54 “The sound of a cry(A) comes from Babylon,
    the sound of great destruction(B)
    from the land of the Babylonians.[a]
55 The Lord will destroy Babylon;
    he will silence(C) her noisy din.
Waves(D) of enemies will rage like great waters;
    the roar of their voices will resound.
56 A destroyer(E) will come against Babylon;
    her warriors will be captured,
    and their bows will be broken.(F)
For the Lord is a God of retribution;
    he will repay(G) in full.
57 I will make her officials(H) and wise(I) men drunk,(J)
    her governors, officers and warriors as well;
they will sleep(K) forever and not awake,”
    declares the King,(L) whose name is the Lord Almighty.

58 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Babylon’s thick wall(M) will be leveled
    and her high gates(N) set on fire;
the peoples(O) exhaust(P) themselves for nothing,
    the nations’ labor is only fuel for the flames.”(Q)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 51:54 Or Chaldeans

54 A sound of a cry cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans:

55 Because the Lord hath spoiled Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves do roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered:

56 Because the spoiler is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, every one of their bows is broken: for the Lord God of recompences shall surely requite.

57 And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts.

58 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.

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