NT Text: Revelation 17:1
OT Source(s):
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Reference Type: Allusion
Connection Method(s): Analogy + Longitudinal Theme
Significance: Jeremiah 51:13 addresses historical Babylon: "You who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come." Revelation 17:1 describes the great prostitute "who sits on many waters." The phrase "many waters" (mayim rabbim / hydatōn pollōn) creates a direct verbal link. Historically, Babylon was situated on the Euphrates with an extensive canal system, making the "many waters" literal. In Revelation, the "many waters" are interpreted as "peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues" (17:15), transforming the geographical description into a symbol of imperial dominion over diverse populations. This reinterpretation reflects John's hermeneutical method of reading OT geographical realities as symbolic of eschatological spiritual realities. Jeremiah's prediction of Babylon's "end" is thus being fulfilled in the judgment of the eschatological Babylon.