1
The word[H1697] that the LORD[H3068]spake[H1696] against Babylon[H894] and against the land[H776] of the Chaldeans[H3778]by[H3027]Jeremiah[H3414] the prophet[H5030].
2Declare[H5046] ye among the nations[H1471], and publish[H8085], and set up[H5375] a standard[H5251]; publish[H8085], and conceal[H3582] not: say[H559], Babylon[H894] is taken[H3920], Bel[H1078] is confounded[H3001], Merodach[H4781] is broken in pieces[H2865]; her idols[H6091] are confounded[H3001], her images[H1544] are broken in pieces[H2865].
3
For out of the north[H6828] there cometh up[H5927] a nation[H1471] against her, which shall make[H7896] her land[H776]desolate[H8047], and none shall dwell[H3427] therein: they shall remove[H5110], they shall depart[H1980], both man[H120] and beast[H929].
4
In those days[H3117], and in that time[H6256], saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068], the children[H1121] of Israel[H3478] shall come[H935], they and the children[H1121] of Judah[H3063]together[H3162], going[H1980] and weeping[H1058]: they shall go[H3212], and seek[H1245] the LORD[H3068] their God[H430].
5
They shall ask[H7592] the way[H1870] to Zion[H6726] with their faces[H6440]thitherward[H2008], saying, Come[H935], and let us join[H3867] ourselves to the LORD[H3068] in a perpetual[H5769]covenant[H1285] that shall not be forgotten[H7911].
6
My people[H5971] hath been lost[H6]sheep[H6629]: their shepherds[H7462] have caused them to go astray[H8582], they have turned them away[H7725] on the mountains[H2022]: they have gone[H1980] from mountain[H2022] to hill[H1389], they have forgotten[H7911] their restingplace[H7258].
7
All that found[H4672] them have devoured[H398] them: and their adversaries[H6862]said[H559], We offend[H816] not, because they have sinned[H2398] against the LORD[H3068], the habitation[H5116] of justice[H6664], even the LORD[H3068], the hope[H4723] of their fathers[H1].
8Remove[H5110] out of the midst[H8432] of Babylon[H894], and go forth[H3318] out of the land[H776] of the Chaldeans[H3778], and be as the he goats[H6260]before[H6440] the flocks[H6629].
9
For, lo, I will raise[H5782] and cause to come up[H5927] against Babylon[H894] an assembly[H6951] of great[H1419]nations[H1471] from the north[H6828]country[H776]: and they shall set themselves in array[H6186] against her; from thence she shall be taken[H3920]: their arrows[H2671] shall be as of a mighty[H1368] expert man[H7919]; none shall return[H7725] in vain[H7387].
10
And Chaldea[H3778] shall be a spoil[H7998]: all that spoil[H7997] her shall be satisfied[H7646], saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068].
11
Because ye were glad[H8055], because ye rejoiced[H5937], O ye destroyers[H8154] of mine heritage[H5159], because ye are grown fat[H6335] as the heifer[H5697] at grass[H1877], and bellow[H6670] as bulls[H47];
12
Your mother[H517] shall be sore[H3966]confounded[H954]; she that bare[H3205] you shall be ashamed[H2659]: behold, the hindermost[H319] of the nations[H1471] shall be a wilderness[H4057], a dry land[H6723], and a desert[H6160].
13
Because of the wrath[H7110] of the LORD[H3068] it shall not be inhabited[H3427], but it shall be wholly desolate[H8077]: every one that goeth[H5674] by Babylon[H894] shall be astonished[H8074], and hiss[H8319] at all her plagues[H4347].
14
Put yourselves in array[H6186] against Babylon[H894] round about[H5439]: all ye that bend[H1869] the bow[H7198], shoot[H3034] at her, spare[H2550] no arrows[H2671]: for she hath sinned[H2398] against the LORD[H3068].
15Shout[H7321] against her round about[H5439]: she hath given[H5414] her hand[H3027]: her foundations[H803] are fallen[H5307], her walls[H2346] are thrown down[H2040]: for it is the vengeance[H5360] of the LORD[H3068]: take vengeance[H5358] upon her; as she hath done[H6213], do[H6213] unto her.
16
Cut off[H3772] the sower[H2232] from Babylon[H894], and him that handleth[H8610] the sickle[H4038] in the time[H6256] of harvest[H7105]: for fear[H6440] of the oppressing[H3238]sword[H2719] they shall turn[H6437] every one[H376] to his people[H5971], and they shall flee[H5127] every one[H376] to his own land[H776].
17Israel[H3478] is a scattered[H6340]sheep[H7716]; the lions[H738] have driven him away[H5080]: first[H7223] the king[H4428] of Assyria[H804] hath devoured[H398] him; and last[H314] this Nebuchadrezzar[H5019]king[H4428] of Babylon[H894] hath broken his bones[H6105].
18
Therefore thus saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635], the God[H430] of Israel[H3478]; Behold, I will punish[H6485] the king[H4428] of Babylon[H894] and his land[H776], as I have punished[H6485] the king[H4428] of Assyria[H804].
19
And I will bring[H7725]Israel[H3478]again[H7725] to his habitation[H5116], and he shall feed[H7462] on Carmel[H3760] and Bashan[H1316], and his soul[H5315] shall be satisfied[H7646] upon mount[H2022]Ephraim[H669] and Gilead[H1568].
20
In those days[H3117], and in that time[H6256], saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068], the iniquity[H5771] of Israel[H3478] shall be sought for[H1245], and there shall be none; and the sins[H2403] of Judah[H3063], and they shall not be found[H4672]: for[H1245] I will pardon[H5545] them whom I reserve[H7604].
21
Go up[H5927] against the land[H776] of Merathaim[H4850], even against it, and against the inhabitants[H3427] of Pekod[H6489]: waste[H2717] and utterly destroy[H2763]after[H310] them, saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068], and do[H6213] according to all that I have commanded[H6680] thee.
22
A sound[H6963] of battle[H4421] is in the land[H776], and of great[H1419]destruction[H7667].
23
How is the hammer[H6360] of the whole earth[H776] cut asunder[H1438] and broken[H7665]! how is Babylon[H894] become a desolation[H8047] among the nations[H1471]!
24
I have laid a snare[H3369] for thee, and thou art also taken[H3920], O Babylon[H894], and thou wast not aware[H3045]: thou art found[H4672], and also caught[H8610], because thou hast striven[H1624] against the LORD[H3068].
25
The LORD[H3068] hath opened[H6605] his armoury[H214], and hath brought forth[H3318] the weapons[H3627] of his indignation[H2195]: for this is the work[H4399] of the Lord[H136]GOD[H3069] of hosts[H6635] in the land[H776] of the Chaldeans[H3778].
26Come[H935] against her from the utmost border[H7093], open[H6605] her storehouses[H3965]: cast her up[H5549] as heaps[H6194], and destroy her utterly[H2763]: let nothing of her be left[H7611].
27Slay[H2717] all her bullocks[H6499]; let them go down[H3381] to the slaughter[H2874]: woe[H1945] unto them! for their day[H3117] is come[H935], the time[H6256] of their visitation[H6486].
28
The voice[H6963] of them that flee[H5127] and escape out[H6405] of the land[H776] of Babylon[H894], to declare[H5046] in Zion[H6726] the vengeance[H5360] of the LORD[H3068] our God[H430], the vengeance[H5360] of his temple[H1964].
29
Call together[H8085] the archers[H7228] against Babylon[H894]: all ye that bend[H1869] the bow[H7198], camp[H2583] against it round about[H5439]; let none thereof escape[H6413]: recompense[H7999] her according to her work[H6467]; according to all that she hath done[H6213], do[H6213] unto her: for she hath been proud[H2102] against the LORD[H3068], against the Holy One[H6918] of Israel[H3478].
30
Therefore shall her young men[H970]fall[H5307] in the streets[H7339], and all her men[H582] of war[H4421] shall be cut off[H1826] in that day[H3117], saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068].
31
Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud[H2087], saith[H5002] the Lord[H136]GOD[H3069] of hosts[H6635]: for thy day[H3117] is come[H935], the time[H6256] that I will visit[H6485] thee.
32
And the most proud[H2087] shall stumble[H3782] and fall[H5307], and none shall raise him up[H6965]: and I will kindle[H3341] a fire[H784] in his cities[H5892], and it shall devour[H398] all round about[H5439] him.
33
Thus saith[H559] the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635]; The children[H1121] of Israel[H3478] and the children[H1121] of Judah[H3063] were oppressed[H6231]together[H3162]: and all that took them captives[H7617] held them fast[H2388]; they refused[H3985] to let them go[H7971].
34
Their Redeemer[H1350] is strong[H2389]; the LORD[H3068] of hosts[H6635] is his name[H8034]: he shall throughly[H7378]plead[H7378] their cause[H7379], that he may give rest[H7280] to the land[H776], and disquiet[H7264] the inhabitants[H3427] of Babylon[H894].
35
A sword[H2719] is upon the Chaldeans[H3778], saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068], and upon the inhabitants[H3427] of Babylon[H894], and upon her princes[H8269], and upon her wise[H2450] men.
36
A sword[H2719] is upon the liars[H907]; and they shall dote[H2973]: a sword[H2719] is upon her mighty men[H1368]; and they shall be dismayed[H2865].
37
A sword[H2719] is upon their horses[H5483], and upon their chariots[H7393], and upon all the mingled people[H6153] that are in the midst[H8432] of her; and they shall become as women[H802]: a sword[H2719] is upon her treasures[H214]; and they shall be robbed[H962].
38
A drought[H2721] is upon her waters[H4325]; and they shall be dried up[H3001]: for it is the land[H776] of graven images[H6456], and they are mad[H1984] upon their idols[H367].
39
Therefore the wild beasts of the desert[H6728] with the wild beasts of the islands[H338] shall dwell[H3427] there, and the owls[H1323] shall dwell[H3427] therein: and it shall be no more inhabited[H3427] for ever[H5331]; neither shall it be dwelt[H7931] in from generation[H1755] to generation[H1755].
40
As God[H430]overthrew[H4114]Sodom[H5467] and Gomorrah[H6017] and the neighbour[H7934] cities thereof, saith[H5002] the LORD[H3068]; so shall no man[H376]abide[H3427] there, neither shall any son[H1121] of man[H120]dwell[H1481] therein.
41
Behold, a people[H5971] shall come[H935] from the north[H6828], and a great[H1419]nation[H1471], and many[H7227]kings[H4428] shall be raised up[H5782] from the coasts[H3411] of the earth[H776].
42
They shall hold[H2388] the bow[H7198] and the lance[H3591]: they are cruel[H394], and will not shew mercy[H7355]: their voice[H6963] shall roar[H1993] like the sea[H3220], and they shall ride[H7392] upon horses[H5483], every one put in array[H6186], like a man[H376] to the battle[H4421], against thee, O daughter[H1323] of Babylon[H894].
43
The king[H4428] of Babylon[H894] hath heard[H8085] the report[H8088] of them, and his hands[H3027] waxed feeble[H7503]: anguish[H6869] took hold[H2388] of him, and pangs[H2427] as of a woman in travail[H3205].
44
Behold, he shall come up[H5927] like a lion[H738] from the swelling[H1347] of Jordan[H3383] unto the habitation[H5116] of the strong[H386]: but I will make[H7323] them suddenly[H7280] run away[H7323] from her: and who is a chosen[H977] man, that I may appoint[H6485] over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint[H6485] me the time?[H3259] and who is that shepherd[H7462] that will stand[H5975]before[H6440] me?
45
Therefore hear[H8085] ye the counsel[H6098] of the LORD[H3068], that he hath taken[H3289] against Babylon[H894]; and his purposes[H4284], that he hath purposed[H2803] against the land[H776] of the Chaldeans[H3778]: Surely the least[H6810] of the flock[H6629] shall draw them out[H5498]: surely he shall make their habitation[H5116]desolate[H8074] with them.
46
At the noise[H6963] of the taking[H8610] of Babylon[H894] the earth[H776] is moved[H7493], and the cry[H2201] is heard[H8085] among the nations[H1471].