Jeremiah 50
50
Against Babylon
1The word that Adonai spoke about Babylon, about the land of the Chaldeans, through Jeremiah the prophet:
2“Declare it among the nations and proclaim! Raise a banner, announce, hide nothing! Say: ‘Babylon will be captured, Bel put to shame, Merodach dismayed, her images disgraced, her idols shattered!’
3For a nation comes up against her out of the land of the north —it will desolate her land. No one will dwell there— they have fled, gone, both man and beast.”
Declaration of Restoration
4“In those days and at that time” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “the children of Israel will come, together with the children of Judah, weeping as they come, and will seek Adonai their God.
5They will ask about Zion, the way— here are their faces! Come! They will join themselves to Adonai in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.
6My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds led them astray. Turning around in the mountains, they went from mountain to hill, and forgot their resting place.
7Everyone finding them devoured them. Their foes said: ‘We’re not guilty!’ Instead, they sinned against Adonai, the habitation of justice—Adonai, the hope of their fathers.”
Doom of Babylon
8“Flee from within Babylon, get out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be like he-goats before the flock.
9For I will soon stir up and bring against Babylon an alliance of great nations from the north. They will form battle lines against her, from there she will be captured. Their arrows will be like a warrior who bereaves, not returning empty.
10Chaldea will be a spoil— all who plunder her will be satisfied.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
11“Because you rejoice, because you exult— you who plunder My inheritance— because you frolic like a trampling heifer and neigh like stallions,
12your mother will be utterly ashamed, she who bore you will be humiliated. Behold, the least of the nations will be a wilderness, a dry land, a desert.”
13Because of Adonai’s wrath, it will be uninhabited, all waste. Everyone who passes by Babylon will be appalled, hissing at all her wounds.
14Array against Babylon all around, all you who bend the bow. Shoot at her! Spare no arrows— for she has sinned against Adonai.
15Raise a war cry against her all around! She has thrown up her hands, her bulwarks are fallen, her walls thrown down. For it is Adonai’s vengeance: take vengeance on her, as she has done, do to her!
16Cut off the sower from Babylon and the one who wields a sickle in the time of harvest. Before the sword of the oppressor they will each turn to his people, each will flee to his own land.
17Israel is a scattered flock— lions have driven them away. First, Assyria’s king devoured him. This last one who broke his bones was King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.
18Therefore thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel: “Indeed, I will punish Babylon’s king and his land, just as I punished Assyria’s king.
19I will bring Israel back to his pasture. He will feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul will be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.
20In those days and in that time” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “Israel’s guilt will be sought, but there will be none, also for the sins of Judah, but they will not be found. For I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.
21Go up against the land of Merathaim, against the inhabitants of Pekod. Put them to the sword and utterly destroy them” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “and do all that I commanded you.”
22The noise of battle is in the land and great crashing.
23How the hammer of the whole earth has been cut down and smashed! How Babylon has become a horror among the nations!
24I set a snare for you, so you were caught, O Babylon, when you were unaware. You were found and also caught, because you challenged Adonai.
25Adonai has opened His armory and brought out the weapons of His indignation. For it is a work that my Lord Adonai-Tzva’ot has to do in the land of Chaldea.
26Come against her from afar, open her granaries, pile her up like heaps and utterly destroy her! Let nothing be left to her.
27To the sword with all her bulls, going down to the slaughter! Oy to them! Their day has come— the time of their visitation.
28The sound of fugitives, escaping out of the land of Babylon— declaring in Zion the vengeance of Adonai our God, vengeance for His Temple.
29Summon archers to Babylon, all who bend the bow. Encamp against her all around, let no one there escape. Repay her for her deed. As all she has done, do to her. For she was arrogant against Adonai, against the Holy One of Israel.
30Therefore her young men will fall in her squares, all her warriors silenced in that day.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
31“Look, I am against you, arrogant one” —declares my Lord Adonai-Tzva’ot— “for your day has come, the time when I will punish you.
32The arrogant will stumble and fall, and no one will lift him up. I will kindle fire in his cities, and it will devour all who are round about him.”
33Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot: “The children of Israel and the children of Judah are oppressed together. All their captors hold them fast. They refused to let them go.
34Their Redeemer is strong —Adonai-Tzva’ot is His Name— He will vigorously plead their case, so He may give rest to the earth, but trembling to the Babylonians.
35“A sword is on the Chaldeans” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “and on Babylon’s inhabitants, and her officials and wise men.
36A sword on the diviners—fools! A sword on her warriors—shattered!
37A sword on their horses, their chariots, on all the mixed people within her, so they will become like women! A sword on her treasures— so they may be plundered.
38A drought is on her waters, so they will be dried up. For it is a land of idols— they are mad about horrible things.
39So wildcats and hyenas will live there and ostriches settle there. It will never again be inhabited or dwelt in from generation to generation.
40As when Elohim overthrew Sodom, Gomorrah and their neighbor towns” —it is a declaration of Adonai— so no man will live there, nor any son of man dwell in it.
41Look! A people coming from the north, a great nation and many kings will rise up from the ends of the earth.
42They grasp bow and javelin. They are cruel, with no compassion. Their voice roars like the sea, as they ride on horses, arranged as warriors for battle, against you, daughter of Babylon.
43Babylon’s king heard news of them. His hands droop; anguish grabs him, agony like a woman in labor.
44Look, it is like a lion coming up from the thickets of the Jordan to a secure pasture—for abruptly I will make him run away from it. I appoint over it whomever I choose. For who is like Me? Who will summon Me to court? What shepherd stands up to Me?”
45Therefore hear the plan that Adonai has drawn up against Babylon, and His strategies that He designed against the land of the Chaldeans. Surely the least of the flock will be dragged away, Surely He will make their pasture desolate because of them.
46The earth will tremble at the noise of Babylon’s capture. The sound of their outcry will be heard among the nations.
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Jeremiah 50: TLV
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Jeremiah 50
50
The First Oracle Against Babylon. 1The word the Lord spoke against Babylon,#50:1–51:58] A collection of miscellaneous oracles against Babylon introducing the story in 51:59–64. against the land of the Chaldeans, through Jeremiah the prophet:#Jer 51:1; Is 13:1–14; 21:1–10.
2Proclaim this among the nations, announce it!
Announce it, do not hide it, but say:
Babylon is captured, Bel#Bel: originally the title of the god of Nippur in Mesopotamia, later associated with Merodach (Marduk), chief god of Babylon (cf. Is 46:1). put to shame, Marduk terrified;
its images are put to shame, its idols shattered.
3A nation from the north advances against it,
making the land desolate
So that no one can live there;
human beings and animals have fled.#Jer 51:48; Is 13:17.
4In those days and at that time—oracle of the Lord—
Israelite and Judahite shall come together,
Weeping as they come, to seek the Lord, their God;#Jer 3:18; Ps 126:6.
5They shall ask for Zion,
seeking out the way.
“Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord
in an everlasting covenant, never to be forgotten.”#Jer 31:31; 32:40.
6Lost sheep were my people,
their shepherds misled them,
leading them astray on the mountains;
From mountain to hill they wandered,
forgetting their fold.#Is 53:6; 1 Pt 2:25.
7Whoever happened upon them devoured them;
their enemies said, “We are not guilty,
Because they sinned against the Lord,
the abode of justice, the hope of their ancestors.”#Jer 31:23.
8Flee from the midst of Babylon,
leave the land of the Chaldeans,
be like rams at the head of the flock.#Jer 51:6, 45; Is 48:20.
9See, I am stirring up against Babylon
a band of great nations from the land of the north;
They are arrayed against her,
from there she shall be taken.
Their arrows are like the arrows of a skilled warrior
who never returns empty-handed.#Jer 51:27.
10Chaldea shall become plunder;
all its plunderers shall be enriched—
oracle of the Lord.
11Yes, rejoice and exult,
you that plunder my heritage;
Frisk like calves on the grass,
neigh like stallions!
12Your mother will indeed be put to shame,
she that bore you shall be abashed;
See, the last of the nations,
a wilderness, a dry wasteland.#Jer 51:43; Is 13:20–22.
13Because of the Lord’s wrath it shall be uninhabited,
become an utter wasteland;
Everyone who passes by Babylon will be appalled
and hiss at all its wounds.#Jer 25:12.
14Take your posts encircling Babylon,
you who bend the bow;
Shoot at it, do not spare your arrows,#Jer 51:11; Is 21:2.
15raise the war cry against it on every side.
It surrenders, its bastions fall,
its walls are torn down:#Its walls are torn down: the prophet describes the downfall of Babylon in conventional language. Babylon surrendered peacefully to the Persians in 539 B.C.
This is retribution from the Lord! Take retribution on her,
as she has done, do to her;
for she sinned against the Lord.#Jer 51:11, 44, 58; Ps 137:8.
16Cut off the sower from Babylon
and those who wield sickles at harvest time!
Before the destroying sword,
all of them turn back to their own people,
all flee to their own land.#Is 13:14.
17Israel was a stray sheep
that lions pursued;
The king of Assyria once devoured him;
now Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon gnaws his bones.#2 Kgs 17:24; 18:14.
18Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:
I will punish the king of Babylon and his land,
as I once punished the king of Assyria;#Is 10:12; 14:24–25.
19But I will bring Israel back to its pasture,
to feed on Carmel and Bashan,
And on Mount Ephraim and Gilead,
until they have their fill.#Jer 23:3; Ez 34:13–14.
20In those days, at that time—oracle of the Lord:
The guilt of Israel may be sought, but it no longer exists,
the sin of Judah, but it can no longer be found;
for I will forgive the remnant I preserve.#Jer 31:34; Is 43:25; Mi 7:19.
21Attack the land of Merathaim,
and those who live in Pekod;#Merathaim…Pekod: “twice bitter,” “punishment,” symbolic terms for Babylon that recall the names of regions in the country.
Slaughter and put them under the ban—oracle of the Lord—
do all I have commanded you.
22Battle alarm in the land,
great destruction!
23How the hammer of the whole earth
has been cut off and broken!
What an object of horror
Babylon has become among the nations!#Jer 51:20; Is 14:6.
24You ensnared yourself and were caught,
Babylon, before you knew it!
You were discovered and seized,
because you challenged the Lord.#Jer 51:57.
25The Lord opens his armory,
brings out the weapons of his wrath;
The Lord God of hosts has work to do
in the land of the Chaldeans.#Jer 51:11–12; Is 13:5.
26Come upon them from every side,
open their granaries,
Pile them up in heaps and put them under the ban;
do not leave a remnant.
27Slay all the oxen,
take them down to slaughter;
Woe to them! their day has come,
the time of their punishment.
28Listen! the fugitives, the refugees
from the land of Babylon:
They announce in Zion
the retribution of the Lord, our God.#Jer 51:10–11.
29Call archers out against Babylon,
all who bend the bow;
Encamp around them;
let no one escape.
Repay them for their deeds;
what they have done, do to them,
For they insulted the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel.#Jer 51:56.
30Therefore their young men shall fall in the squares,
all their warriors shall be stilled on that day—
oracle of the Lord.#Jer 49:26; 51:4.
31I am against you, O Insolence—
oracle of the Lord God of hosts;
For your day has come,
the time for me to punish you.
32Insolence stumbles and falls;
there is no one to raise him up.
I will kindle a fire in his cities
to devour everything around him.
33Thus says the Lord of hosts:
Oppressed are the people of Israel,
together with the people of Judah;
All their captors hold them fast
and refuse to let them go.
34Strong is their Redeemer,
whose name is Lord of hosts,
The sure defender of their cause,
who gives rest to their land,
but unrest to those who live in Babylon.#Jer 51:36.
35A sword upon the Chaldeans—oracle of the Lord—
upon the inhabitants of Babylon, her princes and sages!
36A sword upon the soothsayers,
and they become fools!
A sword upon the warriors,
and they tremble;
37A sword upon their motley throng,
and they become women!
A sword upon their treasures,
and they are plundered;#Jer 51:30; Na 3:13.
38A drought upon the waters,
and they dry up!
For it is a land of idols,
soon made frantic by phantoms.#Jer 51:32, 36.
39Hence, wildcats shall dwell there with hyenas,
and ostriches occupy it;
Never again shall it be inhabited or settled,
from age to age.#Jer 51:37; Is 13:21–22.
40As happened when God overturned Sodom
and Gomorrah and their neighbors—oracle of the Lord—
No one shall dwell there,
no mortal shall settle there.#Jer 51:43.
41See, a people comes from the north,
a great nation, and mighty kings
rising from the ends of the earth.#Jer 51:27–28.
42Bow and javelin they wield,
cruel and pitiless are they;
They sound like the roaring sea,
as they ride forth on horses,
Each in place for battle
against you, daughter Babylon.
43The king of Babylon hears news of them,
and his hands hang helpless;
Anguish takes hold of him,
like the pangs of a woman giving birth.#Is 13:7.
44As happens when a lion comes up from a thicket of the Jordan
to permanent pasture,
So I, in an instant, will chase them off,
and establish there whomever I choose!
For who is like me? Who can call me to account?
What shepherd can stand against me?#Jer 49:19.
45Therefore, hear the strategy of the Lord,
which he has devised against Babylon;
Hear the plans drawn up
against the land of the Chaldeans:
They shall be dragged away, even the smallest sheep;
their own pasture aghast because of them.#Jer 51:12, 29.
46At the cry “Babylon is captured!” the earth quakes;
the outcry is heard among the nations.#Jer 51:29.
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