41 “Look! An army is coming from the north;(A)
    a great nation and many kings
    are being stirred(B) up from the ends of the earth.(C)
42 They are armed with bows(D) and spears;
    they are cruel(E) and without mercy.(F)
They sound like the roaring sea(G)
    as they ride on their horses;
they come like men in battle formation
    to attack you, Daughter Babylon.(H)
43 The king of Babylon has heard reports about them,
    and his hands hang limp.(I)
Anguish has gripped him,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.(J)
44 Like a lion coming up from Jordan’s thickets(K)
    to a rich pastureland,
I will chase Babylon from its land in an instant.
    Who is the chosen(L) one I will appoint for this?
Who is like me and who can challenge me?(M)
    And what shepherd can stand against me?”

45 Therefore, hear what the Lord has planned against Babylon,
    what he has purposed(N) against the land of the Babylonians:(O)
The young of the flock will be dragged away;
    their pasture will be appalled at their fate.
46 At the sound of Babylon’s capture the earth will tremble;(P)
    its cry(Q) will resound among the nations.

Read full chapter

41 “Behold, a people is coming (A)from the north,
And a great nation and many kings
Will be roused from the remote parts of the earth.
42 They (B)seize their bow and javelin;
They are (C)cruel and have no mercy.
Their (D)voice roars like the sea;
And they ride on (E)horses,
(F)Drawn up like a man for the battle
Against you, daughter of Babylon.
43 The (G)king of Babylon has heard the report about them,
And his hands hang limp;
(H)Distress has gripped him,
Agony like a woman in childbirth.

44 (I)Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thicket of the Jordan to a perennially watered pasture; for in an instant I will chase them away from it, and I will appoint over it whoever is (J)chosen. For who is (K)like Me, and who will summon Me into court? And who then is the shepherd who can (L)stand against Me?” 45 Therefore hear the (M)plan of the Lord which He has planned against Babylon, and His purposes which He has in mind against the land of the Chaldeans: (N)they will certainly drag them off, even the little ones of the flock; He will certainly make their pasture desolate because of them. 46 At the [a]shout, “Babylon has been conquered!” the (O)earth quakes, and an (P)outcry is heard among the nations.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 50:46 Lit voice

41 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.

42 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.

43 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.

44 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?

45 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.

46 At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.

Read full chapter