| English Standard Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 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: I am about to rouse the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon and against the population of Leb-qamai. |
| 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 will send strangers to Babylon who will scatter her and strip her land bare, for they will come against her from every side in the day of 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 string his bow; don't let him put on 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. | 4Those who were slain will fall in the land of the Chaldeans, those who were 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. | 5For Israel and Judah are not left widowed by their God, the LORD of Armies, though 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. | 6Leave Babylon; save your lives, each of you! Don't perish because of her guilt. For this is the time of the LORD's vengeance--he will pay her what she deserves. |
| 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 gold cup in the LORD's hand, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore, the nations go mad. |
| 8Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed. | 8Suddenly Babylon fell and was shattered. Wail for her; get balm for her wound--perhaps she can 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 could not be healed. Abandon her! Let each of us go to his own land, for her judgment extends to the sky and reaches as far as the clouds. |
| 10The LORD has brought about our vindication; come, let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God. | 10The LORD has brought about our vindication; come, let's tell in Zion what the LORD our God has accomplished. |
| 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 roused the spirit of the kings of the Medes because his plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her, for it is 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. | 12Raise up a signal flag against the walls of Babylon; fortify the watch post; set the watchmen in place; prepare the ambush. For the LORD has both planned and accomplished what he has threatened against those who live in Babylon. |
| 13O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut. | 13You who reside by abundant water, 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 Armies has sworn by himself: I will fill you up with men as with locusts, and they will sing the victory song 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, established the world by his wisdom, and spread out the heavens by his understanding. |
| 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 he thunders, the waters in the heavens are tumultuous, and he causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain and brings the wind from 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 ignorant. Every goldsmith is put to shame by his carved image, for his cast images are a lie; there is no breath in them. |
| 18They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish. | 18They are worthless, a work to be mocked. At the time of their punishment they will be destroyed. |
| 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. | 19Jacob's Portion is not like these because he is the one who formed all things. Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of 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; | 20You are my war club, my weapons of war. With you I will smash nations; with you I will bring kingdoms to ruin. |
| 21with you I break in pieces the horse and his rider; with you I break in pieces the chariot and the charioteer; | 21With you I will smash the horse and its rider; with you I will smash the chariot and its rider. |
| 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; | 22With you I will smash man and woman; with you I will smash the old man and the youth; with you I will smash the young man and the young woman. |
| 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. | 23With you I will smash the shepherd and his flock; with you I will smash the farmer and his ox-team. With you I will smash governors and officials. |
| 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 very eyes, I will repay Babylon and all the residents of Chaldea for all their evil they have done in Zion." This is the LORD's declaration. |
| 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. | 25Look, I am against you, devastating mountain. This is the LORD's declaration. You devastate the whole earth. I will stretch out my hand against you, roll you down from the cliffs, and turn you into a charred 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. | 26No one will be able to retrieve a cornerstone or a foundation stone from you, because you will become desolate forever. This is the LORD's declaration. |
| 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. | 27Raise a signal flag in the land; blow a ram's horn among the nations; set apart the nations against her. Summon kingdoms against her--Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a marshal against her; bring up horses like a swarm of locusts. |
| 28Prepare the nations for war against her, the kings of the Medes, with their governors and deputies, and every land under their dominion. | 28Set apart the nations for battle against her--the kings of Media, her governors and all her officials, and all the lands they rule. |
| 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 earth quakes and trembles because the LORD's intentions against Babylon stand: to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant. |
| 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. | 30Babylon's warriors have stopped fighting; they sit in their strongholds. Their might is exhausted; they have become like women. Babylon's homes have been set ablaze, her gate bars are shattered. |
| 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; | 31Messenger races to meet messenger, and herald to meet herald, to announce to the king of Babylon that his city has been captured from end to end. |
| 32the fords have been seized, the marshes are burned with fire, and the soldiers are in panic. | 32The fords have been seized, the marshes set on fire, and the fighting men 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 Armies, the God of Israel, says: Daughter Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time it is trampled. In just a little while her harvest time 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; he has crushed me. He has set me aside like an empty dish; he has swallowed me like a sea monster; he filled his belly with my delicacies; he has vomited me out. |
| 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. | 35Let the violence done to me and my family be done to Babylon," says the inhabitant of Zion. "Let 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: I am about to champion your cause and take vengeance on your behalf; I will dry up her sea and make her fountain run 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 rubble, a jackals' den, a desolation and an object of scorn, without inhabitant. |
| 38“They shall roar together like lions; they shall growl like lions’ cubs. | 38They will roar together like young lions; they will 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. | 39While they are flushed with heat, I will serve them a feast, and I will make them drunk so that they celebrate. Then they will fall asleep forever and never wake up. This is the LORD's declaration. |
| 40I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams and male goats. | 40I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams together with male goats. |
| 41“How Babylon is taken, the praise of the whole earth seized! How Babylon has become a horror among the nations! | 41How Sheshach has been captured, the praise of the whole earth seized. What a horror Babylon has become among the nations! |
| 42The sea has come up on Babylon; she is covered with its tumultuous waves. | 42The sea has risen over Babylon; she is covered with its tumultuous waves. |
| 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 have become a desolation, an arid desert, a land where no one lives, where no human being even passes through. |
| 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 will punish Bel in Babylon. I will make him vomit what he swallowed. The nations will no longer stream to him; even Babylon's wall 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! | 45Come out from among her, my people! Save your lives, each of you, from the LORD's burning 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. | 46May you not become cowardly and fearful when the report is proclaimed in the land, for the report will come one year, and then another the next year. There will be violence in the land with ruler against 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, the days are coming when I will punish Babylon's carved images. Her entire land will suffer shame, and all her slain will lie fallen within her. |
| 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. | 48Heaven and earth and everything in them will shout for joy over Babylon because the destroyers from the north will come against her. This is the LORD's declaration. |
| 49Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel, just as for Babylon have fallen the slain of all the earth. | 49Babylon must fall because of the slain of Israel, even as the slain of the whole earth fell 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: | 50You who have escaped the sword, go and do not stand still! 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 are ashamed because we have heard insults. Humiliation covers our faces because foreigners have entered the holy places of the LORD's temple. |
| 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. | 52Therefore, look, the days are coming--this is the LORD's declaration--when I will punish her carved images, and the wounded will groan throughout her land. |
| 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. | 53Even if Babylon should ascend to the heavens and fortify her tall fortresses, destroyers will come against her from me. This is the LORD's declaration. |
| 54“A voice! A cry from Babylon! The noise of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans! | 54The sound of a cry from Babylon! The sound of terrible 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 going to devastate Babylon; he will silence her mighty voice. Their waves roar like a huge torrent; the tumult of their voice resounds, |
| 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. | 56for a destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon. Her warriors will be captured, their bows shattered, for the LORD is a God of retribution; he will certainly repay. |
| 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 will make her princes and sages drunk, along with her governors, officials, and warriors. Then they will fall asleep forever and never wake up. This is the King's declaration; the LORD of Armies is his name. |
| 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 Armies says: Babylon's thick walls will be totally demolished, and her high gates set ablaze. The peoples will have labored for nothing; the nations will weary themselves only to feed the 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 what the prophet Jeremiah commanded Seraiah son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, the quartermaster, when he went to Babylon with King Zedekiah of Judah in the fourth year of Zedekiah's reign. |
| 60Jeremiah wrote in a book all the disaster that should come upon Babylon, all these words that are written concerning Babylon. | 60Jeremiah wrote on one scroll about all the disaster that would come to Babylon; all these words were written against Babylon. |
| 61And Jeremiah said to Seraiah: “When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words, | 61Jeremiah told Seraiah, "When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud. |
| 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.’ | 62Say, 'LORD, you have threatened to cut off this place so that no one will live in it--people or animals. Indeed, it will remain desolate forever.' |
| 63When you finish reading this book, tie a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates, | 63When you have finished reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates River. |
| 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, 'In the same way, Babylon will sink and never rise again because of the disaster I am bringing on her. They will grow weary.'" The words of Jeremiah end here. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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