1 T hus says the Lord: Behold, I will raise up against Babylon and against those who dwell among those rebelling against Me a destroying wind and spirit;

Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am going to arouse against Babylon And against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai The spirit of a destroyer.

2 A nd I will send to Babylon strangers or winnowers who will winnow her and will empty her land; for in the day of calamity they will be against her on every side.

“I will dispatch foreigners to Babylon that they may winnow her And may devastate her land; For on every side they will be opposed to her In the day of her calamity.

3 A gainst him who bends let the archer bend his bow, and against him who lifts himself up in his coat of mail. And spare not her young men; devote and utterly destroy her entire host.

“ Let not him who bends his bow bend it, Nor let him rise up in his scale-armor; So do not spare her young men; Devote all her army to destruction.

4 T hus they shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and wounded in her streets.

“They will fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, And pierced through in their streets.”

5 F or Israel has not been widowed and forsaken, nor has Judah, by his God, the Lord of hosts, though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.

For neither Israel nor Judah has been forsaken By his God, the Lord of hosts, Although their land is full of guilt Before the Holy One of Israel.

6 F lee out of the midst of Babylon! Let every man save his life! Let not destruction come upon you through her sin and guilt. For it is the time of the Lord’s vengeance; He will render to her a recompense.

Flee from the midst of Babylon, And each of you save his life! Do not be destroyed in her punishment, For this is the Lord’s time of vengeance; He is going to render recompense to her.

7 B abylon was a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, making all the earth drunken. The nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations have gone mad.

Babylon has been a golden cup in the hand of the Lord, Intoxicating all the earth. The nations have drunk of her wine; Therefore the nations are going mad.

8 B abylon has suddenly fallen and is shattered (destroyed)! Wail for her! Get balm for her pain; if so she may be healed!

Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; Wail over her! Bring balm for her pain; Perhaps she may be healed.

9 W e would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed. Forsake her and let us each go to his own country, for her guilt and the judgment against her reach to heaven and are lifted even to the skies.

We applied healing to Babylon, but she was not healed; Forsake her and let us each go to his own country, For her judgment has reached to heaven And towers up to the very skies.

10 T he Lord has brought forth and made known the righteousness; come and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God.

The Lord has brought about our vindication; Come and let us recount in Zion The work of the Lord our God!

11 M ake clean and sharp the arrows, take up the shields or coats of armor! The Lord has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, for His purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it; for that is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of His temple.

Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers! The Lord has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, Because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it; For it is the vengeance of the Lord, vengeance for His temple.

12 S et up a standard or signal upon the walls of Babylon! Make the watch and blockade strong, set the guards, prepare the ambushes! For the Lord has both purposed and done that which He spoke against the inhabitants of Babylon.

Lift up a signal against the walls of Babylon; Post a strong guard, Station sentries, Place men in ambush! For the Lord has both purposed and performed What He spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.

13 O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come, and the line measuring your life is cut.

O you who dwell by many waters, Abundant in treasures, Your end has come, The measure of your end.

14 T he Lord of hosts has sworn by Himself, saying, Surely I will fill you with men, as with locusts, and they will lift up a song and shout over you.

The Lord of hosts has sworn by Himself: “Surely I will fill you with a population like locusts, And they will cry out with shouts of victory over you.”

15 H e made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding.

It is He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom, And by His understanding He stretched out the heavens.

16 W hen He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from His treasuries.

When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, And He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain And brings forth the wind from His storehouses.

17 E very man has become stupid and brutelike, without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by the images he has made; for his molten idols are a lie, and there is no breath in them.

All mankind is stupid, devoid of knowledge; Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, For his molten images are deceitful, And there is no breath in them.

18 T hey are worthless (emptiness, falsity, futility), a work of delusion and worthy of derision; in the time of their inspection and punishment they shall perish.

They are worthless, a work of mockery; In the time of their punishment they will perish.

19 N ot like these is He Who is the Portion of Jacob, for He is the One Who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance—the Lord of hosts is His name.

The portion of Jacob is not like these; For the Maker of all is He, And of the tribe of His inheritance; The Lord of hosts is His name.

20 Y ou are My battle-ax or maul and weapon of war—for with you I break nations in pieces, with you I destroy kingdoms,

He says, “You are My war-club, My weapon of war; And with you I shatter nations, And with you I destroy kingdoms.

21 W ith you I break in pieces the horse and his rider, with you I break in pieces the chariot and the charioteer,

“With you I shatter the horse and his rider, And with you I shatter the chariot and its rider,

22 W ith you I break in pieces man and woman, with you I break in pieces old man and youth, with you I break in pieces young man and maiden,

And with you I shatter man and woman, And with you I shatter old man and youth, And with you I shatter young man and virgin,

23 W ith you I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock, with you I break in pieces the farmer and his yoke of oxen, and with you I break in pieces governors and commanders.

And with you I shatter the shepherd and his flock, And with you I shatter the farmer and his team, And with you I shatter governors and prefects.

24 A nd I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all the evil that they have done in Zion—before your very eyes, says the Lord.

“But I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all their evil that they have done in Zion before your eyes,” declares the Lord.

25 B ehold, I am against you, says the Lord, O destroying mountain, you who destroy the whole earth. I will stretch out My hand over and against you and roll you down from the crags and will make you a burnt-out mountain.

“Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, Who destroys the whole earth,” declares the Lord, “And I will stretch out My hand against you, And roll you down from the crags, And I will make you a burnt out mountain.

26 A nd they shall not take your cracked stones for a cornerstone, or any stone for foundations, but you shall be waste and desolate forever, says the Lord.

“They will not take from you even a stone for a corner Nor a stone for foundations, But you will be desolate forever,” declares the Lord.

27 S et up a standard or signal in the land! Blow the trumpet among the nations! Prepare and dedicate the nations for war against her; call against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a marshal against her; cause the horses to come up like locusts.

Lift up a signal in the land, Blow a trumpet among the nations! Consecrate the nations against her, Summon against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni and Ashkenaz; Appoint a marshal against her, Bring up the horses like bristly locusts.

28 P repare and dedicate the nations for war against her—the kings of Media, with their governors and commanders (deputies), and every land of their dominion.

Consecrate the nations against her, The kings of the Medes, Their governors and all their prefects, And every land of their dominion.

29 T he land trembles and writhes in pain and sorrow, for the purposes of the Lord against Babylon stand—to make the land of Babylon a desolation without inhabitant.

So the land quakes and writhes, For the purposes of the Lord against Babylon stand, To make the land of Babylon A desolation without inhabitants.

30 T he mighty warriors of Babylon have ceased to fight; they have remained in their holds. Their might has failed; they have become like women. Her dwelling places are burned up; her bars are broken.

The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting, They stay in the strongholds; Their strength is exhausted, They are becoming like women; Their dwelling places are set on fire, The bars of her gates are broken.

31 O ne post shall run to meet another and one messenger to meet another to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every side and to its farthest end,

One courier runs to meet another, And one messenger to meet another, To tell the king of Babylon That his city has been captured from end to end;

32 A nd that the passages are stopped, and the great marshes they have burned with fire, and the men of war are frightened.

The fords also have been seized, And they have burned the marshes with fire, And the men of war are terrified.

33 F or thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: The Daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time it is; yet a little while and the time of harvest shall come to her.

For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor At the time it is stamped firm; Yet in a little while the time of harvest will come for her.”

34 N ebuchadrezzar king of Babylon has devoured us, he has crushed us, he has made us an empty vessel. Like a monster he has swallowed us up, he has filled his belly with our delicacies; he has rinsed us out and cast us away.

“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured me and crushed me, He has set me down like an empty vessel; He has swallowed me like a monster, He has filled his stomach with my delicacies; He has washed me away.

35 M ay the violence done to me and to my flesh and blood be upon Babylon, will the inhabitant of Zion say; and, May my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, will Jerusalem say.

“May the violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon,” The inhabitant of Zion will say; And, “May my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,” Jerusalem will say.

36 T herefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I will plead your cause and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her lake or great reservoir and make her fountain dry.

Therefore thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am going to plead your case And exact full vengeance for you; And I will dry up her sea And make her fountain dry.

37 A nd Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place of jackals, a horror (an astonishing desolation) and a hissing, without inhabitant.

“ Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals, An object of horror and hissing, without inhabitants.

38 T hey shall be roaring together like young lions, they shall be growling like lions’ whelps.

“They will roar together like young lions, They will growl like lions’ cubs.

39 W hen the revelers are inflamed, I will prepare them a feast and make them drunk, that they may rejoice and fall asleep to a perpetual sleep and not waken, says the Lord.

“When they become heated up, I will serve them their banquet And make them drunk, that they may become jubilant And may sleep a perpetual sleep And not wake up,” declares the Lord.

40 I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams together with he-goats.

“I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, Like rams together with male goats.

41 H ow Sheshach is taken! And the praise of the whole earth is surprised and seized! How Babylon has become an astonishing desolation and a horror among the nations!

“How Sheshak has been captured, And the praise of the whole earth been seized! How Babylon has become an object of horror among the nations!

42 T he sea has come up upon Babylon; she is covered with the tumult and multitude of its waves.

“The sea has come up over Babylon; She has been engulfed with its tumultuous waves.

43 H er cities have become a desolation and a horror, a land of drought and a wilderness, a land in which no one lives, nor does any son of man pass through it.

“Her cities have become an object of horror, A parched land and a desert, A land in which no man lives And through which no son of man passes.

44 A nd I will punish and execute judgment upon Bel in Babylon and take out of his mouth what he has swallowed up. The nations will not flow any more to him. Yes, the wall of Babylon has fallen!

“ I will punish Bel in Babylon, And I will make what he has swallowed come out of his mouth; And the nations will no longer stream to him. Even the wall of Babylon has fallen down!

45 M y people, come out of the midst of her! And let every man save his life from the fierce anger of the Lord!

“ Come forth from her midst, My people, And each of you save yourselves From the fierce anger of the Lord.

46 A nd beware, lest your heart faint and you be afraid at the report (rumor) heard in the land; for in one year shall one report come and in another year another report, and violence shall be in the land, ruler against ruler.

“Now so that your heart does not grow faint, And you are not afraid at the report that will be heard in the land— For the report will come one year, And after that another report in another year, And violence will be in the land With ruler against ruler—

47 T herefore behold, the days will come when I will execute judgment and punishment upon the idols of Babylon; her whole land will be confounded and put to shame, and all her slain will fall in the midst of her.

Therefore behold, days are coming When I will punish the idols of Babylon; And her whole land will be put to shame And all her slain will fall in her midst.

48 T hen heaven and earth and all that is in them shall sing for joy over Babylon, for the destroyers shall come against her from the north, says the Lord.

“Then heaven and earth and all that is in them Will shout for joy over Babylon, For the destroyers will come to her from the north,” Declares the Lord.

49 A s Babylon caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all land.

Indeed Babylon is to fall for the slain of Israel, As also for Babylon the slain of all the earth have fallen.

50 Y ou who have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still! remember the Lord from afar, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.

You who have escaped the sword, Depart! Do not stay! Remember the Lord from afar, And let Jerusalem come to your mind.

51 W e are confounded and ashamed, for we have heard reproach; confusion and shame have covered our faces, for strangers have come into the sacred parts of the sanctuary of the Lord.

We are ashamed because we have heard reproach; Disgrace has covered our faces, For aliens have entered The holy places of the Lord’s house.

52 T herefore behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will execute judgment upon idols and images, and throughout all her land the wounded will groan.

“Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will punish her idols, And the mortally wounded will groan throughout her land.

53 T hough Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify her strong height (her lofty stronghold), yet destroyers will come upon her from Me, says the Lord.

“Though Babylon should ascend to the heavens, And though she should fortify her lofty stronghold, From Me destroyers will come to her,” declares the Lord.

54 T he sound of a cry from Babylon, and great destruction and ruin from the land of the Chaldeans!

The sound of an outcry from Babylon, And of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!

55 F or the Lord is destroying Babylon and laying her waste and stilling her great voice. And the waves roar like great waters, the noise of their voices is raised up.

For the Lord is going to destroy Babylon, And He will make her loud noise vanish from her. And their waves will roar like many waters; The tumult of their voices sounds forth.

56 F or the destroyer is coming upon her, upon Babylon; and her mighty warriors are taken, their bows are broken in pieces; for the Lord is a God of recompense; He will surely requite.

For the destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon, And her mighty men will be captured, Their bows are shattered; For the Lord is a God of recompense, He will fully repay.

57 A nd I will make drunk her princes and her wise men, her governors and her commanders (deputies) and her mighty warriors; and they will sleep a perpetual sleep and not waken, says the King—the Lord of hosts is His name.

“I will make her princes and her wise men drunk, Her governors, her prefects and her mighty men, That they may sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake up,” Declares the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts.

58 T hus says the Lord of hosts: The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly overthrown and made bare, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; the peoples shall labor in vain, and the nations to satisfy the fire, and they shall be weary.

Thus says the Lord of hosts, “The broad wall of Babylon will be completely razed And her high gates will be set on fire; So the peoples will toil for nothing, And the nations become exhausted only for fire.”

59 T he word that Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Now this Seraiah was chief chamberlain or quartermaster.

The message which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the grandson of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. (Now Seraiah was quartermaster.)

60 S o Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that would come upon Babylon—even all these words that are written against Babylon.

So Jeremiah wrote in a single scroll all the calamity which would come upon Babylon, that is, all these words which have been written concerning Babylon.

61 A nd Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When you come to Babylon, see to it that you read all these words.

Then Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “As soon as you come to Babylon, then see that you read all these words aloud,

62 T hen say, O Lord, You have spoken concerning this place that it shall be cut off, so that nothing shall remain and dwell in it, neither man nor beast; but it shall be desolate forever.

and say, ‘You, O Lord, have promised concerning this place to cut it off, so that there will be nothing dwelling in it, whether man or beast, but it will be a perpetual desolation.’

63 A nd it shall be that when you have finished reading this book, you shall bind a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates.

And as soon as you finish reading this scroll, you will tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates,

64 T hen say, Thus will Babylon sink and not rise because of the evil that I will bring upon her; and will be weary (hopelessly exhausted). Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

and say, ‘Just so shall Babylon sink down and not rise again because of the calamity that I am going to bring upon her; and they will become exhausted.’” Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.