23 The words “Foreigners living there will say” are not in the text but are implicit from the third line. These words are generally assumed by the commentaries and are explicitly added in and which are attempting to clarify the text for the average reader.
24 Heb “Leave/abandon her.” However, it is smoother in the English translation to make this verb equivalent to the cohortative that follows.
25 This is an admittedly very paraphrastic translation that tries to make the figurative nuance of the Hebrew original understandable for the average reader. The Hebrew text reads: “For her judgment [or punishment (cf. 1078 מִשְׁפָּט 1.f) = ‘execution of judgment’] touches the heavens, and is lifted up as far as the clouds.” The figure of hyperbole or exaggeration is being used here to indicate the vastness of Babylon’s punishment which is the reason to escape (vv. 6, 9c). For this figure see Deut 1:28 in comparison with Num 13:28 and see also Deut 9:1. In both of the passages in Deut it refers to an exaggeration about the height of the walls of fortified cities. The figure also may be a play on Gen 11:4 where the nations gather in Babylon to build a tower that reaches to the skies. The present translation has interpreted the perfects here as prophetic because it has not happened yet or they would not be encouraging one another to leave and escape. For the idea here compare 50:16.

In other versions

We would have healed Babylon,

but she was not healed.

Forsake her, and let us go

each to his own country,

for her judgment has reached up to heaven

and has been lifted up even to the skies.

“ ‘We would have healed Babylon,

but she cannot be healed;

let us leave her and each go to our own land,

for her judgment reaches to the skies,

it rises as high as the heavens.’

We tried to heal Babylon,

but she could not be healed.

Abandon her!

Let each of us go to his own land,

for her judgment extends to the sky

and reaches as far as the clouds.

We would have helped her if we could,

but nothing can save her now.

Let her go; abandon her.

Return now to your own land.

For her punishment reaches to the heavens;

it is so great it cannot be measured.

We tried to heal Babylon, and she was not healed.

Forsake her and let us go each one to his country,

for her judgment has reached to the heavens,

and it has been lifted up to the skies.

We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed:

Forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country:

For her judgment reacheth unto heaven,

And is lifted up even to the skies.

Public Domain