The Fall of Babylon

18 After this I saw (A)another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and (B)the earth was made bright with his glory. And he called out with a mighty voice,

(C)“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
    She has become (D)a dwelling place for demons,
a haunt (E)for every unclean spirit,
    a haunt (F)for every unclean bird,
    a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.
For all nations have drunk[a]
    (G)the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality,
and (H)the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her,
    and (I)the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,

(J)“Come out of her, my people,
    lest you take part in her sins,
lest you share in her plagues;
for (K)her sins are heaped high as heaven,
    and (L)God has remembered her iniquities.
(M)Pay her back as she herself has paid back others,
    and repay her (N)double for her deeds;
    mix a double portion for her (O)in the cup she mixed.
(P)As she glorified herself and lived in luxury,
    so give her a like measure of torment and mourning,
since in her heart she says,
    (Q)‘I sit as a queen,
I am no widow,
    and mourning I shall never see.’
For this reason her plagues will come (R)in a single day,
    death and mourning and famine,
and (S)she will be burned up with fire;
    for (T)mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.”

And (U)the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, (V)will weep and wail over her (W)when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 (X)They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,

“Alas! Alas! (Y)You great city,
    you mighty city, Babylon!
For (Z)in a single hour your judgment has come.”

11 And (AA)the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.[b]

14 “The fruit for which your soul longed
    has gone from you,
and all your delicacies and your splendors
    are lost to you,
    never to be found again!”

15 (AB)The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, (AC)will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,

16 “Alas, alas, for the great city
    (AD)that was clothed in fine linen,
        in purple and scarlet,
    adorned with gold,
        with jewels, and with pearls!
17 For (AE)in a single hour all this wealth (AF)has been laid waste.”

And (AG)all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off 18 and (AH)cried out (AI)as they saw the smoke of her burning,

(AJ)“What city was like the great city?”

19 And they threw (AK)dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out,

“Alas, alas, for the great city
    (AL)where all who had ships at sea
    grew rich by her wealth!
For (AM)in a single hour she has been laid waste.
20 (AN)Rejoice over her, O heaven,
    and you saints and (AO)apostles and prophets,
for (AP)God has given judgment for you against her!”

21 Then (AQ)a mighty angel (AR)took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,

“So will Babylon (AS)the great city be thrown down with violence,
    and will be found no more;
22 and (AT)the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters,
    will be heard in you no more,
and a craftsman of any craft
    will be found in you no more,
and (AU)the sound of the mill
    will be heard in you no more,
23 and the light of a lamp
    will shine in you no more,
and (AV)the voice of bridegroom and bride
    will be heard in you no more,
for (AW)your merchants were the great ones of the earth,
    and all nations were deceived (AX)by your sorcery.
24 And (AY)in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,
    and of (AZ)all who have been slain on earth.”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 18:3 Some manuscripts fallen by
  2. Revelation 18:13 Or and slaves, and human lives

Lament Over Fallen Babylon

18 After this I saw another angel(A) coming down from heaven.(B) He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.(C) With a mighty voice he shouted:

“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’[a](D)
    She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,(E)
    a haunt for every unclean bird,
    a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.(F)
For all the nations have drunk
    the maddening wine of her adulteries.(G)
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,(H)
    and the merchants of the earth grew rich(I) from her excessive luxuries.”(J)

Warning to Escape Babylon’s Judgment

Then I heard another voice from heaven say:

“‘Come out of her, my people,’[b](K)
    so that you will not share in her sins,
    so that you will not receive any of her plagues;(L)
for her sins are piled up to heaven,(M)
    and God has remembered(N) her crimes.
Give back to her as she has given;
    pay her back(O) double(P) for what she has done.
    Pour her a double portion from her own cup.(Q)
Give her as much torment and grief
    as the glory and luxury she gave herself.(R)
In her heart she boasts,
    ‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;[c]
    I will never mourn.’(S)
Therefore in one day(T) her plagues will overtake her:
    death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,(U)
    for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.

Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall

“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her(V) and shared her luxury(W) see the smoke of her burning,(X) they will weep and mourn over her.(Y) 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off(Z) and cry:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(AA)
    you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour(AB) your doom has come!’

11 “The merchants(AC) of the earth will weep and mourn(AD) over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore(AE) 12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble;(AF) 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.(AG)

14 “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ 15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her(AH) will stand far off,(AI) terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn(AJ) 16 and cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(AK)
    dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
    and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!(AL)
17 In one hour(AM) such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’(AN)

“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea,(AO) will stand far off.(AP) 18 When they see the smoke of her burning,(AQ) they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city(AR)?’(AS) 19 They will throw dust on their heads,(AT) and with weeping and mourning(AU) cry out:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(AV)
    where all who had ships on the sea
    became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’(AW)

20 “Rejoice over her, you heavens!(AX)
    Rejoice, you people of God!
    Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
    with the judgment she imposed on you.”(AY)

The Finality of Babylon’s Doom

21 Then a mighty angel(AZ) picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea,(BA) and said:

“With such violence
    the great city(BB) of Babylon will be thrown down,
    never to be found again.
22 The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
    will never be heard in you again.(BC)
No worker of any trade
    will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
    will never be heard in you again.(BD)
23 The light of a lamp
    will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
    will never be heard in you again.(BE)
Your merchants were the world’s important people.(BF)
    By your magic spell(BG) all the nations were led astray.
24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,(BH)
    of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”(BI)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 18:2 Isaiah 21:9
  2. Revelation 18:4 Jer. 51:45
  3. Revelation 18:7 See Isaiah 47:7,8.

23 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
    observe carefully what[a] is before you,
and put a knife to your throat
    if you are given to appetite.
(A)Do not desire his delicacies,
    for they are deceptive food.
(B)Do not toil to acquire wealth;
    (C)be discerning enough to desist.
When your eyes light on it, it is gone,
    (D)for suddenly it sprouts wings,
    flying like an eagle toward heaven.
(E)Do not eat the bread of a man who is (F)stingy;[b]
    (G)do not desire his delicacies,
for he is like one who is inwardly calculating.[c]
    “Eat and drink!” he says to you,
    but his (H)heart is not with you.
You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten,
    and waste your pleasant words.
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
    for he will despise the good sense of your words.
10 (I)Do not move an ancient landmark
    or enter the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their (J)Redeemer is strong;
    he will (K)plead their cause against you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction
    and your ear to words of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold (L)discipline from a child;
    (M)if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14 If you strike him with the rod,
    you will (N)save his soul from Sheol.
15 (O)My son, if your heart is wise,
    my heart too will be glad.
16 My (P)inmost being[d] will exult
    when your lips speak (Q)what is right.
17 Let not your heart (R)envy sinners,
    but continue in (S)the fear of the Lord all the day.
18 Surely (T)there is a future,
    and your (U)hope will not be cut off.

19 Hear, my son, and (V)be wise,
    and (W)direct your heart in the way.
20 Be not among (X)drunkards[e]
    or among (Y)gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
    and (Z)slumber will clothe them with rags.

22 (AA)Listen to your father who gave you life,
    (AB)and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 (AC)Buy truth, and do not sell it;
    buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 (AD)The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
    he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
25 (AE)Let your father and mother be glad;
    let (AF)her who bore you rejoice.

26 My son, give me your heart,
    and let your eyes observe[f] my ways.
27 For a prostitute is (AG)a deep pit;
    (AH)an adulteress[g] is a narrow (AI)well.
28 (AJ)She lies in wait like a robber
    and increases the traitors among mankind.

29 (AK)Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
    Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has (AL)wounds without cause?
    Who has (AM)redness of eyes?
30 Those who (AN)tarry long over wine;
    those who go to try (AO)mixed wine.
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
    when it sparkles in the cup
    and goes down smoothly.
32 In the end it (AP)bites like a serpent
    and stings like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
    and your heart utter (AQ)perverse things.
34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
    like one who lies on the top of a mast.[h]
35 “They (AR)struck me,” you will say,[i] “but I was not hurt;
    they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
    I (AS)must have another drink.”

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:1 Or who
  2. Proverbs 23:6 Hebrew whose eye is evil
  3. Proverbs 23:7 Or for as he calculates in his soul, so is he
  4. Proverbs 23:16 Hebrew My kidneys
  5. Proverbs 23:20 Hebrew those who drink too much wine
  6. Proverbs 23:26 Or delight in
  7. Proverbs 23:27 Hebrew a foreign woman
  8. Proverbs 23:34 Or of the rigging
  9. Proverbs 23:35 Hebrew lacks you will say

Saying 7

23 When you sit to dine with a ruler,
    note well what[a] is before you,
and put a knife to your throat
    if you are given to gluttony.
Do not crave his delicacies,(A)
    for that food is deceptive.

Saying 8

Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
    do not trust your own cleverness.
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,(B)
    for they will surely sprout wings
    and fly off to the sky like an eagle.(C)

Saying 9

Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
    do not crave his delicacies;(D)
for he is the kind of person
    who is always thinking about the cost.[b]
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
    but his heart is not with you.
You will vomit up the little you have eaten
    and will have wasted your compliments.

Saying 10

Do not speak to fools,
    for they will scorn your prudent words.(E)

Saying 11

10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(F)
    or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their Defender(G) is strong;(H)
    he will take up their case against you.(I)

Saying 12

12 Apply your heart to instruction(J)
    and your ears to words of knowledge.

Saying 13

13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;
    if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.
14 Punish them with the rod
    and save them from death.(K)

Saying 14

15 My son, if your heart is wise,
    then my heart will be glad indeed;
16 my inmost being will rejoice
    when your lips speak what is right.(L)

Saying 15

17 Do not let your heart envy(M) sinners,
    but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
18 There is surely a future hope for you,
    and your hope will not be cut off.(N)

Saying 16

19 Listen, my son,(O) and be wise,
    and set your heart on the right path:
20 Do not join those who drink too much wine(P)
    or gorge themselves on meat,
21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor,(Q)
    and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Saying 17

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,
    and do not despise your mother when she is old.(R)
23 Buy the truth and do not sell it—
    wisdom, instruction and insight as well.(S)
24 The father of a righteous child has great joy;
    a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.(T)
25 May your father and mother rejoice;
    may she who gave you birth be joyful!(U)

Saying 18

26 My son,(V) give me your heart
    and let your eyes delight in my ways,(W)
27 for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,(X)
    and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 Like a bandit she lies in wait(Y)
    and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

Saying 19

29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
    Who has strife? Who has complaints?
    Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Those who linger over wine,(Z)
    who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
    when it sparkles in the cup,
    when it goes down smoothly!
32 In the end it bites like a snake
    and poisons like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange sights,
    and your mind will imagine confusing things.
34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,
    lying on top of the rigging.
35 “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!
    They beat me, but I don’t feel it!
When will I wake up
    so I can find another drink?”(AA)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:1 Or who
  2. Proverbs 23:7 Or for as he thinks within himself, / so he is; or for as he puts on a feast, / so he is

Jeremiah Taken to Egypt

43 When Jeremiah finished speaking to all the people all these words of the Lord their God, with which the Lord their God had sent him to them, Azariah the son of (A)Hoshaiah and (B)Johanan the son of Kareah and (C)all the insolent men said to Jeremiah, “You are telling a lie. The Lord our God did not send you to say, (D)‘Do not go to Egypt to live there,’ but (E)Baruch the son of Neriah (F)has set you against us, (G)to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may kill us or take us into exile in Babylon.” So (H)Johanan the son of Kareah and all (I)the commanders of the forces and all the people did not obey the voice of the Lord, to remain in the land of Judah. But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces took (J)all the remnant of Judah who had returned to live in the land of Judah from all the nations to which they had been driven— (K)the men, the women, the children, (L)the princesses, and every person whom (M)Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with (N)Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan; also Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of Neriah. And they came into the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the Lord. And they arrived at (O)Tahpanhes.

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah in (P)Tahpanhes: “Take in your hands large stones and hide them in the mortar in the pavement that is at the entrance to Pharaoh's palace in (Q)Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah, 10 and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, (R)my servant, (S)and I will set his throne above these stones that I have hidden, and he will spread his royal canopy over them. 11 He shall come (T)and strike the land of Egypt, (U)giving over to the pestilence those who are doomed to the pestilence, to captivity those who are doomed to captivity, and to the sword those who are doomed to the sword. 12 (V)I shall kindle a fire (W)in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them (X)and carry them away captive. (Y)And he shall clean the land of Egypt (Z)as a shepherd cleans his cloak of vermin, and he shall go away from there in peace. 13 He shall break the (AA)obelisks of Heliopolis, which is in the land of Egypt, (AB)and the temples of the gods of Egypt he shall burn with fire.’”

Judgment for Idolatry

44 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Judeans who lived in the land of Egypt, at (AC)Migdol, at (AD)Tahpanhes, at Memphis, and in the land of (AE)Pathros, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: You have seen all the disaster that I brought upon Jerusalem and upon all the cities of Judah. Behold, this day (AF)they are a desolation, and no one dwells in them, because of the evil that they committed, (AG)provoking me to anger, (AH)in that they went to make offerings (AI)and serve other gods that they knew not, neither they, nor you, nor your fathers. (AJ)Yet I persistently sent to you all my servants the prophets, saying, ‘Oh, do not do this abomination that I hate!’ (AK)But they did not listen (AL)or incline their ear, to turn from their evil and make no offerings to other gods. (AM)Therefore my wrath and my anger were poured out and kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, (AN)and they became a waste and a desolation, as at this day. And now thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel: Why do you commit this great evil (AO)against yourselves, to cut off from you (AP)man and woman, (AQ)infant and child, from the midst of Judah, leaving you no remnant? (AR)Why do you provoke me to anger with the works of your hands, (AS)making offerings to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have come to live, so that you may be cut off and become (AT)a curse and a taunt among all the nations of the earth? Have you forgotten the evil of your fathers, (AU)the evil of the kings of Judah, (AV)the evil of their[a] wives, your own evil, (AW)and the evil of your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 10 They have not humbled themselves even to this day, (AX)nor have they feared, nor walked in my law and my statutes that I set before you and before your fathers.

11 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: (AY)Behold, I will set my face against you for harm, to cut off all Judah. 12 I will take the remnant of Judah who have (AZ)set their faces to come to the land of Egypt to live, and they shall all be consumed. (BA)In the land of Egypt they shall fall; by the sword and by famine (BB)they shall be consumed. (BC)From the least to the greatest, they shall die by the sword and by famine, (BD)and they shall become an oath, a horror, (BE)a curse, and a taunt. 13 (BF)I will punish those who dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, 14 (BG)so that none of the remnant of Judah who have come to live in the land of Egypt shall escape or survive (BH)or return to the land of Judah, to which they desire to return to dwell there. For they shall not return, (BI)except some fugitives.”

15 Then all the men who knew that (BJ)their wives had made offerings to other gods, and all the women who stood by, a great assembly, all the people who lived in (BK)Pathros in the land of Egypt, answered Jeremiah: 16 “As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, (BL)we will not listen to you. 17 (BM)But we will do everything that we have vowed, make offerings to (BN)the queen of heaven (BO)and pour out drink offerings to her, (BP)as we did, both we and our fathers, our kings and our officials, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, and prospered, and saw no disaster. 18 But since we left off making offerings to (BQ)the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything (BR)and have been consumed by the sword and by famine.” 19 And the women said,[b] “When we made offerings to the queen of heaven (BS)and poured out drink offerings to her, was it (BT)without our husbands' approval that we made cakes for her bearing her image and poured out drink offerings to her?”

20 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, (BU)men and women, all the people who had given him this answer: 21 (BV)“As for the offerings that you offered in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your fathers, your kings and your officials, and the people of the land, (BW)did not the Lord remember them? Did it not come into his mind? 22 (BX)The Lord could no longer bear your evil deeds and (BY)the abominations that you committed. (BZ)Therefore your land has become (CA)a desolation and a waste and a curse, (CB)without inhabitant, as it is this day. 23 It is because you made offerings (CC)and because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey the voice of the Lord or walk in his law and in his statutes and in his testimonies (CD)that this disaster has happened to you, as at this day.”

24 Jeremiah said to all the people and all the women, “Hear the word of the Lord, (CE)all you of Judah who are in the land of Egypt. 25 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: (CF)You and your wives have declared with your mouths, and have fulfilled it with your hands, saying, ‘We will surely perform our vows that we have made, (CG)to make offerings to the queen of heaven and to pour out drink offerings to her.’ Then confirm your vows and perform your vows! 26 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, (CH)all you of Judah who dwell in the land of Egypt: (CI)Behold, I have sworn by my great name, says the Lord, (CJ)that my name shall no more be invoked by the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, (CK)saying, ‘As the Lord God lives.’ 27 (CL)Behold, I am watching over them for disaster and not for good. (CM)All the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by famine, until there is an end of them. 28 (CN)And those who escape the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, (CO)few in number; and all the remnant of Judah, who came to the land of Egypt to live, (CP)shall know whose word will stand, mine or theirs. 29 This shall be the sign to you, declares the Lord, that I will punish you in this place, in order that you may know that (CQ)my words will surely stand against you for harm: 30 Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will give (CR)Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies (CS)and into the hand of those who seek his life, as I gave (CT)Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and sought his life.”

Message to Baruch

45 The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to (CU)Baruch the son of Neriah, (CV)when he wrote these words in a book at the dictation of Jeremiah, (CW)in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: You said, (CX)‘Woe is me! For the Lord has added sorrow to my pain. (CY)I am weary with my groaning, (CZ)and I find no rest.’ Thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord: (DA)Behold, what I have built I am breaking down, and what I have planted I am plucking up—that is, the whole land. And (DB)do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, (DC)I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the Lord. But I will give you (DD)your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 44:9 Hebrew his
  2. Jeremiah 44:19 Compare Syriac; Hebrew lacks And the women said

43 When Jeremiah had finished telling the people all the words of the Lord their God—everything the Lord had sent him to tell them(A) Azariah son of Hoshaiah(B) and Johanan(C) son of Kareah and all the arrogant(D) men said to Jeremiah, “You are lying!(E) The Lord our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to settle there.’(F) But Baruch(G) son of Neriah is inciting you against us to hand us over to the Babylonians,[a] so they may kill us or carry us into exile to Babylon.”(H)

So Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers and all the people(I) disobeyed the Lord’s command(J) to stay in the land of Judah.(K) Instead, Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers led away all the remnant of Judah who had come back to live in the land of Judah from all the nations where they had been scattered.(L) They also led away all those whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan—the men, the women,(M) the children and the king’s daughters. And they took Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch(N) son of Neriah along with them. So they entered Egypt(O) in disobedience to the Lord and went as far as Tahpanhes.(P)

In Tahpanhes(Q) the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “While the Jews are watching, take some large stones(R) with you and bury them in clay in the brick(S) pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace(T) in Tahpanhes. 10 Then say to them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will send for my servant(U) Nebuchadnezzar(V) king of Babylon, and I will set his throne(W) over these stones I have buried here; he will spread his royal canopy(X) above them. 11 He will come and attack Egypt,(Y) bringing death(Z) to those destined(AA) for death, captivity to those destined for captivity,(AB) and the sword to those destined for the sword.(AC) 12 He will set fire(AD) to the temples(AE) of the gods(AF) of Egypt; he will burn their temples and take their gods captive.(AG) As a shepherd picks(AH) his garment clean of lice, so he will pick Egypt clean and depart. 13 There in the temple of the sun[b](AI) in Egypt he will demolish the sacred pillars(AJ) and will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.’”

Disaster Because of Idolatry

44 This word came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews living in Lower Egypt(AK)—in Migdol,(AL) Tahpanhes(AM) and Memphis(AN)—and in Upper Egypt:(AO) “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You saw the great disaster(AP) I brought on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah.(AQ) Today they lie deserted and in ruins(AR) because of the evil(AS) they have done. They aroused my anger(AT) by burning incense(AU) to and worshiping other gods(AV) that neither they nor you nor your ancestors(AW) ever knew. Again and again(AX) I sent my servants the prophets,(AY) who said, ‘Do not do this detestable(AZ) thing that I hate!’ But they did not listen or pay attention;(BA) they did not turn from their wickedness(BB) or stop burning incense(BC) to other gods.(BD) Therefore, my fierce anger was poured out;(BE) it raged against the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem and made them the desolate ruins(BF) they are today.

“Now this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Why bring such great disaster(BG) on yourselves by cutting off from Judah the men and women,(BH) the children and infants, and so leave yourselves without a remnant?(BI) Why arouse my anger with what your hands have made,(BJ) burning incense(BK) to other gods in Egypt,(BL) where you have come to live?(BM) You will destroy yourselves and make yourselves a curse[c] and an object of reproach(BN) among all the nations on earth. Have you forgotten the wickedness committed by your ancestors(BO) and by the kings(BP) and queens(BQ) of Judah and the wickedness committed by you and your wives(BR) in the land of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem?(BS) 10 To this day they have not humbled(BT) themselves or shown reverence,(BU) nor have they followed my law(BV) and the decrees(BW) I set before you and your ancestors.(BX)

11 “Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty,(BY) the God of Israel, says: I am determined to bring disaster(BZ) on you and to destroy all Judah. 12 I will take away the remnant(CA) of Judah who were determined to go to Egypt to settle there. They will all perish in Egypt; they will fall by the sword or die from famine. From the least to the greatest,(CB) they will die by sword or famine.(CC) They will become a curse and an object of horror, a curse and an object of reproach.(CD) 13 I will punish(CE) those who live in Egypt with the sword,(CF) famine and plague,(CG) as I punished Jerusalem. 14 None of the remnant of Judah who have gone to live in Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, to which they long to return and live; none will return except a few fugitives.”(CH)

15 Then all the men who knew that their wives(CI) were burning incense(CJ) to other gods, along with all the women(CK) who were present—a large assembly—and all the people living in Lower and Upper Egypt,(CL) said to Jeremiah, 16 “We will not listen(CM) to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord!(CN) 17 We will certainly do everything we said we would:(CO) We will burn incense(CP) to the Queen of Heaven(CQ) and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials(CR) did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem.(CS) At that time we had plenty of food(CT) and were well off and suffered no harm.(CU) 18 But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings(CV) to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine.(CW)

19 The women added, “When we burned incense(CX) to the Queen of Heaven(CY) and poured out drink offerings to her, did not our husbands(CZ) know that we were making cakes(DA) impressed with her image(DB) and pouring out drink offerings to her?”

20 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, both men and women, who were answering him, 21 “Did not the Lord remember(DC) and call to mind the incense(DD) burned in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem(DE) by you and your ancestors,(DF) your kings and your officials and the people of the land?(DG) 22 When the Lord could no longer endure(DH) your wicked actions and the detestable things you did, your land became a curse(DI) and a desolate waste(DJ) without inhabitants, as it is today.(DK) 23 Because you have burned incense and have sinned against the Lord and have not obeyed him or followed(DL) his law or his decrees(DM) or his stipulations, this disaster(DN) has come upon you, as you now see.”(DO)

24 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including the women,(DP) “Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah in Egypt.(DQ) 25 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You and your wives(DR) have done what you said you would do when you promised, ‘We will certainly carry out the vows we made to burn incense and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven.’(DS)

“Go ahead then, do what you promised! Keep your vows!(DT) 26 But hear the word of the Lord, all you Jews living in Egypt:(DU) ‘I swear(DV) by my great name,’ says the Lord, ‘that no one from Judah living anywhere in Egypt will ever again invoke my name or swear, “As surely as the Sovereign(DW) Lord lives.”(DX) 27 For I am watching(DY) over them for harm,(DZ) not for good; the Jews in Egypt will perish(EA) by sword and famine(EB) until they are all destroyed.(EC) 28 Those who escape the sword(ED) and return to the land of Judah from Egypt will be very few.(EE) Then the whole remnant(EF) of Judah who came to live in Egypt will know whose word will stand(EG)—mine or theirs.(EH)

29 “‘This will be the sign(EI) to you that I will punish(EJ) you in this place,’ declares the Lord, ‘so that you will know that my threats of harm against you will surely stand.’(EK) 30 This is what the Lord says: ‘I am going to deliver Pharaoh(EL) Hophra king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies who want to kill him, just as I gave Zedekiah(EM) king of Judah into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the enemy who wanted to kill him.’”(EN)

A Message to Baruch

45 When Baruch(EO) son of Neriah(EP) wrote on a scroll(EQ) the words Jeremiah the prophet dictated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim(ER) son of Josiah king of Judah, Jeremiah said this to Baruch: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch: You said, ‘Woe(ES) to me! The Lord has added sorrow(ET) to my pain;(EU) I am worn out with groaning(EV) and find no rest.’(EW) But the Lord has told me to say to you, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will overthrow what I have built and uproot(EX) what I have planted,(EY) throughout the earth.(EZ) Should you then seek great(FA) things for yourself? Do not seek them.(FB) For I will bring disaster(FC) on all people,(FD) declares the Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape(FE) with your life.’”(FF)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 43:3 Or Chaldeans
  2. Jeremiah 43:13 Or in Heliopolis
  3. Jeremiah 44:8 That is, your name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that you are cursed; also in verse 12; similarly in verse 22.