| Christian Standard Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1This is the word the LORD spoke about Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, through the prophet Jeremiah: | 1This is the word that the LORD spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon and the land of the Chaldeans: |
| 2Announce 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. | 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 attack her; it will make her land desolate. No one will be living in it--both people and animals will escape. | 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.” |
| 4In those days and at that time--this is the LORD's declaration--the Israelites and Judeans will come together, weeping as they come, and will seek the LORD their God. | 4“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. |
| 5They will ask about Zion, turning their faces to this road. They will come and join themselves to the LORD in a permanent covenant that will never be forgotten. | 5They 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. |
| 6My people were lost sheep; their shepherds led them astray, guiding them the wrong way in the mountains. They wandered from mountain to hill; they forgot their resting place. | 6My 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. |
| 7Whoever found them devoured them. Their adversaries said, "We're not guilty; instead, they have sinned against the LORD, their righteous grazing land, the hope of their ancestors, the LORD." | 7All who found them devoured them, and their enemies said, ‘We are not guilty, for they have sinned against the LORD, their true pasture, the LORD, the hope of their fathers.’ |
| 8Escape from Babylon; depart from the Chaldeans' land. Be like the rams that lead the flock. | 8Flee from the midst of Babylon; depart from the land of the Chaldeans; be like the he-goats that lead the flock. |
| 9For I will soon stir up and bring against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country. They will line up in battle formation against her; from there she will be captured. Their arrows will be like a skilled warrior who does not return empty-handed. | 9For 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. |
| 10The Chaldeans will become plunder; all Babylon's plunderers will be fully satisfied. This is the LORD's declaration. | 10Chaldea will be plundered; all who plunder her will have their fill,” declares the LORD. |
| 11Because you rejoice, because you celebrate--you who plundered my inheritance--because you frolic like a young cow treading grain and neigh like stallions, | 11“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, |
| 12your mother will be utterly humiliated; she who bore you will be put to shame. Look! She will lag behind all the nations--an arid wilderness, a desert. | 12your 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. |
| 13Because of the LORD's wrath, she will not be inhabited; she will become a desolation, every bit of her. Everyone who passes through Babylon will be appalled and scoff because of all her wounds. | 13Because 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 will hiss at all her wounds. |
| 14Line up in battle formation around Babylon, all you archers! Shoot at her! Do not spare an arrow, for she has sinned against the LORD. | 14Line up in formation around Babylon, all you who draw the bow! Shoot at her! Spare no arrows! For she has sinned against the LORD. |
| 15Raise a war cry against her on every side! She has thrown up her hands in surrender; her defense towers have fallen; her walls are demolished. Since this is the LORD's vengeance, take your vengeance on her; as she has done, do the same to her. | 15Raise 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. |
| 16Cut off the sower from Babylon as well as him who wields the sickle at harvest time. Because of the oppressor's sword, each will turn to his own people, each will flee to his own land. | 16Cut 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. |
| 17Israel is a stray lamb, chased by lions. The first who devoured him was the king of Assyria; the last who crushed his bones was King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. | 17Israel 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.” |
| 18Therefore, this is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I am about to punish the king of Babylon and his land just as I punished the king of Assyria. | 18Therefore 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. |
| 19I will return Israel to his grazing land, and he will feed on Carmel and Bashan; he will be satisfied in the hill country of Ephraim and of Gilead. | 19I 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. |
| 20In those days and at that time--this is the LORD's declaration--one will search for Israel's iniquity, but there will be none, and for Judah's sins, but they will not be found, for I will forgive those I leave as a remnant. | 20In those days and at that time, declares the LORD, a search will be made 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 preserve. |
| 21Attack the land of Merathaim, and those living in Pekod. Put them to the sword; completely destroy them--this is the LORD's declaration--do everything I have commanded you. | 21Go up against the land of Merathaim, and against the residents of Pekod. Kill them and devote them to destruction. Do all that I have commanded you,” declares the LORD. |
| 22The sound of war is in the land--a crushing blow! | 22“The noise of battle is in the land—the noise of great destruction. |
| 23How the hammer of the whole earth is cut down and smashed! What a horror Babylon has become among the nations! | 23How the hammer of the whole earth lies broken and shattered! What a horror Babylon has become among the nations! |
| 24Babylon, I laid a trap for you, and you were caught, but you did not even know it. You were found and captured because you pitted yourself against the LORD. | 24I 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. |
| 25The LORD opened his armory and brought out his weapons of wrath, because it is a task of the Lord GOD of Armies in the land of the Chaldeans. | 25The LORD has opened His armory and brought out His weapons of wrath, for this is the work of the Lord GOD of Hosts in the land of the Chaldeans. |
| 26Come against her from the most distant places. Open her granaries; pile her up like mounds of grain and completely destroy her. Leave her no survivors. | 26Come against her from the farthest border. Break open her granaries; pile her up like mounds of grain. Devote her to destruction; leave her no survivors. |
| 27Put all her young bulls to the sword; let them go down to the slaughter. Woe to them because their day has come, the time of their punishment. | 27Kill all her young bulls; let them go down to the slaughter. Woe to them, for their day has come—the time of their punishment. |
| 28There is a voice of fugitives and refugees from the land of Babylon. The voice announces in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance for his temple. | 28Listen 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. |
| 29Summon the archers to Babylon, all who string the bow; camp all around her; let none escape. Repay her according to her deeds; just as she has done, do the same to her, for she has acted arrogantly against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel. | 29Summon 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. |
| 30Therefore, her young men will fall in her public squares; all the warriors will perish in that day. This is the LORD's declaration. | 30Therefore, her young men will fall in the streets, and all her warriors will be silenced in that day,” declares the LORD. |
| 31Look, I am against you, you arrogant one--this is the declaration of the Lord GOD of Armies--for your day has come, the time when I will punish you. | 31“Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts, “for your day has come, the time when I will punish you. |
| 32The arrogant will stumble and fall with no one to pick him up. I will set fire to his cities, and it will consume everything around him. | 32The 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.” |
| 33This is what the LORD of Armies says: Israelites and Judeans alike have been oppressed. All their captors hold them fast; they refuse to release them. | 33This 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. |
| 34Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of Armies is his name. He will fervently champion their cause so that he might bring rest to the earth but turmoil to those who live in Babylon. | 34Their 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. |
| 35A sword is over the Chaldeans--this is the LORD's declaration--against those who live in Babylon, against her officials, and against her sages. | 35A sword is against the Chaldeans, declares the LORD, against those who live in Babylon, and against her officials and wise men. |
| 36A sword is against the diviners, and they will act foolishly. A sword is against her heroic warriors, and they will be terrified. | 36A sword is against her false prophets, and they will become fools. A sword is against her warriors, and they will be filled with terror. |
| 37A sword is against his horses and chariots and against all the foreigners among them, and they will be like women. A sword is against her treasuries, and they will be plundered. | 37A 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. |
| 38A drought will come on her waters, and they will be dried up. For it is a land of carved images, and they go mad because of terrifying things. | 38A 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. |
| 39Therefore, desert creatures will live with hyenas, and ostriches will also live in her. It will never again be inhabited or lived in through all generations. | 39So the desert creatures and hyenas will live there and ostriches will dwell there. It will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation. |
| 40Just as God demolished Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns--this is the LORD's declaration--so no one will live there; no human being will stay in it even temporarily as a temporary resident. | 40As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah along with their neighbors,” declares the LORD, “no one will dwell there; no man will abide there. |
| 41Look! A people comes from the north. A great nation and many kings will be stirred up from the remote regions of the earth. | 41Behold, an army is coming from the north; a great nation and many kings are stirred up from the ends of the earth. |
| 42They grasp bow and javelin. They are cruel and show no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, lined up like men in battle formation against you, Daughter Babylon. | 42They grasp the bow and spear; they are cruel and merciless. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride upon horses, lined up like men in formation against you, O Daughter of Babylon. |
| 43The king of Babylon has heard about them; his hands have become weak. Distress has seized him--pain, like a woman in labor. | 43The king of Babylon has heard the report, and his hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped him, pain like that of a woman in labor. |
| 44"Look, it will be like a lion coming from the thickets of the Jordan to the watered grazing land. I will chase Babylon away from her land in a flash. I will appoint whoever is chosen for her. For who is like me? Who will issue me a summons? Who is the shepherd who can stand against me?" | 44Behold, one will come up 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 for this? For who is like Me, and who can challenge Me? What shepherd can stand against Me?” |
| 45Therefore, hear the plans that the LORD has drawn up against Babylon and the strategies he has devised against the land of the Chaldeans: Certainly the flock's little lambs will be dragged away; certainly the grazing land will be made desolate because of them. | 45Therefore 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. |
| 46At the sound of Babylon's conquest the earth will quake; a cry will be heard among the nations. | 46At the sound of Babylon’s capture the earth will quake; a cry will be heard among the nations. |
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