1 T he word that Yahweh spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by Jeremiah the prophet.

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

2 D eclare among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and don’t conceal: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is disappointed, Merodach is dismayed; her images are disappointed, her idols are dismayed.

Declare 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!

3 F or out of the north there comes up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and no one shall dwell therein: they are fled, they are gone, both man and animal.

For 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.

4 I n those days, and in that time, says Yahweh, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together; they shall go on their way weeping, and shall seek Yahweh their God.

In 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.

5 T hey shall inquire concerning Zion with their faces turned toward it, saying, Come, and join yourselves to Yahweh in an everlasting covenant that shall not be forgotten.

They 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.

6 M y people have been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray; they have turned them away on the mountains; they have gone from mountain to hill; they have forgotten their resting place.

My 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.

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

All 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.

8 F lee out of the middle of Babylon, and go out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the male 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 flocks.

9 F or, behold, I will stir up and cause to come up against Babylon a company of great nations from the north country; and they shall set themselves in array against her; from there she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of an expert mighty man; no one shall return in vain.

For 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.

10 C haldea shall be a prey: all who prey on her shall be satisfied, says Yahweh.

And Chaldea shall become plunder; all who plunder her shall be satisfied, says the Lord.

11 B ecause you are glad, because you rejoice, O you who plunder my heritage, because you are wanton as a heifer that treads out the grain, and neigh as strong horses;

Though 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,

12 y our mother shall be utterly disappointed; she who bore you shall be confounded: behold, she shall be the least of the nations, a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.

Your 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.

13 B ecause of Yahweh’s wrath she shall not be inhabited, but she shall be wholly desolate: everyone who goes by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues.

Because 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.

14 S et yourselves in array against Babylon all around, all you who bend the bow; shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she has sinned against Yahweh.

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

15 S hout against her all around: she has submitted herself; her bulwarks are fallen, her walls are thrown down; for it is the vengeance of Yahweh: take vengeance on her; as she has done, do to her.

Raise 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.

16 C ut off the sower from Babylon, and him who handles the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn everyone to his people, and they shall flee everyone to his own land.

Exterminate 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.

17 I srael is a hunted sheep; the lions have driven him away: first, the king of Assyria devoured him; and now at last Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has broken his bones.

Israel 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.

18 T herefore Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria.

Therefore 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.

19 I will bring Israel again to his pasture, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and in Gilead.

And 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.

20 I n those days, and in that time, says Yahweh, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be no one; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I leave as a remnant.

In 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).

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

Go 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.

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

The cry and noise of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.

23 H ow is the hammer of the whole earth cut apart and broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!

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

24 I have laid a snare for you, and you are also taken, Babylon, and you weren’t aware: you are found, and also caught, because you have striven against Yahweh.

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.

25 Y ahweh has opened his armory, and has brought out the weapons of his indignation; for the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, has a work to do in the land of the Chaldeans.

The 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.

26 C ome against her from the utmost border; open her storehouses; cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly; let nothing of her be left.

Come 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.

27 K ill all her bulls; let them go down to the slaughter: woe to them! for their day has come, the time of their visitation.

Slay 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).

28 T he voice of those who flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of Yahweh our God, the vengeance of his temple.

Listen! 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.

29 C all together the archers against Babylon, all those who bend the bow; encamp against her all around; let none of it escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she has done, do to her; for she has been proud against Yahweh, against the Holy One of Israel.

Call 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.

30 T herefore her young men will fall in her streets, and all her men of war will be brought to silence in that day, says Yahweh.

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

31 B ehold, I am against you, you proud one, says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies; for your day has come, the time that I will visit you.

Behold, 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.

32 T he proud one shall stumble and fall, and no one shall raise him up; and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all who are around him.

And 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.

33 Y ahweh of Armies says: The children of Israel and the children of Judah are oppressed together; and all who took them captive hold them fast; they refuse to let them go.

Thus 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.

34 T heir Redeemer is strong; Yahweh of Armies is his name: he will thoroughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.

Their 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.

35 A sword is on the Chaldeans, says Yahweh, and on the inhabitants of Babylon, and on her princes, and on her wise men.

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)!

36 A sword is on the boasters, and they shall become fools; a sword is on her mighty men, and they shall be dismayed.

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!

37 A sword is on their horses, and on their chariots, and on all the mixed people who are in the middle of her; and they shall become as women: a sword is on her treasures, and they shall be robbed.

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!

38 A drought is on her waters, and they shall be dried up; for it is a land of engraved images, and they are mad over idols.

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).

39 T herefore the wild animals of the desert with the wolves shall dwell there, and the ostriches shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited forever; neither shall it be lived in from generation to generation.

Therefore 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.

40 A s when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor cities of it, says Yahweh, so shall no man dwell there, neither shall any son of man live therein.

As 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.

41 B ehold, a people comes from the north; and a great nation and many kings shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

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

42 T hey lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roars like the sea; and they ride on horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, daughter of Babylon.

They 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!

43 T he king of Babylon has heard the news of them, and his hands wax feeble: anguish has taken hold of him, pains as of a woman in labor.

The 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.

44 B ehold, the enemy shall come up like a lion from the pride of the Jordan against the strong habitation: for I will suddenly make them run away from it; and whoever is chosen, him will I appoint over it: for who is like me? and who will appoint me a time? and who is the shepherd who can stand before me?

See, 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?

45 T herefore hear the counsel of Yahweh, that he has taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he has purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely they shall drag them away, even the little ones of the flock; surely he shall make their habitation desolate over them.

Therefore 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.

46 A t the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth trembles, and the cry is heard among the nations.

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