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 don’t conceal;

say, ‘Babylon has been taken,

Bel is disappointed,

Merodach is dismayed!

Her images are disappointed.

Her idols are dismayed.’

3 For a nation comes up out of the north against her,

which will make her land desolate,

and no one will dwell in it.

They have fled.

They are gone,

both man and animal.

4 "In those days, and in that time," says Yahweh,

"the children of Israel will come,

they and the children 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 turned toward it,

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.

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 middle of Babylon!

Go out of the land of the Chaldeans,

and be as the male goats before the flocks.

9 For, behold, 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.

She will be taken from there.

Their arrows will be as of an expert mighty man.

None of them will return in vain.

10 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 utterly disappointed.

She who bore you will be confounded.

Behold, she will be the least of the nations,

a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.

13 Because of Yahweh’s wrath she won’t 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 all around,

all you who bend the bow;

shoot at her.

Spare no arrows,

for she has sinned against Yahweh.

15 Shout against her all around.

She has submitted herself.

Her bulwarks have fallen.

Her walls have been 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 each return to their own people,

and they will each flee to their 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 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has broken his bones."

18 Therefore 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.

19 I will bring Israel again to his pasture,

and he will feed on Carmel and Bashan.

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,

also the sins of Judah,

and they won’t 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.

Kill and utterly 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 the hammer of the whole earth is cut apart and broken!

How Babylon has become a 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 fought against Yahweh.

25 Yahweh 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.

26 Come against her from the farthest border.

Open her storehouses.

Cast her up as heaps.

Destroy her utterly.

Let nothing of her be left.

27 Kill all her bulls.

Let them go down to the slaughter.

Woe to them! For their day has come,

the time of their visitation.

28 Listen to 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 all around.

Let none of it escape.

Pay her back 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 her young men will fall in her streets.

All her men of war will be brought to silence in that day," says Yahweh.

31 "Behold, 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.

32 The proud one will stumble and fall,

and no one will raise him up.

I will kindle a fire in his cities,

and it will devour all who are around him."

33 Yahweh of Armies says: "The children of Israel and the children of Judah are oppressed together.

All who took them captive hold them fast.

They refuse to let them go.

34 Their 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.

35 "A sword is on the Chaldeans," says Yahweh,

"and on the inhabitants of Babylon,

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,

on their chariots,

and on all the mixed people who are in the middle 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 engraved images,

and they are mad over idols.

39 Therefore the wild animals of the desert

with the wolves will dwell there.

The ostriches will dwell therein.

It will be inhabited no more forever,

neither will it be lived in from generation to generation.

40 As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and its neighbor cities," says Yahweh,

"so no man will dwell there,

neither will any son of man live therein.

41 "Behold, a people comes from the north.

A great nation and many kings will be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

42 They take up bow and spear.

They are cruel, and have no mercy.

Their voice roars like the sea.

They ride on horses,

everyone set in array,

as a man to the battle,

against you, daughter of Babylon.

43 The king of Babylon has heard the news of them,

and his hands become feeble.

Anguish has taken hold of him,

pains as of a woman in labor.

44 Behold, the enemy will come up like a lion

from the thickets of the Jordan against the strong habitation;

for I will suddenly make them run away from it.

Whoever is chosen,

I will appoint him over it,

for who is like me?

Who will appoint me a time?

Who is the shepherd who 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 The earth trembles at the noise of the taking of Babylon.

The cry is heard among the nations.

1 The word that the LORD spoke against Babylon [and] against the land of the Chaldeans by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet.

2 Declare ye among the Gentiles, and publish, and set up a banner; publish, [and] do not conceal: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.

3 For out of the north there comes up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and no one shall dwell therein: they shall leave, they shall depart, both man and beast.

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

5 They shall ask the way to Zion, unto where they shall turn their faces, [saying], Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in an eternal covenant [that] shall never 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 restingplace.

7 All that found them have devoured them; and their adversaries said, We are not guilty because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, 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 meek in front of the flocks.

9 For, behold, I awake and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country, and from there they shall set themselves in array against her; she shall be taken; their arrows [shall be] as of a mighty expert [one], who shall not return in vain.

10 And the land of the Chaldeans shall be for a spoil; all that spoil her shall come forth full, saith the LORD.

11 Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced destroying my heritage, because ye filled yourselves as a heifer on grass and neighed like horses;

12 your mother was sore confounded; she that bore you was ashamed: see here the latter end of the Gentiles: wilderness, dry land, and desert.

13 Because of the wrath of the LORD, [she] shall not be inhabited, but she shall be completely desolate; every one that goes by Babylon shall be astonished and hiss at all her plagues.

14 Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about; all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows; for she has sinned against the LORD.

15 Shout against her round about; she has 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 has done, do unto her.

16 Cut off the sower from Babylon and him that handles the sickle in the time of harvest; for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn each one to his people, and they shall flee each one to his own land.

17 Israel [has been like] scattered sheep; the lions have driven [him] away; first the king of Assyria has devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon has broken his bones.

18 Therefore thus hath the LORD of the hosts, the God of Israel said; Behold, I visit the king of Babylon and his land as I have visited the king of Assyria.

19 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.

20 In those days, and in that time, said 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 those whom I shall have left.

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

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

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

24 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 provoked the LORD.

25 The LORD has opened his treasury and has brought forth the vessels of his indignation; for this [is] the work of the Lord GOD of the hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.

26 Come against her from the ends [of the earth], open her storehouses; cast her up as heaps and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.

27 Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter. Woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.

28 The voice of those 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.

29 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 has done, do unto her; for she has become proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.

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

31 Behold, I [am] against thee, [O thou] proud one, said the Lord GOD of the hosts; for thy day is come, the time [that] I will visit thee.

32 And the proud one shall stumble and fall and have no one to raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.

33 Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said: The sons of Israel and the sons of Judah [were] oppressed together; and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go.

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

35 A sword [is] upon the Chaldeans, said the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon and upon her princes and upon her wise [men].

36 A sword [is] upon the fortune-tellers; and they shall be fools: a sword [is] upon her mighty men; and they shall be broken.

37 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.

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

39 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 no longer be inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.

40 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.

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

42 They shall hold the bow and the lance; they [shall be] cruel and will not show 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.

43 The king of Babylon has heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble; anguish took hold of him, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.

44 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the strong habitation; but I will rest and will make him run from upon her; and he who shall be chosen I will 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?

45 Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD that he has taken against Babylon and his thoughts that he has purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall drag them out, and they shall destroy their habitations with them.

46 At the noise of the taking of Babylon, the earth was moved, and the cry was heard among the Gentiles.: