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Chapter 50
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Verse 1

This is the word that the LORD spoke concerning Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, through the prophet Jeremiah.

The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet.

Verse 2

Declare among the nations and proclaim it; raise a banner and proclaim it! Do not hide it. Say, 'Babylon has been captured; Bel is put to shame, Marduk is dismayed. Her idols are disgraced, her images shattered.'

Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.

Verse 3

For a nation has come against her from the north; it will make her land desolate. No one will live there—neither man nor beast—all will flee and be gone.

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

Verse 4

In those days and at that time,' declares the LORD, 'the people of Israel and the people of Judah will come together, weeping as they go, seeking the LORD their God.

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

Verse 5

They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and join themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.

They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.

Verse 6

My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray, causing them to wander on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill and forgotten their resting place.

My people hath 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 restingplace.

Verse 7

All who found them devoured them. Their enemies said, 'We are not guilty, for they sinned against the LORD, their true pasture and the hope of their ancestors—the LORD.'

All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.

Verse 8

Flee from Babylon, leave the land of the Chaldeans, and be like male goats leading the flock.

Remove 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.

Verse 9

For behold, I am stirring up and bringing against Babylon a coalition of great nations from the north. They will line up for battle against her; from there she will be captured. Their arrows are like skilled warriors; they will not return empty-handed.

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

Verse 10

Chaldea will become plunder; all who plunder her will be satisfied,' declares the LORD.

And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith the LORD.

Verse 11

'Because you rejoice and celebrate, you who plunder my inheritance; because you frolic like a threshing heifer and neigh like stallions,'

Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls;

Verse 12

your mother will be greatly ashamed; she who bore you will be disgraced. Behold, she will become the least of the nations—a wilderness, a dry and arid land.

Your mother shall be sore confounded; she that bare you shall be ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.

Verse 13

Because of the LORD's wrath, she will not be inhabited but will become completely desolate. Everyone who passes by Babylon will be appalled and will scoff at all her wounds.

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

Verse 14

Take your positions around Babylon, all you who draw the bow. Shoot at her! Spare no 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 the LORD.

Verse 15

Raise a shout against her on every side! She has surrendered; her towers have fallen, her walls are torn down. This is the vengeance of the LORD. Take vengeance on her; do to her as she has done to others.

Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.

Verse 16

Cut off the sower from Babylon, and the one who handles the sickle at harvest time. Because of the oppressing sword, let each one return to his own people, and let every one 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 they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land.

Verse 17

Israel is a scattered sheep chased by lions. The first to devour him was the king of Assyria; the last to gnaw at his bones was Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.

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

Verse 18

Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: 'I will punish the king of Babylon and his land just as I punished the king of Assyria.'

Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria.

Verse 19

I will restore Israel to his pasture, and he will graze on Carmel and Bashan; his soul will be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.

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

Verse 20

In those days and at that time, declares the LORD, the guilt of Israel will be sought, but there will be none; and the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive those I leave as a remnant.

In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, 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 them whom I reserve.

Verse 21

Attack the land of Merathaim and those who live in Pekod! Pursue them, kill them completely, and devote them to destruction, declares the LORD. Do everything I have commanded you.

Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against the inhabitants of Pekod: waste and utterly destroy after them, saith the LORD, and do according to all that I have commanded thee.

Verse 22

The sound of battle is in the land—a great destruction.

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

Verse 23

How the hammer of the whole earth has been cut down and broken! Babylon has become an object of horror among the nations.

How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!

Verse 24

I set a trap for you, Babylon, and you were caught before you knew it. You were found and captured because you challenged the LORD.

I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the LORD.

Verse 25

The LORD has opened His armory and brought out the weapons of His wrath, for the Sovereign LORD of Hosts has a task to accomplish in the land of the Chaldeans.

The LORD hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation: for this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.

Verse 26

Come against her from the farthest borders; open her granaries. Heap her up like piles of grain and destroy her completely. Let nothing be left of her.

Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses: cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.

Verse 27

Slaughter all her young bulls; let them go down to the slaughter. Woe to them, for their day has come, the time of their 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.

Verse 28

Listen to the voice of those fleeing and escaping from 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 the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple.

Verse 29

Summon archers against Babylon, all who draw the bow. Encamp around her on every side, and let no one escape. Repay her according to her deeds; do to her as she has done. For she has defied the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.

Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.

Verse 30

Therefore, her young men will fall in her streets, and all her soldiers will perish on that day, declares the LORD.

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

Verse 31

Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one, declares the Sovereign LORD of Hosts, for your day has come, the time for Me to punish you.

Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.

Verse 32

The arrogant one will stumble and fall, and no one will help him up. I will set fire to his cities, and it will devour all around him.

And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.

Verse 33

This is what the LORD of Hosts says: The people of Israel and the people of Judah are oppressed together. All their captors hold them fast and refuse to let them go.

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

Verse 34

But their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of Hosts is His name. He will vigorously defend their cause to bring rest to the land but unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon.

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

Verse 35

A sword is against the Chaldeans, declares the LORD, against the inhabitants of Babylon, against her officials and wise men.

A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.

Verse 36

A sword is against her diviners, and they will act foolishly. A sword is against her warriors, and they will be shattered.

A sword is upon the liars; and they shall dote: a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed.

Verse 37

A sword is against her horses and her chariots, and against all the mixed multitude in her midst. They will become like women. A sword is against her treasures, and they will be plundered.

A 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: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.

Verse 38

A drought is upon her waters; they will dry up. For it is a land of idols, and they go mad over terrifying images.

A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.

Verse 39

Therefore, desert creatures and hyenas will dwell there, and ostriches will inhabit it. It will never again be inhabited or settled from generation to generation.

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

Verse 40

As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah along with their neighbors, declares the LORD, no one will live there, and no human being will dwell in it.

As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.

Verse 41

Behold, a people is coming from the north; a great nation and many kings are being stirred up from the farthest parts of the earth.

Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.

Verse 42

They hold bows and spears; they are cruel and show no mercy. Their roar is like the roaring sea, and they ride on horses, arrayed like men ready for battle against you, Daughter of Babylon.

They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not shew mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.

Verse 43

The king of Babylon has heard the report about them, and his hands hang limp. Anguish grips him, pain like that of a woman in labor.

The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.

Verse 44

Behold, like a lion coming up from the thickets of the Jordan to a secure pasture, I will drive them away suddenly from it. I will appoint whoever is chosen for it. For who is like me? Who can summon me? And what shepherd can stand against me?

Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?

Verse 45

Therefore, hear the counsel of the LORD that He has purposed against Babylon and the plans He has devised against the land of the Chaldeans. Surely, the little ones of the flock will be dragged away; surely, their pasture will be appalled at their fate.

Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them.

Verse 46

At the sound of Babylon’s capture, the earth will quake, and the outcry will be heard among the nations.

At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.

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Chapter 50
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