1 T he word that the Lord spoke concerning and against Babylon and concerning and against the land of the Chaldeans through Jeremiah the prophet:

The word that Jehovah spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, through Jeremiah the prophet.

2 D eclare it among the nations and publish it and set up a signal —publish and conceal it not; say, Babylon has been taken; Bel is put to shame, Merodach (Bel) is dismayed and broken down. images are put to shame, her idols are thrown down!

Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and lift up a banner; publish, conceal not! Say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed: her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.

3 F or out of the north there has come up a nation against her which will make her land desolate, and none will dwell there. They will have fled, they will be gone—from man even to beast.

For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: both man and beast are fled; they are gone.

4 I n those days and at that time, says the Lord, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together; they shall come up weeping as they come and seek the Lord their God.

In those days, and at that time, saith Jehovah, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping as they go, and shall seek Jehovah their God.

5 T hey shall ask the way to Zion, with their faces in that direction, saying, Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.

They shall inquire concerning Zion, with their faces thitherward, Come, and let us join ourselves to Jehovah, in an everlasting covenant that shall not be forgotten.

6 M y people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray on mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill; they have forgotten their resting-place.

My people are lost sheep; their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they turned them away on the mountains: they went from mountain to hill, they forgot their resting-place.

7 A ll who found them devoured them; and their adversaries said, We are not guilty, because they have sinned against the Lord, their true habitation of righteousness and justice, even the Lord, the hope of their fathers.

All that found them devoured them, and their adversaries said, We are not guilty, because they have sinned against Jehovah, the habitation of righteousness, even Jehovah, the hope of their fathers.

8 F lee out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans; and be as the he-goats before the flocks.

Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he-goats before the flock.

9 F or behold, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country. They will equip and set themselves against her; from there she will be taken. Their arrows will be like an expert, mighty warrior and like his arrows—none will return in vain.

For behold, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon, an assemblage of great nations from the north country; and they shall set themselves in array against her: from thence shall she be taken. Their arrows shall be as those of a mighty expert man: none shall return empty.

10 A nd Chaldea shall become plunder; all who plunder her shall be satisfied, says the Lord.

And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all the spoilers thereof shall be satiated, saith Jehovah.

11 T hough you are glad, though you rejoice, O you who plunder My heritage, though you are wanton and skip about like a heifer at grass and neigh like strong stallions,

For ye rejoiced, for ye triumphed, ye plunderers of my heritage; for ye have been wanton as the heifer at grass, and neighed as steeds.

12 Y our mother shall be put to great shame; she who bore you shall blush and be disgraced. Behold, she shall be at the rear of the nations —a wilderness, waste, and desert.

Your mother hath been sorely put to shame; she that bore you hath been covered with reproach: behold, hindmost of the nations, a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.

13 B ecause of the wrath of the Lord she shall not be inhabited but shall be wholly desolate; everyone who goes by Babylon shall be appalled and hiss and mock at all her wounds and plagues.

Because of the wrath of Jehovah, it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate; every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and shall hiss, because of all her plagues.

14 S et yourselves in array against Babylon round about, all you archers. Shoot at her! Spare not the arrows, for she has sinned against the Lord.

Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about, all ye that bend the bow; shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against Jehovah.

15 R aise the battle cry against her round about! She gives her hand and surrenders; her supports and battlements fall, her walls are thrown down. For this is the vengeance of the Lord: take vengeance on her; as she has done, do to her.

Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand; her ramparts are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for this is the vengeance of Jehovah. Take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.

16 E xterminate the sower from Babylon, and the one who handles the sickle in the time of harvest. For fear of the sword of the oppressor everyone shall return to his people, and everyone shall flee to his own land.

Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest. For fear of the oppressing sword let them turn every one to his people, and let them flee every one to his own land.

17 I srael is a hunted and scattered sheep; the lions have chased him. First the king of Assyria devoured him, and now at last Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon has broken and gnawed his bones.

Israel is a hunted sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria devoured him, and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.

18 T herefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will visit and punish the king of Babylon and his land, just as I visited and punished the king of Assyria.

Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will visit the king of Babylon and his land, like as I have visited the king of Assyria.

19 A nd I will bring Israel again to his fold and pasturage, and he will feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul will be satisfied upon the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.

And I will bring Israel again to his pasture, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and in Gilead.

20 I n those days and at that time, says the Lord, the iniquity of Israel will be sought, but there will be none, and the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will pardon those whom I cause to remain as a remnant (the preserved ones who come forth after a long tribulation).

In those days, and at that time, saith Jehovah, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon those whom I leave remaining.

21 G o up against the land of Merathaim, even against it and against the inhabitants of Pekod. Slay and utterly destroy them, says the Lord, and do according to all that I have commanded you.

Go up against the land of double rebellion, against it, and against the inhabitants of visitation; waste and utterly destroy after them, saith Jehovah, and do according to all that I have commanded thee.

22 T he cry and noise of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.

A sound of battle is in the land, and great destruction.

23 H ow the hammer of the whole earth is crushed and broken! How Babylon has become a horror of desolation among the nations!

How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! How is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!

24 I set a trap for you, and you also were taken, O Babylon, and you did not know it; you were found and also caught because you have struggled and contended against the Lord.

I have laid a snare for thee, and thou, Babylon, art also taken, and thou wast not aware; thou art found, and also caught, for thou hast contended with Jehovah.

25 T he Lord has opened His armory and has brought forth the weapons of His indignation and wrath, for the Lord God of hosts has work to do in the land of the Chaldeans.

Jehovah hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation; for this is a work for the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, in the land of the Chaldeans.

26 C ome against her from every quarter and from the utmost border. Open her granaries and storehouses; pile up like heaps of rubbish. Burn and destroy her utterly; let nothing be left of her.

Come ye against her from every quarter, open her storehouses; pile her up like sheaves, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.

27 S lay all her bullocks (her choice youths, the strength of her army); let them go down to the slaughter! Woe to! For their day has come, the time of their visitation (their inspection and punishment).

Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.

28 L isten! The voice of those who flee and escape out of the land of Babylon proclaiming in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God, the vengeance for His temple.

The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of Jehovah our God, the vengeance of his temple.

29 C all together archers against Babylon, all those who bend the bow. Encamp against her round about; let none from there escape. Recompense her according to her deeds; just as she has done, do to her. For against the Lord, against the Holy One of Israel, has she been proudly defiant and presumptuous.

Call together the archers against Babylon, all those that bend the bow: encamp against her round about; let there be no escaping: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath acted proudly against Jehovah, against the Holy One of Israel.

30 T herefore shall her young men fall in her streets and squares, and all her soldiers shall be destroyed on that day, says the Lord.

Therefore shall her young men fall in her streets; and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith Jehovah.

31 B ehold, I am against you, O Babylon, says the Lord, the Lord of hosts, for your day has come, the time when I will visit and punish you.

Behold, I am against thee, proud one, saith the Lord Jehovah of hosts; for thy day is come, the time that I visit thee:

32 A nd Pride (the arrogant one) shall stumble (totter) and fall, and none shall raise him up. And I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all who are round about him.

and the proud one shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up; yea, I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all that are round about him.

33 T hus says the Lord of hosts: The children of Israel and the children of Judah are oppressed together; all who took them captive have held them fast; they refuse to let them go.

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: The children of Israel and the children of Judah were together oppressed; and all that took them captives held them fast: they refused to let them go.

34 T heir Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is His name. He will surely and thoroughly plead their case and defend their cause, that He may give rest to the earth, but unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon.

Their Redeemer is strong; Jehovah of hosts is his name: he will thoroughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.

35 A sword upon the Chaldeans, says the Lord—upon the inhabitants of Babylon and upon her princes (rulers in civic matters) and upon her wise men (the astrologers and rulers in religious affairs)!

The sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith Jehovah, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men;

36 A sword upon the babbling liars (the diviners), that they may become fools! A sword upon her mighty warriors, that they may be dismayed and destroyed!

the sword is upon the liars, and they shall become fools; the sword is upon her mighty men, and they shall be dismayed;

37 A sword upon their horses and upon their chariots and upon all the mixed foreign troops that are in the midst of her, that they may become women! A sword upon her treasures, that they may be plundered!

the sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her, and they shall become as women; the sword is upon her treasures, and they shall be robbed:

38 A sword and a drought upon her waters, that they may be dried up! For it is a land of images, and they are mad over idols (objects of terror in which they foolishly trust).

a drought is upon her waters, and they shall be dried up; for it is a land of graven images, and they are mad after frightful idols.

39 T herefore wild beasts of the desert shall dwell with the jackals, and ostriches shall dwell there. And it shall never again be inhabited with people, even from generation to generation.

Therefore wild beasts of the desert with jackals shall dwell there, and ostriches shall dwell therein; and it shall be no more inhabited for ever, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.

40 A s when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities, says the Lord, so no man shall dwell there; neither shall any son of man live there temporarily.

As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and their neighbour cities, saith Jehovah, no one shall dwell there, neither shall a son of man sojourn therein.

41 B ehold, a people is coming from the north; and a great nation and many kings are stirring from the uttermost parts of the earth.

Behold, a people cometh from the north, and a great nation. And many kings shall arise from the uttermost parts of the earth.

42 T hey lay hold of bow, lance, and spear; they are cruel and have no mercy or compassion. They sound like the roaring of the sea; they ride upon horses, every man equipped like a man for the battle against you, O Daughter of Babylon!

They lay hold of bow and spear; they are cruel, and will not shew mercy; their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses—set in array like a man for the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.

43 T he king of Babylon has heard the news about them, and his hands fall feeble and helpless; anguish has seized him, and pangs like that of a woman in childbirth.

The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands wax feeble; trouble hath taken hold of him, pangs as of a woman in travail.

44 S ee, there comes up one like a lion from the jungles (the pride) of the Jordan against the strong habitation and into the permanent pasturage and sheepfold; for in a twinkling I will drive him from there. And I will appoint over him the one whom I choose. For who is like Me? And who will challenge Me and prosecute Me for this proceeding? And what shepherd can stand before Me and defy Me?

Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of the Jordan against the strong habitation; for I will make him suddenly run away from it; and who is a chosen whom I may appoint over her? For who is like me? and who will assign me a time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?

45 T herefore hear the plan of the Lord which He has made against Babylon, and His purposes which He has formed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely they shall be dragged away, even the little ones of the flock; surely He shall make their habitation desolate because of them and their fold amazed and appalled at their fate.

Therefore hear the counsel of Jehovah, which he hath taken against Babylon, and his purposes which he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: The little ones of the flock shall certainly draw them away; he shall certainly make their habitation desolate for them.

46 A t the cry, Babylon has been taken! the earth shall tremble, and the cry shall be heard among the nations.

At the sound of the taking of Babylon the earth hath quaked, and the cry is heard among the nations.