Jeremiah 50:2
New International Version
“Announce and proclaim among the nations, lift up a banner and proclaim it; keep nothing back, but say, ‘Babylon will be captured; Bel will be put to shame, Marduk filled with terror. Her images will be put to shame and her idols filled with terror.’

New Living Translation
This is what the LORD says: “Tell the whole world, and keep nothing back. Raise a signal flag to tell everyone that Babylon will fall! Her images and idols will be shattered. Her gods Bel and Marduk will be utterly disgraced.

English Standard Version
“Declare among the nations and proclaim, set up a banner and proclaim, conceal it not, and say: ‘Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed. Her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.’

Berean Standard Bible
“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.’

King James Bible
Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.

New King James Version
“Declare among the nations, Proclaim, and set up a standard; Proclaim—do not conceal it— Say, ‘Babylon is taken, Bel is shamed. Merodach is broken in pieces; Her idols are humiliated, Her images are broken in pieces.’

New American Standard Bible
“Declare and proclaim among the nations. Proclaim it and lift up a flag, Do not conceal it. Say, ‘Babylon has been captured, Bel has been put to shame, Marduk has been shattered; Her idols have been put to shame, her images have been shattered.’

NASB 1995
“Declare and proclaim among the nations. Proclaim it and lift up a standard. Do not conceal it but say, ‘Babylon has been captured, Bel has been put to shame, Marduk has been shattered; Her images have been put to shame, her idols have been shattered.’

NASB 1977
“Declare and proclaim among the nations. Proclaim it and lift up a standard. Do not conceal it but say, ‘Babylon has been captured, Bel has been put to shame, Marduk has been shattered; Her images have been put to shame, her idols have been shattered.’

Legacy Standard Bible
“Declare and make it heard among the nations. Make it heard and lift up a standard. Do not conceal it but say, ‘Babylon has been captured; Bel has been put to shame; Marduk has been shattered; Her images have been put to shame; her idols have been shattered.’

Amplified Bible
“Declare among the nations. Lift up a signal [to spread the news]—publish and proclaim it, Do not conceal it; say, ‘Babylon has been taken, Bel [the patron god] has been shamed, Marduk (Bel) has been shattered. Babylon’s images have been shamed, her [worthless] idols have been thrown down.’

Christian Standard Bible
Announce to the nations; proclaim and raise up a signal flag; proclaim, and hide nothing. Say, “Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is terrified.” Her idols are put to shame; her false gods, devastated.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Announce to the nations; proclaim and raise up a signal flag; proclaim, and hide nothing. Say: Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is devastated; her idols are put to shame; her false gods, devastated.

American Standard Version
Declare ye among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed; her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.

Contemporary English Version
Raise the signal flags; shout so all nations can hear--Babylon will be captured! Marduk, Babylon's god, will be ashamed and terrified, and his idols broken.

English Revised Version
Declare ye among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed; her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Announce this among the nations, and spread the news. Raise a flag, and announce it. Don't hide anything. Say, 'Babylon will be captured. Bel will be put to shame. Marduk will be filled with terror. Babylon's statues will be put to shame. Its idols will be filled with terror.'

Good News Translation
"Tell the news to the nations! Proclaim it! Give the signal and announce the news! Do not keep it a secret! Babylon has fallen! Her god Marduk has been shattered! Babylon's idols are put to shame; her disgusting images are crushed!

International Standard Version
"Declare and proclaim among the nations. Lift up a banner and proclaim. Don't conceal anything. Say, 'Babylon will be captured. Bel will be disgraced, and Marduk will be destroyed. Her idols will be disgraced, and her filthy images will be destroyed.'

Majority Standard Bible
?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.?

NET Bible
"Announce the news among the nations! Proclaim it! Signal for people to pay attention! Declare the news! Do not hide it! Say: 'Babylon will be captured. Bel will be put to shame. Marduk will be dismayed. Babylon's idols will be put to shame. Her disgusting images will be dismayed.

New Heart English Bible
"Declare among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and do not conceal: say, 'Babylon is taken, Bel is disappointed, Marduk is dismayed; her images are disappointed, her idols are dismayed.

Webster's Bible Translation
Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.

World English Bible
“Declare among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and don’t conceal; say, ‘Babylon has been taken, Bel is disappointed, Merodach is dismayed! Her images are disappointed. Her idols are dismayed.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Declare among nations, and sound, "" And lift up an ensign, sound, do not hide, "" Say, Babylon has been captured, "" Bel has been put to shame, "" Merodach has been broken, "" Her grievous things have been put to shame, "" Her idols have been broken.

Young's Literal Translation
'Declare ye among nations, and sound, And lift up an ensign, sound, do not hide, Say ye: Captured hath been Babylon, Put to shame hath been Bel, Broken hath been Merodach, Put to shame have been her grievous things, Broken have been her idols.

Smith's Literal Translation
Announce ye in the nations, and cause to be heard, and lift up a signal; cause to be heard, ye shall not hide: say, Babel was taken, Bel was ashamed, Merodach was broken; her images were ashamed, her blocks were broken.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Declare ye among the nations, and publish it, lift up a standard: proclaim, and conceal it not: say: Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is overthrown, their graven things are confounded, their idols are overthrown.

Catholic Public Domain Version
“Announce it among the Gentiles, and make it known. Lift up a sign. Proclaim it and do not conceal it. Say this: ‘Babylon has been captured. Bel has been confounded. Merodach has been conquered. Their graven things have been confounded. Their idols have not survived.’

New American Bible
Proclaim this among the nations, announce it! Announce it, do not hide it, but say: Babylon is captured, Bel put to shame, Marduk terrified; its images are put to shame, its idols shattered.

New Revised Standard Version
Declare among the nations and proclaim, set up a banner and proclaim, do not conceal it, say: Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed. Her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Declare among the nations and publish and raise an ensign; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is fallen, Merodach is put to shame, her idols are confounded and her graven images are broken in pieces.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
“Show among the Gentiles and make heard and pick up standards and make heard, and you shall not conceal. Say, ‘Babel has been seized! Beyl has fallen, and Merudak is put to shame! Her idols are ashamed and her carved images are broken!’
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Declare ye among the nations and announce, And set up a standard; Announce, and conceal not; Say: 'Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed; Her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Proclaim ye among the Gentiles, and cause the tidings to be heard, and suppress them not: say ye, Babylon is taken, Belus is confounded; the fearless, the luxurious Maerodach is delivered up.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Prophecies against Babylon
1This is the word that the LORD spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon and the land of the Chaldeans: 2“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.’ 3For a nation from the north will come against her; it will make her land a desolation. No one will live in it; both man and beast will flee.”…

Cross References
Isaiah 21:9
Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

Revelation 18:2
And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.

Isaiah 13:1-22
This is the burden against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz received: / Raise a banner on a barren hilltop; call aloud to them. Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles. / I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have even summoned My warriors to execute My wrath and exult in My triumph. ...

Revelation 14:8
Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.”

Isaiah 47:1-15
“Go down and sit in the dust, O Virgin Daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, O Daughter of the Chaldeans! For you will no longer be called tender or delicate. / Take millstones and grind flour; remove your veil; strip off your skirt, bare your thigh, and wade through the streams. / Your nakedness will be uncovered and your shame will be exposed. I will take vengeance; I will spare no one.” ...

Revelation 17:5
And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Jeremiah 51:8
Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been shattered. Wail for her; get her balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed.

Revelation 18:10
In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”

Isaiah 48:20
Leave Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! Declare it with a shout of joy, proclaim it, let it go out to the ends of the earth, saying, “The LORD has redeemed His servant Jacob!”

Revelation 18:21
Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again.

Isaiah 46:1-2
Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal. / The gods cower; they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity.

Revelation 18:4
Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or contract any of her plagues.

Jeremiah 25:12
But when seventy years are complete, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their guilt, declares the LORD, and I will make it an everlasting desolation.

Revelation 16:19
The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.

Isaiah 14:4-23
you will sing this song of contempt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has ceased, and how his fury has ended! / The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers. / It struck the peoples in anger with unceasing blows; it subdued the nations in rage with relentless persecution. ...


Treasury of Scripture

Declare you among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.

Declare

Ezekiel 31:10
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast lifted up thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height;

Ezekiel 46:14
And thou shalt prepare a meat offering for it every morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of an hin of oil, to temper with the fine flour; a meat offering continually by a perpetual ordinance unto the LORD.

Psalm 64:9
And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.

set up [heb] lift up

Isaiah 13:2
Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

Babylon

Jeremiah 51:8
Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.

Isaiah 21:9
And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

Revelation 14:8
And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Bel

Jeremiah 51:44
And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.

Isaiah 46:1
Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.

Merodach

Jeremiah 52:31
And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison,

Isaiah 39:1
At that time Merodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered.

her idols

Jeremiah 51:47
Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.

Jeremiah 43:12,13
And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go forth from thence in peace…

Isaiah 37:19
And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.

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Jeremiah 50
1. The judgment of Babylon and the redemption of Israel














Announce and declare among the nations
The call to "announce and declare" signifies a divine mandate to proclaim God's message with authority and clarity. The Hebrew roots for "announce" (נָגַד, nagad) and "declare" (שָׁמַע, shama) emphasize the importance of making known God's will and judgments. Historically, prophets were tasked with delivering God's messages not only to Israel but to all nations, underscoring the universal scope of God's sovereignty and the accountability of all peoples to His decrees.

Lift up a banner and proclaim it
The imagery of lifting up a banner (נֵס, nes) is rich with military and ceremonial connotations. In ancient times, banners were used to signal and rally troops, symbolizing unity and purpose. Here, it represents the clear and visible proclamation of God's impending judgment on Babylon. The act of proclaiming (קָרָא, qara) further emphasizes the urgency and importance of the message, calling all to attention and action.

Do not conceal it
The instruction to "not conceal" (כָּחַד, kachad) highlights the necessity of transparency and openness in delivering God's message. Concealment would imply a lack of faithfulness to God's command. This phrase serves as a reminder of the prophet's duty to speak truthfully and boldly, regardless of the potential consequences or opposition.

Say, 'Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame, Marduk is shattered.'
The declaration of Babylon's capture is a prophetic announcement of divine judgment. Babylon, a symbol of pride and idolatry, is destined to fall. "Bel" and "Marduk" were chief deities of Babylon, representing the spiritual and cultural pride of the nation. Their shame and shattering signify the impotence of false gods before the true God of Israel. This serves as a powerful reminder of the futility of idolatry and the ultimate triumph of God's righteousness.

Her images are put to shame; her idols are dismayed
The "images" (פֶּסֶל, pesel) and "idols" (גִּלּוּל, gillul) represent the physical manifestations of Babylon's false worship. Their shame and dismay highlight the failure of these objects to provide protection or deliverance. This phrase underscores the biblical theme of the folly of idolatry and the inevitable downfall of those who place their trust in anything other than the living God. It serves as a call to repentance and a return to the worship of the one true God.

(2) Set up a standard.--Better, lift up a signal. The noun is the same as in Jeremiah 4:6; Jeremiah 4:21. Here, however, its use is not that of furnishing a rallying point for an army, but that of a means of rapid communication, like the succession of beacon-fires in the opening of the Agamemnon of 'schylus (Agam., 272-307). The tidings of the fall of Babylon are to be proclaimed as quickly as may be throughout the world.

Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces.--Strictly speaking these, as found in the inscriptions, were names of the same deity (see Note on Isaiah 46:1). The name of Bel appears in the names of the two great walls of Babylon, Imgur-Bel and Nimetti-Bel (Records of the Past, v. 125). The latter name, sometimes in the form of Marduk, appears as lord of heaven and earth, and Nebo is subordinate to him. Nebuchadnezzar's devotion to him is indicated by the name he gave his son, Evil-merodach (Jeremiah 52:31), and by describing himself in his inscriptions as "worshipper of Marduk" (Records of the Past, v. 113). So we have among Chaldaean names Merodach-baladan (2Kings 20:12; Isaiah 39:1), Kurdur-Marduk, and others. The inscriptions at Borsippa speak of him as "the great lord, the most ancient of the gods, the lord of the gates of heaven," and so on (Rawlinson's Herodotus, i. 627-631). . . .

Verses 2-10. - Babylon's fall and Israel's deliverance. Verses 2, 3. - The prophet, with the eye of faith, sees his revelation accomplished. Babylon (like Moab) is taken; her idols are destroyed. In his exuberant joy, he calls on the bystanders to proclaim the good news to the sympathetic nations, and to set up (or rather, lift up) a standard (as Jeremiah 4:6), to call the attention of those who might not be within hearing of the proclamation. The idols have been convicted of false pretensions; they are ashamed and dismayed (so we should render rather than confounded and broken in pieces) at the terrible result to their worshippers. Bel and Merodach are not different deifies, but merely different names of one of the two principal gods of the later Babylonian empire. Bel, it is true, was originally distinct from Merodach, but ultimately identified with him. Merodach was the tutelary god of Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar seems to have been specially addicted to his worship, though, indeed, he mentions Nebo also with hardly less honour. This is the beginning of an inscription of this king's, preserved at the India House: - "Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, glorious prince, worshipper of Marduk, adorer of the lofty one, glorifier of Nabu, the exalted, the possessor of intelligence" (Mr. Rodwell's translation, 'Records of the Past,' 5:113). Elsewhere Nebuchadnezzar speaks of Marduk as "the god my maker," "the chief of the gods," and of himself as "his (Marduk's) eldest son, the chosen of his heart." Her images. It is a very peculiar word (gillulim), specially frequent in Ezekiel, and also found in a chapter of Leviticus with which Ezekiel has affinities (Leviticus 26:30). It evidently involves a sore disparagement of idol worship. The etymological meaning is "things rolled," which may be variously interpreted as "idol blocks" (Gesenius), or "doll images" (Ewald).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Announce
הַגִּ֨ידוּ (hag·gî·ḏū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 5046: To be conspicuous

and declare
וְהַשְׁמִ֙יעוּ֙ (wə·haš·mî·‘ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

to the nations;
בַגּוֹיִ֤ם (ḇag·gō·w·yim)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

lift up
וּֽשְׂאוּ־ (ū·śə·’ū-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

a banner
נֵ֔ס (nês)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5251: A flag, a sail, a flagstaff, a signal, a token

and proclaim it;
הַשְׁמִ֖יעוּ (haš·mî·‘ū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

hold
תְּכַחֵ֑דוּ (tə·ḵa·ḥê·ḏū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 3582: To secrete, by act, word, to destroy

nothing back
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

when you say,
אִמְרוּ֩ (’im·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘Babylon
בָבֶ֜ל (ḇā·ḇel)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 894: Babylon -- an eastern Mediterranean empire and its capital city

is captured;
נִלְכְּדָ֨ה (nil·kə·ḏāh)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3920: To catch, to capture, occupy, to choose, to cohere

Bel
בֵּל֙ (bêl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1078: Bel -- a chief Babylonian deity

is put to shame;
הֹבִ֥ישׁ (hō·ḇîš)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3001: To be ashamed, confused, disappointed, to dry up, wither

Marduk
מְרֹדָ֔ךְ (mə·rō·ḏāḵ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4781: A god worshiped by the Babylononians

is shattered,
חַ֣ת (ḥaṯ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2865: To prostrate, to break down, either, by violence, by confusion and fear

her images
עֲצַבֶּ֔יהָ (‘ă·ṣab·be·hā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6091: An, image

are disgraced,
הֹבִ֣ישׁוּ (hō·ḇî·šū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3001: To be ashamed, confused, disappointed, to dry up, wither

her idols
גִּלּוּלֶֽיהָ׃ (gil·lū·le·hā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1544: A log, an idol

are broken in pieces.’
חַ֖תּוּ (ḥat·tū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2865: To prostrate, to break down, either, by violence, by confusion and fear


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 50:2 Declare you among the nations and publish (Jer.)
Jeremiah 50:1
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