Jeremiah 51:51-58

International Children’s Bible

⁵¹ “We people of Judah are disgraced.
    We have been insulted.
    We have been shamed.
This is because strangers have gone into
    the holy places of the Lord’s Temple!”

⁵² The Lord says, “The time is coming
    when I will punish the idols of Babylon.
Wounded people will cry with pain
    all over that land.
⁵³ Babylon might grow until she touches the sky.
    She might make her cities strong.
    But I will send people to destroy that city,” says the Lord.

⁵⁴ “We can hear people crying in Babylon.
    We hear the sound of people destroying things
    in the land of the Babylonians.
⁵⁵ The Lord will destroy Babylon.
    He will make the loud sounds of the city become silent.
Enemies will come roaring in like ocean waves.
    People all around will hear that roar.
⁵⁶ The army will come and destroy Babylon.
    Babylon’s soldiers will be taken captive.
    Their bows will be broken.
This is because the Lord is a God who punishes people for the evil they do.
    He gives them the full punishment they deserve.
⁵⁷ I will make Babylon’s rulers and wise men drunk.
    I will make her governors, officers and soldiers drunk, too.
Then they will sleep forever and never wake up,” says the King.
    His name is the Lord of heaven’s armies.

“Babylon’s thick wall will be pulled down.
    Her high gates will be burned.
The people will work hard, but it won’t help.
    Their work will only become fuel for the flames!”