Jeremiah 50

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

This is the word that Yahweh declared about Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet,

2 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.

“Report to the nations and cause them to listen. Lift up a signal and cause them to listen. Do not conceal it. Say, 'Babylon is taken. Bel is made ashamed. Marduk is dismayed. Its idols are put to shame; its images are dismayed.'

3 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.

A nation from the north will arise against it, and make her land a desolation. No one will live in it; both man and beast will flee away.

4 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.

In those days and at that time—this is Yahweh's declaration—the people of Israel and the people of Judah will come together to go with weeping and seek Yahweh their God.

5 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.

They will ask the way to Zion and will set off toward it, saying, We will go and join ourselves to Yahweh in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.”

6 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.

My people have been a lost flock. Their shepherds have led them astray in the mountains; they have turned them around from hill to hill. They went, they forgot the place where they had lived.

7 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.

Everyone who went out to them devoured them. Their adversaries said, 'We are not guilty, because they sinned against Yahweh, their true home—Yahweh, the hope of their ancestors.'

8 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.

Leave from the midst of Babylon; go out from the land of the Chaldeans; be like male goats that leave before the rest of the flock does.

9 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.

For see, I am about to set in motion and raise up a group of great nations from the north against Babylon. They will arrange themselves against her. Babylon will be captured from there. Their arrows are like a skilled warrior who does not return empty-handed.

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

Chaldea will become plunder. All those who plunder it will be satisfied—this is Yahweh's declaration.

11 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:

You rejoice, you celebrate the plundering of my inheritance; you jump around like a calf stamping in its pasture; you neigh like a powerful horse.

12 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.

So your mother will be greatly ashamed; the one who bore you will be embarrassed. See, she will be the least of nations, a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.

13 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.

Because of Yahweh's anger, Babylon will not be inhabited, but will be a complete devastation. Everyone who passes by will shudder because of Babylon and will hiss because all of its wounds.

14 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.

Arrange yourselves against Babylon all around her. Everyone who bends a bow must shoot at her. Do not keep back any of your arrows, for she has sinned against Yahweh.

15 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.

Raise a shout against her all around! She has surrendered; her towers have fallen; her walls are torn down, for this is Yahweh's vengeance. Take vengeance on her! Do to her just as she has done!

16 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.

Destroy both the farmer who sows seed and the one who uses a sickle at the time of harvest in Babylon. Let each person turn back to his own people from the oppressor's sword; let them flee to their own land.

17 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.

Israel is a sheep scattered and driven away by lions. First the king of Assyria devoured him; then after this, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon broke his bones.

18 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.

Therefore Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, says this: See, I am about to punish the king of Babylon and his land, just as I punished the king of Assyria.

19 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.

I will restore Israel to his homeland; he will graze on Carmel and Bashan. Then he will be satisfied in the hill country of Ephraim and Gilead.

20 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.

In those days and at that time, says Yahweh, iniquity will be looked for in Israel, but none will be found. I will inquire about the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant that I spare.”

21 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.

“Arise against the land of Merathaim, against it and the ones inhabiting Pekod. Put them to the sword and set them apart for destruction—this is Yahweh's declaration—do everything that I am commanding you.

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

The sounds of battle and enormous destruction are in the land.

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

How the hammer of all the lands has been cut apart and destroyed. How Babylon has become a destroyed place among the nations.

24 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.

I have set a trap for you and you were taken, Babylon, and you did not know it! You were found and captured, because you opposed Yahweh.

25 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.

Yahweh has opened his armory and is bringing out the weapons for carrying out his anger. There is work for the Lord Yahweh of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.

26 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.

Attack her from far away. Open her granaries and pile her up like heaps of grain. Set her apart for destruction. Leave no remnant of her.

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

Kill all her bulls. Send them down to the place of slaughter. Woe to them, for their day has come—the time for their punishment.

28 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.

There is the sound of those fleeing, of those who are survivors, from the land of Babylon. These will report the vengeance of Yahweh our God for Zion, and vengeance for his temple.”

29 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.

“Summon the archers against Babylon—all those who bend their bows. Camp against her, and let no one escape. Repay her for what she has done. Do to her by the measure she has used. For she had defied Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel.

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

So her young men will fall in the city squares, and all her fighting men will be destroyed on that day —this is Yahweh's declaration.”

31 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].

“See, I am against you, proud one—this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh of hosts— for your day has come, proud one, the time when I will punish you.

32 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.

So the proud ones will stumble and fall. No one will raise them up. I will light a fire in their cities; it will devour everything around him.

33 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.

Yahweh of hosts says this: The people of Israel are oppressed, together with the people of Judah. All the ones who captured them still hold them; they refuse to let them go.

34 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.

The one who rescues them is strong. Yahweh of hosts is his name. He will truly plead their case, in order to bring rest to the land, and to bring strife to the ones inhabiting Babylon.

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

A sword is against the Chaldeans—this is Yahweh's declaration— and against the inhabitants of Babylon, her leaders, and her wise men.

36 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.

A sword against those who say empty words! They will become fools! A sword against her soldiers! They will be filled with terror.

37 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.

A sword is coming against their horses, their chariots and all of the people who are in the midst of Babylon, so they will become like women. A sword is coming against her storerooms, and they will be plundered.

38 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.

A drought is coming on her waters, so they will become dry. For she is a land of worthless idols, and they act like people made insane by their dreadful idols.

39 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.

So desert beasts with the jackals will inhabit there, and the young of ostriches will live in her. For all time, she will no longer be inhabited. From generation to generation, she will not be lived in.

40 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.

Just as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors—this is Yahweh's declaration— no one will live there; no person will stay in her.”

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

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

42 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.

They will pick up bows and spears. They are cruel and have no compassion. Their sound is like the sea roar, and they are riding on horses, set out in order as men for battle, against you, daughter of Babylon.

43 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.

The king of Babylon heard the reports about them and his hands fell limp in distress. Anguish seized him like a woman giving birth.

44 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?

Behold! He goes up like a lion from the heights of the Jordan to the enduring grazing place For I will quickly cause them to run from it, and I will put someone who will be chosen in charge of it. For who is like me, and who will summon me? What shepherd is able to resist me?

45 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.

So listen to the plans that Yahweh has decided against Babylon, the plans that he has planned against the land of the Chaldeans. They will certainly be dragged away, even the smallest flock. Their pasturelands will be turned into ruined places.

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

At the sound of conquered Babylon the earth shakes, and their shout of distress is heard among the nations.”