1 T hus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in Leb-kamai, a destroying wind.

The Lord says, “See, I will raise up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon and against the people of Chaldea.

2 A nd I will send unto Babylon strangers, that shall winnow her; and they shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about.

I will send strangers to destroy Babylon like a wind that blows straw away. For they will be against her on every side and leave her land empty in the day of her trouble.

3 A gainst him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his coat of mail: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host.

Do not let the bow-man use his bow. Do not let him stand up in his heavy battle-clothes. Do not leave her young men alive, but destroy all of her army.

4 A nd they shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and thrust through in her streets.

They will fall down dead in the land of Babylon and be killed in their streets.”

5 F or Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, of his God, of Jehovah of hosts; though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.

For Israel and Judah have not been left alone by their God, the Lord of All, even though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.

6 F lee out of the midst of Babylon, and save every man his life; be not cut off in her iniquity: for it is the time of Jehovah's vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense.

Run away from Babylon! Let every man save his life! Do not be destroyed in her punishment, for it is time for the Lord to punish her. He will make her pay for her sins.

7 B abylon hath been a golden cup in Jehovah's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunk of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.

Babylon has been a gold cup in the Lord’s hand, making all the earth drunk. The nations have drunk her wine, and so the nations have gone wild.

8 B abylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: wail for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.

All at once Babylon has fallen and been broken. Cry over her with a loud voice. Bring healing oil for her pain. It may be that she will be healed.

9 W e would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country; for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.

We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed. Leave her alone, and let each of us go to his own country. For she is being judged from as far as heaven and lifted even to the skies.

10 J ehovah hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of Jehovah our God.

The Lord has taken our guilt away. Come and let us make the work of the Lord our God known in Zion.

11 M ake sharp the arrows; hold firm the shields: Jehovah hath stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes; because his purpose is against Babylon, to destroy it: for it is the vengeance of Jehovah, the vengeance of his temple.

Make the arrows sharp! Take the body-coverings! The Lord has moved the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because He is planning to destroy Babylon. It is the punishment of the Lord, the punishment for what was done to His house of worship.

12 S et up a standard against the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set the watchmen, prepare the ambushes; for Jehovah hath both purposed and done that which he spake concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.

Lift up a flag on the walls of Babylon. Have many keep watch. Put the watchmen in their places. And get men ready to fight against her by surprise. For the Lord has both planned and done what He said about the people of Babylon.

13 O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, the measure of thy covetousness.

O you who live by many waters and have many riches, your end has come. Your life is being cut off.

14 J ehovah of hosts hath sworn by himself, saying, Surely I will fill thee with men, as with the canker-worm; and they shall lift up a shout against thee.

The Lord of All has promised by Himself, saying, “For sure I will fill you with men, as with many locusts. And they will call out that they have won the war against you.” A Song of Praise

15 H e hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched out the heavens:

He made the earth by His power. He made the world by His wisdom. And by His understanding He spread out the heavens.

16 w hen he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries.

When He speaks, there is a storm of waters in the heavens. He makes the clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and brings the wind from His store-houses.

17 E very man is become brutish and is without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

No man thinks well, and he is without learning. Every man who works with gold is put to shame by his false gods. For the objects of worship that he makes are false, and there is no breath in them.

18 T hey are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

They are of no worth, a false show. At the time of their punishment they will be destroyed.

19 T he portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: Jehovah of hosts is his name.

He Who is the Share of Jacob is not like these. For He is the Maker of All. And Israel is the family who receives His gifts. The Lord of All is His name.

20 T hou art my battle-axe and weapons of war: and with thee will I break in pieces the nations; and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;

He says, “You are My battle-ax which I use in war. With you I destroy countries. With you I destroy nations.

21 a nd with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider;

With you I break in pieces the horse and its rider.

22 a nd with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and him that rideth therein; and with thee will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces the old man and the youth; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the virgin;

With you I destroy the war-wagon and its driver. With you I destroy man and woman. With you I destroy old man and boy. With you I destroy young man and young woman.

23 a nd with thee will I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces governors and deputies.

With you I destroy the shepherd and his flock. With you I destroy the farmer and his oxen. And with you I destroy rulers and captains. Babylon Is Punished

24 A nd I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith Jehovah.

“I will punish Babylon and all the people of Chaldea for all their sins that they have done in Zion in front of your eyes,” says the Lord.

25 B ehold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith Jehovah, which destroyest all the earth; and I will stretch out my hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.

“See, I am against you, O destroying mountain, who destroys the whole earth,” says the Lord. “I will put out My hand against you and roll you down from the high rocks. I will make you a burned-out mountain.

26 A nd they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith Jehovah.

Not even a stone will be taken from you for a corner stone, or a stone to be used to build upon. But you will be a waste forever,” says the Lord.

27 S et ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz: appoint a marshal against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough canker-worm.

Lift up a flag in the land! Sound the horn among the nations! Make the nations ready to fight against Babylon. Call against her the nations of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Choose a captain to go against her. Bring up the horses like many locusts.

28 P repare against her the nations, the kings of the Medes, the governors thereof, and all the deputies thereof, and all the land of their dominion.

Make the nations ready to fight against her. Make ready the kings of the Medes, their rulers and captains, and every land under their rule.

29 A nd the land trembleth and is in pain; for the purposes of Jehovah against Babylon do stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.

The land shakes and moves in its pain. For the Lord’s plans against Babylon stand, to make the land of Babylon a waste land without people.

30 T he mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight, they remain in their strongholds; their might hath failed; they are become as women: her dwelling-places are set on fire; her bars are broken.

The powerful soldiers of Babylon have stopped fighting. They stay in their strong-places. Their strength is gone. They have become like women. Their houses are set on fire, and the iron parts of her gates are broken.

31 O ne post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to met another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every quarter:

One man with news runs to meet another, and he runs to meet another. They run to tell the king of Babylon that his city has been taken from end to end.

32 a nd the passages are seized, and the reeds they have burned with fire, and the men of war are affrighted.

The ways to cross the river have been stopped. The water grass has been burned with fire. And the soldiers are filled with fear.

33 F or thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing-floor at the time when it is trodden; yet a little while, and the time of harvest shall come for her.

The Lord of All, the God of Israel, says, “The daughter of Babylon is like the grain floor when it is being stepped on and made hard. In a little while her gathering time will come.”

34 N ebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath, like a monster, swallowed me up, he hath filled his maw with my delicacies; he hath cast me out.

“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has destroyed me, and has crushed me. He has made me like an empty pot. He has eaten me up like a large, angry animal. He has filled his stomach with my good food, and he has washed me away.

35 T he violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and, My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say.

May the hurt done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon,” the person living in Zion will say. “May my blood be upon the people of Babylon,” Jerusalem will say.

36 T herefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her fountain dry.

So the Lord says, “See, I will help you in your cause and punish Babylon for you. I will dry up her sea, and make her well dry.

37 A nd Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.

Babylon will become a waste place, a place where wild dogs live. She will be an object of trouble and hate, where no people live.

38 T hey shall roar together like young lions; they shall growl as lions' whelps.

Together the people of Babylon make noise like young lions. They sound like a lion’s young ones.

39 W hen they are heated, I will make their feast, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith Jehovah.

But when they are hot, I will give them a special supper and make them drunk. Then they will be happy and fall asleep, and will never wake up,” says the Lord.

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

“I will bring them down like lambs to be killed, like rams and male goats. Babylon Is Destroyed

41 H ow is Sheshach taken! and the praise of the whole earth seized! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!

“How Babylon has been taken, the praise of the whole earth taken! How Babylon has become an object of trouble among the nations!

42 T he sea is come up upon Babylon; she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof.

The sea has come up over Babylon. She has been covered with its many big waves.

43 H er cities are become a desolation, a dry land, and a desert, a land wherein no man dwelleth, neither doth any son of man pass thereby.

Her cities have become an object of trouble, a dry land and a desert. It is a land where no man lives, and where no man passes through.

44 A nd I will execute judgment upon Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up; and the nations shall not flow any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.

And I will punish the false god of Bel in Babylon. I will make what he has eaten come out of his mouth. The nations will no longer come to him. The wall of Babylon will fall.

45 M y people, go ye out of the midst of her, and save yourselves every man from the fierce anger of Jehovah.

“Come out of her, My people. Save yourselves from the burning anger of the Lord.

46 A nd let not your heart faint, neither fear ye for the tidings that shall be heard in the land; for tidings shall come one year, and after that in another year shall come tidings, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.

Do not let your heart become weak. Do not be afraid at the news that will be heard in the land. For news will come this year, and other news will come the next. There will be fighting in the land, with ruler against ruler.

47 T herefore, behold, the days come, that I will execute judgment upon the graven images of Babylon; and her whole land shall be confounded; and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.

So the days are coming when I will punish the false gods of Babylon. Her whole land will be put to shame, and all her dead will fall within her.

48 T hen the heavens and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for joy over Babylon; for the destroyers shall come unto her from the north, saith Jehovah.

Then heaven and earth and all that is in them will call out for joy over Babylon. For the destroyers will come to her from the north,” says the Lord.

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

Babylon must fall because of the dead of Israel, just as the dead of all the earth have fallen because of Babylon.

50 Y e that have escaped the sword, go ye, stand not still; remember Jehovah from afar, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.

You who have not been killed by the sword, go! Do not stay! Remember the Lord from far away, and think of Jerusalem.

51 W e are confounded, because we have heard reproach; confusion hath covered our faces: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of Jehovah's house.

We are ashamed because much has been said against us. Our faces are covered with shame, for strangers have gone into the holy places of the Lord’s house.

52 W herefore, behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will execute judgment upon her graven images; and through all her land the wounded shall groan.

“But the days are coming,” says the Lord, “when I will punish her false gods. And those who are hurt will cry in pain through all her land.

53 T hough Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall destroyers come unto her, saith Jehovah.

Even if Babylon rises to the heavens and makes her high place strong, I will send destroyers against her,” says the Lord.

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

The sound of a cry comes from Babylon! A noise comes from the land of the Babylonians because much is being destroyed!

55 F or Jehovah layeth Babylon waste, and destroyeth out of her the great voice; and their waves roar like many waters; the noise of their voice is uttered:

For the Lord will destroy Babylon. He will quiet her loud voice. Their waves will sound like many waters, and the noise of their voices is loud.

56 f or the destroyer is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, their bows are broken in pieces; for Jehovah is a God of recompenses, he will surely requite.

For the destroyer is coming against Babylon, and her strong men will be taken. Their bows are broken. For the Lord is a God Who makes the sinner pay for his sin, and He will be sure to punish.

57 A nd I will make drunk her princes and her wise men, her governors and her deputies, and her mighty men; and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is Jehovah of hosts.

“I will make her leaders and her wise men, her rulers, her captains, and her strong men of war drunk. Then they will fall asleep and never wake up,” says the King, Whose name is the Lord of All.

58 T hus saith Jehovah of hosts: The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly overthrown, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the peoples shall labor for vanity, and the nations for the fire; and they shall be weary.

The Lord of All says, “The wide wall of Babylon will be broken to the ground. Her high gates will be set on fire. So the people will work hard for nothing, and because of the fire nations become tired.” Jeremiah’s Word Gets to Babylon

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

This is the word which Jeremiah the man of God told 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 rule. Seraiah was the head captain of the house.

60 A nd Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written concerning Babylon.

Jeremiah wrote in a book all the trouble that would come upon Babylon. He wrote down all these words which have been written about Babylon.

61 A nd Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, then see that thou read all these words,

Then Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “As soon as you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words out loud.

62 a nd say, O Jehovah, thou hast spoken concerning this place, to cut it off, that none shall dwell therein, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate for ever.

And say, ‘O Lord, You have said that this place will be destroyed, so that there will be nothing living in it, not man or animal. It is to be a waste place forever.’

63 A nd it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates:

When you have finished reading this book, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates River.

64 a nd thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise again because of the evil that I will bring upon her; and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

And say, ‘In this way Babylon will go down and not rise again, because of the trouble I am going to bring upon her. And her people will fall.’” The words of Jeremiah end here.