The word that the LORD
spake
against Babylon
and against the land
of the Chaldeans
by
Jeremiah
the prophet
.
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
.
For out of the north there cometh up
a nation
against her, which shall make
her land
desolate
, and none shall dwell
therein: they shall remove
, they shall depart
, both man
and beast
.
In those days, and in that time
, saith
the LORD
, the children
of Israel
shall come
, they and the children
of Judah
together
, going
and weeping
: they shall go
, and seek
the LORD
their God
.
They shall ask the way
to Zion
with their faces
thitherward
, saying , Come
, and let us join
ourselves to the LORD
in a perpetual
covenant
that shall not be forgotten
.
My people hath been lost
sheep
: their shepherds
have caused them to go astray
, they have turned them away
on the mountains
: they have gone
from mountain
to hill
, they have forgotten
their restingplace
.
All that found them have devoured
them: and their adversaries
said
, We offend
not, because they have sinned
against the LORD
, the habitation
of justice
, even the LORD
, the hope
of their fathers
.
Remove out of the midst
of Babylon
, and go forth
out of the land
of the Chaldeans
, and be as the he goats
before
the flocks
.
For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up
against Babylon
an assembly
of great
nations
from the north
country
: and they shall set themselves in array
against her; from thence she shall be taken
: their arrows
shall be as of a mighty
expert man
; none shall return
in vain
.
And Chaldea shall be a spoil
: all that spoil
her shall be satisfied
, saith
the LORD
.
Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced
, O ye destroyers
of mine heritage
, because ye are grown fat
as the heifer
at grass
, and bellow
as bulls
;
Your mother shall be sore
confounded
; she that bare
you shall be ashamed
: 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
, but it shall be wholly desolate
: every one that goeth
by Babylon
shall be astonished
, and hiss
at all her plagues
.
Put yourselves in array against Babylon
round about
: all ye that bend
the bow
, shoot
at her, spare
no arrows
: for she hath sinned
against the LORD
.
Shout against her round about
: she hath given
her hand
: her foundations
are fallen
, her walls
are thrown down
: for it is the vengeance
of the LORD
: take vengeance
upon her; as she hath done
, do
unto her.
Cut off the sower
from Babylon
, and him that handleth
the sickle
in the time
of harvest
: for fear
of the oppressing
sword
they shall turn
every one
to his people
, and they shall flee
every one
to his own land
.
Israel is a scattered
sheep
; the lions
have driven him away
: first
the king
of Assyria
hath devoured
him; and last
this Nebuchadrezzar
king
of Babylon
hath broken his bones
.
Therefore thus saith the LORD
of hosts
, the God
of Israel
; Behold, I will punish
the king
of Babylon
and his land
, as I have punished
the king
of Assyria
.
And I will bring Israel
again
to his habitation
, and he shall feed
on Carmel
and Bashan
, and his soul
shall be satisfied
upon mount
Ephraim
and Gilead
.
In those days, and in that time
, saith
the LORD
, the iniquity
of Israel
shall be sought for
, and there shall be none; and the sins
of Judah
, and they shall not be found
: for I will pardon
them whom I reserve
.
Go up against the land
of Merathaim
, even against it, and against the inhabitants
of Pekod
: waste
and utterly destroy
after
them, saith
the LORD
, and do
according to all that I have commanded
thee.
A sound of battle
is in the land
, and of great
destruction
.
How is the hammer of the whole earth
cut asunder
and broken
! how is Babylon
become a desolation
among the nations
!
I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken
, O Babylon
, and thou wast not aware
: thou art found
, and also caught
, because thou hast striven
against the LORD
.
The LORD hath opened
his armoury
, and hath brought forth
the weapons
of his indignation
: for this is the work
of the Lord
GOD
of hosts
in the land
of the Chaldeans
.
Come against her from the utmost border
, open
her storehouses
: cast her up
as heaps
, and destroy her utterly
: let nothing of her be left
.
Slay all her bullocks
; let them go down
to the slaughter
: woe
unto them! for their day
is come
, the time
of their visitation
.
The voice of them that flee
and escape out
of the land
of Babylon
, to declare
in Zion
the vengeance
of the LORD
our God
, the vengeance
of his temple
.
Call together the archers
against Babylon
: all ye that bend
the bow
, camp
against it round about
; let none thereof escape
: recompense
her according to her work
; according to all that she hath done
, do
unto her: for she hath been proud
against the LORD
, against the Holy One
of Israel
.
Therefore shall her young men fall
in the streets
, and all her men
of war
shall be cut off
in that day
, saith
the LORD
.
Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith
the Lord
GOD
of hosts
: for thy day
is come
, the time
that I will visit
thee.
And the most proud shall stumble
and fall
, and none shall raise him up
: and I will kindle
a fire
in his cities
, and it shall devour
all round about
him.
Thus saith the LORD
of hosts
; The children
of Israel
and the children
of Judah
were oppressed
together
: and all that took them captives
held them fast
; they refused
to let them go
.
Their Redeemer is strong
; the LORD
of hosts
is his name
: he shall throughly
plead
their cause
, that he may give rest
to the land
, and disquiet
the inhabitants
of Babylon
.
A sword is upon the Chaldeans
, saith
the LORD
, and upon the inhabitants
of Babylon
, and upon her princes
, and upon her wise
men .
A sword is upon the liars
; and they shall dote
: a sword
is upon her mighty men
; and they shall be dismayed
.
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
.
A drought is upon her waters
; and they shall be dried up
: for it is the land
of graven images
, and they are mad
upon their idols
.
Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands
shall dwell
there , and the owls
shall dwell
therein: and it shall be no more inhabited
for ever
; neither shall it be dwelt
in from generation
to generation
.
As God overthrew
Sodom
and Gomorrah
and the neighbour
cities thereof, saith
the LORD
; so shall no man
abide
there, neither shall any son
of man
dwell
therein.
Behold, a people shall come
from the north
, and a great
nation
, and many
kings
shall be raised up
from the coasts
of the earth
.
They shall hold the bow
and the lance
: they are cruel
, and will not shew mercy
: their voice
shall roar
like the sea
, and they shall ride
upon horses
, every one put in array
, like a man
to the battle
, against thee, O daughter
of Babylon
.
The king of Babylon
hath heard
the report
of them, and his hands
waxed feeble
: anguish
took hold
of him, and pangs
as of a woman in travail
.
Behold, he shall come up like a lion
from the swelling
of Jordan
unto the habitation
of the strong
: but I will make
them suddenly
run away
from her: and who is a chosen
man, that I may appoint
over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time
? and who is that shepherd
that will stand
before
me?
Therefore hear ye the counsel
of the LORD
, that he hath taken
against Babylon
; and his purposes
, that he hath purposed
against the land
of the Chaldeans
: Surely the least
of the flock
shall draw them out
: surely he shall make their habitation
desolate
with them.
At the noise of the taking
of Babylon
the earth
is moved
, and the cry
is heard
among the nations
.