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Jeremiah 50:41-43
New English Translation
Jeremiah 50:41-43
New English Translation
41 “Look! An army is about to come from the north.
A mighty nation and many kings[a] are stirring into action
in faraway parts of the earth.
42 Its soldiers are armed with bows and spears.
They are cruel and show no mercy.
They sound like the roaring sea
as they ride forth on their horses.
Lined up in formation like men going into battle,
they are coming against you, fair Babylon.[b]
43 The king of Babylon will become paralyzed with fear[c]
when he hears news of their coming.[d]
Anguish will grip him,
agony like that of a woman giving birth to a baby.[e]
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 50:41 sn A mighty nation and many kings is an allusion to the Medo-Persian empire and the vassal kings who provided forces for the Medo-Persian armies.
- Jeremiah 50:42 tn Heb “daughter Babylon.” The word “daughter” is a personification of the city of Babylon and its inhabitants.
- Jeremiah 50:43 tn Heb “his hands will drop/hang limp.” For the meaning of this idiom see the translator’s note on 6:24.
- Jeremiah 50:43 tn Heb “The king of Babylon hears report of them, and his hands hang limp.” The verbs are translated as future because the passage is prophetic and the verbs may be interpreted as prophetic perfects (the action viewed as if it were as good as done). In the parallel passage in 6:24, the verbs could be understood as present perfects because the passage could be viewed as in the present. Here it is future.
- Jeremiah 50:43 sn Compare Jer 6:22-24, where almost the same exact words as 50:41-43 are applied to the people of Judah. The repetition of prophecies here and in the following verses emphasizes the talionic nature of God’s punishment of Babylon; as they have done to others, so it will be done to them (cf. 25:14; 50:15).
Jeremiah 50:41-43
New International Version
Jeremiah 50:41-43
New International Version
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)
Jeremiah 50:41-43
King James Version
Jeremiah 50:41-43
King James Version
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.
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Jeremiah 50:41-43
New King James Version
Jeremiah 50:41-43
New King James Version
41 “Behold,(A) a people shall come from the north,
And a great nation and many kings
Shall be raised up from the ends of the earth.
42 (B)They shall hold the bow and the lance;
(C)They are cruel and shall not show mercy.
(D)Their voice shall roar like the sea;
They shall ride on horses,
Set in array, like a man for the battle,
Against you, O daughter of Babylon.
43 “The king of Babylon has (E)heard the report about them,
And his hands grow feeble;
Anguish has taken hold of him,
Pangs as of a woman in (F)childbirth.
Jeremiah 50:41-43
English Standard Version
Jeremiah 50:41-43
English Standard Version
41 (A)“Behold, a people comes from the north;
a mighty nation and many kings
are stirring from the farthest parts of the earth.
42 They lay hold of bow and spear;
they are cruel and have no mercy.
The sound of them is like the roaring of the sea;
they ride on horses,
arrayed as a man for battle
against you, O daughter of Babylon!
43 “The king of Babylon heard the report of them,
and his hands fell helpless;
anguish seized him,
pain as of a woman in labor.
New English Translation (NET)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.