1 T he word that Jehovah hath spoken concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet:

The word which the Lord spoke about Babylon, the land of the Babylonians, through Jeremiah the man of God:

2 ` Declare ye among nations, and sound, And lift up an ensign, sound, do not hide, Say ye: Captured hath been Babylon, Put to shame hath been Bel, Broken hath been Merodach, Put to shame have been her grievous things, Broken have been her idols.

“Make it known among the nations. Lift up a flag and make it known. Do not hide it, but say, ‘Babylon has been taken. Bel has been put to shame. Marduk has been broken down. Her objects of worship have been put to shame. Her false gods have been broken down.’

3 F or come up against her hath a nation from the north, It maketh her land become a desolation, And there is not an inhabitant in it. From man even unto beast, They have moved, they have gone.

For a nation has come up against her from the north. It will make her land an empty waste, and no one will live in it. Both man and animal will run away.

4 I n those days, and at that time, An affirmation of Jehovah, Come in do sons of Israel, They and sons of Judah together, Going on and weeping they go, And Jehovah their God they seek.

“In those days and at that time,” says the Lord, “the sons of Israel will come, together with the sons of Judah. They will cry as they come, and will be looking for the Lord their God.

5 Z ion they ask the way, Thitherward their faces: Come in, and we are joined unto Jehovah, A covenant age-during -- not forgotten.

They will ask the way to Zion, with faces turned toward it, saying, ‘Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an agreement that lasts forever, one that will never be forgotten.’

6 A perishing flock hath My people been, Their shepherds have caused them to err, the mountains causing them to go back, From mountain unto hill they have gone, They have forgotten their crouching-place.

“My people have become lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them the wrong way. They have made them turn away on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill and have forgotten their resting place.

7 A ll finding them have devoured them, And their adversaries have said: We are not guilty, Because that they sinned against Jehovah, The habitation of righteousness, And the hope of their fathers -- Jehovah.

All who found them have destroyed them. Those who hate them have said, ‘We are not guilty, for they have sinned against the Lord, their true resting place Who is right and good, the hope of their fathers.’

8 M ove ye from the midst of Babylon, And from the land of the Chaldeans go out. And be as he-goats before a flock.

Run out of Babylon. Go from the land of the Babylonians. Be like male goats that go before the flock.

9 F or, lo, I am stirring up, And am causing to come up against Babylon, An assembly of great nations from a land of the north, And they have set in array against her, From thence she is captured, Its arrow -- as a skilful hero -- returneth not empty,

For I am going to raise up and bring against Babylon a group of great nations from the land of the north. They will come ready for battle against her, and she will be taken. Their arrows will be like an able soldier who does not return with empty hands.

10 A nd Chaldea hath been for a spoil, All her spoilers are satisfied, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Babylon will become a prize of war. All who take things from her will have enough,” says the Lord. Babylon Is Punished

11 B ecause thou rejoicest, because thou exultest, O spoilers of Mine inheritance, Because thou increasest as a heifer the tender grass, And dost cry aloud as bulls,

“You are glad and full of joy, O you who take what belongs to My people. You play around like a young cow in grain, and sound like strong horses. Because of this,

12 A shamed hath been your mother greatly, Confounded hath she been that bare you, Lo, the hindermost of nations a wilderness, A dry land, and a desert.

your mother will be very ashamed. She who gave birth to you will be put to shame. She will be the least of the nations, a wilderness, a waste, and a desert.

13 B ecause of the wrath of Jehovah it is not inhabited, And it hath been a desolation -- all of it. Every passer by at Babylon is astonished, And doth hiss because of all her plagues.

Because of the Lord’s anger no people will live there. She will be left with no people. Everyone who passes by Babylon will be surprised, and will make fun of her because of her sores.

14 S et yourselves in array against Babylon round about, All ye treading a bow, Shoot at her, have no pity on the arrow, For against Jehovah she hath sinned.

Come up for battle against Babylon on every side, all you who use the bow. Shoot at her. Do not save any of your arrows, for she has sinned against the Lord.

15 S hout against her round about, She hath given forth her hand, Fallen have her foundations, Thrown down have been her walls, For it the vengeance of Jehovah, Be avenged of her, as she did -- do ye to her.

Raise your battle cry against her on every side. She has given herself up. Her strong pillars have fallen. Her walls have been torn down. Since this is the punishment of the Lord, punish her. Do to her as she has done to others.

16 C ut off the sower from Babylon, And him handling the sickle in the time of harvest, Because of the oppressing sword, Each unto his people -- they turn, And each to his land -- they flee.

Cut off from Babylon the one who plants seeds and the one who cuts the grain at gathering time. Because of the sword of the one who makes it hard for them, everyone will return to his own people. Each one will run to his own land. Israel Is Like a Flock of Sheep

17 A scattered sheep is Israel, lions have driven away, At first, devour him did the king of Asshur, And now, at last, broken his bone Hath Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon.

“Israel is like sheep sent everywhere, driven away by lions. The first one who destroyed Israel was the king of Assyria. And the last one who has broken his bones is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

18 T herefore thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel: Lo, I am seeing after the king of Babylon, And after his land, As I have seen after the king of Asshur;

So the Lord of All, the God of Israel, says: ‘I am going to punish the king of Babylon and his land, just as I punished the king of Assyria.

19 A nd I have brought back Israel unto his habitation, And he hath fed on Carmel, and on Bashan. And in mount Ephraim, and on Gilead is his soul satisfied.

I will return Israel to his field, and he will feed on Carmel and Bashan. And his desire will be filled in the hill country of Ephraim and Gilead.

20 I n those days, and at that time, An affirmation of Jehovah, Sought is the iniquity of Israel, and it is not, And the sin of Judah, and it is not found, For I am propitious to those whom I leave!

In those days and at that time,’ says the Lord, ‘sin will be looked for in Israel, but there will be none. And sin will be looked for in Judah, but it will not be found. For I will forgive those whom I allow to return.’ Words about Babylon

21 A gainst the land of Merathaim: Go up against it, and unto the inhabitants of Pekod, Waste and devote their posterity, An affirmation of Jehovah, And do according to all that I have commanded thee.

“Go up against the land of Merathaim, and against the people of Pekod. Kill and destroy all of them,” says the Lord, “and do all that I have told you.

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

The noise of battle is in the land, and much is destroyed.

23 H ow hath it been cut and broken, The hammer of the whole earth! How hath Babylon been for a desolation among nations!

How the strong one of the whole earth has been cut off and broken! Babylon has become a complete waste among the nations!

24 I have laid a snare for thee, And also -- thou art captured, O Babylon, And thou -- thou hast known, Thou hast been found, and also art caught, For against Jehovah thou hast stirred thyself up.

I set a trap for you, and you were caught, O Babylon, and you did not know it. You have been found and caught, because you have fought against the Lord.”

25 J ehovah hath opened His treasury, And He bringeth out the weapons of His indignation, For a work to the Lord Jehovah of Hosts, In the land of the Chaldeans.

The Lord has opened His store-house and has brought out the swords of His anger. For the Lord, the God of All, has work to do in the land of the Babylonians.

26 C ome ye in to her from the extremity, Open ye her storehouses, Raise her up as heaps, and devote her, Let her have no remnant.

Come to her from the farthest land. Open her store-houses. Gather her up like grain, and destroy all of her. Let nothing be left of her.

27 S lay all her kine, they go down to slaughter, Wo on them, for come hath their day, The time of their inspection.

Kill all her young bulls. Let them go down to be killed. It is bad for them, for their day has come, the time of their punishment.

28 A voice of fugitives and escaped ones from the land of Babylon, To declare in Zion the vengeance of Jehovah our God, The vengeance of His temple.

Listen! They are running from the land of Babylon to tell in Zion about the punishment of the Lord our God. They are telling how the Lord punishes those who destroyed His house of worship.

29 S ummon unto Babylon archers, all treading the bow, Encamp against her round about, Let have no escape; Recompense to her according to her work, According to all that she did -- do to her, For unto Jehovah she hath been proud, Unto the Holy One of Israel.

“Call all those who use the bow to fight against Babylon. Gather around her on every side. Let no one get away. Pay her back for what she did. Do to her all that she has done. For she has been proud against the Lord, against the Holy One of Israel.

30 T herefore fall do her young men in her broad places, And all her men of war are cut off in that day, An affirmation of Jehovah.

So her young men will fall in her streets. And all her men of war will be made quiet in that day,” says the Lord.

31 L o, I against thee, O pride, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah of Hosts, For thy day hath come, the time of thy inspection.

“See, I am against you, O proud one,” says the Lord God of All. “For your day has come, the time when I will punish you.

32 A nd stumbled hath pride, And he hath fallen, and hath no raiser up, And I have kindled a fire in his cities, And it hath devoured all round about him.

The proud one will trip and fall with no one to help him up. I will set fire to his cities, and it will burn up all that is around him.”

33 T hus said Jehovah of Hosts: Oppressed are the sons of Israel, And the sons of Judah together, And all their captors have kept hold on them, They have refused to send them away.

The Lord of All says, “The sons of Israel and the sons of Judah are troubled and are held under a bad power. All who took them away in chains have held on to them. They have not been willing to let them go.

34 T heir Redeemer strong, Jehovah of Hosts His name, He doth thoroughly plead their cause, So as to cause the land to rest, And He hath given trouble to the inhabitants of Babylon.

The One Who saves and makes them free is strong. The Lord of All is His name. He will work hard for their cause, so that He may give rest to the land. But He will not give rest to the people of Babylon.

35 A sword for the Chaldeans, An affirmation of Jehovah, And it on the inhabitants of Babylon, And on her heads, and on her wise men;

A sword is against the Babylonians,” says the Lord, “and against the people of Babylon, and against her leaders and her wise men!

36 A sword on the princes, And they have become foolish; A sword on her mighty ones, And they have been broken down;

A sword is against her religious leaders who are false and lie. They will become fools! A sword is against her strong men, and they will be filled with fear!

37 A sword on his horses and on his chariot, And on all the rabble who in her midst, And they have become women; A sword on her treasuries, And they have been spoiled;

A sword is against her horses and war-wagons, and against all the soldiers from other lands who are with her! They will become like women! A sword is against her riches, and they will be taken!

38 A sword on her waters, and they have been dried up, For it a land of graven images, And in idols they do boast themselves.

A time of no rain and her waters will be dried up! For it is a land of false gods. They are wild over false gods.

39 T herefore dwell do Ziim with Iim, Yea, dwelt in her have daughters of the ostrich, And it is not inhabited any more for ever, Nor dwelt in unto all generations.

So the desert animals will live there together with the wild dogs. And ostriches also will live in it. Never again will people live there.

40 A s overthrown by God with Sodom, And with Gomorrah, and with its neighbours, An affirmation of Jehovah, none doth dwell there, Nor sojourn in her doth a son of man.

As when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities,” says the Lord, “no man will live there. And no man will stay there.

41 L o, a people hath come from the north, Even a great nation, And many kings are stirred up from the sides of the earth.

“See, a nation is coming from the north. A great nation and many kings are moving from the farthest parts of the earth.

42 B ow and halbert they seize, Cruel they, and they have no mercy, Their voice as a sea soundeth, and on horses they ride, Set in array as a man for battle, Against thee, O daughter of Babylon.

They take hold of their bow and spear. They fight without pity. Their voice sounds like the sea. And they ride on horses, dressed ready for battle against you, O people of Babylon.

43 H eard hath the king of Babylon their report, And feeble have been his hands, Distress hath seized him; pain as a travailing woman.

The king of Babylon has heard the news about them, and his hands hang without strength. Suffering has taken hold of him, like the pain of a woman giving birth.

44 L o, as a lion he cometh up, Because of the rising of the Jordan, Unto the enduring habitation, But I cause to rest, I cause them to run from off her. And who is chosen? on her I lay a charge, For who like Me? And who doth convene Me? And who this shepherd who standeth before Me?

“One will come up like a lion from the trees by the Jordan to rich grass fields. All at once I will make the people run away from Babylon. And I will make whoever I choose to rule over it. For who is like Me? Who will call Me into court? What shepherd can stand before Me?”

45 T herefore, hear ye the counsel of Jehovah, That He counselled concerning Babylon, And His devices that He hath devised Concerning the land of the Chaldeans; Drag them out do not little ones of the flock, Doth He not make desolate over them the habitation?

So hear the plan which the Lord has made against Babylon. Listen to His plans which He has made against the land of the Babylonians. Even the little ones of the flock will be taken away. He will make their fields an empty waste because of them.

46 F rom the voice: Captured was Babylon, Hath the earth been shaken, And a cry among nations hath been heard!

At the cry, “Babylon has been taken!” the earth will shake, and the cry will be heard among the nations.