Wycliffe WYC
New International Reader's Version NIRV
1 The word which the Lord spake of Babylon, and of the land of Chaldees, in the hand of Jeremy, the prophet. (The word which the Lord spoke about Babylon, and the land of the Chaldeans, by the prophet Jeremiah.)
1
Here is the message the LORD spoke through me about the city of Babylon and the land of Babylonia. He said,
2 Tell ye among heathen men, and make ye heard; raise ye [up] a sign; preach ye, and do not ye hold still; say ye, Babylon is taken, Bel is shamed, Merodach is overcome; the graven images thereof be shamed, the idols of them be overcome. (Tell ye out among the heathen, and make ye it heard; raise ye up a sign; preach ye, and do not ye hold back; say ye, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is overcome with despair; its carved idols be put to shame, yea, its idols be broken in pieces.)
2
"Announce this message among the nations. Lift up a banner. Let the nations hear the message. Do not keep anything back. Say, 'Babylon will be captured. The god Bel will be put to shame. Marduk will be filled with terror. Babylon's gods will be put to shame. The gods its people made will be filled with terror.'
3 For a folk shall ascend from the north against it, which folk shall set the land thereof into wilderness; and none shall be that shall dwell therein, from man unto beast; and they be moved, and went away. (For a nation shall come from the north against it, which nation shall make its land into a wilderness; and there shall be no one who shall live there, from man unto beast; yea, they shall remove themselves, and shall go far away.)
3
A nation from the north will attack it. That nation will destroy Babylonia. No one will live there. People and animals alike will run away.
4 In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the sons of Israel shall come, they and the sons of Judah together, going and weeping; they shall haste, and seek their Lord God in Zion, (In those days, and at that time, saith the Lord, the Israelites shall come, they and the people of Judah together, going and weeping; they shall make haste, and shall seek the Lord their God,)
4
"A new day is coming," announces the Lord. "At that time the people of Israel and Judah will gather together. They will come in tears to me. I am the LORD their God.
5 and they shall ask the way. Hither the faces of them shall come, and they shall be set to the Lord with bond of peace everlasting, which shall not be done away by any forgetting. (and they shall ask the way to Zion. They shall come here, and they shall be joined to the Lord with an everlasting covenant, which shall not be done away with by any forgetting.)
5
They will ask how to get to Zion. Then they will turn their faces toward it. They will come and join themselves to me. They will enter into the covenant I make with them. It will last forever. It will never be forgotten.
6 My people is made a lost flock, the shepherds of them deceived them, and made them to go unstably in (the) hills; they passed from (a) mountain into a little hill (they passed from mountain to little hill), they forgot their bed.
6
"My people have been like lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them down the wrong path. They have caused them to wander in the mountains. They have wandered over mountains and hills. They have forgotten that I am their true resting place.
7 All men that found (them), ate them, and the enemies of them said, We sinned not, for that they sinned to the Lord, the fairness of rightfulness, and to the Lord, the abiding of their fathers. (All those who found them, ate them, and their enemies said, We sinned not, for they have sinned against the Lord, the Beauty of righteousness, yea, against the Lord, their forefathers? hope.)
7
Everyone who found them destroyed them. Their enemies said, 'We aren't guilty. They sinned against the Lord. He gave them everything they needed. He has always been Israel's hope.'
8 Go ye away from the midst of Babylon, and go ye out of the land of Chaldees, and be ye as kids before the flock. (Go ye away from the midst of Babylon, and go ye out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be ye like the goat-kids leading the flock.)
8
"People of Judah, run away from Babylon. Leave the land of Babylonia. Be like the goats that lead the flock.
9 For lo! I shall raise (up), and bring into Babylon the gathering together of great folks, from the land of the north; and they shall be made ready against it, and it shall be taken in the day; the arrow(s) thereof (shall be) as of a strong man, a slayer, (and they) shall not turn again [void].
9
I will stir up great nations that will join forces against Babylon. I will bring them from the land of the north. They will take up their battle positions against Babylon. They will come from the north and capture it. Their arrows will be like skilled soldiers. They will not miss their mark.
10 And Chaldea shall be into prey, all that destroy it (all who destroy it), shall be [ful]filled, saith the Lord.
10
So the riches of Babylonia will be taken away. All those who steal from it will have more than enough," announces the Lord.
11 For ye make full out joy, and speak great things, and ravish mine heritage; for ye be shed out as calves on herb, and lowed, or bellowed, as bulls. (Yea, ye rejoice, and speak great things, for ye robbed my inheritance; and ye run about like calves after the threshing, and low, or bellow, like bulls.)
11
"People of Babylonia, you have stolen what belongs to me. That has made you glad and full of joy. You dance around like a young cow on a threshing floor. You neigh like stallions.
12 Your mother is shamed greatly, and she that engendered you, is made even to dust; lo! she shall be the last among folks, and forsaken, without (a) way, and dry. (But your mother city shall be greatly shamed, and she who begat you, shall be made even to the dust; lo! she shall be the last among the nations, and deserted, and without a way, and dried up.)
12
Because of that, you will bring great shame on your land. Your whole nation will be dishonored. It will become the least important of the nations. It will become a dry and empty desert.
13 For the wrath of the Lord it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be driven all into wilderness; each that shall pass by Babylon, shall wonder, and shall hiss on all the wounds thereof. (Because of the Lord's anger it shall not be inhabited, but all of it shall be driven, or made, into a wilderness; each person who shall pass by Babylon shall wonder, and shall hiss at all its wounds.)
13
Because I am angry with it, no one will live there. It will be completely deserted. All those who pass by it will be shocked. They will make fun of it because of all of its wounds.
14 All ye that bend bow, be made ready against Babylon by compass; overcome ye it, spare ye not arrows, for it sinned to the Lord. (All ye who bend bow, be made ready against Babylon all around it, or on every side; and then overcome ye it, spare ye not any arrows, for it hath sinned against the Lord.)
14
"All you who draw the bow, take up your battle positions around Babylon. Shoot at it! Do not spare any arrows! Its people have sinned against me.
15 Cry ye against it, everywhere it gave (up the) hand; the foundaments thereof fell down, and the walls thereof be destroyed; for it is the vengeance of the Lord. Take ye vengeance of it; as it did, do ye to it. (Cry ye against it, yea, everywhere it threw up its hands; its foundations fell down, and its walls be destroyed; for it is the vengeance of the Lord. Take ye vengeance upon it; as it did, so do ye unto it.)
15
Shout against them on every side! They are giving up. The towers of the city are falling. Its walls are being pulled down. I am paying its people back. So pay them back yourselves. Do to them what they have done to others.
16 Lose ye a sower of Babylon, and him that holdeth a sickle in the time of harvest, from the face of [the] sword of the culver; each man shall be turned (again) to his people, and each man shall flee to his land. (Destroy ye each sower of Babylon, and him who holdeth a sickle at the time of harvest. Before the coming cruel sword, each man shall return to his own people, and each person shall flee to his own land.)
16
Do not leave anyone in Babylonia to plant the fields. Do not leave anyone to harvest the grain. Let each of them return to his own people. Let him run away to his own land. If he doesn't, his enemy's sword will bring him great harm.
17 Israel is a scattered flock, lions casted out it; first (the) king (of) Assur ate it, (and) this last, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, did away the bones thereof. (Israel is a scattered flock, for the lions cast it out; first, the king of Assyria ate it, and then lastly, this Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, did away its bones.)
17
"Israel is like a scattered flock that lions have chased away. The first lion that ate them up was the king of Assyria. The last one that broke their bones was Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonia."
18 Therefore the Lord of hosts, God of Israel, saith these things, Lo! I shall visit (against) the king of Babylon, and his land, as I visited (against) the king of Assur; (And so the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saith these things, Lo! I shall punish the king of Babylon, and his land, like I punished the king of Assyria;)
18
The LORD who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, "I punished the king of Assyria. In the same way, I will punish the king of Babylonia and his land.
19 and I shall bring again Israel to his dwelling place. Carmel and Bashan shall be fed, and his soul shall be [ful]filled in the hill of Ephraim, and of Gilead. (and I shall bring back Israel to his dwelling place. He shall feed, or shall graze, on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be fulfilled in the hills of Ephraim, and of Gilead.)
19
But I will bring Israel back to their own grasslands. I will feed them on Mount Carmel and in Bashan. I will satisfy their hunger on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.
20 In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the wickedness of Israel shall be sought, and it shall not be; and the sin of Judah shall be sought, and it shall not be found; for I shall be merciful to them, which I shall leave (alive). (In those days, and at that time, saith the Lord, the wickedness of Israel shall be sought, but there shall be none; and the sin of Judah shall be sought, and it shall not be found; for I shall be merciful to them, whom I shall leave alive.)
20
A new day is coming," announces the Lord. "At that time people will search for Israel's guilt. But they will not find any. They will search for Judah's sins. But they will not find any. That is because I will forgive the people I have spared.
21 Ascend thou on the land of the lords, and visit thou on the dwellers thereof; scatter thou, and slay those things, that be after them, saith the Lord; and do thou by all things which I commanded to thee. (Go thou up against the land of Merathaim, and attack thou the inhabitants of Pekod; scatter thou, and kill thou them, saith the Lord; and do thou by all the things which I commanded thee.)
21
"Enemies of Babylonia, attack their land of Merathaim. Make war against those who live in Pekod. Chase them and kill them. Destroy them completely," announces the Lord. "Do everything I have commanded you to do.
22 The voice of battle and (of) great sorrow (is) in the land.
22
The noise of battle is heard in the land. It is the noise of a great city being destroyed!
23 How is the hammer of all (the) earth broken and all-defouled? how is Babylon turned into desert, among heathen men? (How the hammer of all the earth is broken and all-defiled! how Babylon is turned into a wilderness, among the heathen!)
23
It has been broken to pieces. It was the hammer that broke the whole earth. How empty Babylonia is among the nations!
24 Babylon, I have snared thee, and thou art taken, and thou knewest not; thou art found, and taken, for thou stirredest the Lord to wrath (for thou hast stirred the Lord to anger).
24
Babylonia, I set a trap for you. And you were caught before you knew it. You were found and captured. That is because you opposed me.
25 The Lord opened his treasure (house), and brought forth the vessels of his wrath; for why a work is to the Lord God of hosts in the land of Chaldees. (The Lord opened his treasure house, and brought forth the vessels of his anger; for the Lord God of hosts hath a work to do in the land of the Chaldeans.)
25
I have opened up my storeroom. I have brought out the weapons I use when I am angry. I am the LORD and King who rules over all. I have work to do in the land of the Babylonians.
26 Come ye to it from the farthest ends, open ye, that they go out, that shall defoul it; take ye away stones from the way, and drive ye into heaps, and slay ye it, and nothing be residue. (Come ye against it from the farthest borders, and open ye it up, so that they go out, who defile it; take ye away stones from the way, and pile ye them up into heaps, and kill ye it, and let nothing be left alive there.)
26
So come against it from far away. Open up its storerooms. Stack everything up like piles of grain. Completely destroy that country. Do not leave anyone alive there.
27 Destroy ye all the strong men thereof, go they down into slaying; woe to them, for the day of them cometh, the time of visiting of them. (Destroy ye all its strong men, go they down to the slaughter; woe to them, for their day cometh, the time of their punishment.)
27
Kill all of its people. Let them die in battle. How terrible it will be for them! Their time to be judged has come. Now they will be punished.
28 The voice of fleers, and of them that escaped from the land of Babylon, that they tell in Zion the vengeance of our Lord God, the vengeance of his temple. (Hear the voices of the fleers, and of those who escaped from the land of Babylon, as they tell out in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God, yea, the avenging of his Temple.)
28
Listen to those who have escaped. Listen to those who have returned from Babylonia. They are announcing in Zion how I have paid Babylonia back. I have paid it back for destroying my temple.
29 Tell ye against Babylon to full many men, to all that bend bow. Stand ye together against it by compass, and let none escape; yield ye to it after his work, after all things which it did, do ye to it; for it was raised against the Lord, against the Holy of Israel. (Call ye against Babylon a great many men, yea, to all who bend the bow. Stand ye together against it all around it, and let no one escape; yield ye to it after its work, after all the things which it did, do ye to it; for it was raised up against the Lord, against the Holy One of Israel.)
29
"Send for men who are armed with bows and arrows. Send them against Babylon. Set up camp all around it. Do not let anyone escape. Pay it back for what its people have done. Do to them what they have done to others. They have dared to disobey me. I am the Holy One of Israel.
30 Therefore young men thereof shall fall down in the streets thereof, and all men warriors thereof shall be still(ed) in that day, saith the Lord. (And so its young men shall fall down in its streets, and all its warriors shall die on that day, saith the Lord.)
30
You can be sure its young men will fall dead in the streets. All of its soldiers will be put to death at that time," announces the Lord.
31 Lo! thou proud, I to thee, saith the Lord of hosts, for thy day is come, the time of thy visitation. (Lo! O most proud, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts, for thy day is come, the time of thy punishment.)
31
"Proud Babylonians, I am against you," announces the Lord. The LORD who rules over all says, "Your day to be judged has come. It is time for you to be punished.
32 And the proud shall fall, and shall fall down together, and none shall be, that shall raise him; and I shall kindle fire in the cities of him, and it shall devour all things in compass of it. (Yea, the proud one shall fall, and shall altogether fall down, and there shall be no one, who shall raise it up; and I shall kindle a fire in its cities, and it shall devour everything all around it.)
32
You proud people will trip and fall. No one will help you up. I will start a fire in your towns. It will burn up everyone who is around you."
33 The Lord of hosts saith these things, The sons of Israel and the sons of Judah together suffer false challenge; all that took them, hold, they will not deliver them. (The Lord of hosts saith these things, The Israelites and the people of Judah be oppressed together; all they who took them captive, hold onto them, and they will not let them go.)
33
The LORD who rules over all says, "The people of Israel are being treated badly. So are the people of Judah. Those who have captured them are holding them. They refuse to let them go.
34 The again-buyer of them is strong, the Lord of hosts is his name; by doom he shall defend the cause of them, that he make the land afeared, and stir together the dwellers of Babylon. (But their Redeemer is strong, his name is the Lord of hosts; he shall justly defend their cause, and he shall trouble the inhabitants of Babylon, and make the land afraid/he shall justly defend their case, and make the land to rest, but he shall trouble the inhabitants of Babylon.)
34
But I am strong and will save them. My name is The LORD Who Rules Over All. I will stand up for them. I will bring peace and rest to their land. But I will bring trouble to those who live in Babylonia.
35 A sword to Chaldees, saith the Lord, and to the dwellers of Babylon, and to the princes, and to the wise men thereof. (A sword to the Chaldeans, saith the Lord, and to the inhabitants of Babylon, and to its princes, or to its leaders, and to its wise men.)
35
"A sword is coming against the Babylonians!" announces the Lord. "It is coming against those who live in Babylonia. It is coming against their officials and wise men.
36 A sword to the false diviners thereof, that shall be fools; a sword to the strong men thereof, that shall dread. (A sword to its false diviners, who be fools; a sword to its strong men, who have fear, or who shall be in terror.)
36
A sword is coming against their prophets. But they are not really prophets at all! So they will look foolish. A sword is coming against their soldiers! They will be filled with terror.
37 Sword to the horses thereof, and to the chariots thereof, and to all the common people which is in the midst thereof, and they shall be as women; a sword to the treasures thereof, that shall be ravished. (A sword to its horses, and to its chariots, and to all the common people who be in its midst, and they shall become like women; a sword to its treasures, that shall be robbed.)
37
A sword is coming against their horses and chariots! It is coming against all of the hired soldiers in their armies. They will become like weak women. A sword is coming against their treasures! They will be stolen.
38 Dryness shall be on the waters thereof, and they shall be dry; for it is the land of graven images, and hath glory in false feignings. (A drought shall be upon its waters, and they shall dry up; for it is the land of carved idols, and hath glory in false portents.)
38
There will not be any rain for their rivers. So they will dry up. Those things will happen because their land is full of statues of gods. Those gods will go crazy with terror.
39 Therefore dragons shall dwell with fond wild men, and ostriches shall dwell therein; and it shall no more be inhabited till into without end, and it shall not be builded till to generation and generation; (And so dragons, or jackals, shall live there with foolish wild men, and ostriches, or owls, shall live there also; and it shall no more be inhabited until forever, and it shall not be rebuilt until forever;)
39
"Desert creatures and hyenas will live in Babylon. And so will owls. People will never live there again. It will not be lived in for all time to come.
40 as the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and the nigh cities thereof, saith the Lord. A man shall not dwell there, and the son of (a) man shall not dwell in it. (like when the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities nearby, saith the Lord. No one liveth there now, and no one shall ever live there again.)
40
I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. I also destroyed the towns that were near them," announces the Lord. "Babylonia will be just like them. No one will live there. No one will stay there even for a short time.
41 Lo! a people cometh from the north, and a great folk, and many kings shall rise together from the ends of [the] earth. (Lo! a people cometh from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall rise up from the ends of the earth.)
41
"Look! An army is coming from the north. I am stirring up a great nation and many kings. They are coming from a land that is very far away.
42 They shall take bow and sword, they be cruel and unmerciful; the voice of them shall sound as the sea, and they shall ascend on horses as a man made ready to battle, against thee, thou daughter of Babylon. (They shall take bow and sword, and they shall be cruel and unmerciful; they shall sound like the roaring sea, and they shall go upon horses like a man prepared for battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.)
42
Their soldiers are armed with bows and spears. They are mean. They do not show any mercy at all. They come riding in on their horses. They sound like the roaring ocean. They are lined up for battle. They are coming to attack you, city of Babylon.
43 The king of Babylon heard the fame of them, and his hands be aclumsid; anguish took him, sorrow took him, as a woman travailing of child. (The king of Babylon heard the news about them, and his hands be benumbed; anguish took hold of him, and sorrow took hold of him, like a woman in labour.)
43
The king of Babylonia has heard reports about them. His hands can't help him. He is in great pain. It is like the pain of a woman having a baby.
44 Lo! as a lion he shall ascend from the pride of Jordan to the strong fairness, for I shall make him to run suddenly to it; and who shall be the chosen man whom I shall set before him? For who is like me? and who shall suffer me? and who is this shepherd, that shall against-stand my cheer? (Lo! like a lion he shall come up from the thickets of the Jordan River to the plentiful pastures, but suddenly I shall make him run away; and then who shall be the chosen one whom I shall set before them? For who is like me? and who shall dare to challenge me? and who is this shepherd of the people, who shall stand against me?)
44
I will be like a lion coming up from the bushes by the Jordan River. I will hunt in rich grasslands. I will chase the people of Babylon from their land in an instant. What nation will I choose to do it? Which one will I appoint? Is anyone like me? Who would dare to argue with me? What leader can stand against me?"
45 Therefore hear ye the counsel of the Lord, which he conceived in mind against Babylon, and his thoughts, which he thought on the land of Chaldees, no but the little (ones) of the flocks draw them down, no but the dwelling place of them be destroyed with them, else no man give credence to me. (And so hear ye the counsel of the Lord, which he conceived in his mind against Babylon, and his thoughts, or his plans, which he thought against the land of the Chaldeans: Even the little ones of the flocks shall be taken away, and their dwelling place shall be destroyed along with them, else no one give credence to me/or else no one believe me.)
45
So listen to what the LORD has planned against Babylon. Hear what he has planned against the land of the Babylonians. Their young people will be dragged away. The LORD will completely destroy their grasslands because of them.
46 The earth is moved of the voice of [the] captivity of Babylon, and cry is heard among heathen men. (The land shaketh at the sound of Babylon going into captivity, and its cry of despair is heard among the heathen.)
46
When the earth hears that Babylonia has been captured, it will shake. The people's cries will be heard among the nations.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.
Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.