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

2 Declare{+} among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and do not conceal: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed; her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.

3 For out of the north there comes up a nation against her, which will make her land desolate, and none will dwell in it: they have fled, they have gone, both man and beast.

4 In those days, and in that time, says Yahweh, the sons of Israel will come, they and the sons of Judah together; they will go on their way weeping, and will seek Yahweh their God.

5 They will inquire concerning Zion with their faces toward there, [saying], Come{+}, and join yourselves to Yahweh in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.

6 My 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.

7 All 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.

8 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 For, look, I will stir up and cause to come up against Babylon a company of great nations from the north country; and they will set themselves in array against her; from there she will be taken: their arrows will be as a mighty man taking away children, they will not return in vain.

10 And Chaldea will be a prey: all who prey on her will be satisfied, says Yahweh.

11 Because 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;

12 your{+} mother will be completely put to shame; she who bore you{+} will be confounded: look, she will be the hindermost of the nations, a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.

13 Because of the wrath of Yahweh she will not be inhabited, but she will be wholly desolate: everyone who goes by Babylon will be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues.

14 Set yourselves in array against Babylon round about, all you{+} who bend the bow; shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she has sinned against Yahweh.

15 Shout against her round about: she has submitted herself; her bulwarks have fallen, her walls are thrown down; for it is the vengeance of Yahweh: take vengeance on her; as she has done, do to her.

16 Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him who handles the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they will turn every one to his people, and they will flee every one to his own land.

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

18 Therefore thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel: Look, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria.

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

20 In those days, and in that time, says Yahweh, the iniquity of Israel will be sought for, and there will be none; and the sins of Judah, and they will not be found: for I will pardon them whom I leave as a remnant.

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

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

23 How is the hammer of the whole earth cut apart and broken! How has Babylon become a desolation among the nations!

24 I have laid a snare for you, and you are also taken, O Babylon, and you were not aware: you are found, and also caught, because you have striven against Yahweh.

25 Yahweh has opened his armory, and has brought forth the weapons of his indignation; for the Lord, Yahweh of hosts, has a work [to do] in the land of the Chaldeans.

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

27 Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe to them! For their day has come, the time of their visitation.

28 The 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.

29 Call together the archers against Babylon, all those who bend the bow; encamp against her round about; let none of her 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.

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

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

32 And the proud one will stumble and fall, and none will raise him up; and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it will devour all who are round about him.

33 Thus says Yahweh of hosts: The sons of Israel and the sons of Judah are oppressed together; and all who took them captive hold them fast; they refuse to let them go.

34 Their Redeemer is strong; Yahweh of hosts is his name: he will thoroughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, and disquiet 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.

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

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

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

39 Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wolves will dwell there, and the ostriches will dwell in it: and it will be inhabited no more forever; neither will it be stayed in from generation to generation.

40 As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities, says Yahweh, so a man will not dwell there, neither will any son of man sojourn in it.

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

42 They 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, O daughter of Babylon.

43 The king of Babylon has heard the news of them, and his hands wax feeble: anguish has taken hold of him, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.

44 Look, [the enemy] will 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, I will appoint him over it: for who is like me? And who will appoint me a time? And who is the shepherd that can stand before me?

45 Therefore 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 will drag them away, [even] the little ones of the flock; surely he will make their habitation desolate over them.

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