Christian Standard Bible

International Standard Version

1This is what the LORD says: I am about to rouse the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon and against the population of Leb-qamai.

1This is what the LORD says: "Look, I'm going to stir up a destroying wind against Babylon and the inhabitants of Leb-kamai.

2I will send strangers to Babylon who will scatter her and strip her land bare, for they will come against her from every side in the day of disaster.

2I'll send foreigners to Babylon, and they'll winnow her, and devastate her land. They'll come against her from every side on the day of her disaster.

3Don't let the archer string his bow; don't let him put on his armor. Don't spare her young men; completely destroy her entire army!

3Don't let the archer bend the bow; don't let him rise up in his armor. Don't spare her young men. Completely destroy her entire army.

4Those who were slain will fall in the land of the Chaldeans, those who were pierced through, in her streets.

4The slain will fall in the land of Chaldea, pierced through in her streets.

5For Israel and Judah are not left widowed by their God, the LORD of Armies, though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.

5Indeed, Israel and Judah haven't been abandoned by their God, by the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, although their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel."

6Leave Babylon; save your lives, each of you! Don't perish because of her guilt. For this is the time of the LORD's vengeance--he will pay her what she deserves.

6Flee from Babylon, and each of you, escape with your life! Don't be destroyed because of her guilt, for it's time for the LORD's vengeance. He is paying back what is due to her.

7Babylon was a gold cup in the LORD's hand, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore, the nations go mad.

7Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine, therefore the nations have gone mad.

8Suddenly Babylon fell and was shattered. Wail for her; get balm for her wound--perhaps she can be healed.

8Suddenly, Babylon fell down and was shattered. Wail for her! Bring balm for her wound, perhaps she will be healed.

9We tried to heal Babylon, but she could not be healed. Abandon her! Let each of us go to his own land, for her judgment extends to the sky and reaches as far as the clouds.

9We tried to heal Babylon, but she wouldn't be healed. Leave her, and let each of us go to his own country. For her judgment has reached to the heavens, and is lifted up to the sky.

10The LORD has brought about our vindication; come, let's tell in Zion what the LORD our God has accomplished.

10The LORD will vindicate us. Come! Let us declare the work of the LORD our God in Zion.

11Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! The LORD has roused the spirit of the kings of the Medes because his plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her, for it is the LORD's vengeance, vengeance for his temple.

11Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes— he has decided to destroy Babylon. Indeed, it's the LORD's vengeance, vengeance for his Temple.

12Raise up a signal flag against the walls of Babylon; fortify the watch post; set the watchmen in place; prepare the ambush. For the LORD has both planned and accomplished what he has threatened against those who live in Babylon.

12Lift up the battle standard against Babylon's walls. Strengthen the guard; post watchmen. Set men in position for an ambush. For the LORD will both plan and carry out what he has declared against the inhabitants of Babylon.

13You who reside by abundant water, rich in treasures, your end has come, your life thread is cut.

13You who live beside many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come, your life thread is cut.

14The LORD of Armies has sworn by himself: I will fill you up with men as with locusts, and they will sing the victory song over you.

14The LORD of the Heavenly Armies has sworn by himself: "I'll surely fill you with soldiers like a swarm of locusts, and they'll sing songs of victory over you."

15He made the earth by his power, established the world by his wisdom, and spread out the heavens by his understanding.

15He made the earth by his power. He established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding he spread out the heavens.

16When he thunders, the waters in the heavens are tumultuous, and he causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain and brings the wind from his storehouses.

16When his voice sounds, there is thunder from the waters of heaven, and he makes clouds rise up from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain and brings wind out of his storehouses.

17Everyone is stupid and ignorant. Every goldsmith is put to shame by his carved image, for his cast images are a lie; there is no breath in them.

17Everyone is stupid and without knowledge. Every goldsmith is put to shame by his own idols, for his images are false, and there is no life in them.

18They are worthless, a work to be mocked. At the time of their punishment they will be destroyed.

18They're worthless, a work of mockery, and when the time of punishment comes, they'll perish.

19Jacob's Portion is not like these because he is the one who formed all things. Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of Armies is his name.

19The Portion of Jacob is not like these. He made everything, including the tribe of his inheritance. The LORD of the Heavenly Armies is his name.

20You are my war club, my weapons of war. With you I will smash nations; with you I will bring kingdoms to ruin.

20"You are my war-club and weapons of war. I'll smash nations with you and destroy kingdoms with you.

21With you I will smash the horse and its rider; with you I will smash the chariot and its rider.

21I'll smash the horse and its rider with you. I'll smash the chariot and its rider with you.

22With you I will smash man and woman; with you I will smash the old man and the youth; with you I will smash the young man and the young woman.

22I'll smash man and woman with you. I'll smash old man and young boy with you. I'll smash young man and young woman with you.

23With you I will smash the shepherd and his flock; with you I will smash the farmer and his ox-team. With you I will smash governors and officials.

23I'll smash the shepherd and his flock with you. I'll smash the farmer and his team of oxen with you. I'll smash governors and officials with you.

24"Before your very eyes, I will repay Babylon and all the residents of Chaldea for all their evil they have done in Zion." This is the LORD's declaration.

24"Before your eyes I'll repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all the evil that they did in Zion," declares the LORD.

25Look, I am against you, devastating mountain. This is the LORD's declaration. You devastate the whole earth. I will stretch out my hand against you, roll you down from the cliffs, and turn you into a charred mountain.

25"Look, I'm against you, destroying mountain, who destroys the whole earth," declares the LORD. "I'll stretch out my hand against you and roll you down from the crags. And I'll make you a burned-out mountain.

26No one will be able to retrieve a cornerstone or a foundation stone from you, because you will become desolate forever. This is the LORD's declaration.

26They won't get a cornerstone or a foundation stone from you, because you will be a wasteland forever," declares the LORD.

27Raise a signal flag in the land; blow a ram's horn among the nations; set apart the nations against her. Summon kingdoms against her--Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a marshal against her; bring up horses like a swarm of locusts.

27Lift up a battle standard in the land. Blow a trumpet among the nations. Consecrate the nations against her. Summon the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz against her. Appoint a commander against her, bring up horses like bristling locusts.

28Set apart the nations for battle against her--the kings of Media, her governors and all her officials, and all the lands they rule.

28Consecrate the nations against her, the kings of the Medes, their governors, their prefects, and every land under their domination.

29The earth quakes and trembles because the LORD's intentions against Babylon stand: to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.

29The land quakes and writhes because the LORD's purposes against Babylon stand firm, to make the land of Babylon a waste without inhabitants.

30Babylon's warriors have stopped fighting; they sit in their strongholds. Their might is exhausted; they have become like women. Babylon's homes have been set ablaze, her gate bars are shattered.

30The warriors of Babylon have stopped fighting. They stay in their strongholds; their strength is dried up; they have become like women. Her buildings are set on fire; the bars of her gates are broken.

31Messenger races to meet messenger, and herald to meet herald, to announce to the king of Babylon that his city has been captured from end to end.

31One runner runs to meet another runner, and one messenger to meet another messenger, to tell the king of Babylon that his city has been seized from one end to the other.

32The fords have been seized, the marshes set on fire, and the fighting men are terrified.

32The fords have been captured, and the marshes burned with fire. The soldiers are terrified.

33For this is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Daughter Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time it is trampled. In just a little while her harvest time will come.

33For this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: "The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time when it's pounded down. In just a little while, the time of her harvest will come."

34"King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me. He has set me aside like an empty dish; he has swallowed me like a sea monster; he filled his belly with my delicacies; he has vomited me out.

34"King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has devoured me and crushed me. He set me down like an empty vessel. He swallowed me like a monster, and filled his belly with my delicacies. Then he washed me away.

35Let the violence done to me and my family be done to Babylon," says the inhabitant of Zion. "Let my blood be on the inhabitants of Chaldea," says Jerusalem.

35May the violence done to me and my flesh be on Babylon," says the inhabitant of Zion. "May my blood be on the inhabitants of Chaldea," says Jerusalem.

36Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I am about to champion your cause and take vengeance on your behalf; I will dry up her sea and make her fountain run dry.

36Therefore this is what the LORD says: "Look, I'm going to argue your case and take vengeance for you. I'll dry up her sea and make her fountain dry.

37Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a jackals' den, a desolation and an object of scorn, without inhabitant.

37Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a refuge for jackals, a desolate place and an object of scorn.

38They will roar together like young lions; they will growl like lion cubs.

38They'll roar together like young lions; they'll growl like lion cubs.

39While they are flushed with heat, I will serve them a feast, and I will make them drunk so that they celebrate. Then they will fall asleep forever and never wake up. This is the LORD's declaration.

39When they're excited I'll serve them their banquet, and make them drunk until they're merry. They'll sleep forever and won't wake up," declares the LORD.

40I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams together with male goats.

40"I'll bring them down like lambs for the slaughter, like rams with male goats.

41How Sheshach has been captured, the praise of the whole earth seized. What a horror Babylon has become among the nations!

41"How Sheshak will be captured, and the prince of all the earth seized! How Babylon will become an object of horror among the nations!

42The sea has risen over Babylon; she is covered with its tumultuous waves.

42The sea will come up against Babylon, and she will be covered by wave upon wave.

43Her cities have become a desolation, an arid desert, a land where no one lives, where no human being even passes through.

43Her cities will become an object of horror, a dry land and a desert, a land in which no one lives, and through which no human being passes.

44I will punish Bel in Babylon. I will make him vomit what he swallowed. The nations will no longer stream to him; even Babylon's wall will fall.

44I'll punish Bel in Babylon, and I'll make what he has swallowed come out of his mouth. The nations will no longer stream to him. Even the wall of Babylon will fall.

45Come out from among her, my people! Save your lives, each of you, from the LORD's burning anger.

45"Come out of her, my people, flee for your lives from the LORD's anger!

46May you not become cowardly and fearful when the report is proclaimed in the land, for the report will come one year, and then another the next year. There will be violence in the land with ruler against ruler.

46Do this now, so your heart does not grow faint, and so you don't become frightened because of the rumors that are heard in the land— a rumor comes one year and then after it another rumor comes the next year about violence in the land and one ruler against another ruler.

47Therefore, look, the days are coming when I will punish Babylon's carved images. Her entire land will suffer shame, and all her slain will lie fallen within her.

47Therefore, look, days are coming when I'll punish the idols of Babylon. Her entire land will be put to shame, and all her slain will fall in her midst.

48Heaven and earth and everything in them will shout for joy over Babylon because the destroyers from the north will come against her. This is the LORD's declaration.

48Then the heavens and the earth and all that are in them will shout for joy about Babylon because the destroyers will come out of the north against her," declares the LORD.

49Babylon must fall because of the slain of Israel, even as the slain of the whole earth fell because of Babylon.

49"So Babylon will fall because of the slain of Israel, even as the slain of all the earth have fallen because of Babylon.

50You who have escaped the sword, go and do not stand still! Remember the LORD from far away, and let Jerusalem come to your mind.

50Go, you who escaped the sword! Don't stand around! Remember the LORD from far away, and let Jerusalem come to your mind.

51We are ashamed because we have heard insults. Humiliation covers our faces because foreigners have entered the holy places of the LORD's temple.

51We have been put to shame because we have heard insults. Disgrace has covered our faces because foreigners have come into the Holy Places of the LORD's house.

52Therefore, look, the days are coming--this is the LORD's declaration--when I will punish her carved images, and the wounded will groan throughout her land.

52"Therefore, look, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I'll punish her idols, and throughout her land the wounded will groan.

53Even if Babylon should ascend to the heavens and fortify her tall fortresses, destroyers will come against her from me. This is the LORD's declaration.

53Though Babylon should reach up to the heavens and fortify her high fortresses, from me destroyers will come to her," declares the LORD.

54The sound of a cry from Babylon! The sound of terrible destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!

54"The sound of a cry is coming from Babylon, great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans.

55For the LORD is going to devastate Babylon; he will silence her mighty voice. Their waves roar like a huge torrent; the tumult of their voice resounds,

55For the LORD is destroying Babylon, and he will make the loud sounds from her disappear. Their waves will roar like many waters, the noise of their voices will sound forth.

56for a destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon. Her warriors will be captured, their bows shattered, for the LORD is a God of retribution; he will certainly repay.

56Indeed, the destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon. Her warriors are captured, and her bows are broken. For the LORD is a God of recompense, and he will repay in full.

57I will make her princes and sages drunk, along with her governors, officials, and warriors. Then they will fall asleep forever and never wake up. This is the King's declaration; the LORD of Armies is his name.

57I'll make their leaders, their wise men, their governors, their deputies, and their warriors drunk so that they sleep forever and don't wake up," declares the King whose name is the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.

58This is what the LORD of Armies says: Babylon's thick walls will be totally demolished, and her high gates set ablaze. The peoples will have labored for nothing; the nations will weary themselves only to feed the fire.

58This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "The broad wall of Babylon will be completely leveled, and its high gate set on fire. and so the peoples toil for nothing, and the nations weary themselves only for fire."

59This is what the prophet Jeremiah commanded Seraiah son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, the quartermaster, when he went to Babylon with King Zedekiah of Judah in the fourth year of Zedekiah's reign.

59This is the message that Jeremiah the prophet delivered to Neriah's son Seraiah, the grandson of Mahseiah, when he went with King Zedekiah of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Seraiah was the quartermaster.

60Jeremiah wrote on one scroll about all the disaster that would come to Babylon; all these words were written against Babylon.

60Jeremiah wrote on a single scroll all the disasters that would come on Babylon, all these things that were written about Babylon.

61Jeremiah told Seraiah, "When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud.

61Jeremiah told Seraiah, "When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words,

62Say, 'LORD, you have threatened to cut off this place so that no one will live in it--people or animals. Indeed, it will remain desolate forever.'

62and say, 'LORD, you have declared about this place that you would destroy it so that there wouldn't be an inhabitant in it, neither human nor animal, because it will be a wasteland forever.'

63When you have finished reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates River.

63When you finish reading this scroll, tie a rock around it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates.

64Then say, 'In the same way, Babylon will sink and never rise again because of the disaster I am bringing on her. They will grow weary.'" The words of Jeremiah end here.

64Then say, 'Babylon will sink like this and won't rise from the disaster that I'm bringing on her. Her people will be exhausted.'" This concludes the writings of Jeremiah.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.