CHAPTER 50
This is the word
that
the LORD
spoke
through
Jeremiah
the prophet
concerning
Babylon
and
the land
of the Chaldeans:
“Announce
and declare
to the nations;
lift up
a banner
and proclaim it;
hold
nothing back
when you say,
‘Babylon
is captured;
Bel
is put to shame;
Marduk
is shattered,
her images
are disgraced,
her idols
are broken in pieces.’
For
a nation
from the north
will come
against her;
it
will make
her land
an object of horror.
No one
will live
in it;
both man
and
beast
will flee.”
“In those
days
and at that
time,
declares
the LORD,
the children
of Israel
and the children
of Judah
will come
together,
weeping
as they come,
and will seek
the LORD
their God.
They will ask
the way
to Zion
and turn their faces
toward it.
They will come
and join
themselves to
the LORD
in an everlasting
covenant
that will never
be forgotten.
My people
are
lost
sheep;
their shepherds
have led them astray,
causing them to roam
the mountains.
They have wandered
from mountain
to
hill;
they have forgotten
their resting place.
All
who found them
devoured them,
and their enemies
said,
‘We are not
guilty,
for
they have sinned
against the LORD,
the habitation
of righteousness,
the LORD,
the hope
of their fathers.’
Flee
from the midst
of Babylon;
depart
from the land
of the Chaldeans;
be
like the he-goats
that lead
the flock.
For
behold,
I
stir up
and bring
against
Babylon
an assembly
of great
nations
from the land
of the north.
They will line up
against her;
from the north
she will be captured.
Their arrows
will be like skilled
warriors
who do not
return
empty-handed.
“Because
you rejoice,
because
you sing in triumph—
you who plunder
My inheritance—
because
you frolic
like a heifer
treading grain
and neigh
like stallions,
your mother
will be greatly
ashamed;
she who bore you
will be disgraced.
Behold,
she will be the least
of the nations,
a wilderness,
a dry land,
and a desert.
Because of the wrath
of the LORD,
she will not
be inhabited;
she will become
completely
desolate.
All
who pass
through
Babylon
will be horrified
and scoff
at
all
her wounds.
Line up in formation
around
Babylon,
all
you who draw
the bow!
Shoot
at her!
Spare
no
arrows!
For
she has sinned
against the LORD.
Raise a war cry
against
her on every side!
She has thrown up
her hands in surrender;
her towers
have fallen;
her walls
are torn down.
Since
this
is the vengeance
of the LORD,
take out your vengeance upon her;
as
she has done,
do the same
to her.
Cut off
the sower
from Babylon,
and the one who wields
the sickle
at harvest
time.
In the face of
the oppressor’s
sword,
each
will turn
to
his own people,
each
will flee
to his own land.
Israel
is a scattered
flock,
chased away
by lions.
The first
to devour him
was the king
of Assyria;
the last
to crush his bones
was Nebuchadnezzar
king
of Babylon.”
Therefore,
this is what
the LORD
of Hosts,
the God
of Israel,
says:
“I will punish
the king
of Babylon
and his land
as
I punished
the king
of Assyria.
I will return
Israel
to
his pasture,
and he will graze
on Carmel
and Bashan;
his soul
will be satisfied
on the hills
of Ephraim
and Gilead.
In those
days
and at that
time,
declares
the LORD,
a search will transpire
for Israel’s
guilt,
but there will be none,
and for Judah’s
sins,
but they will not
be found;
for
I will forgive
the remnant I spare.”
“Go up
against
the land
of Merathaim,
and against
the residents
of Pekod.
Put them to the sword
and completely destroy
them,”
declares
the LORD.
“Do
everything
I have commanded you.
How
the hammer
of the whole
earth
lies broken
and shattered!
What
a horror
Babylon
has become
among the nations!
I laid a snare
for you,
O Babylon,
and you
were caught
before you
knew it.
You were found
and captured
because
you challenged
the LORD.
The LORD
has opened
His armory
and brought out
His weapons
of wrath,
for
it
is the work
of the Lord
GOD
of Hosts
in the land
of the Chaldeans.
Come
against her
from the farthest border.
Break open
her granaries;
pile her up
like
mounds of grain.
Completely destroy her;
leave her no
survivors.
Put all
her young bulls
to the sword;
let them go down
to the slaughter.
Woe
to them,
for
their day
has come—
the time
of their punishment.
Listen to
the fugitives
and refugees
from the land
of Babylon,
declaring
in Zion
the vengeance
of the LORD
our God,
the vengeance
for His temple.
Summon
the archers
against
Babylon,
all
who string
the bow.
Encamp
all around her;
let no one
escape.
Repay
her
according to her deeds;
do
to her
as
she has done.
For
she has defied
the LORD,
the Holy
One of Israel.
Therefore,
her young men
will fall
in the streets;
all
her soldiers
will perish
in that
day,”
declares
the LORD.
“Behold,
I am against you,
O arrogant one,
declares
the Lord
GOD
of Hosts,
because
your day
has come,
the time
when I will punish you.
The arrogant one
will stumble
and fall
with no
one to pick him up.
And I will kindle
a fire
in his cities
to consume
all those
around him.”
This is what
the LORD
of Hosts
says:
“The sons
of Israel
are oppressed,
and the sons
of Judah
as well.
All
their captors
hold them fast,
refusing
to release them.
Their Redeemer
is strong;
the LORD
of Hosts
is His name.
He will fervently plead
their case
so that
He may bring rest
to the earth,
but turmoil
to those who live
in Babylon.
A sword
is against
the Chaldeans,
declares
the LORD,
against
those who live
in Babylon,
and against
her officials
and
wise men.
A sword
is against
her diviners,
and they will become fools.
A sword
is against
her warriors,
and they will be filled with terror.
A sword
is against
her horses
and chariots
and against
all
the foreigners
in her midst,
and they will become
like women.
A sword
is against
her treasuries,
and they will be plundered.
A drought
is upon
her waters,
and they will be dried up.
For
it
is a land
of graven images,
and the people go mad
over idols.
So
the desert creatures
and
hyenas
will live there
and ostriches
will dwell
there.
It will never
again
be inhabited
or settled
from
generation
to generation.
As God
overthrew
Sodom
and Gomorrah
along with
their neighboring towns,
declares
the LORD,
no
one
will reside
there;
no
man
will dwell
there.
Behold!
A people
comes
from the north.
A great
nation
and many
kings
will be stirred up
from the remote regions
of the earth.
They grasp
the bow
and javelin.
They
are cruel
and without
mercy.
Their voice
roars
like the sea,
and they ride
on
horses,
lined up
like men
in battle formation
against you,
O Daughter
of Babylon.
The king
of Babylon
has heard
the report,
and his hands
hang limp.
Distress
has seized him,
pain
like that of a woman in labor.
Behold,
one will come
like a lion
from the thickets
of the Jordan
to
the watered pasture.
For
in an instant
I will chase Babylon
from her land.
Who
is the chosen one
I will appoint
over her?
For
who
is like Me,
and who
can challenge Me?
What
shepherd
can stand
against Me?"
Therefore,
hear
the plans
that
the LORD
has drawn up
against
Babylon
and the strategies
He has devised
against
the land
of the Chaldeans:
Surely
the little ones
of the flock
will be dragged away;
certainly
their pasture
will be made desolate
because of them.