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21 “Enemies of Babylon, attack their land of Merathaim.
    Make war against those who live in Pekod.
Chase them and kill them. Destroy them completely,”
    announces the Lord.
    “Do everything I have commanded you to do.
22 The noise of battle is heard in the land.
    It is the noise of a great city being destroyed!
23 It has been broken to pieces.
    It was the hammer that broke the whole earth.
    How empty Babylon is among the nations!
24 Babylon, I set a trap for you.
    And you were caught before you knew it.
You were found and captured.
    That is because you opposed me.
25 I have opened up my storeroom.
    I have brought out the weapons I use when I am angry.
I am the Lord and King who rules over all.
    I have work to do in the land of the Babylonians.
26 So come against it from far away.
    Open up its storerooms.
    Stack everything up like piles of grain.
Completely destroy that country.
    Do not leave anyone alive there.
27 Kill all Babylon’s strongest warriors.
    Let them die in battle.
How terrible it will be for them!
    Their time to be judged has come.
    Now they will be punished.
28 Listen to those who have escaped.
    Listen to those who have returned from Babylon.
They are announcing in Zion
    how I have paid Babylon back.
    I have paid it back for destroying my temple.

29 “Send for men armed with bows and arrows.
    Send them against Babylon.
Set up camp all around it.
    Do not let anyone escape.
Pay it back for what its people have done.
    Do to them what they have done to others.
They have dared to disobey me.
    I am the Holy One of Israel.
30 You can be sure its young men will fall dead in the streets.
    All its soldiers will be put to death at that time,”
    announces the Lord.

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21 “Attack the land of Merathaim
    and those who live in Pekod.(A)
Pursue, kill and completely destroy[a] them,”
declares the Lord.
    “Do everything I have commanded you.
22 The noise(B) of battle is in the land,
    the noise of great destruction!
23 How broken and shattered
    is the hammer(C) of the whole earth!(D)
How desolate(E) is Babylon
    among the nations!
24 I set a trap(F) for you, Babylon,
    and you were caught before you knew it;
you were found and captured(G)
    because you opposed(H) the Lord.
25 The Lord has opened his arsenal
    and brought out the weapons(I) of his wrath,
for the Sovereign Lord Almighty has work to do
    in the land of the Babylonians.(J)
26 Come against her from afar.(K)
    Break open her granaries;
    pile her up like heaps of grain.(L)
Completely destroy(M) her
    and leave her no remnant.
27 Kill all her young bulls;(N)
    let them go down to the slaughter!(O)
Woe to them! For their day(P) has come,
    the time(Q) for them to be punished.
28 Listen to the fugitives(R) and refugees from Babylon
    declaring in Zion(S)
how the Lord our God has taken vengeance,(T)
    vengeance for his temple.(U)

29 “Summon archers against Babylon,
    all those who draw the bow.(V)
Encamp all around her;
    let no one escape.(W)
Repay(X) her for her deeds;(Y)
    do to her as she has done.
For she has defied(Z) the Lord,
    the Holy One(AA) of Israel.
30 Therefore, her young men(AB) will fall in the streets;
    all her soldiers will be silenced in that day,”
declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 50:21 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verse 26.