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.

44 (B)“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 (C)can stand before me? 45 Therefore hear (D)the plan that the Lord has made against Babylon, (E)and the purposes that he has formed against the land of the Chaldeans: (F)Surely the little ones of their flock shall be dragged away; surely their fold shall be appalled at their fate. 46 (G)At the sound of the capture of Babylon the earth shall tremble, and her cry shall be heard among the nations.”

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41 Look, a people is about to come
    from the north,
and a great nation and many kings are woken up
    from the remotest part of the earth.
42 They keep hold of bow and short sword.
    They are cruel and they have no mercy.
Their sound is like the sea, it roars,
    and upon horses they ride.
Drawn up for battle as a man for the battle,
    against you, O daughter of Babylon.
43 The king of Babylon heard their report
    and his hands grew slack.
Anxiety has seized him,
    fear and pain like the woman who gives birth.
44 Look, like a lion he comes up from the thickets[a] of the Jordan
    against a pastureland by a constantly flowing stream,[b]
so I will chase them away quickly[c] from her,
    and I will appoint whoever is chosen over her.
For who is like me, and who can summon me,
    and who is this shepherd who can stand before me?[d]
45 Therefore[e] hear the plan of Yahweh
    that he has planned against Babylon,
and his plans
    that he has planned against the land of the Chaldeans.
Surely[f] they will drag them away,
    the little ones of the flock.
Surely[g] he will cause their grazing place
    to be desolate over them.
46 At the sound, ‘Babylon has been captured,’
    the earth will quake,
and a cry for help among the nations
    will be heard.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 50:44 Hebrew “thicket”
  2. Jeremiah 50:44 Literally “a pasture of ever-flowing”
  3. Jeremiah 50:44 Literally “I will do in an instant I will cause them to run”
  4. Jeremiah 50:44 Literally “to the face of me”
  5. Jeremiah 50:45 Literally “To thus”
  6. Jeremiah 50:45 Literally “If not”
  7. Jeremiah 50:45 Literally “If not”