The sea has come up on Babylon: The sea is to be understood figuratively of the hordes of enemy soldiers attacking the nation. See 46.7-8; 47.2. But it is not necessary to explain the image, and most translators render this literally. In ancient times the Jewish people believed that the world was originally engulfed by a mighty ocean, and that the LORD placed the fearsome waters under his control at the time of creation. The city of Babylon is pictured here as once again falling beneath the waters of chaos.

She is covered with its tumultuous waves: This can also be expressed as “roaring waves have covered the country.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .