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51 We are ashamed,
    for we have heard taunts,[a]
disgrace covers our faces,
    for strangers have come to the holy places of the house of Yahweh.
52 Therefore[b] look, days are coming,” declares[c] Yahweh,
    “and I will punish her images,
    and the fatally wounded will sigh through all her land.
53 Though Babylon goes up to the heavens,
    and though she fortifies the high place of her strength,
    from me destroyers will come to her,” declares[d] Yahweh.
54 The sound of a cry for help from Babylon,
    and a great collapse from the land of the Chaldeans.
55 For Yahweh is devastating Babylon,
    and he obliterates her loud noise[e] from her.
Their waves roar like mighty waters,
    the roar of their voices[f] resounds.
56 For a destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon,
    and her warriors are captured.
Their bows are broken;
    for Yahweh is a God of recompense,
    certainly he will repay.
57 “And I will make drunk her officials, and her wise men,
    her governors, and her officials, and her warriors,
and they will sleep an everlasting sleep,[g]
    and they will not wake up,”
declares[h] the King, Yahweh of hosts is his name.

58 Thus says Yahweh of hosts:

“The broad walls of Babylon will be utterly demolished,
    and her high gates will burn with fire,
and the peoples will labor for nothing,[i]
    and the nations for fire,[j]
and they will grow weary.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 51:51 Hebrew “taunt”
  2. Jeremiah 51:52 Literally “To thus”
  3. Jeremiah 51:52 Literally “a declaration of”
  4. Jeremiah 51:53 Literally “a declaration of”
  5. Jeremiah 51:55 Or “voice”
  6. Jeremiah 51:55 Hebrew “voice”
  7. Jeremiah 51:57 Literally “a sleep of eternity”
  8. Jeremiah 51:57 Literally “a declaration of”
  9. Jeremiah 51:58 Literally “for enough of empty”
  10. Jeremiah 51:58 Literally “for enough of fire”

51 “We are confounded,
    because we have heard reproach.
Confusion has covered our faces,
    for strangers have come into the sanctuaries of Yahweh’s house.”

52 “Therefore behold, the days come,” says Yahweh,
    “that I will execute judgment on her engraved images;
    and through all her land the wounded will groan.
53 Though Babylon should mount up to the sky,
    and though she should fortify the height of her strength,
    yet destroyers will come to her from me,” says Yahweh.

54 “The sound of a cry comes from Babylon,
    and of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!
55 For Yahweh lays Babylon waste,
    and destroys out of her the great voice!
Their waves roar like many waters.
    The noise of their voice is uttered.
56 For the destroyer has come on her,
    even on Babylon.
Her mighty men are taken.
    Their bows are broken in pieces,
for Yahweh is a God of retribution.
    He will surely repay.
57 I will make her princes, her wise men,
    her governors, her deputies, and her mighty men drunk.
They will sleep a perpetual sleep,
    and not wake up,”
    says the King, whose name is Yahweh of Armies.

58 Yahweh of Armies says:

“The wide walls of Babylon will be utterly overthrown.
    Her high gates will be burned with fire.
The peoples will labor for vanity,
    and the nations for the fire;
    and they will be weary.”

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