Jeremiah 50:21-30

New International Reader's Version

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.