Who dwells by many waters and is rich in treasures?  

The focus now switches to those who are living in Babylon, O you who dwell by many waters. Babylon was situated on the Euphrates River and had many canals that fed the city with water that was essential to both its flourishing and defense. This and the other fortifications such as the walls around the city gave the people of Babylon a sense of security and invincibility. In Hebrew the phrase mayim translated here as many waters also occurs in other places where it refers to the primeval deep, the waters of chaos. The phrase may have a double meaning here, referring not only to the many sources of water that fed the city, but also to suggest that the city was above chaotic waters that would soon rise up and destroy her.¹ Soon Babylon’s fortifications and sense of security would be shattered as the Lord fills the city with men like locusts who will strip away Babylon’s wealth and prosperity in victory. The thread of your life is cut. This seems to be a metaphor from weaving. After a piece of cloth has been woven it is cut and taken off the loom.² Babylon’s end has come as she faces the Lord’s judgment.