Jeremiah 51:51-58
New English Translation
51 ‘We[a] are ashamed because we have been insulted.[b]
Our faces show our disgrace.[c]
For foreigners have invaded
the holy rooms[d] in the Lord’s temple.’
52 Yes, but the time will certainly come,”[e] says the Lord,[f]
“when I will punish her idols.
Throughout her land the mortally wounded will groan.
53 Even if Babylon climbs high into the sky[g]
and fortifies her elevated stronghold,[h]
I will send destroyers against her,”[i]
says the Lord.[j]
54 Cries of anguish will come from Babylon,
the sound of great destruction from the land of the Babylonians.
55 For the Lord is ready to destroy Babylon,
and put an end to her loud noise.
Their waves[k] will roar like turbulent[l] waters.
They will make a deafening noise.[m]
56 For a destroyer is attacking Babylon.[n]
Her warriors will be captured;
their bows will be broken.[o]
For the Lord is a God who punishes;[p]
he pays back in full.[q]
57 “I will make her officials and wise men drunk,
along with her governors, leaders,[r] and warriors.
They will fall asleep forever and never wake up,”[s]
says the King whose name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.[t]
58 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies[u] says,
“Babylon’s thick wall[v] will be completely demolished.[w]
Her high gates will be set on fire.
The peoples strive for what does not satisfy.[x]
The nations grow weary trying to get what will be destroyed.”[y]
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 51:51 sn The exiles lament the way they have been humiliated.
- Jeremiah 51:51 tn Heb “we have heard an insult.”
- Jeremiah 51:51 tn Heb “disgrace covers our face.”
- Jeremiah 51:51 tn Or “holy places, sanctuaries.”
- Jeremiah 51:52 tn Heb “that being so, look, days are approaching.” Here לָכֵן (lakhen) introduces the Lord’s response to the people’s lament (v. 51). It has the force of “yes, but” or “that may be true.” See Judg 11:8 and BDB 486-87 s.v. כֵּן 3.d.
- Jeremiah 51:52 tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”
- Jeremiah 51:53 tn Or “ascends [into] heaven.” Note the use of the phrase in Deut 30:12; 2 Kgs 2:11; Amos 9:2.
- Jeremiah 51:53 tn Heb “and even if she fortifies her strong, elevated place.”
- Jeremiah 51:53 tn Heb “from me destroyers will go against her.”
- Jeremiah 51:53 tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”
- Jeremiah 51:55 tn The antecedent of the third masculine plural pronominal suffix is not entirely clear. It probably refers back to the “destroyers” mentioned in v. 53 as the agents of God’s judgment on Babylon.
- Jeremiah 51:55 tn Or “mighty waters.”
- Jeremiah 51:55 tn Heb “and the noise of their sound will be given.”
- Jeremiah 51:56 tn Heb “for a destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon.”
- Jeremiah 51:56 tn The Piel form (which would be intransitive here, see GKC 142 §52.k) should probably be emended to Qal.
- Jeremiah 51:56 tn Or “God of retribution.”
- Jeremiah 51:56 tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following finite verb. Another option is to translate, “he certainly pays one back.” The translation assumes that the imperfect verbal form here describes the Lord’s characteristic actions. Another option is to take it as referring specifically to his judgment on Babylon, in which case one should translate, “he will pay (Babylon) back in full.”
- Jeremiah 51:57 sn For discussion of the terms “governors” and “leaders,” see the note at Jer 51:23.
- Jeremiah 51:57 sn See the note at Jer 51:39.
- Jeremiah 51:57 tn For the title “Yahweh of Armies” see the study note on Jer 2:19.
- Jeremiah 51:58 sn See the note at Jer 2:19.
- Jeremiah 51:58 tn The text has the plural “walls,” but many Hebrew mss read the singular “wall,” which is also supported by the ancient Greek version. The modifying adjective “thick” is singular as well.
- Jeremiah 51:58 tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following finite verb. Another option is to translate, “will certainly be demolished.”
- Jeremiah 51:58 tn Heb “for what is empty.”
- Jeremiah 51:58 tn Heb “and the nations for fire, and they grow weary.”
Jeremiah 51:51-58
New Living Translation
51 “We are ashamed,” the people say.
“We are insulted and disgraced
because the Lord’s Temple
has been defiled by foreigners.”
52 “Yes,” says the Lord, “but the time is coming
when I will destroy Babylon’s idols.
The groans of her wounded people
will be heard throughout the land.
53 Though Babylon reaches as high as the heavens
and makes her fortifications incredibly strong,
I will still send enemies to plunder her.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
Babylon’s Complete Destruction
54 “Listen! Hear the cry of Babylon,
the sound of great destruction from the land of the Babylonians.
55 For the Lord is destroying Babylon.
He will silence her loud voice.
Waves of enemies pound against her;
the noise of battle rings through the city.
56 Destroying armies come against Babylon.
Her mighty men are captured,
and their weapons break in their hands.
For the Lord is a God who gives just punishment;
he always repays in full.
57 I will make her officials and wise men drunk,
along with her captains, officers, and warriors.
They will fall asleep
and never wake up again!”
says the King, whose name is
the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
58 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:
“The thick walls of Babylon will be leveled to the ground,
and her massive gates will be burned.
The builders from many lands have worked in vain,
for their work will be destroyed by fire!”
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