59 This is the message Jeremiah the prophet gave to the staff officer Seraiah son of Neriah,(A) the son of Mahseiah, when he went to Babylon with Zedekiah(B) king of Judah in the fourth(C) year of his reign. 60 Jeremiah had written on a scroll(D) about all the disasters that would come upon Babylon—all that had been recorded concerning Babylon. 61 He said to Seraiah, “When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud. 62 Then say, ‘Lord, you have said you will destroy this place, so that neither people nor animals will live in it; it will be desolate(E) forever.’ 63 When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates.(F) 64 Then say, ‘So will Babylon sink to rise no more(G) because of the disaster I will bring on her. And her people(H) will fall.’”(I)

The words of Jeremiah end(J) here.

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Jeremiah’s Command to Seraiah

59 The word that the prophet Jeremiah commanded Seraiah son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, when he went with King Zedekiah of Judah to Babylon, in the fourth year of his reign. Seraiah was the quartermaster.(A) 60 Jeremiah wrote in a[a] scroll all the disasters that would come on Babylon, all these words that are written concerning Babylon.(B) 61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah: “When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words, 62 and say, ‘O Lord, you yourself threatened to destroy this place so that neither humans nor animals shall live in it, and it shall be desolate forever.’(C) 63 When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it, and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates,(D) 64 and say, ‘Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the disasters that I am bringing on her.’ ”[b]

Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 51.60 Or one
  2. 51.64 Gk: Heb on her. And they shall weary themselves

59 The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah into Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And this Seraiah was a quiet prince.

60 So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon.

61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words;

62 Then shalt thou say, O Lord, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate for ever.

63 And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates:

64 And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

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