Dual Panel1The Lord <03068> spoke <01696> concerning <0413> Babylon <0894> and the land <0776> of Babylonia <03778> through <03027> the prophet <05030> Jeremiah <03414>.
2“Announce <05046> the news among the nations <01471>! Proclaim <08085> it! Signal <05251> for people to pay attention <05375>! Declare <08085> the news! Do not <0408> hide <03582> it! Say <0559>: ‘Babylon <0894> will be captured <03920>. Bel <01078> will be put to shame <03001>. Marduk <04781> will be dismayed <02865>. Babylon’s idols <06091> will be put to shame <03001>. Her disgusting images <01544> will be dismayed <02865>.
3For <03588> a nation <01471> from the north <06828> will attack <05921> <05927> Babylon <01931>. It will lay <07896> her land <0776> waste <08047>. People <0120> and animals <0929> will flee out <05110> of it. No <03808> one will <01961> inhabit <03427> it.’
4“When <03117> that time <06256> comes <01992>,” says <05002> the Lord <03069>, “the people of <01121> <01121> Israel <03478> and Judah <03063> will return <0935> to the land together <03162>. They will come back <01980> with tears <01058> of repentance <01980> as they seek <01245> the Lord <03069> their God <0430>.
5They will ask <07592> the way <01870> to Zion <06726>; they will turn their faces <06440> toward <02008> it. They will come <0935> and bind <03867> themselves to <0413> the Lord <03068> in a lasting <05769> covenant <01285> that will never <03808> be forgotten <07911>.
6“My people <05971> have been <01961> lost <06> sheep <06629>. Their shepherds <07462> have allow them to go astray <08582>. They have wandered around <01980> in the mountains <02022>. They have roamed <07726> from one mountain <02022> and hill <01389> to <0413> another. They have forgotten <07911> their resting place <07258>.
7All <03605> who encountered <04672> them devoured <0398> them. Their enemies <06862> who did this said <0559>, ‘We are not <03808> liable <0816> for punishment! For <08478> those <0834> people have sinned <02398> against the Lord <03068>, their true pasture <06664> <05116>. They have sinned against the Lord <03068> in whom their ancestors <01> trusted <04723>.’
8“People of Judah, get out <05110> of <08432> Babylon <0894> quickly! Leave the land <0776> of Babylonia <03778>! Be <01961> the first to depart <03318>! Be like the male goats <06260> that lead the herd <06629>.
9For <03588> I <0595> will rouse <05782> into action and bring <05927> against <05921> Babylon <0894> a host <06951> of mighty <01419> nations <01471> from the land <0776> of the north <06828>. They will set up <06186> their battle lines <06186> against her. They will come from the north <08033> and capture <03920> her. Their arrows <02671> will be like a skilled <07919> soldier <01368> who does not <03808> return <07725> from the battle empty-handed <07387>.
10Babylonia <03778> will be <01961> plundered <07998>. Those who plunder <07997> it will take <07646> all <03605> they want,” says <05002> the Lord <03068>.
11“People of Babylonia, you plundered <08154> my people <05159>. That <03588> <03588> made you happy <08055> and glad <05937>. You frolic <06335> about like calves <05697> in a pasture <01877>. Your joyous sounds are like the neighs <06670> of a stallion <047>.
12But Babylonia will be put <0954> to great <03966> shame <0954>. The land where you were born <03205> will be disgraced <02659>. Indeed <02009>, Babylonia will become the least <0319> important of all nations <01471>. It will become a dry <06723> and barren desert <06160>.
13After I vent my wrath <07110> on it Babylon <0894> will be uninhabited <03427> <03808>. It will be <01961> totally <03605> desolate <08077>. All <03605> who pass by <05674> will be filled with horror <08074> and will hiss <08319> out their scorn because <05921> of all <03605> the disasters <04347> that have happened to it.
14“Take up <06186> your battle positions <06186> all around <05439> Babylon <0894>, all <03605> you soldiers who are armed <01869> with bows <07198>. Shoot <03034> all your arrows <02671> at <0413> her! Do not <0408> hold <02550> any back <02550>! For <03588> she has sinned <02398> against <0413> the Lord <03068>.
15Shout <07321> the battle cry from <05921> all around <05439> the city. She will throw up <05414> her hands <03027> in surrender. Her towers <0803> will fall <05307>. Her walls <02346> will be torn down <02040>. Because <03588> I, the Lord <03068>, am wreaking revenge <05360>, take out <05358> your vengeance <05358> on her <01931>! Do <06213> to her as <0834> she has done <06213>!
16Kill <03772> all the farmers who sow <02232> the seed in the land of Babylon <0894>. Kill all those who wield <08610> the sickle <04038> at harvest <07105> time <06256>. Let all the foreigners <0376> return to <0413> their own people <05971>. Let them <0376> hurry back <06437> to their own lands <0776> to escape <05127> destruction by <06440> that enemy army <03238>.
17“The people of Israel <03478> are like scattered <06340> sheep <07716> which lions <0738> have chased away <05080>. First <07223> the king <04428> of Assyria <0804> devoured <0398> them. Now <02088> last <0314> of all King <04428> Nebuchadnezzar <05019> of Babylon <0894> has gnawed their bones <06105>.
18So <03651> I, the Lord <03068> God <0430> of Israel <03478> who rules over all <06635>, say <0559>: ‘I will punish <06485> the king <04428> of Babylon <0894> and his land <0776> just as <0834> I punished <06485> the king <04428> of Assyria <0804>.
19But I will restore <07725> the flock of Israel <03478> to <0413> their own pasture <05116>. They will graze <07462> on Mount Carmel <03760> and the land of Bashan <01316>. They will eat until <07646> they <05315> are full <07646> on the hills <02022> of Ephraim <0669> and the land of Gilead <01568>.
20When <03117> that <01931> time <06256> comes, no <03808> guilt <05771> will be found <01245> in Israel <03478>. No <0369> sin <02403> will be found <04672> in Judah <03063>. For <03588> I will forgive <05545> those of them I have allowed to survive <07604>. I, the Lord <03068>, affirm <05002> it!’”
21The Lord <03068> says <05002>, “Attack <05927> the land <0776> of Merathaim <04850> and the people who live <03427> in Pekod <06489>! Pursue, kill <02717>, and completely destroy <02763> them! Do <06213> just as <0834> I have commanded <06680> you!
22The noise <06963> of battle <04421> can be heard in the land <0776> of Babylonia. There is the sound of great <01419> destruction <07667>.
23Babylon hammered <01438> the whole <03605> world <0776> to pieces. But see how <0349> that ‘hammer <06360>’ has been broken <07665> and shattered! See what <0349> an object of horror <08047> Babylon <0894> has become <01961> among the nations <01471>!
24I set a trap <03369> for you, Babylon <0894>; you were caught <03920> before you <0859> knew <03045> it. You fought <01624> against me. So <03588> you were found <04672> and <01571> captured <08610>.
25I <03068> have opened <06605> up the place where <0214> my weapons are stored <0214>. I have brought out <03318> the weapons <03627> for carrying out my wrath <02195>. For <03588> I <01931>, the Lord <03069> God <0136> who rules over all <06635>, have work <04399> to carry out in the land <0776> of Babylonia <03778>.
26Come <0935> from far away <07093> and attack Babylonia! Open up <06605> the places where <03965> she stores <03965> her grain <03965>! Pile <05549> her up <05549> in ruins <06194>! Destroy <02763> her completely! Do not <0408> leave anyone alive <07611>!
27Kill <02717> all <03605> her soldiers <06499>! Let <03381> them be slaughtered <02874>! They are doomed <01945>, for <03588> their day <03117> of reckoning has come <0935>, the time <06256> for them to be punished <06486>.”
28Listen <06963>! Fugitives <05127> and refugees <06412> are coming from the land <0776> of Babylon <0894>. They are coming to Zion <06726> to declare <05046> there how the Lord <03068> our God <0430> is getting revenge <05360>, getting revenge <05360> for what they have done to his temple <01964>.
29“Call <08085> for archers <07228> to <0413> come against Babylon <0894>! Summon against her all <03605> who draw <01869> the bow <07198>! Set up camp <02583> all around <05439> the city! Do not <0408> allow <01961> anyone <03605> to escape <06413>! Pay <07999> her back <07999> for what she has done <06467>. Do <06213> to her what <0834> she has done <06213> to <0413> others. For <03588> she has proudly defied <02102> me, the Holy One <06918> of Israel <03478>.
30So <03651> her young men <0970> will fall <05307> in her city squares <07339>. All <03605> her soldiers <04421> <0376> will be destroyed <01826> at that <01931> time <03117>,” says <05002> the Lord <03068>.
31“Listen <02005>! I am opposed <0413> to you, you proud <02087> city,” says <05002> the Lord <03069> God <0136> who rules over all <06635>. “Indeed <03588>, your day <03117> of reckoning has come <0935>, the time <06256> when I will punish <06485> you.
32You will stumble <03782> and fall <05307>, you proud <02087> city; no <0369> one will help you get up <06965>. I will set <03341> fire <0784> to your towns <05892>; it will burn up <0398> everything <03605> that surrounds <05439> you.”
33The Lord <03068> who rules over all <06635> says <0559>, “The people <01121> of Israel <03478> are oppressed <06231>. So too <03162> are the people <01121> of Judah <03063>. All <03605> those who took <07617> them captive <07617> are holding <02388> them prisoners. They refuse <03985> to set <07971> them free <07971>.
34But the one who will rescue <01350> them is strong <02389>. He is known <08034> as the Lord <03068> who rules over all <06635>. He will strongly champion <07378> <07378> their cause <07379>. As a result <04616> he will bring peace and rest <07280> to the earth <0776>, but trouble and turmoil <07264> to the people who inhabit <03427> Babylonia <0894>.
35“Destructive forces <02719> will come against <05921> the Babylonians <03778>,” says <05002> the Lord <03068>. “They will come against <0413> the people who inhabit <03427> Babylonia <0894>, against <0413> her leaders <08269> and her men of wisdom <02450>.
36Destructive forces <02719> will come against <0413> her false prophets <0907>; they will be shown to be fools <02973>! Destructive forces <02719> will come against <0413> her soldiers <01368>; they will be filled with terror <02865>!
37Destructive forces <02719> will come against <0413> her horses <05483> and her chariots <07393>. Destructive forces will come against <0413> all <03605> the foreign troops <06154> within <08432> her; they will be <01961> as frightened as women <0802>! Destructive forces <02719> will come against <0413> her treasures <0214>; they will be taken away as plunder <0962>!
38A drought <02721> will come upon <0413> her land; her rivers <04325> and canals will be dried up <03001>. All of this will happen because <03588> her land <0776> is filled with idols <06456>. Her people <01931> act like madmen <01984> because of those idols they fear <0367>.
39Therefore <03651> desert creatures <06728> and jackals <0338> will live <03427> there. Ostriches <03284> <01323> will dwell <03427> in it too. But no people <03808> will ever <05331> live <03427> there again <05750>. No one <03808> will dwell <07931> there for <05704> all time <01755> <01755> to come.
40I will destroy <04114> Babylonia just like I did Sodom <05467> and Gomorrah <06017> and the neighboring <07934> towns. No <03808> one <0376> will live <03427> there <08033>. No <03808> human being <0120> <01121> will settle <01481> in it,” says <05002> the Lord <03068>.
41“Look <02009>! An army <05971> is about to come <0935> from the north <06828>. A mighty <01419> nation <01471> and many <07227> kings <04428> are stirring into action <05782> in faraway parts <03411> of the earth <0776>.
42Its soldiers are armed with <02388> bows <07198> and spears <03591>. They <01992> are cruel <0394> and show <07355> no <03808> mercy <07355>. They sound <06963> like the roaring <01993> sea <03220> as they ride forth <07392> on <05921> their horses <05483>. Lined up in formation <06186> like men <0376> going into battle <04421>, they are coming against <05921> you, fair <01323> Babylon <0894>!
43The king <04428> of Babylon <0894> will become paralyzed <07503> with fear when he hears <08085> news <08088> of their coming <03027>. Anguish <06869> will grip <02388> him, agony <02427> like that of a woman giving birth <03205> to a baby.
44“A lion <0738> coming up <05927> from the thick undergrowth <01347> along the Jordan <03383> scatters <07280> the sheep in <0413> the pastureland <0386> <05116> around it. So too <03588> I will chase <07323> the Babylonians off <07323> of their land. Then I will appoint <06485> over it whomever <04310> I choose <0970>. For <03588> there is no one <04310> like me <03644>. There is no one <04310> who can call <03259> me to account <03259>. There is no <04310> ruler <07462> that <0834> can stand up <05975> against <06440> me.
45So <03651> listen <08085> to what <06098> I, the Lord <03068>, have <0834> planned <03289> against <0413> Babylon <0894>, what <04284> I intend <02803> to do to <0413> the people who inhabit the land <0776> of Babylonia <03778>. Their little ones <06810> will be dragged off <05498>. I will completely destroy <08074> their land <05116> because <05921> of what they have done.
46The people of the earth <0776> will quake <07493> when they hear Babylon <0894> has been captured <08610>. Her cries of anguish <02201> will be heard <08085> by the other nations <01471>.”