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51 Yahweh says:

“Behold, I will raise up against Babylon,
    and against those who dwell in Lebkamai, a destroying wind.
I will send to Babylon strangers, who will winnow her.
    They will empty her land;
    for in the day of trouble they will be against her all around.
Against him who bends, let the archer bend his bow,
    also against him who lifts himself up in his coat of mail.
Don’t spare her young men!
    Utterly destroy all her army!
They will fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans,
    and thrust through in her streets.
For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, by his God,
    by Yahweh of Armies;
    though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.

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51 This is what the Lord says:

“See, I will stir(A) up the spirit of a destroyer
    against Babylon(B) and the people of Leb Kamai.[a]
I will send foreigners(C) to Babylon
    to winnow(D) her and to devastate her land;
they will oppose her on every side
    in the day(E) of her disaster.
Let not the archer string his bow,(F)
    nor let him put on his armor.(G)
Do not spare her young men;
    completely destroy[b] her army.
They will fall(H) down slain in Babylon,[c]
    fatally wounded in her streets.(I)
For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken(J)
    by their God, the Lord Almighty,
though their land[d] is full of guilt(K)
    before the Holy One of Israel.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 51:1 Leb Kamai is a cryptogram for Chaldea, that is, Babylonia.
  2. Jeremiah 51:3 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  3. Jeremiah 51:4 Or Chaldea
  4. Jeremiah 51:5 Or Almighty, / and the land of the Babylonians