2".
  39. ↑ "Isaiah 39:6–7".
  40. ↑ "2 Chronicles 35:20–24".
  41. ↑ "2 Chronicles 36:1–4".
  42. ↑ B. Nebuchadnezzar's training program for promising youths 1:3-7, Alkitab SABDA
  43. ↑ "2 Kings 24:12–14".
  44. ↑ "Jeremiah 39:4–7".
  45. ↑ "2 Kings 25:12–13".
  46. ↑ "Daniel 5:1–4".
  47. ↑ "Daniel 5:25–28".
  48. ↑ "Daniel 5:30–31".
  49. ↑ "Isaiah 13:18–19".
  50. ↑ "Revelation 18:2–10".
  51. ↑ "1 Peter 5:13".
  52. ↑ "Matthew 25:1".
  53. ↑ "James 4:4".
  54. ↑ "Revelation 17:15".
  55. ↑ In the Bible, "birds" symbolize the devil.
    ("Luke 8:5, 12".)
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