| English Standard Version | International Standard Version |
| 1Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon, against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai, | 1This is what the LORD says: "Look, I'm going to stir up a destroying wind against Babylon and the inhabitants of Leb-kamai. |
| 2and I will send to Babylon winnowers, and they shall winnow her, and they shall empty her land, when they come against her from every side on the day of trouble. | 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. |
| 3Let not the archer bend his bow, and let him not stand up in his armor. Spare not her young men; devote to destruction all her 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. |
| 4They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and wounded in her streets. | 4The slain will fall in the land of Chaldea, pierced through in her streets. |
| 5For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the LORD of hosts, but the land of the Chaldeans 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." |
| 6“Flee from the midst of Babylon; let every one save his life! Be not cut off in her punishment, for this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance, the repayment he is rendering her. | 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 golden cup in the LORD’s hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went 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 has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed. | 8Suddenly, Babylon fell down and was shattered. Wail for her! Bring balm for her wound, perhaps she will be healed. |
| 9We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed. Forsake her, and let us go each to his own country, for her judgment has reached up to heaven and has been lifted up even to the skies. | 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 us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God. | 10The LORD will vindicate us. Come! Let us declare the work of the LORD our God in Zion. |
| 11“Sharpen the arrows! Take up the shields! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the LORD, the 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. |
| 12“Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon; make the watch strong; set up watchmen; prepare the ambushes; for the LORD has both planned and done what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of 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. |
| 13O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut. | 13You who live beside many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come, your life thread is cut. |
| 14The LORD of hosts has sworn by himself: Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts, and they shall raise the shout of victory 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." |
| 15“It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens. | 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 utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth 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. |
| 17Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and 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 of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish. | 18They're worthless, a work of mockery, and when the time of punishment comes, they'll perish. |
| 19Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts 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. |
| 20“You are my hammer and weapon of war: with you I break nations in pieces; with you I destroy kingdoms; | 20"You are my war-club and weapons of war. I'll smash nations with you and destroy kingdoms with you. |
| 21with you I break in pieces the horse and his rider; with you I break in pieces the chariot and the charioteer; | 21I'll smash the horse and its rider with you. I'll smash the chariot and its rider with you. |
| 22with you I break in pieces man and woman; with you I break in pieces the old man and the youth; with you I break in pieces 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 break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; with you I break in pieces the farmer and his team; with you I break in pieces governors and commanders. | 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“I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea before your very eyes for all the evil that they have done in Zion, declares the LORD. | 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. |
| 25“Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, declares the LORD, which destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out my hand against you, and roll you down from the crags, and make you a burnt 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 stone shall be taken from you for a corner and no stone for a foundation, but you shall be a perpetual waste, declares the LORD. | 26They won't get a cornerstone or a foundation stone from you, because you will be a wasteland forever," declares the LORD. |
| 27“Set up a standard on the earth; blow the trumpet among the nations; prepare the nations for war against her; summon against her the kingdoms, Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz; appoint a marshal against her; bring up horses like bristling 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. |
| 28Prepare the nations for war against her, the kings of the Medes, with their governors and deputies, and every land under their dominion. | 28Consecrate the nations against her, the kings of the Medes, their governors, their prefects, and every land under their domination. |
| 29The land trembles and writhes in pain, for the LORD’s purposes 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. |
| 30The warriors of Babylon have ceased fighting; they remain in their strongholds; their strength has failed; they have become women; her dwellings are on fire; her bars are broken. | 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. |
| 31One runner runs to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to tell the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every side; | 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 are burned with fire, and the soldiers are in panic. | 32The fords have been captured, and the marshes burned with fire. The soldiers are terrified. |
| 33For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time when it is trodden; yet a little while and the time of her harvest 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“Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me; he has made me an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster; he has filled his stomach with my delicacies; he has rinsed 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. |
| 35The violence done to me and to my kinsmen be upon Babylon,” let the inhabitant of Zion say. “My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,” let Jerusalem say. | 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 thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will plead your cause and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea and make her fountain 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. |
| 37and Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, the haunt of jackals, a horror and a hissing, without inhabitant. | 37Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a refuge for jackals, a desolate place and an object of scorn. |
| 38“They shall roar together like lions; they shall growl like lions’ cubs. | 38They'll roar together like young lions; they'll growl like lion cubs. |
| 39While they are inflamed I will prepare them a feast and make them drunk, that they may become merry, then sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, declares the LORD. | 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 and male goats. | 40"I'll bring them down like lambs for the slaughter, like rams with male goats. |
| 41“How Babylon is taken, the praise of the whole earth seized! How Babylon has become a horror 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 come up on 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 horror, a land of drought and a desert, a land in which no one dwells, and through which no son of man passes. | 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. |
| 44And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and take out of his mouth what he has swallowed. The nations shall no longer flow to him; the wall of Babylon has fallen. | 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. |
| 45“Go out of the midst of her, my people! Let every one save his life from the fierce anger of the LORD! | 45"Come out of her, my people, flee for your lives from the LORD's anger! |
| 46Let not your heart faint, and be not fearful at the report heard in the land, when a report comes in one year and afterward a report in another year, and violence is in the land, and ruler is 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. |
| 47“Therefore, behold, the days are coming when I will punish the images of Babylon; her whole land shall be put to shame, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of 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. |
| 48Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, shall sing for joy over Babylon, for the destroyers shall come against them out of the north, declares the LORD. | 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 for the slain of Israel, just as for Babylon have fallen the slain of all the earth. | 49"So Babylon will fall because of the slain of Israel, even as the slain of all the earth have fallen because of Babylon. |
| 50“You who have escaped from the sword, go, do not stand still! Remember the LORD from far away, and let Jerusalem come into 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. |
| 51‘We are put to shame, for we have heard reproach; dishonor has covered our face, for foreigners have come into the holy places of the LORD’s house.’ | 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. |
| 52“Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will execute judgment upon her images, and through all her land the wounded shall groan. | 52"Therefore, look, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I'll punish her idols, and throughout her land the wounded will groan. |
| 53Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify her strong height, yet destroyers would come from me against her, declares the LORD. | 53Though Babylon should reach up to the heavens and fortify her high fortresses, from me destroyers will come to her," declares the LORD. |
| 54“A voice! A cry from Babylon! The noise of great 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 laying Babylon waste and stilling her mighty voice. Their waves roar like many waters; the noise of their voice is raised, | 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 has come upon her, upon Babylon; her warriors are taken; their bows are broken in pieces, for the LORD is a God of recompense; he will surely 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 drunk her officials and her wise men, her governors, her commanders, and her warriors; they shall sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts. | 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. |
| 58“Thus says the LORD of hosts: The broad wall of Babylon shall be leveled to the ground, and her high gates shall be burned with fire. The peoples labor for nothing, and the nations weary themselves only for 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." |
| 59The word that Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah king of Judah to Babylon, in the fourth year of his reign. Seraiah was the quartermaster. | 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 in a book all the disaster that should come upon Babylon, all these words that are written concerning Babylon. | 60Jeremiah wrote on a single scroll all the disasters that would come on Babylon, all these things that were written about Babylon. |
| 61And Jeremiah said to Seraiah: “When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words, | 61Jeremiah told Seraiah, "When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words, |
| 62and say, ‘O LORD, you have said concerning this place that you will cut it off, so that nothing shall dwell in it, neither man nor beast, and it shall be 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 finish reading this book, tie a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates, | 63When you finish reading this scroll, tie a rock around it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates. |
| 64and say, ‘Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the disaster that I am bringing upon her, and they shall become exhausted.’” Thus far are the words of Jeremiah. | 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. |
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