Jeremiah 51:34–38

34 “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured us,

he has thrown us into confusion,

he has made us an empty jar.

Like a serpent he has swallowed us

and filled his stomach with our delicacies,

and then has spewed us out.

35 May the violence done to our flesh be on Babylon,”

say the inhabitants of Zion.

“May our blood be on those who live in Babylonia,”

says Jerusalem.

36 Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“See, I will defend your cause

and avenge you;

I will dry up her sea

and make her springs dry.

37 Babylon will be a heap of ruins,

a haunt of jackals,

an object of horror and scorn,

a place where no one lives.

38 Her people all roar like young lions,

they growl like lion cubs.

34 Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me,

He hath made me an empty vessel,

He hath swallowed me up like a dragon,

He hath filled his belly with my delicates,

He hath cast me out.

35 The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon,

Shall the inhabitant of Zion say;

And my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,

Shall Jerusalem say.

36 Therefore thus saith the Lord;

Behold, I will plead thy cause,

And take vengeance for thee;

And I will dry up her sea,

And make her springs dry.

37 And Babylon shall become heaps,

A dwellingplace for dragons,

An astonishment, and an hissing,

Without an inhabitant.

38 They shall roar together like lions:

They shall yell as lions’ whelps.

34 “King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has eaten and crushed us

and drained us of strength.

He has swallowed us like a great monster

and filled his belly with our riches.

He has thrown us out of our own country.

35 Make Babylon suffer as she made us suffer,”

say the people of Zion.

“Make the people of Babylonia pay for spilling our blood,”

says Jerusalem.

36 This is what the Lord says to Jerusalem:

“I will be your lawyer to plead your case,

and I will avenge you.

I will dry up her river,

as well as her springs,

37 and Babylon will become a heap of ruins,

haunted by jackals.

She will be an object of horror and contempt,

a place where no one lives.

38 Her people will roar together like strong lions.

They will growl like lion cubs.

34 “Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon

Has devoured me, he has crushed me;

He has made me an empty vessel,

He has swallowed me up like a monster;

He has filled his stomach with my delicacies,

He has spit me out.

35 Let the violence done to me and my flesh be upon Babylon,”

The inhabitant of Zion will say;

“And my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea!”

Jerusalem will say.

36 Therefore thus says the Lord:

“Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance for you.

I will dry up her sea and make her springs dry.

37 Babylon shall become a heap,

A dwelling place for jackals,

An astonishment and a hissing,

Without an inhabitant.

38 They shall roar together like lions,

They shall growl like lions’ whelps.

34 “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has defeated and destroyed us.

In the past he took our people away,

and we became like an empty jar.

He was like a giant snake that swallowed us.

He filled his stomach with our best things.

Then he spit us out.

35 Babylon did terrible things to hurt us.

Now let those things happen to Babylon,”

say the people of Jerusalem.

“The people of Babylon killed our people.

Now let them be punished for what they did,” says Jerusalem.

36 So this is what the Lord says:

“I will soon defend you, Judah,

and make sure that Babylon is punished.

I will dry up Babylon’s sea

and make her springs become dry.

37 Babylon will become a pile of ruins,

a home for wild dogs.

People will be shocked by what happened there.

No one will live there anymore.

38 Babylon’s people roar like young lions;

they growl like baby lions.

34 Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath, like a monster, swallowed me up, he hath filled his maw with my delicacies; he hath cast me out. 35 The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and, My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say. 36 Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her fountain dry. 37 And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant. 38 They shall roar together like young lions; they shall growl as lions’ whelps.

34 Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel; he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out. 35 The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitress of Zion say; and, My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say. 36 Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her spring dry. 37 And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place of jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant. 38 They shall roar together like young lions, growl as lions’ whelps.

34 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has devoured us. 

He has thrown us into confusion. 

He has turned us into empty jars. 

He has swallowed us like a monster. 

He has filled his belly with our delicacies. 

Then he spit us out. 

35 The people who live in Zion say, 

“May the violence done to us be done to Babylon.” 

Jerusalem says, 

“May the people of Babylon be held responsible for our deaths.” 

36 This is what the Lord says: 

I am going to take up your cause and get revenge for you. 

I will dry up Babylon’s sea and make its springs dry. 

37 Babylon will become piles of rubble. 

It will become a dwelling place for jackals, 

something horrible, and an object of contempt, 

where no one lives. 

38 Its people are like roaring lions and growling lion cubs. 

34 “Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has devoured me;

he has crushed me.

He has set me aside like an empty dish;

he has swallowed me like a sea monster;

he filled his belly with my delicacies;

he has vomited me out,”

35 says the inhabitant of Zion;

“Let the violence done to me and my family be done to Babylon.

Let my blood be on the inhabitants of Chaldea,”

says Jerusalem.

36 Therefore, this is what the Lord says:

I am about to plead your case

and take vengeance on your behalf;

I will dry up her sea

and make her fountain run dry.

37 Babylon will become a heap of rubble,

a jackals’ den,

a desolation and an object of scorn,

without inhabitant.

38 They will roar together like young lions;

they will growl like lion cubs.

34 “King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon has devoured me;

he has crushed me;

he has made me an empty vessel;

he has swallowed me like a monster;

he has filled his belly with my delicacies;

he has spewed me out.

35 May my torn flesh be avenged on Babylon,”

the inhabitants of Zion shall say.

“May my blood be avenged on the inhabitants of Chaldea,”

Jerusalem shall say.

36 Therefore thus says the Lord:

I am going to defend your cause

and take vengeance for you.

I will dry up her sea

and make her fountain dry,

37 and Babylon shall become a heap of ruins,

a den of jackals,

an object of horror and of hissing,

without inhabitant.

38 Like lions they shall roar together;

they shall growl like lions’ whelps.

34 Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon

has devoured me and sucked me dry;

he has made me an empty vessel;

he has swallowed me like the sea monster;

he has filled his belly with my delicacies;

he has rinsed me.

35 “May the violence done to me and to my flesh be on Babylon,”

the inhabitants of Zion will say;

and “My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,”

Jerusalem will say.

36 Therefore thus says Yahweh,

“Look, I am going to contend your case,

and I will avenge your vengeance,

and I will cause her sea to dry up,

and I will cause her fountain to dry up.

37 And Babylon will become as a heap of stones,

a lair of jackals,

an object of horror, and an object of hissing,

without inhabitants.

38 They will roar together like the young lions,

they will growl like the cubs of lions.

34 The people of Jerusalem say,

“Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonia, has destroyed us.

He has thrown us into a panic.

He has emptied us out like a jar.

Like a snake he has swallowed us up.

He has filled his stomach with our rich food.

Then he has spit us out of his mouth.”

35 The people continue, “May the people of Babylon

pay for the harmful things they have done to us.

May those who live in Babylonia

pay for spilling the blood of our people.”

That’s what the people who live in Zion say.

36 So the Lord says,

“I will stand up for you.

I will pay the Babylonians back for what they did to you.

I will dry up their water supply.

I will make their springs run dry.

37 Babylon will have all of its buildings knocked down.

It will be a home for wild dogs.

No one will live there.

People will be shocked at it.

They will make fun of it.

38 All of its people roar like young lions.

They growl like lion cubs.

34 “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured me and crushed me,

He has set me down like an empty vessel;

He has swallowed me like a monster,

He has filled his stomach with my delicacies;

He has washed me away.

35 “May the violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon,”

The inhabitant of Zion will say;

And, “May my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,”

Jerusalem will say.

36 Therefore thus says the Lord,

“Behold, I am going to plead your case

And exact full vengeance for you;

And I will dry up her sea

And make her fountain dry.

37 “Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals,

An object of horror and hissing, without inhabitants.

38 “They will roar together like young lions,

They will growl like lions’ cubs.