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Jeremiah 50
New International Version
Jeremiah 50
New International Version
A Message About Babylon(A)
50 This is the word the Lord spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon(B) and the land of the Babylonians[a]:
2 “Announce and proclaim(C) among the nations,
lift up a banner(D) and proclaim it;
keep nothing back, but say,
‘Babylon will be captured;(E)
Bel(F) will be put to shame,(G)
Marduk(H) filled with terror.
Her images will be put to shame
and her idols(I) filled with terror.’
3 A nation from the north(J) will attack her
and lay waste her land.
No one will live(K) in it;
both people and animals(L) will flee away.
4 “In those days, at that time,”
declares the Lord,
“the people of Israel and the people of Judah together(M)
will go in tears(N) to seek(O) the Lord their God.
5 They will ask the way(P) to Zion
and turn their faces toward it.
They will come(Q) and bind themselves to the Lord
in an everlasting covenant(R)
that will not be forgotten.
6 “My people have been lost sheep;(S)
their shepherds(T) have led them astray(U)
and caused them to roam on the mountains.
They wandered over mountain and hill(V)
and forgot their own resting place.(W)
7 Whoever found them devoured(X) them;
their enemies said, ‘We are not guilty,(Y)
for they sinned against the Lord, their verdant pasture,
the Lord, the hope(Z) of their ancestors.’
8 “Flee(AA) out of Babylon;(AB)
leave the land of the Babylonians,
and be like the goats that lead the flock.
9 For I will stir(AC) up and bring against Babylon
an alliance of great nations(AD) from the land of the north.(AE)
They will take up their positions against her,
and from the north she will be captured.(AF)
Their arrows(AG) will be like skilled warriors
who do not return empty-handed.
10 So Babylonia[b] will be plundered;(AH)
all who plunder her will have their fill,”
declares the Lord.
11 “Because you rejoice and are glad,
you who pillage my inheritance,(AI)
because you frolic like a heifer(AJ) threshing grain
and neigh like stallions,
12 your mother will be greatly ashamed;
she who gave you birth will be disgraced.(AK)
She will be the least of the nations—
a wilderness, a dry land, a desert.(AL)
13 Because of the Lord’s anger she will not be inhabited
but will be completely desolate.(AM)
All who pass Babylon will be appalled;(AN)
they will scoff(AO) because of all her wounds.(AP)
14 “Take up your positions around Babylon,
all you who draw the bow.(AQ)
Shoot at her! Spare no arrows,(AR)
for she has sinned against the Lord.
15 Shout(AS) against her on every side!
She surrenders, her towers fall,
her walls(AT) are torn down.
Since this is the vengeance(AU) of the Lord,
take vengeance on her;
do to her(AV) as she has done to others.(AW)
16 Cut off from Babylon the sower,
and the reaper with his sickle at harvest.
Because of the sword(AX) of the oppressor
let everyone return to their own people,(AY)
let everyone flee to their own land.(AZ)
17 “Israel is a scattered flock(BA)
that lions(BB) have chased away.
The first to devour(BC) them
was the king(BD) of Assyria;
the last to crush their bones(BE)
was Nebuchadnezzar(BF) king(BG) of Babylon.”
18 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says:
“I will punish the king of Babylon and his land
as I punished the king(BH) of Assyria.(BI)
19 But I will bring(BJ) Israel back to their own pasture,
and they will graze on Carmel and Bashan;
their appetite will be satisfied(BK)
on the hills(BL) of Ephraim and Gilead.(BM)
20 In those days, at that time,”
declares the Lord,
“search will be made for Israel’s guilt,
but there will be none,(BN)
and for the sins(BO) of Judah,
but none will be found,
for I will forgive(BP) the remnant(BQ) I spare.
21 “Attack the land of Merathaim
and those who live in Pekod.(BR)
Pursue, kill and completely destroy[c] them,”
declares the Lord.
“Do everything I have commanded you.
22 The noise(BS) of battle is in the land,
the noise of great destruction!
23 How broken and shattered
is the hammer(BT) of the whole earth!(BU)
How desolate(BV) is Babylon
among the nations!
24 I set a trap(BW) for you, Babylon,
and you were caught before you knew it;
you were found and captured(BX)
because you opposed(BY) the Lord.
25 The Lord has opened his arsenal
and brought out the weapons(BZ) of his wrath,
for the Sovereign Lord Almighty has work to do
in the land of the Babylonians.(CA)
26 Come against her from afar.(CB)
Break open her granaries;
pile her up like heaps of grain.(CC)
Completely destroy(CD) her
and leave her no remnant.
27 Kill all her young bulls;(CE)
let them go down to the slaughter!(CF)
Woe to them! For their day(CG) has come,
the time(CH) for them to be punished.
28 Listen to the fugitives(CI) and refugees from Babylon
declaring in Zion(CJ)
how the Lord our God has taken vengeance,(CK)
vengeance for his temple.(CL)
29 “Summon archers against Babylon,
all those who draw the bow.(CM)
Encamp all around her;
let no one escape.(CN)
Repay(CO) her for her deeds;(CP)
do to her as she has done.
For she has defied(CQ) the Lord,
the Holy One(CR) of Israel.
30 Therefore, her young men(CS) will fall in the streets;
all her soldiers will be silenced in that day,”
declares the Lord.
31 “See, I am against(CT) you, you arrogant one,”
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
“for your day(CU) has come,
the time for you to be punished.
32 The arrogant(CV) one will stumble and fall(CW)
and no one will help her up;(CX)
I will kindle a fire(CY) in her towns
that will consume all who are around her.”
33 This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“The people of Israel are oppressed,(CZ)
and the people of Judah as well.
All their captors hold them fast,
refusing to let them go.(DA)
34 Yet their Redeemer(DB) is strong;
the Lord Almighty(DC) is his name.
He will vigorously defend their cause(DD)
so that he may bring rest(DE) to their land,
but unrest to those who live in Babylon.
35 “A sword(DF) against the Babylonians!”(DG)
declares the Lord—
“against those who live in Babylon
and against her officials and wise(DH) men!
36 A sword against her false prophets!
They will become fools.
A sword against her warriors!(DI)
They will be filled with terror.(DJ)
37 A sword against her horses and chariots(DK)
and all the foreigners in her ranks!
They will become weaklings.(DL)
A sword against her treasures!(DM)
They will be plundered.
38 A drought on[d] her waters!(DN)
They will dry(DO) up.
For it is a land of idols,(DP)
idols that will go mad with terror.
39 “So desert creatures(DQ) and hyenas will live there,
and there the owl will dwell.
It will never again be inhabited
or lived in from generation to generation.(DR)
40 As I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah(DS)
along with their neighboring towns,”
declares the Lord,
“so no one will live there;
no people will dwell in it.(DT)
41 “Look! An army is coming from the north;(DU)
a great nation and many kings
are being stirred(DV) up from the ends of the earth.(DW)
42 They are armed with bows(DX) and spears;
they are cruel(DY) and without mercy.(DZ)
They sound like the roaring sea(EA)
as they ride on their horses;
they come like men in battle formation
to attack you, Daughter Babylon.(EB)
43 The king of Babylon has heard reports about them,
and his hands hang limp.(EC)
Anguish has gripped him,
pain like that of a woman in labor.(ED)
44 Like a lion coming up from Jordan’s thickets(EE)
to a rich pastureland,
I will chase Babylon from its land in an instant.
Who is the chosen(EF) one I will appoint for this?
Who is like me and who can challenge me?(EG)
And what shepherd can stand against me?”
45 Therefore, hear what the Lord has planned against Babylon,
what he has purposed(EH) against the land of the Babylonians:(EI)
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;(EJ)
its cry(EK) will resound among the nations.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 50:1 Or Chaldeans; also in verses 8, 25, 35 and 45
- Jeremiah 50:10 Or Chaldea
- 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.
- Jeremiah 50:38 Or A sword against
Jérémie 50
La Bible du Semeur
Jérémie 50
La Bible du Semeur
Contre Babylone
La chute de Babylone et le retour des exilés
50 Voici le message que l’Eternel communiqua par le prophète Jérémie au sujet de Babylone et du pays des Chaldéens :
2 Proclamez la nouvelle ╵parmi les peuples !
Publiez-la !
Elevez l’étendard !
Oui, faites-la savoir ╵et ne la cachez pas !
Dites que Babylone est prise,
Bel est couvert de honte,
Mardouk est tout épouvanté[a].
Ses statues sont honteuses,
et ses idoles sont dans l’épouvante.
3 Car un peuple ennemi, ╵du nord, vient t’attaquer[b] ;
il transformera ton pays ╵en une terre dévastée
où nul n’habitera.
Des hommes jusqu’aux bêtes, ╵tous partiront, ils s’en iront.
4 En ce temps-là, ╵à cette époque,
l’Eternel le déclare,
les Israélites viendront ╵avec les Judéens,
ils marcheront en larmes
et ils se tourneront ╵vers l’Eternel, leur Dieu.
5 Et ils s’informeront ╵du chemin qui mène à Sion,
ils tourneront ╵vers elle leurs regards.
« Venez, se diront-ils, ╵attachons-nous à l’Eternel
par une alliance éternelle ╵qu’on n’oubliera jamais. »
6 Mon peuple était semblable ╵à des moutons perdus.
Leurs bergers les ont égarés,
ils les ont détournés ╵sur les montagnes.
De montagne en colline,
ils allaient en oubliant leur bercail.
7 Ceux qui les rencontraient ╵en faisaient leur pâture.
Leurs ennemis disaient :
« Nous ne nous mettrons pas en tort,
puisqu’ils ont péché contre l’Eternel,
lui qui avait été pour eux ╵comme un enclos où régnait la justice
et en qui leurs ancêtres ╵avaient placé leur espérance. »
8 Partez de Babylone[c]
et du pays des Chaldéens !
Oui, sortez-en comme des boucs ╵en tête du troupeau !
9 Car je vais susciter
une coalition ╵de grandes nations[d] des pays du nord
pour qu’elles viennent ╵attaquer Babylone.
Elles se rangeront ╵en bataille contre elle
et s’en empareront.
Leurs flèches sont semblables ╵à d’habiles guerriers
et elles ne reviennent pas à vide.
10 Et la Chaldée sera mise au pillage ;
ceux qui la pilleront ╵se rassasieront bien,
l’Eternel le déclare.
11 Ah ! vous pouvez bien vous réjouir, ╵exulter d’allégresse,
vous qui avez pillé ╵mon patrimoine !
Vous pouvez vous ébattre ╵comme une génisse foulant le blé
et vous pouvez hennir ╵comme des étalons ;
12 votre mère-patrie ╵est toute couverte de honte,
celle qui vous a enfantés ╵connaît le déshonneur.
La voici mise au dernier rang ╵de toutes les nations,
devenue un désert, ╵une terre aride, une steppe.
13 L’indignation de l’Eternel
en a fait une terre ╵où tout est dévasté
et où personne n’habite.
Tous ceux qui passeront ╵tout près de Babylone
en seront effarés ╵et siffleront d’horreur ╵à la vue de toutes ses plaies.
14 Oui, vous tous les archers,
rangez-vous en bataille ╵autour de Babylone,
tirez contre elle,
n’épargnez pas les flèches,
car elle a péché contre l’Eternel.
15 Poussez des cris de guerre ╵de tous côtés contre elle !
Elle se rend,
ses remparts sont tombés,
ses murailles sont démolies :
c’est ici la rétribution ╵de l’Eternel contre elle.
Oui, rétribuez-la,
et faites-lui comme elle a fait !
16 Eliminez de Babylone ╵à la fois le semeur
et celui qui tient la faucille ╵au temps de la moisson !
Et devant l’épée meurtrière,
chacun s’en retournera chez les siens,
chacun fuira dans son pays[e] !
17 Israël est semblable ╵à une brebis isolée
pourchassée par des lions :
le premier l’a mangée, ╵ – c’est le roi d’Assyrie –
et le suivant ╵lui a broyé les os :
Nabuchodonosor, ╵le roi de Babylone[f].
18 Et c’est pourquoi ╵voici ce que déclare ╵le Seigneur des armées célestes, ╵Dieu d’Israël :
Je vais rétribuer ╵le roi de Babylone ╵et son pays,
tout comme j’ai rétribué ╵le roi de l’Assyrie[g].
19 Je ramènerai Israël ╵dans son enclos ;
il paîtra de nouveau ╵sur le Carmel et au Basan,
il se rassasiera
sur les monts d’Ephraïm ╵et ceux de Galaad[h].
20 En ce temps-là, ╵à cette époque,
l’Eternel le déclare,
on aura beau chercher ╵la faute d’Israël,
elle aura disparu,
le péché de Juda,
on ne le retrouvera plus ;
car je pardonnerai au reste ╵que j’aurai épargné.
21 Lancez-vous à l’attaque ╵du pays de Merataïm[i] !
Sus aux habitants de Peqod,
poursuis-les et massacre-les, ╵extermine-les tous ╵pour me les consacrer,
déclare l’Eternel,
oui, fais tout ce que je t’ai ordonné.
22 On entend le bruit du combat ╵dans le pays ;
immense est le désastre.
23 Comment est-ce possible ? ╵il est brisé, mis en pièces,
le marteau qui frappait toute la terre.
Babylone a été réduite ╵à une terre dévastée ╵au milieu des nations !
24 Je t’ai tendu un piège,
et tu as été prise, ╵ô Babylone,
sans t’en apercevoir.
Oui, tu as été découverte ╵et l’on s’est emparé de toi,
car tu t’es attaquée ╵à l’Eternel lui-même.
25 L’Eternel a ouvert son arsenal
et il en a tiré les armes ╵de sa colère ;
car c’est là l’œuvre
que l’Eternel, ╵le Seigneur des armées célestes, ╵va accomplir
dans le pays des Chaldéens.
26 Venez vers elle ╵du bout du monde,
défoncez ses greniers,
entassez le butin ╵comme des tas de gerbes,
et exterminez-la totalement :
qu’il n’en reste plus rien !
27 Massacrez ses guerriers, ╵tous ses jeunes taureaux :
qu’on les mène au carnage !
Ah ! quel malheur pour eux, ╵le temps est arrivé,
c’est le jour de leur châtiment !
28 Ecoutez ! on entend ╵la voix de ceux qui fuient ╵et des rescapés de Babylonie.
Ils viennent apprendre à Sion ╵quelle rétribution ╵l’Eternel notre Dieu ╵a exercé sur Babylone
et comment il a fait payer ╵ce qu’elle a fait contre son temple.
29 Appelez les archers contre elle,
tous ceux qui bandent l’arc,
et dressez tout autour ╵un camp pour l’attaquer,
qu’il n’y ait pas de rescapés,
oui, faites-lui payer ╵selon ce qu’elle a fait[j] :
faites-lui tout ce qu’elle a fait !
Car, envers l’Eternel, ╵elle s’est montrée insolente
envers le Dieu saint d’Israël.
30 Aussi ses jeunes gens ╵tomberont sur ses places
et tous ses combattants,
ce jour-là, seront réduits au silence,
l’Eternel le déclare.
31 Je vais m’en prendre à toi, ╵toi l’orgueilleuse,
déclare l’Eternel, ╵le Seigneur des armées célestes,
car le temps est venu pour toi,
c’est le jour de rendre des comptes.
32 La voilà qui chancelle, ╵l’insolente, et qui tombe,
et nul ne la relève.
Je vais mettre le feu à ses cités
et il consumera ╵tout ce qui est autour.
L’Eternel défend la cause de son peuple
33 Voici ce que déclare ╵le Seigneur des armées célestes :
Les gens d’Israël et ceux de Juda ╵sont opprimés, ╵les uns comme les autres.
Tous ceux qui les ont déportés ╵les retiennent chez eux
et ils refusent ╵de les laisser aller.
34 Pourtant, leur libérateur est puissant :
oui il se nomme ╵le Seigneur des armées célestes.
Il prend en main leur cause ╵et il la défendra.
Il donnera ╵la tranquillité au pays
et il ébranlera ╵les habitants de Babylone.
35 Epée, fonds sur les Chaldéens,
demande l’Eternel,
et sur les habitants de Babylone,
sur ses ministres et ses sages !
36 Epée, fonds sur ses magiciens[k]
et qu’ils perdent le sens !
Epée ! Sus aux guerriers,
et qu’ils soient terrifiés !
37 Epée, fonds sur ses chevaux et ses chars
et sur tout ce ramassis de gens ╵qui sont chez elle.
Et qu’ils ne soient plus que des femmelettes !
Epée ! Fonds sur tous ses trésors :
qu’ils soient pillés !
38 Sécheresse[l], fonds sur tous ses canaux
et qu’ils soient asséchés !
Car ce pays est plein d’idoles,
et ces épouvantails ╵les font déraisonner.
39 C’est pourquoi les chacals ╵y auront leur demeure ╵avec les chats sauvages,
et les autruches ╵en feront leur séjour.
Personne, plus jamais, ╵ne s’y établira,
elle restera dépeuplée ╵à perpétuité[m].
40 Il en sera ╵comme lors de la catastrophe ╵de Sodome et Gomorrhe ╵et des cités voisines[n], ╵que Dieu a renversées,
l’Eternel le déclare :
Personne n’y habitera,
non, aucun être humain ╵n’y séjournera plus.
L’ennemi viendra du nord
41 Un peuple va venir du nord,
une grande nation ; ╵des rois nombreux
se mettent en campagne ╵des confins de la terre[o].
42 Ils empoignent l’arc et la lance,
ils sont cruels et sans pitié,
et ils mugissent ╵comme la mer.
Ils sont montés sur des chevaux,
rangés en ordre de bataille ╵tout comme des soldats
pour te combattre, ╵communauté de Babylone !
43 Lorsque le roi de Babylone ╵a appris la nouvelle,
ses bras ont défailli,
l’angoisse l’a étreint,
des douleurs l’ont saisi ╵comme une femme en couches.
44 Voici, comme un lion ╵monte des forêts luxuriantes du Jourdain
vers des enclos solides,
moi je viendrai ╵les faire déguerpir de là ╵en un clin d’œil,
et je me choisirai ╵quelqu’un pour dominer sur lui[p].
Car qui est mon égal ?
Qui me demandera des comptes ?
Et quel est le berger ╵qui pourrait tenir contre moi[q] ?
45 Ecoutez donc le plan ╵que l’Eternel ╵a formé contre Babylone,
et les projets qu’il a formés ╵au sujet du pays des Chaldéens :
on les entraînera ╵comme les plus chétives ╵des bêtes du troupeau
et l’on ravagera ╵après eux leur enclos.
46 Au bruit de la prise de Babylone,
la terre tremblera,
et chez les peuples étrangers, ╵on entendra un cri.
Footnotes
- 50.2 Bel… Mardouk: voir Es 46.1.
- 50.3 Il s’agit certainement des Mèdes dont le royaume se trouvait au sud-est de Babylone. Le septentrion est peut-être une désignation symbolique de la direction d’où vient le malheur.
- 50.8 Voir Es 48.20 ; 52.11. Repris en Ap 18.4.
- 50.9 Les Médo-Perses et leurs alliés (voir 51.27-28).
- 50.16 Reprend Es 13.14.
- 50.17 Les Assyriens ont détruit le royaume du Nord (prise de Samarie en 722 av. J.-C.) et les Babyloniens Juda (chute de Jérusalem en 587 av. J.-C.).
- 50.18 Ninive, la capitale de l’Assyrie, est tombée en 612 av. J.-C. et l’Assyrie elle-même fut vaincue par une coalition des Mèdes et des Babyloniens en 609. Babylone sera vaincue par les Médo-Perses.
- 50.19 Territoire à l’est du Jourdain.
- 50.21 Merataïm: en hébreu, ce nom peut avoir le sens de double rébellion. Il s’agit sans doute d’un jeu de mots avec le nom marratu qui désigne une région au sud de Babylone. Peqod, qui signifie punition, est un jeu de mots avec le nom Puqudu qui désigne une tribu vivant près de l’embouchure du Tigre.
- 50.29 Repris en Ap 18.6.
- 50.36 Autre traduction : ses vantards.
- 50.38 Sécheresse et épée s’écrivent avec les mêmes consonnes en hébreu.
- 50.39 Voir Ap 18.2.
- 50.40 Voir Gn 18.20 à 19.29 (Jr 49.18 ; Es 13.19).
- 50.41 Les v. 41-43 ont leur parallèle en 6.22-24.
- 50.44 quelqu’un pour dominer sur lui. Autre traduction : de ses meilleurs béliers.
- 50.44 Les v. 44-46 ont leur parallèle en 49.19-21.
Jeremiah 50
English Standard Version
Jeremiah 50
English Standard Version
Judgment on Babylon
50 The word that the Lord spoke concerning (A)Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, (B)by Jeremiah the prophet:
2 “Declare among the nations and proclaim,
set up a banner and proclaim,
conceal it not, and say:
(C)‘Babylon is taken,
(D)Bel is put to shame,
Merodach is dismayed.
(E)Her images are put to shame,
her idols are dismayed.’
3 “For (F)out of the north a nation has come up against her, (G)which shall make her land a desolation, and none shall dwell in it; (H)both man and beast shall flee away.
4 (I)“In those days and in that time, declares the Lord, (J)the people of Israel and the people of Judah shall come together, (K)weeping as they come, and they (L)shall seek the Lord their God. 5 (M)They shall ask the way to Zion, with faces turned toward it, (N)saying, ‘Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an (O)everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.’
6 (P)“My people have been lost sheep. (Q)Their shepherds have led them astray, turning them away on the mountains. From mountain to hill they have gone. They have forgotten their fold. 7 All who found them have devoured them, (R)and their enemies have said, ‘We are not guilty, for (S)they have sinned against the Lord, (T)their habitation of righteousness, the Lord, (U)the hope of their fathers.’
8 (V)“Flee from the midst of Babylon, (W)and go out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as male goats before the flock. 9 For behold, I am stirring up and bringing against Babylon (X)a gathering of great nations, from the north country. And they shall array themselves against her. From there she shall be taken. Their arrows are like a skilled warrior who does not return empty-handed. 10 (Y)Chaldea shall be plundered; all who plunder her shall be sated, declares the Lord.
11 (Z)“Though you rejoice, though you exult,
O plunderers of my heritage,
though you frolic like a heifer in the pasture,
and neigh like stallions,
12 your mother shall be utterly shamed,
and she who bore you shall be disgraced.
Behold, she shall be the last of the nations,
(AA)a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.
13 (AB)Because of the wrath of the Lord she shall not be inhabited
but shall be an utter desolation;
(AC)everyone who passes by Babylon shall be appalled,
(AD)and hiss because of all her wounds.
14 (AE)Set yourselves in array against Babylon all around,
(AF)all you who bend the bow;
shoot at her, spare no arrows,
(AG)for she has sinned against the Lord.
15 (AH)Raise a shout against her all around;
she has surrendered;
her bulwarks have fallen;
(AI)her walls are thrown down.
For (AJ)this is the vengeance of the Lord:
take vengeance on her;
(AK)do to her as she has done.
16 Cut off from Babylon the sower,
and the one who handles the sickle in time of harvest;
(AL)because of the sword of the oppressor,
(AM)every one shall turn to his own people,
and every one shall flee to his own land.
17 (AN)“Israel is a hunted sheep (AO)driven away by lions. (AP)First the king of Assyria (AQ)devoured him, and now at last (AR)Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (AS)has gnawed his bones. 18 Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, (AT)I am bringing punishment on the king of Babylon and his land, (AU)as I punished the king of Assyria. 19 (AV)I will restore Israel to his pasture, and (AW)he shall feed on (AX)Carmel and in (AY)Bashan, and his desire shall be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and in (AZ)Gilead. 20 In those days and in that time, declares the Lord, (BA)iniquity shall be sought in Israel, and there shall be none, and sin in Judah, and none shall be found, for (BB)I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.
21 “Go up against the land of Merathaim,[a]
and against the inhabitants of Pekod.[b]
Kill, (BC)and devote them to destruction,[c]
declares the Lord,
and do all that I have commanded you.
22 (BD)The noise of battle is in the land,
and great destruction!
23 (BE)How the hammer of the whole earth
is cut down and broken!
(BF)How Babylon (BG)has become
a horror among the nations!
24 (BH)I set a snare for you and you were taken, O Babylon,
and (BI)you did not know it;
you were found and caught,
because you opposed the Lord.
25 The Lord has opened his armory
and brought out (BJ)the weapons of his wrath,
for the Lord God of hosts has a work to do
in the land of the Chaldeans.
26 Come against her from every quarter;
open her granaries;
(BK)pile her up like heaps of grain, and devote her to destruction;
let nothing be left of her.
27 Kill all (BL)her bulls;
let them go down to the slaughter.
Woe to them, for their day has come,
(BM)the time of their punishment.
28 “A voice! They (BN)flee and escape from the land of Babylon, (BO)to declare in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God, vengeance for (BP)his temple.
29 (BQ)“Summon archers against Babylon, all those who bend the bow. (BR)Encamp around her; let no one escape. (BS)Repay her according to her deeds; do to her according to all that she has done. For she has (BT)proudly defied the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. 30 (BU)Therefore her young men shall fall in her squares, and all her soldiers shall be destroyed on that day, declares the Lord.
31 “Behold, I am against you, O (BV)proud one,
declares the Lord God of hosts,
(BW)for your day has come,
the time when I will punish you.
32 (BX)The proud one shall stumble and fall,
with none to raise him up,
(BY)and I will kindle a fire in his cities,
and it will devour all that is around him.
33 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: (BZ)The people of Israel are oppressed, and the people of Judah with them. All who took them captive have held them fast; (CA)they refuse to let them go. 34 (CB)Their Redeemer is strong; (CC)the Lord of hosts is his name. (CD)He will surely plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, but unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon.
35 “A sword against the Chaldeans, declares the Lord,
and against the inhabitants of Babylon,
and against (CE)her officials and her (CF)wise men!
36 A sword against the diviners,
that they may become fools!
A sword against her (CG)warriors,
that they may be destroyed!
37 A sword against her horses and against her chariots,
and against all (CH)the foreign troops in her midst,
that (CI)they may become women!
(CJ)A sword against all her treasures,
that they may be plundered!
38 (CK)A drought against her waters,
that they may be dried up!
(CL)For it is a land of images,
and they are mad over idols.
39 (CM)“Therefore wild beasts shall dwell with hyenas in Babylon,[d] and ostriches shall dwell in her. She shall never again have people, nor be inhabited for all generations. 40 (CN)As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities, declares the Lord, (CO)so no man shall dwell there, and no son of man shall sojourn in her.
41 (CP)“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.
44 (CQ)“Behold, like a lion coming up from the thicket of the Jordan against a perennial pasture, I will suddenly make them run away from her, and I will appoint over her whomever I choose. For who is like me? Who will summon me? What shepherd (CR)can stand before me? 45 Therefore hear (CS)the plan that the Lord has made against Babylon, (CT)and the purposes that he has formed against the land of the Chaldeans: (CU)Surely the little ones of their flock shall be dragged away; surely their fold shall be appalled at their fate. 46 (CV)At the sound of the capture of Babylon the earth shall tremble, and her cry shall be heard among the nations.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 50:21 Merathaim means double rebellion
- Jeremiah 50:21 Pekod means punishment
- Jeremiah 50:21 That is, set apart (devote) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction)
- Jeremiah 50:39 Hebrew lacks in Babylon
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