Places of the Bible

Babylon

Southern Mesopotamia, on the Euphrates (central Iraq) · both · 262 verses

Babylon was a great city on the Euphrates River in southern Mesopotamia, capital of the Babylonian Empire. Its ruins lie near modern Hillah, Iraq. The name appears in Genesis, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles and 15 more in the King James text.

About Babylon

Babylon was a great city on the Euphrates River in southern Mesopotamia, capital of the Babylonian Empire. Its ruins lie near modern Hillah, Iraq.

Its place in the story

Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah, destroyed the temple in Jerusalem, and carried the people into exile. Daniel and his companions served in its royal court, and the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel spoke of its rise and fall. It became the enduring biblical symbol of proud, God-opposing empire.

Babylon in Scripture (KJV)

“And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.”
Genesis 10:10 (KJV)
“Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.”
Genesis 11:9 (KJV)
“And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.”
2 Kings 17:24 (KJV)
“And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,”
2 Kings 17:30 (KJV)
“At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.”
2 Kings 20:12 (KJV)
“Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.”
2 Kings 20:14 (KJV)
“Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.”
2 Kings 20:17 (KJV)
“And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”
2 Kings 20:18 (KJV)

Babylon is named 262 times in Scripture; 8 shown above.

Where it leads

The exile to Babylon marks a turning point in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus, and the return from Babylon foreshadowed the greater deliverance from bondage that Christ would bring.

Who is Jesus? · Places of the Bible

People also ask

Where is Babylon in the Bible?

Babylon was a great city on the Euphrates River in southern Mesopotamia, capital of the Babylonian Empire. Its ruins lie near modern Hillah, Iraq. The name appears in Genesis, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles and 15 more in the King James text.

What happened at Babylon?

Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah, destroyed the temple in Jerusalem, and carried the people into exile. Daniel and his companions served in its royal court, and the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel spoke of its rise and fall. It became the enduring biblical symbol of proud, God-opposing empire.

More places of the Bible

All the placesRead the BibleWho is Jesus?

Scripture verbatim KJV. Place facts curated; any coordinates via Wikidata (CC0).

Enter Living Breadprayer, Scripture, a family near you