Chapter 50

The word that the LORD spake¹⁴ against Babylon [and] against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet.

Declare⁵⁴ ye among the nations, and publish,⁵⁴ and set up³ a standard; publish,⁵⁴ [and] conceal¹⁷ not: say,³ Babylon is taken,⁸ Bel is confounded,⁵² Merodach is broken in pieces;¹ her idols are confounded,⁵² her images are broken in pieces.¹

For out of the north there cometh up¹ a nation against her, which shall make⁴ her land desolate, and none shall dwell⁶ therein: they shall remove,¹ they shall depart,¹ both man and beast.

In those days, and in that time, saith⁷ the LORD, the children of Israel shall come,⁴ they and the children of Judah together, going² and weeping:² they shall go,⁴ and seek¹⁷ the LORD their God.

They shall ask⁴ the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, [saying], Come,³ and let us join⁸ ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant [that] shall not be forgotten.¹¹

My people hath been lost⁶ sheep: their shepherds⁶ have caused them to go astray,⁵² they have turned them away^{31 7726} [on] the mountains: they have gone¹ from mountain to hill, they have forgotten¹ their restingplace.

All that found⁶ them have devoured¹ them: and their adversaries said,¹ We offend⁴ not, because they have sinned¹ against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.

Remove³ out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth^{3 3318 4} out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks.

For, lo, I will raise⁵⁶ and cause to come up⁵⁶ against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array¹ against her; from thence she shall be taken:¹¹ their arrows [shall be] as of a mighty expert^{56 7921 56} man; none shall return⁴ in vain.

And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil⁶ her shall be satisfied,⁴ saith⁷ the LORD.

Because ye were glad,⁴ because ye rejoiced,⁴ O ye destroyers⁶ of mine heritage, because ye are grown fat⁴ as the heifer at grass, ^{1758 5} and bellow⁴ as bulls;

Your mother shall be sore confounded;¹ she that bare⁶ you shall be ashamed:¹ behold, the hindermost of the nations [shall be] a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.

Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited,⁴ but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth⁶ by Babylon shall be astonished,⁴ and hiss⁴ at all her plagues.

Put yourselves in array³ against Babylon round about: all ye that bend⁶ the bow, shoot³ at her, spare⁴ no arrows: for she hath sinned¹ against the LORD.

Shout⁵⁴ against her round about: she hath given¹ her hand: her foundations are fallen,¹ her walls are thrown down:⁸ for it [is] the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance¹⁰ upon her; as she hath done,¹ do³ unto her.

Cut off³ the sower⁶ from Babylon, and him that handleth⁶ the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing⁶ sword they shall turn⁴ every one to his people, and they shall flee⁴ every one to his own land.

Israel [is] a scattered⁵ sheep; the lions have driven [him] away:⁵² first the king of Assyria hath devoured¹ him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.¹⁴

Therefore thus saith¹ the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish⁶ the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished¹ the king of Assyria.

And I will bring Israel again³¹ to his habitation, and he shall feed¹ on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied⁴ upon mount Ephraim and Gilead.

In those days, and in that time, saith⁷ the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for,²⁹ and [there shall be] none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found:¹¹ for I will pardon⁴ them whom I reserve.⁵⁵

Go up³ against the land of Merathaim, [even] against it, and against the inhabitants⁶ of Pekod: waste³ and utterly destroy⁵³ after them, saith⁷ the LORD, and do³ according to all that I have commanded¹⁴ thee.

A sound of battle [is] in the land, and of great destruction.

How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder⁸ and broken!¹¹ how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!

I have laid a snare¹ for thee, and thou art also taken,⁸ O Babylon, and thou wast not aware:¹ thou art found,⁸ and also caught,⁸ because thou hast striven⁹⁸ against the LORD.

The LORD hath opened¹ his armoury, and hath brought forth⁵⁵ the weapons of his indignation: for this [is] the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.

Come³ against her from the utmost border, open³ her storehouses: cast her up³ as heaps, and destroy her utterly:⁵⁴ let nothing of her be left.

Slay³ all her bullocks; let them go down⁴ to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come,⁶ the time of their visitation.

The voice of them that flee⁵ and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare⁵³ in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple.

Call together⁵⁴ the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend⁶ the bow, camp³ against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense¹⁶ her according to her work; according to all that she hath done,¹ do³ unto her: for she hath been proud¹ against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.

Therefore shall her young men fall⁴ in the streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off¹¹ in that day, saith⁷ the LORD.

Behold, I [am] against thee, [O thou] most proud, saith⁷ the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy day is come,⁶ the time [that] I will visit¹ thee.

And the most proud shall stumble¹ and fall,¹ and none shall raise him up:⁵⁶ and I will kindle⁵² a fire in his cities, and it shall devour¹ all round about him.

Thus saith¹ the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah [were] oppressed⁷ together: and all that took them captives⁶ held⁵² them fast; they refused¹⁴ to let them go.¹⁵

Their Redeemer⁶ [is] strong; the LORD of hosts [is] his name: he shall throughly² plead⁴ their cause, that he may give rest⁵² to the land, and disquiet⁵² the inhabitants⁶ of Babylon.

A sword [is] upon the Chaldeans, saith⁷ the LORD, and upon the inhabitants⁶ of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise [men].

A sword [is] upon the liars; and they shall dote:⁸ a sword [is] upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed.¹

A sword [is] upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that [are] in the midst of her; and they shall become as women: a sword [is] upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.²⁷

A drought [is] upon her waters; and they shall be dried up:¹ for it [is] the land of graven images, and they are mad¹⁰⁸ upon [their] idols.

Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands ³³⁹ shall dwell⁴ [there], and the owls ³²⁸⁴ shall dwell¹ therein: and it shall be no more inhabited⁴ for ever; neither shall it be dwelt⁴ in from generation to generation.

As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour [cities] thereof, saith⁷ the LORD; [so] shall no man abide⁴ there, neither shall any son of man dwell⁴ therein.

Behold, a people shall come⁶ from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up¹¹ from the coasts of the earth.

They shall hold⁵⁵ the bow and the lance: they [are] cruel, and will not shew mercy:¹⁷ their voice shall roar⁴ like the sea, and they shall ride⁴ upon horses, [every one] put in array,⁷ like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.

The king of Babylon hath heard¹ the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble:¹ anguish took hold⁵² of him, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.⁶

Behold, he shall come up⁴ like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly⁵⁵ run away^{55 7323 4} from her: and who [is] a chosen⁷ [man, that] I may appoint⁴ over her? for who [is] like me? and who will appoint me the time?⁵⁵ and who [is] that shepherd⁶ that will stand⁴ before me?

Therefore hear³ ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken¹ against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed¹ against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out:⁴ surely he shall make [their] habitation desolate⁵⁵ with them.

At the noise of the taking⁸ of Babylon the earth is moved,¹¹ and the cry is heard⁸ among the nations.