Jeremiah 50

1 The word that Jehovah spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, through Jeremiah the prophet.

The word that the Lord spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by means of Jeremiah the prophet.

2 Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and lift up a banner; publish, conceal not! Say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed: her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.

Announce ye among the nations, and publish, and lift up a standard; publish, conceal not; say, Babylon is captured, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is broken in pieces; put to shame are her idols; broken in pieces are her images.

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

For there is come up against her a nation out of the north, which will change her land into a desert, so that there shall not be any one dwelling therein: both man and beast are fled away, they are departed.

4 In those days, and at that time, saith Jehovah, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping as they go, and shall seek Jehovah their God.

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

5 They shall inquire concerning Zion, with their faces thitherward, [saying, ] Come, and let us join ourselves to Jehovah, in an everlasting covenant that shall not be forgotten.

After Zion shall they ask, with their faces on the way thitherward, [saying, ] Come: and they will join themselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.

6 My people are lost sheep; their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they turned them away on the mountains: they went from mountain to hill, they forgot their resting-place.

Lost sheep were my people; their shepherds had caused them to go astray, they had let them roam wildly on the mountains: from mountain to hill did they go, they forgot their resting-place.

7 All that found them devoured them, and their adversaries said, We are not guilty, because they have sinned against Jehovah, the habitation of righteousness, even Jehovah, the hope of their fathers.

All that found them devoured them; and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the Lord, the habitation of righteousness, and the hope of their fathers, the Lord.

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 flock.

Fly away out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be ye as the he-goats before the flocks.

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

For, lo, I will awaken and cause to come up against Babylon an assemblage of great nations from the north country; and they shall set themselves in battle-array against her; from there shall she be captured: their arrows are as those of a skilful mighty one, none of which ever returneth in vain.

10 And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all the spoilers thereof shall be satiated, saith Jehovah.

And Chaldea shall be given up to spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith the Lord.

11 For ye rejoiced, for ye triumphed, ye plunderers of my heritage; for ye have been wanton as the heifer at grass, and neighed as steeds.

Though ye rejoice, though ye be glad, O ye plunderers of my heritage, though ye be grown fat as the heifer at grass, and neigh as stud-horses:

12 Your mother hath been sorely put to shame; she that bore you hath been covered with reproach: behold, [she is become] hindmost of the nations, a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.

Your mother is made greatly ashamed; she that bore you is put to the blush; behold, the end of nations shall be wilderness, dry land, and desert.

13 Because of the wrath of Jehovah, it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate; every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and shall hiss, because of all her plagues.

Because of the wrath of the Lord shall it not be inhabited, and it shall be wholly desolate: every one that passeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss over all her wounds.

14 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 Jehovah.

Put yourselves in battle-array against Babylon round about, all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare not the arrows: for against the Lord hath she sinned.

15 Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand; her ramparts are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for this is the vengeance of Jehovah. Take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.

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

16 Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest. For fear of the oppressing sword let them turn every one to his people, and let them flee every one to his own land.

Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest; because of the wasting sword shall they turn about every one to his people, and every one to his own land shall they flee.

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

A scattered lamb is Israel; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria devoured him; and this last one broke his bones, [even] Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon.

18 Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will visit the king of Babylon and his land, like as I have visited the king of Assyria.

Therefore thus hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will inflict punishment on the king of Babylon and on his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria.

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

And I will bring Israel back again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan: and upon the mountain of Ephraim and Gil'ad shall his soul be satisfied.

20 In those days, and at that time, saith Jehovah, 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 leave remaining.

In those days, and at that time, saith the Lord, shall the iniquity of Israel be sought for, and it shall not be there; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found; for I will pardon those whom I will leave remaining.

21 Go up against the land of double rebellion, against it, and against the inhabitants of visitation; waste and utterly destroy after them, saith Jehovah, and do according to all that I have commanded thee.

Against the land of twofold rebellion—even against it go thou up, and against the inhabitants of the country of punishment: lay in ruins and utterly destroy their offspring, saith the Lord, and do in accordance with all that I have commanded thee.

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

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

23 How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! How is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!

How is cut asunder and broken the hammer of all the earth! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!

24 I have laid a snare for thee, and thou, Babylon, art also taken, and thou wast not aware; thou art found, and also caught, for thou hast contended with Jehovah.

I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also captured, O Babylon, while thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hadst entered into a contest against the Lord.

25 Jehovah hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation; for this is a work for the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, in the land of the Chaldeans.

The Lord hath opened his treasury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation; for it is a work for the Lord, the Eternal of hosts, in the land of the Chaldeans.

26 Come ye against her from every quarter, open her storehouses; pile her up like sheaves, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.

Come against her from the end of the earth, open her garners; tread her down as sheaves of corn, and destroy her utterly: let there not be left of her a remnant even.

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.

Destroy 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 them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of Jehovah our God, the vengeance of his temple.

There is the voice of those that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to tell in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God, the vengeance for his temple.

29 Call together the archers against Babylon, all those that bend the bow: encamp against her round about; let there be no escaping: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath acted proudly against Jehovah, against the Holy One of Israel.

Call together the archers against Babylon; all ye that bend the bow, encamp against her round about; let there be no escape for her: recompense her according to her work; in accordance with all that she hath done, do unto her; for against the Lord hath she acted presumptuously, 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, saith Jehovah.

therefore shall her young men fall in her streets, and all her men of war shall perish on that day, saith the Lord.

31 Behold, I am against thee, proud one, saith the Lord Jehovah of hosts; for thy day is come, the time that I visit thee:

Behold, I am against thee, O presumptuous one! saith the Lord, the Eternal of hosts; for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee [with punishment].

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

And the presumptuous shall stumble and fall, with none to raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all his environs.

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

Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, The children of Israel and the children of Judah are oppressed together: and all that took them captive hold them fast; they refuse to dismiss them.

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

Their Redeemer is strong; The Lord of hosts is his name: he will surely contend in their cause, in order that he may give rest to the land, and make the inhabitants of Babylon tremble.

35 The sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith Jehovah, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men;

The sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the Lord, and against the inhabitants of Babylon, and against her princes, and against her wise men.

36 the sword is upon the liars, and they shall become fools; the sword is upon her mighty men, and they shall be dismayed;

The sword is against the lying soothsayers, and they shall be made foolish: the sword is against her mighty men, and they shall be dismayed.

37 the 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; the sword is upon her treasures, and they shall be robbed:

The sword is against their horses, and against their chariots, and against all the confederates that are in the midst of her, and they shall become as women: the sword is against her treasures, and they shall be plundered.

38 a drought is upon her waters, and they shall be dried up; for it is a land of graven images, and they are mad after frightful idols.

The drought is against her waters, and they shall be dried up; for it is the land of graven images, and with their horrid idols do they play the madman.

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

Therefore shall martens dwell [there] with jackals, and the ostriches shall dwell therein: and it shall be not inhabited any more for ever; and it shall not be dwelt in from generation to generation.

40 As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and their neighbour cities, saith Jehovah, no one shall dwell there, neither shall a son of man sojourn therein.

Like the overthrow by God of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors, saith the Lord, so shall no man dwell there, nor shall any son of man sojourn therein.

41 Behold, a people cometh from the north, and a great nation. And many kings shall arise from the uttermost parts of the earth.

Behold, a people cometh from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be awakened from the farthest ends of the earth.

42 They lay hold of bow and spear; they are cruel, and will not shew mercy; their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses — set in array like a man for the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.

Bow and lance do they firmly grasp; they are cruel, and show not any mercy; their voice roareth like the sea, and upon horses do they ride, placed in array, like one man, for the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.

43 The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands wax feeble; trouble hath taken hold of him, pangs as of a woman in travail.

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

44 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of the Jordan against the strong habitation; for I will make him suddenly run away from it; and who is a chosen [man] whom I may appoint over her? For who is like me? and who will assign me a time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?

Behold, like a lion shall he come up from the overflow of the Jordan unto the strong habitation; for I will hasten them [and] make them suddenly prevail over her, and him who is chosen will I array against her; for who like me? and who will challenge me to battle? and who is that shepherd that can stand before me?

45 Therefore hear the counsel of Jehovah, which he hath taken against Babylon, and his purposes which he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: The little ones of the flock shall certainly draw them away; he shall certainly make their habitation desolate for them.

Therefore hear ye the counsel of the Lord, that he hath resolved against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath devised against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall drag them away; surely he will devastate over them their habitation.

46 At the sound of the taking of Babylon the earth hath quaked, and the cry is heard among the nations.

At the noise of the conquest of Babylon the earth quaketh, and the outcry is heard among the nations.