Jeremiah 51:39

In their heat. Possibly referring to the fact that when Babylon fell, the leaders of the nation were inflamed with reveling and carousing (see Dan. 5). Herodotus (i. 191) states that “by reason of its [the city’s] great extent, when they who were at the extremities were taken, those of the Babylonians who inhabited the centre knew nothing of the capture (for it happened to be a festival); but they were dancing at the time, and enjoying themselves, till they received certain information of the truth. And thus Babylon was taken” (Henry Cary, trans.).

Rejoice. The prophet portrays the irony of the drunken Babylonians’ exaltation on the very eve of their destruction.

Perpetual. Heb. ‘olam, a word denoting duration either for eternity or for limited periods of time (see on Ex. 21:6). While in their drunken stupor the Babylonians would be slain and thus sleep the “perpetual sleep” of death. The phrase “not awake” means that they would not wake as does the drunken man after the effects of his intoxication have worn off. Inasmuch as all the wicked are raised at the end of the millennium (Rev. 20:5), it is necessary to assign to the ‘olam of Jer. 51:39 the meaning of limited duration.