59 This is what the prophet Jeremiah commanded Seraiah son of Neriah son of Mahseiah,(A) the quartermaster, when he went to Babylon with King Zedekiah of Judah in the fourth year of Zedekiah’s reign. 60 Jeremiah wrote on one scroll about all the disaster that would come to Babylon;(B) all these words were written against Babylon.

61 Jeremiah told Seraiah, “When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud. 62 Say, ‘Lord, you have threatened to cut off(C) this place so that no one will live in it—people or animals.(D) Indeed, it will remain desolate forever.’ 63 When you have finished reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates River.(E) 64 Then say, ‘In the same way, Babylon will sink and never rise again because of the disaster I am bringing on her. They will grow weary.’”

The words of Jeremiah end here.

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The Scroll Concerning Babylon is Thrown into the Euphrates

59 The word that Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah, the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, at his going with Zedekiah, the king of Judah, to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Now Seraiah was the quartermaster.[a] 60 And Jeremiah wrote all the disasters[b] that would come on Babylon in one scroll, all these words that are written concerning Babylon. 61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “At your coming to Babylon, then you must see that you read aloud all these words. 62 And you must say, ‘Yahweh, you yourself spoke against this place, to destroy it, so that there will not be in it anything living, from humankind to animals,[c] for it will be an everlasting desolation.’[d] 63 And then[e] when you finish reading aloud this scroll, you must tie a stone on it, and you must throw it into the middle of the Euphrates. 64 And you must say, ‘Babylon will sink, and she will not rise, because of[f] the face of the disasters[g] that I am bringing on her, and they will grow weary.’” Thus far[h] the words of Jeremiah.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 51:59 Literally “official of the resting place”
  2. Jeremiah 51:60 Hebrew “disaster”
  3. Jeremiah 51:62 Hebrew “animal”
  4. Jeremiah 51:62 Literally “a desolation of eternity”
  5. Jeremiah 51:63 Literally “And it will happen”
  6. Jeremiah 51:64 Literally “from”
  7. Jeremiah 51:64 Hebrew “disaster”
  8. Jeremiah 51:64 Literally “Up to here”