Bible in 90 Days
A Message to Moab
48 This message is to the country of Moab [C to the east of Israel; Gen. 19; Num. 25; Deut. 23:3–6].
This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says:
“·How terrible it will be for the city of [Woe to] Nebo,
because it will be ·ruined [desolate].
The town of Kiriathaim [Num. 32:37; Josh. 13:19; Ezek. 25:9] will be disgraced and captured;
the ·strong [fortified] city will be disgraced and shattered.
2 Moab will not be praised again.
Men in the town of Heshbon plan ·Moab’s defeat [L its disaster].
They say, ‘Come, let us ·put an end to [L cut off] that nation!’
Town of Madmen you will also be silenced.
The sword will ·chase [L come after] you.
3 Listen to the cries from the town of Horonaim,
·cries of much confusion and destruction [L desolation and great fracture].
4 Moab will be broken up.
·Her little children will cry for help [or Their cries are heard as far as Zoar].
5 Moab’s people go up the path to the town of Luhith,
crying ·loudly [continually] as they go.
On the road down to Horonaim,
cries of pain and suffering can be heard.
6 ·Run [Flee]! ·Run for [L Escape with] your lives!
Go like a ·bush [or wild ass; or Aroer] in the ·desert [wilderness].
7 You ·trust [have confidence] in the things you do and in your ·wealth [L storehouses; or arsenals],
so you also will be captured.
The god Chemosh [C the chief god of Moab] will go into ·captivity [exile]
and his priests and officers with him.
8 The destroyer will come against every town;
not one town will escape.
The valley will ·be ruined [perish],
and the high plain will be destroyed,
as the Lord has said.
9 Give ·wings [or salt; C a symbol of complete destruction; Judg. 9:45] to Moab,
because she will surely leave her land.
Moab’s towns will become ·empty [desolate],
with no one to live in them.
10 A curse will be on anyone who ·doesn’t do what the Lord says [L is slack in doing the Lord’s work],
and a curse will be on anyone who holds back his sword from ·killing [L blood].
11 “The people of Moab have ·never known trouble [L been at ease since its youth].
They are like wine left to settle;
they have never been poured from one jar to another.
They have not ·been taken into captivity [L gone into exile].
So ·they taste as they did before [L their flavor stands],
and their ·smell [aroma] has not changed.
12 ·A time is [L Days are] coming,” says the Lord,
“When I will send people to ·pour [decant] you from your jars.
They will empty Moab’s jars
and smash their jugs [C a fitting image since Moab produced much wine; 16:8–10].
13 The ·people [L house] of Israel ·trusted [had confidence in] that god in the town of Bethel [1 Kin. 13:26–33; Amos 7:13],
and they were ·ashamed [humiliated] when there was no help.
In the same way Moab will be ·ashamed of [humiliated by] their god Chemosh.
14 “·You cannot [L How can you…?] say, ‘We are warriors!
We are brave men in battle!’
15 The destroyer of Moab and her towns has arrived.
Her best young men will be ·killed [slaughtered]!” says the King,
whose name is the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
16 “The ·end [disaster; calamity] of Moab is near,
and ·she will soon be destroyed [L her disaster comes quickly].
17 All you who live around Moab,
all you who know ·her [L her name], ·cry [mourn] for her.
Say, ‘The ·ruler’s power [L strong scepter] is broken;
·Moab’s power and glory are gone [L …the glorious/beautiful staff].’
18 “·You people living in the town of [L Enthroned daughter] Dibon, come down from ·your place of honor [glory]
and sit on the dry ground,
because the destroyer of Moab has come against you.
And he has destroyed your ·strong, walled [fortified] cities.
19 You people living in the town of Aroer,
stand next to the road and watch.
See the man ·running away [fleeing] and the woman escaping.
Ask them, ‘What happened?’
20 Moab is filled with ·shame [humiliation], because she is ruined.
·Cry [Wail], Moab, cry out!
Announce at the Arnon River
that Moab is destroyed.
21 People on the high plain have been ·punished [judged].
Judgment has come to these towns:
Holon, Jahzah, and Mephaath;
22 Dibon, Nebo, and Beth Diblathaim;
23 Kiriathaim, Beth Gamul, and Beth Meon;
24 Kerioth and Bozrah [C all cities on the Moabite plateau].
Judgment has come to all the towns of Moab, far and near.
25 Moab’s ·strength [L horn; C a symbol of strength] has been cut off,
and its arm broken!” says the Lord.
26 “The people of Moab thought they were greater than the Lord,
so ·punish them until they act as if they are drunk [L make them drunk].
Moab will ·fall and roll around [wallow; or overflow] in its own vomit,
and people will even make fun of it [C they would drink from the cup of wrath; 25:15–38; Is. 19:14; 51:17; Nah. 1:10].
27 Moab, you made fun of Israel.
Israel was ·caught [or not found] in the middle of a gang of thieves.
When you spoke about Israel,
you shook your head [C acting as if Moab were better].
28 People in Moab, ·leave your towns empty [L abandon; forsake]
and go live among the ·rocks [crags].
Be like a dove that makes its nest
at the entrance of a cave.
29 “We have heard that the people of Moab are ·proud [arrogant],
very ·proud [arrogant].
They are proud, very ·proud [arrogant],
and in their hearts ·they think they are important [L are exalted; Ps. 131].”
30 The Lord says,
“I know ·Moab’s great pride [L his insolence], but it is ·useless [false].
Moab’s bragging accomplishes nothing.
31 So I ·cry sadly [wail] for Moab,
for everyone in Moab.
I ·moan [mourn] for the people from the town of Kir Hareseth.
32 I cry with the people of the town of Jazer
for you, the grapevines of the town of Sibmah.
In the past your vines spread all the way to the sea,
as far as the sea of Jazer.
But the destroyer has ·taken over [L fallen on]
your ·fruit [summer fruits] and ·grapes [vintage].
33 Joy and happiness are gone
from the ·large, rich fields [fruitful/garden lands] of Moab.
I have stopped the flow of wine from the winepresses.
No one walks on the grapes with shouts of joy.
There are shouts,
but not shouts of joy.
34 “Their ·crying [cry for help] can be heard from Moabite towns,
from Heshbon to Elealeh and Jahaz.
It can be heard from Zoar as far away as Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah.
Even the waters of Nimrim are ·dried up [desolate].
35 I will stop Moab
from making burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] at the ·places of worship [L high places; C sites associated with pagan worship or inappropriate worship of God] and from ·burning incense [or making offerings] to their gods,” says the Lord.
36 “My heart ·cries sadly [wails] for Moab like a ·flute [reed-pipe; C an instrument that plays funeral songs].
It ·cries [wails] like a ·flute [reed-pipe] for the people from Kir Hareseth.
The money they made has all ·been taken away [perished].
37 Every head has been shaved
and every beard cut off.
Everyone’s hands are ·cut [gashed],
and everyone wears ·rough cloth around his waist [sackcloth; burlap; C mourning rituals].
38 People are ·crying [mourning] on every roof [C flat roofs were living space] in Moab
and in every public square.
There is nothing but ·sadness [lament],
because I have broken Moab
like a jar no one wants [19:1–13; 22:28; Ps. 2:9],” says the Lord.
39 “·Moab [L How it] is shattered! The people are ·crying [wailing]!
·Moab turns away [L How it turns its neck] in ·shame [humiliation]!
People all around her make fun of her.
The things that happened fill them with great fear [Is. 16:6–12].”
40 This is what the Lord says:
“Look! Someone is coming, like an eagle ·diving down from the sky [swooping down]
and spreading its wings over Moab [49:22; Ezek. 17:3–4; Hos. 8:1].
41 The towns of Moab will be captured,
and the ·strong, walled cities [fortresses] will be ·defeated [seized].
·At that time [L On that day] ·Moab’s warriors will be frightened, [L the heart of Moab’s warriors will be]
like ·a [L the heart of a] woman who is ·having a baby [in labor].
42 The nation of Moab will be destroyed,
because they ·thought they were greater than [magnified themselves over] the Lord.
43 Fear, deep pits, and traps wait for you,
people of Moab,” says the Lord.
44 “People will ·run [flee] from fear,
but they will fall into the pits.
Anyone who climbs out of the pits
will be caught in the traps.
I will bring the year of punishment to Moab,” says the Lord.
45 “People ·have run [flee] from the ·powerful enemy [L strong]
and ·have gone to Heshbon for safety [L stand in the shadow of Heshbon].
But fire ·started in [L has come out from] Heshbon;
a ·blaze [L flame] has spread from the ·hometown [L house] of Sihon [C early king of Moab; Num. 21:28].
It ·burned up [L devoured] the ·leaders [or forehead] of Moab
and ·destroyed those proud people [L the pate of the sons of tumult].
46 ·How terrible it is for [Woe to] you, Moab!
The people of Chemosh [C the chief god of Moab] have been destroyed.
Your sons have been taken ·captive [into exile],
and your daughters ·have been taken away [into captivity].
47 “But in ·days to come [the latter days],
I will ·make good things happen again to [restore the fortunes of] Moab,” says the Lord.
This ends the judgment on Moab.
A Message to Ammon
49 This message is to the ·Ammonite people [L sons of Ammon; Gen. 19:30–38; Deut. 2:19; 23:3–6].
This is what the Lord says:
“Do you think that Israel has no children?
Do you think there is no ·one to take the land when the parents die [L heir]?
If that were true, why did Molech [C the chief god of Ammon] take Gad’s [C a tribe in the north of Israel] land
and why did Molech’s people settle in Gad’s towns [C a bitter reference to the sacrifice of children to Molech]?”
2 The Lord says,
“The ·time will come [L days are coming] when I will make Rabbah
of the Ammonites [C its capital], hear the battle cry.
It will become a ·hill covered with ruins [desolate ruin],
and the ·towns [villages; L daughters] around it will be burned with fire.
Those people ·forced [dispossessed] Israel out of that land,
but now Israel will ·force them out [dispossess them]!” says the Lord.
3 “People in the town of Heshbon, ·cry sadly [wail] because the town of Ai is destroyed!
·Those who live in [L Daughters of] Rabbah, cry out!
Put on your ·rough cloth to show your sadness [sackcloth; burlap], and ·cry loudly [mourn; wail].
Run here and there for safety inside the walls,
because Molech will be taken ·captive [into exile]
and his priests and officers with him.
4 ·You [L Why do you…?] brag about your valleys
and about the fruit in your valleys.
You are like an ·unfaithful [rebellious] ·child [L daughter]
who ·believes her treasures will save her [L trusts/has confidence in her treasures/arsenals].
You think, ‘Who would attack me?’
5 I will soon bring terror on you
from everyone around you,”
says the Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
“You will all be ·forced to run [driven] away,
and no one will be able to gather you.
6 “But the time will come
when I will ·make good things happen to [restore the fortunes of] the ·Ammonites [L sons of Ammon] again,”
says the Lord.
A Message to Edom
7 This message is to Edom [Gen. 36; Num. 20:14–21; Ps. 137:7; Lam. 4:22; Obad. 10–14]. This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says:
“Is there no more wisdom in the town of Teman [Job 2:11]?
Can the wise men [C of Edom] no longer give good advice?
Have they lost their wisdom?
8 You people living in the town of Dedan,
·run away [flee] and hide in deep caves,
because I will bring ·disaster [calamity] on the people of Esau.
It is time for me to punish them.
9 If workers came and picked the grapes from your vines,
they would leave ·a few grapes [gleanings] behind.
If robbers came at night,
they would steal only enough for themselves.
10 But I will strip Esau [C Edom] bare.
I will ·find [expose] all their hiding places,
so they will not be able to hide from me.
The ·children [L seed], ·relatives [brothers], and neighbors will die,
And they [C Edom] will be no more.
11 ·Leave [Abandon; Forsake] the orphans, and I will ·take care of them [keep them alive].
Your widows also can ·trust [have confidence] in me.”
12 This is what the Lord says: “Some people did not deserve to be punished, but they had to drink from the cup [C of suffering; 25:15–38; 48:26–28] anyway. You [C people of Edom] deserve to be punished, so you will not escape punishment. You must certainly drink from the cup.” 13 The Lord says, “I swear by ·my own name [L myself] that the city of Bozrah will become a pile of ruins! People will be shocked by what happened there. They will ·insult [reproach] that city and ·speak evil of [curse] it. And all the towns around it will become ruins forever.”
14 I have heard a message from the Lord.
A ·messenger [herald] has been sent among the nations, saying,
“Gather [C your armies] to attack it!
·Get ready [L Rise up] for battle!”
15 “Soon I will make you the smallest of nations,
and you will be greatly ·hated [despised] by everyone.
16 Edom, you ·frightened [terrorized] other nations,
but your ·pride [arrogance] has ·fooled [deceived] you.
You live in the hollow places of the ·cliff [rock; crag]
and ·control [seize] the high places of the hills.
Even if you build your home as high as an eagle’s nest,
I will bring you down from there,” says the Lord.
17 “Edom will be ·destroyed [desolate].
People who pass by will be shocked to see the destroyed cities,
and they will ·be amazed [hiss] at all her ·injuries [disasters].
18 Edom will be ·destroyed [overturned] like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah [Gen. 18—19]
and the towns around them,” says the Lord.
“No one will live there!
No one will ·stay [sojourn; wander] in it [C Edom].
19 “Like a lion coming up from the thick bushes near the Jordan River
to attack ·a strong pen for sheep [or perennial pastures; 50:44],
I will suddenly chase it [C Edom] from its land.
Who is the one I have ·chosen [appointed] to do this?
·There is no one [L Who is…?] like me,
·no one who [L who…?] can take me to court.
·None of their leaders [L Who is the shepherd who…?] can stand up against me.”
20 So listen to ·what the Lord has planned to do against Edom [L the counsel/advice of the Lord].
Listen to ·what he has decided to do to [L his plans against] the people in the town of Teman.
He will surely drag away the young of the flock [C the youth of Edom].
Their ·hometowns [L pasture] will surely be shocked at what happens to them.
21 At the sound of their [C Edom’s] fall, the earth will shake.
Their cry will be heard all the way to the ·Red [Reed] Sea [50:20; Ex. 10:19].
22 The Lord is like an eagle swooping down
and spreading its wings over the city of Bozrah.
At that time Edom’s soldiers will become very frightened,
like a woman ·having a baby [in labor; 48:40; Ezek. 17:3–4; Hos. 8:1].
A Message to Damascus
23 This message is to the city of Damascus:
“The towns of Hamath and Arpad are ·put to shame [humiliated],
because they have heard ·bad [disastrous] news.
They ·are discouraged [L melt; C in fear].
They are troubled like the ·tossing sea [sea that cannot be quieted].
24 The city of Damascus has become weak.
The people ·want to run away [turn to flee];
·they are ready to panic [panic seized them].
·The people feel pain and suffering [L Anguish and distress have grabbed them],
like a woman ·giving birth to a baby [in labor; 48:41; 49:22; 50:43].
25 Damascus was a city of my joy.
Why have the people not ·left [abandoned; forsaken] that famous city yet?
26 Surely the young men will die in the city squares,
and all her soldiers will be ·killed [L stilled; quieted] ·at that time [L on that day],” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
27 “I will ·set [kindle a] fire to the walls of Damascus,
and it will completely ·burn [consume] the ·strong cities [strongholds; citadels] of King Ben-Hadad [C a name taken by many kings of Damascus].”
A Message to Kedar and Hazor
28 This message is to the tribe of Kedar [Song 1:5; Ezek. 27:21] and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon ·defeated [L struck]. This is what the Lord says:
“·Go [L Rise up] and attack the people of Kedar,
and destroy the ·people of the East [L sons of Kedar].
29 Their tents and flocks will be taken away.
Their belongings will be carried off—
their tents, all their goods, and their camels.
Men will shout to them,
‘Terror on every side [6:25; 20:3, 10; 46:5]!’
30 “·Run away [Flee] quickly!
People in Hazor, ·find a ·good [L deep] place to hide [hide in deep places]!” says the Lord.
“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has made plans against you
and ·wants to defeat [L makes plans against] you.
31 “·Get [L Rise] up! Attack the nation that is ·comfortable [at ease],
that is ·sure [confident; C that no one will defeat it],” says the Lord.
“It does not have gates or ·fences [L bars; C to protect it].
Its people live alone.
32 The enemy will ·steal [L plunder; despoil] their camels
and their large herds of cattle as ·war prizes [plunder; booty].
I will scatter the people who ·cut their hair short [shave their temples; Deut. 14:1] to ·every part of the earth [L the wind],
and I will bring disaster on them from everywhere,” says the Lord.
33 “The city of Hazor will become a ·home [den; haunt] for ·wild dogs [jackals; 9:11; 10:22];
it will be ·an empty desert [desolate] forever.
No one will live there,
and no one will ·stay [sojourn; wander] in it.”
A Message to Elam
34 ·Soon after Zedekiah became [L At the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah the] king of Judah [C beginning in 597 bc], the Lord spoke this word to Jeremiah the prophet. This message is to the nation of Elam [C located on the Iranian plateau].
35 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says:
“I will soon break Elam’s bow [Is. 22:6],
its greatest strength.
36 I will bring the four winds against Elam
from the four corners of the ·skies [heavens].
I will scatter its people ·everywhere the four winds blow [L to all four winds];
its ·captives [exiles] will go to every nation.
37 I will terrify Elam in front of their enemies,
who ·want to destroy them [L seek their life].
I will bring ·disaster [evil; trouble] to Elam
and show them how angry I am!” says the Lord.
“I will send a sword ·to chase Elam [L after them]
until I have ·killed [ended; annihilated] them all.
38 I will set up my throne in Elam,
and I will destroy its king and its officers!” says the Lord.
39 “But I will ·make good things happen to [restore the fortunes of] Elam again
in the ·future [L latter days],” says the Lord.
A Message to Babylon
50 This is the message the Lord spoke to Babylon and the ·Babylonian people [L Chaldeans] through Jeremiah the prophet.
2 “·Announce [Proclaim] this to the nations [L and let them hear].
Lift up a banner [C a battle standard] and ·tell them [make them hear].
·Speak the whole message [L Do not conceal anything] and say:
‘Babylon will be captured.
The god Bel [C another name for Marduk] will be ·put to shame [humiliated],
and the god Marduk [C the chief god of the Babylonians] will be ·afraid [terrified].
·Babylon’s gods [L Its images] will be ·put to shame [humiliated],
and her idols will be ·afraid [terrified]!’
3 A nation from the north will attack Babylon [C Persia]
and make it like an ·empty desert [desolation].
No one will live there;
both people and animals will ·run away [flee].”
4 The Lord says, “At that time [L and in those days]
the ·people [L sons] of Israel and Judah will come together.
They will cry and ·look for [L seek] the Lord their God.
5 Those people will ask ·how to go [L the way/path] to ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]
and will start in that direction.
They will come and join themselves to the Lord.
They will make an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with him that will last forever,
an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] that will never be forgotten [31:31–34].
6 “My people have been like lost sheep.
Their ·leaders [L shepherds] have led them ·in the wrong way [astray]
and made them wander around in the mountains and hills.
They forgot where their ·resting place [fold] was [Ps. 23].
7 Whoever ·saw [L found] my people ·hurt [L devoured] them.
And those ·enemies [foes] said, ‘We ·did nothing wrong [are not guilty].
Those people sinned against the Lord, their ·true [L righteous] ·resting place [fold],
the God their fathers ·trusted [hoped in].’
8 “·Run away [Flee] from Babylon,
and leave the land of the ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans].
Be like the goats that lead the flock.
9 I will soon ·arouse [L stir up] and bring against Babylon
·many great nations [a large assembly of nations] from the north [C led by Persia].
They will take their places for war against it,
and it will be captured ·by people from the north [L from there].
Their arrows are like trained soldiers
who do not return [C from war] with empty hands.
10 The ·enemy will take all the wealth from the Babylonians [L Chaldeans will be plundered].
·Those enemy soldiers will get all they want [L The plunderers will be satisfied/sated],” says the Lord.
11 “Babylon, you are excited and happy,
because you took my ·land [L inheritance; C Israel].
You ·dance around [run free] like a young cow ·in the grain [during the threshing; Deut. 25:4].
·Your laughter is like the neighing of male horses [L You neigh like a stallion].
12 Your mother will be ·very ashamed [humiliated];
the woman who gave birth to you will be disgraced.
·Soon Babylonia will be the least important of all [L It brings up the backside of] the nations.
She will be an empty, dry ·desert [wilderness].
13 Because of the Lord’s anger,
no one will live there.
She will be completely ·empty [desolate].
Everyone who passes by Babylon will be shocked.
They will shake their heads when they see all her injuries.
14 “Take your positions for war against Babylon,
all ·you soldiers with [L who draw] bows.
Shoot your arrows at Babylon! Do not ·save any of them [L spare any arrows],
because Babylon has sinned against the Lord.
15 ·Soldiers around Babylon [L On every side], shout the war cry!
Babylon has surrendered, her ·towers [defenses] have fallen,
and her walls have been ·torn down [demolished].
The Lord is giving her people the punishment they deserve.
·You nations should give her what she deserves;
do to her what she has done to others [L Just as it did, they did].
16 ·Don’t let the people from Babylon plant their crops [L Cut the sower off from Babylon]
·or gather [L seize the sickle wielder at the time of] the harvest.
·The soldiers treated their captives cruelly [L …before the sword of the oppressor].
Now, let everyone ·go back home [L turn face toward his people].
Let everyone ·run [flee] to his own country [C after the fall of Babylon, the Persians allowed the exiled people to return to their own lands; Ezra 1].
17 “The people of Israel are like a flock of sheep that are scattered
from being ·chased [driven] by lions.
The first lion to eat them up
was the king of Assyria [C Sennacherib defeated the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 bc].
The last lion to ·crush [gnaw] their bones
was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon [C defeated the southern kingdom of Judah in 586 bc].”
18 So this is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says:
“I will punish the king of Babylon and his country
as I punished the king of Assyria [C defeated by Babylon at the end of the seventh century bc].
19 But I will bring the people of Israel back to their own pasture.
They will ·eat [feed] on Mount Carmel and in Bashan [C particularly lush areas].
They will ·eat and be full [be sated]
on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.”
20 The Lord says,
“At that time and in those days people will try to find Israel’s guilt,
but there will be no guilt.
People will try to find Judah’s sins,
but no sins will be found,
because I will leave a ·few people alive from Israel and Judah [remnant],
and I will forgive their sins.
21 “Attack the land of Merathaim.
Attack the people who live in Pekod [C alternate names for Babylon].
·Chase them, kill them [L Put them to the sword], and ·completely destroy [annihilate] them.
Do everything I commanded you!” says the Lord.
22 “The noise of battle can be heard all over the country;
it is the noise of ·much destruction [L great fracture].
23 ·Babylon was the hammer of the whole earth,
but how broken and shattered that hammer is now [L How cut down and broken is the hammer of the whole earth].
·It is truly the most ruined
of [L How Babylon has become a horror among] all the nations.
24 I set a trap for you [C Babylon],
and you were caught before you knew it.
You ·fought against [challenged] the Lord,
so you were found and ·taken prisoner [captured].
25 The Lord has opened up his storeroom
and brought out the weapons of his anger,
because the Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] has work to do
in the land of the ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans].
26 Come against it [C Babylon] from far away.
Break open her storehouses of grain.
Pile them up [C dead bodies] like heaps of grain.
·Completely destroy Babylon [L Annihilate it]
and ·do not leave anyone alive [L let there be no remnant].
27 ·Kill [L Put to the sword] all its bulls [C the young men in Babylon];
let them go down to the slaughter [C killed like animals].
·How terrible it will be for [Woe to] them, because ·the time has come for their defeat [L their day has come];
it is time for them to be punished.
28 Listen to the people ·running [fleeing] to escape the country of Babylon!
They are telling ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]
how the Lord our God is punishing Babylon as it deserves
for destroying his Temple.
29 “Call for ·the archers [L all those who draw the bow]
to come against Babylon.
·Tell them to surround the city [L Camp all around it],
and let no one escape.
Pay her back for what she has done;
do to her what she has done to other nations.
Babylon acted with ·pride [arrogance] against the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel.
30 So her young men will be killed in her streets.
All her soldiers will ·die [L be silenced] on that day,” says the Lord.
31 “You [C Babylon] are too ·proud [arrogant], and I am against you,”
says the Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
“·The time has come [L Your day is coming]
·for you to be punished [L the time of your punishment].
32 The ·proud [arrogant; C Babylon] will stumble and fall,
and no one will help her get up.
I will ·start [kindle] a fire in her towns,
and it will ·burn up [L devour] everything around her.”
33 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says:
“The people of Israel
and Judah are ·slaves [oppressed].
·The enemy took them as prisoners [L Their captors have seized them]
and won’t let them go.
34 But ·God is strong and will buy them back [L their redeemer is strong].
His name is the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
He will surely ·defend them with power [take up their cause/case]
so he can give rest to their land.
But ·he will not give rest [turmoil] to those living in Babylon.”
35 The Lord says,
“Let a sword ·kill the people living in Babylon [L be against the Chaldeans]
and her officers and wise men!
36 Let a sword ·kill [L be against] her ·false prophets [diviners],
and they will become fools.
Let a sword ·kill [L be against] her warriors,
and they will be full of terror.
37 Let a sword ·kill [L be against] her horses and chariots
and all the soldiers hired from other countries!
Then they will be like women [C frightened].
Let a sword ·attack [L be against] her treasures,
so they will be ·taken away [L plundered].
38 Let a sword ·attack [L be against] her waters
so they will be dried up.
She is a land of idols,
and the people go ·crazy [mad] with fear over them.
39 “Desert animals and hyenas will live there,
and ·owls [or ostriches] will live there [C ritually unclean birds that live in desolate places],
but no people will ever live there again.
She will never be ·filled with people [resided in] again.
40 God ·completely destroyed [L overturned] the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
and ·the towns around them [L their neighbors; 20:6; 23:13–15; 49:18; Gen. 18–19],” says the Lord.
“In the same way no people will live there [C Babylon],
and no human being will stay there.
41 “Look! An army is coming from the north [C Persia and its allies].
A powerful nation and many kings
are ·coming together [L stirred up] from all around the world.
42 ·Their armies have [L They have grabbed] bows and spears.
The soldiers are ·cruel [fierce; violent] and have no ·mercy [compassion].
As the soldiers come riding on their horses,
the sound is loud like the ·roaring [thundering] sea.
They stand in their places, ready for battle.
They are ready to attack you, city of Babylon.
43 The king of Babylon heard ·about those armies [L the news/report],
and ·he became helpless with fear [L his hands grew slack/feeble].
Distress has gripped him.
His pain is like that of a woman ·giving birth to a baby [in labor; 6:22–24].
44 “Like a lion coming up from the thick bushes near the Jordan River
to attack a ·strong pen for sheep [or perennial pastures],
I will suddenly chase them away [C people of Babylon from their land].
Who is the one I have ·chosen [appointed] to do this?
·There is no one [L Who is…?] like me,
·no one who [L Who…?] can take me to court.
·None of their leaders [L Who is the shepherd who…?] can stand up against me [49:19].”
45 So listen to ·what the Lord has planned to do against Babylon [L counsel/advice of the Lord].
Listen to ·what he has decided to do to [L his plans against] the people in the city of Babylon.
He will surely drag away the young of the flock [C the youth of Babylon].
Their ·hometowns [L pasture] will surely be shocked at what happens to them.
46 At the sound of Babylon’s capture, the earth will shake.
People in all nations will hear Babylon’s cry of distress.
51 This is what the Lord says:
“I will soon ·cause [arouse; stir up] a destroying ·wind [or spirit]
against Babylon and the ·Babylonian people [L inhabitants of Leb Qemai; C a coded reference to Chaldea (Babylon)].
2 I will send ·foreign people [strangers; or winnowers] to ·destroy [L winnow] Babylon.
They will ·destroy [L empty] the land.
Armies will surround the city
when the day of ·disaster [evil; trouble] comes upon her.
3 Don’t let the archers [C of Babylon] ·prepare [draw] their bows to shoot.
Don’t even let them put on their ·armor [coat of mail].
Don’t ·feel sorry for [pity] the young men of Babylon,
but ·completely destroy [annihilate] her army.
4 ·They will be killed [L Corpses will fall] in the land of the ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans]
and ·will die [L the wounded] in her streets.
5 The Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]
did not ·leave [L widow] Israel and Judah,
even though ·they were completely guilty [L their land was full of guilt]
in the presence of the Holy One of Israel.
6 “·Run away [Flee] from Babylon
and ·save your lives [rescue yourselves]!
Don’t stay and be killed because of Babylon’s sins.
It is time for the Lord to ·punish Babylon [L avenge himself];
he will give Babylon the punishment she deserves.
7 Babylon was like a gold cup in the Lord’s hand
that made the whole earth drunk [C God used Babylon to administer his cup of wrath].
The nations drank Babylon’s wine,
so they went ·crazy [mad].
8 Babylon has suddenly fallen and been broken.
·Cry [Wail] for her!
Get balm [8:22; 46:11] for her pain,
and maybe she can be healed.
9 “Foreigners in Babylon say, ‘We tried to heal Babylon,
but she cannot be healed.
So let us leave her and each go to his own country [C after the fall of Babylon, the Persians allowed the exiled people to return to their own lands; Ezra 1].
Babylon’s ·punishment [judgment] ·is as high as [reaches; touches] the ·sky [heavens];
it ·reaches [L lifts up] to the ·clouds [or skies].’
10 “The people of Judah say, ‘The Lord has ·shown us to be right [brought about/forth our vindication].
Come, let us ·tell [recount] in ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]
what the Lord our God has done.’
11 “Sharpen the arrows!
·Pick up your shields [or Fill the quivers]!
The Lord has stirred up the kings of the Medes,
because he ·wants [L purposes] to destroy Babylon.
The Lord will punish them as they deserve
for destroying his Temple.
12 Lift up a banner [C a battle standard] against the walls of Babylon!
·Bring more [L Strengthen the] guards.
Put the watchmen in their places,
and ·get ready for a secret attack [prepare an ambush]!
The Lord will certainly do what he has planned
and what he said he would do against the people of Babylon.
13 You [C Babylon] live near ·much [mighty] water [C the Euphrates]
and are rich with many treasures,
but your end as a nation has come.
·It is time to stop you from robbing other nations [or Your destiny is fixed].
14 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] has promised ·in his own name [L by himself]:
‘I will surely fill you [C Babylon] with so many men [C enemy soldiers] they will be like locusts [46:23; Judg. 6:5; 7:12; Nah. 3:15–17; Rev. 9:7].
They will ·stand [raise] over you and shout their victory.’
15 “The Lord made the earth by his power.
He used his wisdom to ·build [L establish] the world
and his understanding to stretch out the ·skies [heavens; Prov. 3:19–20; 8:22–31].
16 When he ·thunders [L gives forth his voice], the waters in the skies roar.
He makes ·clouds [mist] rise ·all over [L from the ends of] the earth.
He sends lightning with the rain
and brings out the wind from his storehouses.
17 “People are so stupid and know so little.
Goldsmiths are ·made ashamed [humiliated] by their idols,
because those statues are ·only false gods [L deceptive].
They have no breath in them.
18 They are worth nothing; ·people make fun of them [or works of delusion].
·When they are judged [L At the time of their punishment], they will be destroyed.
19 But Jacob’s Portion [C God] is not like the idols.
He ·made [formed; shaped] everything,
and ·he chose Israel to be his special people [Israel is the tribe of his inheritance].
The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] is his name.
20 “You are my war club,
my battle weapon.
I use you to ·smash [shatter; C and so throughout this passage] nations.
I use you to destroy kingdoms.
21 I use you to smash horses and riders.
I use you to smash chariots and drivers.
22 I use you to smash men and women.
I use you to smash old people and young people.
I use you to smash young men and young women.
23 I use you to smash shepherds and flocks.
I use you to smash farmers and oxen.
I use you to smash governors and ·officers [officials; leaders].
24 “But I will pay back Babylon and all the ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans] for all the ·evil things [disasters; troubles] they did to ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple] in your ·sight [L eyes],” says the Lord.
25 The Lord says,
“Babylon, you are a destroying mountain,
and I am against you.
You have destroyed the whole land.
I will ·put [reach; stretch] my hand out against you.
I will roll you off the ·cliffs [rocks; crags],
and I will make you a burned-out mountain.
26 People will not ·find any rocks in Babylon big enough for [L take from you] cornerstones.
People will not take any rocks from you for a foundation [C of a building],
because your city will be ·just a pile of ruins [a desolation] forever,” says the Lord.
27 “Lift up a banner [C a battle standard] in the land!
Blow the ·trumpet [ram’s horn] among the nations!
·Get the nations ready for battle against Babylon [L Consecrate the nations against it].
Call these kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz [C near Lake Urmia and Lake Van to the northwest of Babylon, and part of the coalition against it] against her [C to fight].
Choose a commander ·to lead the army against Babylon [L against it].
·Send [L Bring up] so many horses that they are like a swarm of locusts.
28 ·Get the nations ready for battle against Babylon [L Consecrate the nations against it]—
the kings of the Medes,
their governors and all their officers,
and all the countries they rule.
29 The land shakes and ·moves in pain [writhes],
because the Lord will do what he has planned to Babylon.
He will make Babylon an ·empty desert [desolation],
where no one will live.
30 Babylon’s warriors have stopped fighting.
They stay in their ·protected cities [strongholds].
Their strength is gone,
and they have become like women [C frightened].
Babylon’s houses are burning.
The bars [C of its gates] are broken.
31 One runner meets another runner;
messenger meets messenger.
They announce to the king of Babylon
that his whole city has been captured.
32 The river crossings have been ·captured [seized],
and the swamplands are burning with fire.
All of the soldiers [C of Babylon] are terribly afraid.”
33 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says:
“The ·city [L daughter] of Babylon is like a threshing floor,
where people trod [C on grain at harvest time].
The time to harvest [C Babylon] is coming soon.”
34 “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has ·defeated [L devoured; consumed] and ·destroyed [crushed] us.
We became like an empty jar [C probably a reference to the exile].
He was like a ·giant snake [monster; dragon; Is. 27:1; 51:9; Ezek. 29:3; 32:2; Job 7:1; Ps. 74:13] that swallowed us.
He filled his stomach with our ·best things [delicacies].
Then he spit us out.
35 ·Babylon did terrible things to hurt us.
Now let those things happen to Babylon [L May the violence done to me and my flesh be on Babylon],”
say the people of ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple].
“·The people of Babylon killed our people.
Now let them be punished for what they did [L May my blood be on the Chaldeans],” says Jerusalem.
36 So this is what the Lord says:
“I will ·soon defend you [L present your case; C addressed to Judah],
and make sure that Babylon is punished.
I will dry up Babylon’s sea
and make her springs become dry [Is. 24:4; Nah. 1:4].
37 Babylon will become a pile of ruins,
a ·home [den; haunt] for wild dogs [jackals; 9:11; 10:22; 49:33; Lam. 5:18].
People will be shocked and hiss at what happened there.
No one will live there anymore.
38 Babylon’s people roar like young lions;
they growl like baby lions.
39 While they are ·stirred [heated] up,
I will give ·a feast for [drinks to] them
and make them drunk.
They will shout and laugh.
And they will sleep forever and never wake up!” says the Lord.
40 “I will take them [C people of Babylon] to be ·killed [slaughtered].
They will be like lambs,
like sheep and goats [11:19; 12:3].
41 “How ·Babylon [L Sheshach; C an alternate name for Babylon; 25:26] has been ·defeated [captured]!
The pride of the whole earth has been ·taken captive [seized].
·People from other nations are shocked at what happened to Babylon,
and the things they see make them afraid [L How Babylon has become a horror among the nations].
42 The sea has risen over Babylon;
its ·roaring [tumultuous] waves cover her.
43 ·Babylon’s [L Its] towns are ·ruined and empty [desolate].
It has become a dry, desert land,
a land where no one lives.
People do not even travel through it .
44 I will punish the god Bel [C another name for Marduk, the chief god of Babylon] in Babylon.
I will make him spit out what he has swallowed.
Nations will no longer ·come [L stream] to Babylon;
even the wall around the city will fall.
45 “Come out of it [C Babylon], my people!
·Run for [Escape with] your lives!
·Run [Escape] from the Lord’s great anger.
46 Don’t lose ·courage [heart];
rumors will spread through the land, but don’t be afraid.
One rumor comes this year, and another comes the next year.
There will be rumors of ·terrible fighting [violence] in the country,
of rulers fighting against rulers.
47 The ·time will surely come [L days are coming]
when I will punish the idols of Babylon,
and the whole land will be disgraced.
There will be many ·dead people [corpses] ·lying all around [L falling in its midst].
48 Then heaven and earth and all that is in them
will shout for joy about Babylon.
They will shout because the army comes from the north [C Persia and its allies]
to destroy Babylon,” says the Lord.
49 “Babylon must fall, because ·she killed people from [L of the corpses of] Israel.
·She killed people from everywhere on [L …and the corpses of all the] earth.
50 You who have escaped being killed with swords,
·leave Babylon [go; flee; depart]! Don’t wait!
Remember the Lord in the faraway land
and ·think about Jerusalem [L let Jerusalem come up in your heart/mind].”
51 “We people of Judah are disgraced,
because we have been ·insulted [reproached].
·We have been shamed [L Shame/Humiliation covers our face],
because strangers have gone into
the holy places of the Lord’s Temple [L house]!”
52 So the Lord says, “The ·time is [L days are] coming soon
when I will punish the idols of Babylon.
Wounded people will ·cry with pain [groan]
all over that land.
53 Even if Babylon grows until she touches the ·sky [heavens],
and even if she ·makes her highest cities strong [fortifies her lofty stronghold],
I will send people to destroy her,” says the Lord.
54 “Sounds of people crying are heard in Babylon.
Sounds of ·people destroying things [great destruction]
are heard in the land of the Babylonians.
55 The Lord is destroying Babylon
and making the loud sounds of the city become silent.
Enemies come roaring in like ocean waves.
The roar of their voices is heard all around.
56 ·The army has come to destroy [L Destroyers have come to] Babylon.
Her soldiers have been captured,
and their bows are broken,
because the Lord is a God who punishes people for the evil they do.
He ·gives them the full punishment they deserve [repays them in full].
57 I will make Babylon’s rulers and wise men drunk [C with the cup of God’s wrath; 25:15–38],
and her governors, officers, and soldiers, too.
Then they will sleep forever and never wake up [v. 39],” says the King,
whose name is the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
58 This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says:
“Babylon’s ·thick [broad] wall will be completely ·pulled down [leveled]
and her high gates burned with fire.
The people will ·work hard [weary themselves], but it won’t help;
their work will only become fuel for the flames!”
A Message to Babylon
59 This is the message that Jeremiah the prophet gave to the officer Seraiah son of Neriah, who was the son of Mahseiah [C probably Baruch’s brother; 32:12]. Seraiah went to Babylon with Zedekiah king of Judah in the fourth year Zedekiah was king of Judah [C 593 bc]. ·His duty was to arrange the king’s food and housing on the trip [L He was the quartermaster]. 60 Jeremiah had written on a scroll all the ·terrible [disastrous; evil] things that would happen to Babylon, all these words about Babylon. 61 Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “As soon as you come to Babylon, be sure to read this message so all the people can hear you. 62 Then say, ‘Lord, you have said that you will ·destroy [L cut off] this place so that no people or animals will live in it. It will be an ·empty ruin [desolation] forever.’ 63 After you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates River. 64 Then say, ‘In the same way Babylon will sink and will not rise again because of the ·terrible [disastrous; evil] things I will make happen here. Her people will fall.’”
·The words of Jeremiah end here [Thus far are the words of Jeremiah].
The Fall of Jerusalem
52 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he was king in Jerusalem for eleven years [C from 597–586 bc]. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah [C not the prophet], and she was from Libnah. 2 Zedekiah did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes of the Lord], just as Jehoiakim [C his brother who ruled from 609–597 bc] had done. 3 All this happened in Jerusalem and Judah because the Lord was angry with them. Finally, he threw them out of his presence.
Zedekiah ·turned [rebelled] against the king of Babylon. 4 Then Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. They made a camp around the city and built ·devices [siege towers] all around the city walls to attack it. This happened on Zedekiah’s ninth year, tenth month, and tenth day as king [C January 15, 588]. 5 And the city was under ·attack [siege] until Zedekiah’s eleventh year as king [C 586 bc].
6 By the ninth day of the fourth month [C July 18], the ·hunger [famine] was ·terrible [severe] in the city; there was no food for the people to eat. 7 Then the city wall was ·broken through [breeched], and the whole army [C of Judah] ·ran away [fled] at night. They left the city through the gate between the two walls by the king’s garden. Even though the ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans] were surrounding the city, Zedekiah and his men headed toward the ·Jordan Valley [L Arabah].
8 But the ·Babylonian [L Chaldean] army chased King Zedekiah and caught him in the ·plains [L Arabah] of Jericho. All of his army was scattered from him. 9 So the Babylonians ·captured [seized] Zedekiah and took him to the king of Babylon at the town of Riblah in the land of Hamath. There he ·passed sentence on [judged] Zedekiah. 10 At Riblah the king of Babylon ·killed [slaughtered] Zedekiah’s sons ·as he watched [L before his eyes]. The king also ·killed [slaughtered] all the officers of Judah. 11 Then he ·put out Zedekiah’s eyes [blinded the eyes of Zedekiah], and put bronze chains on him, and took him to Babylon. And the king kept Zedekiah in prison there until the day he died.
12 Nebuzaradan, commander of the king’s special guards and servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem on the tenth day of the fifth month. This was in Nebuchadnezzar’s nineteenth year as king of Babylon [C August 17, 586 bc]. 13 Nebuzaradan set fire to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, the ·palace [L house of the king], and all the houses of Jerusalem; every ·important building [L great/big house] was burned. 14 The whole ·Babylonian [L Chaldean] army, led by the commander of the king’s special guards, ·broke down [demolished] all the walls around Jerusalem. 15 Nebuzaradan, the commander of the king’s special guards, took captive some of the poorest people, those who ·were left [remained] in Jerusalem, those who had ·surrendered [deserted; defected] to the king of Babylon, and the ·skilled craftsmen [artisans] who were left in Jerusalem. 16 But Nebuzaradan left behind some of the poorest people of the land to take care of the vineyards and fields.
17 The ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans] broke into pieces the bronze pillars [1 Kin. 7:15–22], the bronze stands [1 Kin. 7:27], and the large bronze ·bowl [basin], called the Sea [1 Kin. 7:23–26], which were in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. Then they carried all the bronze pieces to Babylon. 18 They also took the pots, shovels, ·wick trimmers [snuffers], bowls, dishes, and all the bronze objects used to serve in the Temple. 19 The commander of the king’s special guards took away bowls, ·pans for carrying hot coals [firepans], large bowls, pots, lampstands, pans, and bowls used for drink offerings. He took everything that was made of pure gold or silver.
20 There was so much bronze that it could not be weighed: two pillars, the large bronze bowl called the Sea with the twelve bronze bulls under it, and the movable stands, which King Solomon had made for the Temple of the Lord.
21 Each of the pillars was about ·twenty-seven feet [L eighteen cubits] high, eighteen feet [L twelve cubits] around, and hollow inside. The wall of each pillar was ·three inches [L four fingers] thick. 22 The bronze capital on top of the one pillar was about ·seven and one-half feet [L five cubits] high. It was decorated with ·a net design [network; latticework] and bronze pomegranates all around it. The other pillar also had pomegranates and was like the first pillar. 23 There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides of the pillars. There was a total of a hundred pomegranates above the ·net design [network; latticework].
24 The commander of the king’s special guards took as prisoners Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank, and the three doorkeepers. 25 He also took from the city the officer in charge of the soldiers, seven people ·who advised the king [of the king’s council], the ·royal secretary [scribe] who selected people for the army, and sixty other men from Judah who were in the city when it fell. 26 Nebuzaradan, the commander, took these people and brought them to the king of Babylon at the town of Riblah. 27 There at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, the king had them killed.
So the people of Judah were led away from their country as ·captives [exiles]. 28 This is the number of the people Nebuchadnezzar took away as ·captives [exiles]: in the seventh year [C 597 bc], 3,023 ·Jews [L Judeans]; 29 in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year [C 586 bc], 832 people from Jerusalem; 30 in Nebuchadnezzar’s twenty-third year [C 582 bc], Nebuzaradan, commander of the king’s special guards, took 745 ·Jews [L Judeans] as ·captives [exiles].
In all 4,600 people were ·taken captive [exiled].
Jehoiachin Is Set Free
31 Jehoiachin king of Judah was in prison in Babylon for thirty-seven years. The year Evil-Merodach became king of Babylon [C a son of Nebuchadnezzar, he ruled 562–560 bc] he let Jehoiachin king of Judah out of ·prison [L house of confinement]. He set Jehoiachin free on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month [C March 31, 561 bc]. 32 Evil-Merodach spoke kindly to Jehoiachin and gave him a seat of honor above the seats of the other kings who were with him in Babylon [C he honored him above other defeated vassal kings]. 33 So Jehoiachin put away his prison clothes, and for the rest of his life, he ate at the king’s table. 34 Every day the king of Babylon gave Jehoiachin an allowance. This lasted as long as he lived, until the day Jehoiachin died.
Jerusalem Cries over Her Loss
1 How lonely sits the city [C Jerusalem],
once so full of people.
She is like a widow,
once great among the nations [Ps. 122:3].
She was like a queen ·of all the other cities [L among the provinces],
but now she is a ·slave [forced laborer; vassal].
2 She [C Jerusalem pictured as a widow] cries loudly at night,
and tears are on her cheeks.
There is no one to comfort her;
·all who loved her are gone [L among all her lovers; C referring to other nations to whom she unfaithfully turned for help].
All her friends have ·turned against [betrayed] her
and are now her enemies.
3 Judah has gone into ·captivity [exile; C to Babylon; 2 Kin. 25:8–21; 2 Chr. 36:17–21; Jer. 39:1–10; 51:12–30]
where she ·suffers [is oppressed/afflicted] ·and works hard [under slavery/harsh servitude].
She lives among other nations,
but she has found no rest.
Those who ·chased [pursued; persecuted] her caught her
·when she was in trouble [L between her distresses].
4 The roads to ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple] ·are sad [mourn],
because no one comes for the feasts [C Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles].
·No one passes through her gates [L All her gates are desolate].
Her priests groan,
her young women are ·suffering [afflicted],
and ·Jerusalem suffers terribly [L she is bitter].
5 Her foes are now her masters.
Her enemies ·enjoy the wealth they have taken [prosper].
The Lord is ·punishing [tormenting; afflicting] her
for her many ·sins [transgressions].
Her ·children [little ones] have gone away
as captives of the ·enemy [foe].
6 The ·beauty [splendor; majesty] of ·Jerusalem [L the daughter of Zion; C the location of the Temple; Ps. 48:1–3]
has gone away.
Her rulers are like deer
that cannot find ·food [L pasture].
They ·are weak [L go without strength]
·and run from the hunters [L before those who pursue/chase/persecute them].
7 Jerusalem ·is suffering and homeless.
She [L …in the days of her affliction and homelessness] remembers all the ·good [desirable; coveted] things
from the ·past [L former days].
But her people ·were defeated by the enemy [L fell to the power/hand of the foe],
and there was no one to help her.
When her ·enemies [foes] saw her,
they laughed ·to see her ruined [at her downfall].
8 Jerusalem sinned terribly,
so she has become ·unclean [or an object of mockery].
Those who honored her now ·hate [despise] her,
because they have seen her nakedness.
She groans
and turns away.
9 She made herself ·dirty [defiled] ·by her sins [L in her skirts; C Jerusalem is pictured as a defiled woman; Lev. 15:19–30]
and did not think about what would happen to her.
Her ·defeat [downfall] was surprising,
and no one could comfort her.
She says, “Lord, see how I ·suffer [am afflicted],
because the enemy has won.”
10 The ·enemy [foe] ·reached out and took [spread his hands on]
all her ·precious [desired; coveted] things.
She even saw ·foreigners [nations]
enter her ·Temple [L holy place; Ps. 74:4–8].
·The Lord had commanded foreigners [L …those you commanded]
never to enter the meeting place of ·his [L your] people.
11 All of ·Jerusalem’s [L its] people groan,
·looking for [seeking] bread.
They ·are trading [L give] their ·precious [desired; coveted] things for food
so they can stay alive.
The city says, “Look, Lord, and see.
I am ·hated [despised].”
12 Jerusalem says, “You who pass by on the road ·don’t seem to care [is it nothing to you…?; L No, to you].
Come, look at me and see:
Is there any ·pain [sorrow] like ·mine [L my pain/sorrow]?
·Is there any pain like that he has caused me […which has come upon me]?
The Lord has ·punished [afflicted; tormented] me
on the day of his great anger.
13 “He sent fire from above
that went ·down [deep] into my bones.
He ·stretched [spread] out a net for my feet
and turned me back.
He made me so ·sad and lonely [desolate]
that I am ·weak [faint; sick] all day.
14 “He ·has noticed my sins [or bound my transgressions into a yoke];
they are ·tied together [intertwined] by his hands;
they hang around my neck.
·He has turned my strength into weakness [L My strength falters].
The Lord has handed me over
to those who ·are stronger than I [L I cannot stand against].
15 “The Lord has rejected
all my mighty men ·inside my walls [L in my midst].
He ·brought an army [or proclaimed a time] against me
to ·destroy [break] my young men.
As if in a winepress, the Lord has ·crushed [trampled]
the ·capital city [L virgin daughter] of Judah [Is. 63:1–6].
16 “I cry about these things;
my eyes overflow with tears.
·There is no one near to comfort me [L A comforter is far from me],
no one who can ·give me strength again [L restore my soul].
My children are ·left sad and lonely [desolate],
because the enemy has ·won [prevailed].”
17 ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple] ·reaches [spreads] out her hands,
but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord commanded the people of Jacob
to be surrounded by their ·enemies [foes].
Jerusalem is now unclean [1:8–9]
·like [L among] those around her.
18 Jerusalem says, “The Lord is ·right [righteous],
but I ·refused to obey him [L have rebelled against his mouth].
Listen, all you people,
and look at my ·pain [sorrow].
My young women and men
have gone into captivity [1:3].
19 “I called out to my ·friends [L lovers; 1:2],
but they ·turned against [deceived] me.
My priests and my elders
have died in the city
while ·looking for [seeking] food
to ·stay alive [revive their strength].
20 “Look at me, Lord. I am ·upset [distressed]
and ·greatly troubled [L my innards/stomach/bowels are agitated].
My heart is ·troubled [L overturned within me],
because I have been so ·stubborn [rebellious].
Out in the streets, the sword ·kills [bereaves];
inside the houses, ·death destroys [L it is like death].
21 “People have heard my groaning,
and there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble,
and they are happy you have done this to me.
Now bring that day you have announced
so that ·my enemies [L they] will be like me.
22 “·Look at all their evil [L Let all their evil come before you].
Do to them what you have done to me
because of all my ·sins [transgressions].
I groan over and over again,
and ·I am afraid [L my heart is sick/faint/weak].”
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.