Jeremiah 51:1–14

The Utter Destruction of Babylon

51Thus says the Lord:

“Behold, I will stir up ⁿthe spirit of a destroyer

against Babylon,

against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai,¹

²and I will send to Babylon winnowers,

and ^othey shall winnow her,

and they shall empty her land,

when they come against her from every side

^pon the day of trouble.

^3qLet not the archer bend his bow,

and let him not stand up in his armor.

Spare not her young men;

^rdevote to destruction² all her army.

⁴They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans,

^sand wounded in her streets.

^5tFor Israel and Judah have not been forsaken

by their God, the Lord of hosts,

but the land of the Chaldeans³ is full of guilt

against the Holy One of Israel.

^6u“Flee from the midst of Babylon;

let every one save his life!

^vBe not cut off in her punishment,

^wfor this is the time of the Lord’s vengeance,

the repayment he is rendering her.

⁷Babylon was ^xa golden cup in the Lord’s hand,

^ymaking all the earth drunken;

^zthe nations drank of her wine;

therefore the nations went mad.

^8aSuddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken;

^bwail for her!

^cTake balm for her pain;

perhaps she may be healed.

⁹We would have healed Babylon,

but she was not healed.

^dForsake her, and ^elet us go

each to his own country,

for ^fher judgment has reached up to heaven

and has been lifted up even to the skies.

^10gThe Lord has brought about our vindication;

^hcome, let us declare in Zion

the work of the Lord our God.

¹¹ⁱ“Sharpen the arrows!

Take up the shields!

^jThe Lord has stirred up the spirit of the kings of ^kthe Medes, because ^lhis purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, ^mfor that is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance for ^mhis temple.

¹²ⁿ“Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon;

^omake the watch strong;

set up watchmen;

prepare the ambushes;

^lfor the Lord has both planned and done

what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.

^13pO you who dwell by many waters,

rich in treasures,

your end has come;

the thread of your life is cut.

^14qThe Lord of hosts has sworn by himself:

Surely I will fill you with men, ^ras many as locusts,

^sand they shall raise the shout of victory over you.