50:39 no more inhabited for ever. Although Babylon eventually fell largely into ruins, it continued to be partially inhabited. In recent years, it has been restored by Iraq and is actually an active town again. Thus this prophecy will not be completely fulfilled until the last days (Revelation 18:21).

50:40 As God overthrew Sodom. Although many writers have understood these prophecies to have been fulfilled when Babylon disintegrated around A.D. 500, the fact is that Babylon has never been destroyed “as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.” This will be accomplished only after Babylon is rebuilt in the last days and then suddenly destroyed by God (Revelation 18:10,19).