God’s Judgment on Babylon

51 This is what the Lord says:

I am about to stir up a destructive wind[a] against Babylon(A)
and against the population of Leb-qamai.[b][c]
I will send strangers to Babylon
who will scatter her and strip her land bare,(B)
for they will come against her
from every side in the day of disaster.
Don’t let the archer string his bow;
don’t let him put on[d] his armor.(C)
Don’t spare her young men;
completely destroy her entire army!
Those who were slain will fall in the land of the Chaldeans,
those who were pierced through, in her streets.(D)
For Israel and Judah are not left widowed
by their God, the Lord of Hosts,
though their land is full of guilt
against the Holy One of Israel.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 51:1 Or stir up the spirit of a destroyer
  2. Jeremiah 51:1 Lit heart of my adversaries
  3. Jeremiah 51:1 = Chaldeans
  4. Jeremiah 51:3 Hb obscure

Judgment against Babylon

51 This is what the Lord says:

“Look, I’m going to stir up a destroying wind
    against Babylon and the inhabitants of Leb-kamai.[a]
I’ll send foreigners to Babylon,
    and they’ll winnow her,
        and devastate[b] her land.
They’ll come against her from every side
    on the day of her[c] disaster.
Don’t let the archer[d] bend the bow;
    don’t let him rise up in his armor.
Don’t spare her young men.
    Completely destroy her entire army.
The slain will fall in the land of Chaldea,
    pierced through in her streets.
Indeed, Israel and Judah haven’t been
    abandoned[e] by their[f] God,
by the Lord of the Heavenly Armies,
    although their land is full of guilt
        against the Holy One of Israel.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 51:1 I.e. a cryptogram for Chaldea
  2. Jeremiah 51:2 Lit. empty out
  3. Jeremiah 51:2 The Heb. lacks her
  4. Jeremiah 51:3 Lit. one who bends the bow
  5. Jeremiah 51:5 Lit. widowed
  6. Jeremiah 51:5 Lit. his