Jubilee Bible 2000 JUB
New International Version NIV
1 Thus hath the LORD said; Behold, I raise up against Babylon and against her inhabitants that rise up against me from the heart, a destroying wind.
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This is what the LORD says: “See, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon and the people of Leb Kamai.
2 And I will send unto Babylon fanners that shall fan her and shall empty her land; for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about.
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I will send foreigners to Babylon to winnow her and to devastate her land; they will oppose her on every side in the day of her disaster.
3 <em>I shall say</em> to the archer that bends his bow and unto him that lifts himself up in his brigandine, Spare ye not her young men; utterly destroy all her host.
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Let not the archer string his bow, nor let him put on his armor. Do not spare her young men; completely destroy her army.
4 Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans and <em>those that are</em> thrust through in her streets.
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They will fall down slain in Babylon,fatally wounded in her streets.
5 For Israel and Judah have not been made widows of their God, of the LORD of the hosts, though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.
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For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the LORD Almighty, though their land is full of guilt before the Holy One of Israel.
6 Flee out of the midst of Babylon and deliver each one his soul that ye not perish because of her iniquity, for this <em>is</em> the time of the LORD’s vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense.
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“Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives! Do not be destroyed because of her sins. It is time for the LORD’s vengeance; he will repay her what she deserves.
7 Babylon <em>has been</em> a golden cup in the LORD’s hand that made all the earth drunken: the Gentiles have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.
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Babylon was a gold cup in the LORD’s hand; she made the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore they have now gone mad.
8 Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed; howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
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Babylon will suddenly fall and be broken. Wail over her! Get balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed.
9 We applied <em>the medicine to</em> Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go each one into his own land; for her judgment is come unto heaven and is lifted up <em>even</em> to the clouds.
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“ ‘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.’
10 The LORD has brought our righteousness to light; come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.
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“ ‘The LORD has vindicated us; come, let us tell in Zion what the LORD our God has done.’
11 Make bright the arrows; gather the shields; the LORD has awakened the spirit of the kings of the Medes; for his thought <em>is</em> against Babylon to destroy her; for it <em>is</em> vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.
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“Sharpen the arrows, take up the shields! The LORD has stirred up the kings of the Medes, because his purpose is to destroy Babylon. The LORD will take vengeance, vengeance for his temple.
12 Set up the banner upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes; for the LORD has deliberated and shall put into effect that which he spoke against the inhabitants of Babylon.
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Lift up a banner against the walls of Babylon! Reinforce the guard, station the watchmen, prepare an ambush! The LORD will carry out his purpose, his decree against the people of Babylon.
13 O thou that dwellest among many waters, rich in treasures, thine end is come, the measure of thy covetousness.
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You who live by many waters and are rich in treasures, your end has come, the time for you to be destroyed.
14 The LORD of the hosts has sworn by himself, <em>saying</em>, Surely I will fill thee with men as with locusts; and they shall sing the song <em>of the winepress</em> against thee.
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The LORD Almighty has sworn by himself: I will surely fill you with troops, as with a swarm of locusts, and they will shout in triumph over you.
15 He is the one who makes the earth by his power; he upholds the world by his wisdom and extends the heavens by his intelligence;
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“He made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.
16 he who gives with <em>his</em> voice a multitude of waters from heaven, then he causes the clouds to ascend from the ends of the earth; he makes lightnings with the rain and brings forth the wind out of his treasures.
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When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.
17 Every man has become carnal and is without knowledge; let every founder be ashamed of the graven image: for his molten image <em>is</em> falsehood, and <em>there is</em> no breath in them.
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“Everyone is senseless and without knowledge; every goldsmith is shamed by his idols. The images he makes are a fraud; they have no breath in them.
18 They <em>are</em> vanity, the work of errors; in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
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They are worthless, the objects of mockery; when their judgment comes, they will perish.
19 The portion of Jacob <em>is</em> not like them; for he <em>is</em> the Former of all things; and <em>Israel is</em> the rod of his inheritance; the LORD of the hosts <em>is</em> his name.
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He who is the Portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the Maker of all things, including the people of his inheritance— the LORD Almighty is his name.
20 Thou <em>art</em> my hammer, O weapons of war: for with thee I will break in pieces the Gentiles, and with thee I will destroy kingdoms;
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“You are my war club, my weapon for battle— with you I shatter nations, with you I destroy kingdoms,
21 and with thee I will break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee I will break in pieces the chariots and their riders;
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with you I shatter horse and rider, with you I shatter chariot and driver,
22 with thee also I will break in pieces men and women; and with thee I will break in pieces old and young; and with thee I will break in pieces young men and virgins;
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with you I shatter man and woman, with you I shatter old man and youth, with you I shatter young man and young woman,
23 I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee I will break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee I will break in pieces dukes and princes.
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with you I shatter shepherd and flock, with you I shatter farmer and oxen, with you I shatter governors and officials.
24 And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, said the LORD.
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“Before your eyes I will repay Babylon and all who live in Babylonia for all the wrong they have done in Zion,” declares the LORD.
25 Behold, I <em>am</em> against thee, O destroying mountain, said the LORD, which destroys all the earth; and I will stretch out my hand upon thee and roll thee down from the rocks and will make thee a burnt mountain.
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“I am against you, you destroying mountain, you who destroy the whole earth,” declares the LORD. “I will stretch out my hand against you, roll you off the cliffs, and make you a burned-out mountain.
26 And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, said the LORD.
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No rock will be taken from you for a cornerstone, nor any stone for a foundation, for you will be desolate forever,” declares the LORD.
27 Set ye up a banner in the land, blow the shofar among the Gentiles, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause <em>the</em> horses to come up as raised up locusts.
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“Lift up a banner in the land! Blow the trumpet among the nations! Prepare the nations for battle against her; summon against her these kingdoms: Ararat, Minni and Ashkenaz. Appoint a commander against her; send up horses like a swarm of locusts.
28 Prepare the nations against her: the kings of Media, the captains thereof, and all the princes thereof, and all the land of their dominion.
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Prepare the nations for battle against her— the kings of the Medes, their governors and all their officials, and all the countries they rule.
29 And the land shall tremble and sorrow for every thought of the LORD is confirmed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.
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The land trembles and writhes, for the LORD’s purposes against Babylon stand— to lay waste the land of Babylon so that no one will live there.
30 The mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight; they have remained in <em>their</em> holds; their might has failed; they became as women: the <em>enemies</em> have burned her dwellingplaces; they have broken her bars.
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Babylon’s warriors have stopped fighting; they remain in their strongholds. Their strength is exhausted; they have become weaklings. Her dwellings are set on fire; the bars of her gates are broken.
31 One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken in all places,
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One courier follows another and messenger follows messenger to announce to the king of Babylon that his entire city is captured,
32 And the fords were taken, and they have burned the reeds with fire, and the men of war were astounded.
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the river crossings seized, the marshes set on fire, and the soldiers terrified.”
33 For thus hath the LORD of the hosts, the God of Israel said: The daughter of Babylon <em>is</em> like a threshingfloor; <em>it is</em> now time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come.
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This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Daughter Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time it is trampled; the time to harvest her will soon come.”
34 Nebuchadrezzar 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 dragon; he has filled his belly with my delicates; he has cast me out.
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“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 The violence against me and my flesh <em>be</em> upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say.
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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 thus hath the LORD said: Behold, I judge thy cause and shall take thy vengeance; and I will dry up her sea and make her flowing <em>waters</em> dry.
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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 And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and a hissing, without an inhabitant.
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Babylon will be a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals, an object of horror and scorn, a place where no one lives.
38 They shall roar together like lions; they shall roar as lions’ whelps.
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Her people all roar like young lions, they growl like lion cubs.
39 In their heat I will place their feasts <em>before them</em>, and I will make them drunken that they may rejoice and sleep an eternal sleep and not wake, said the LORD.
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But while they are aroused, I will set out a feast for them and make them drunk, so that they shout with laughter— then sleep forever and not awake,” declares the LORD.
40 I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats.
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“I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams and goats.
41 How is Sheshach a prey! and how is she who was the praise of the whole earth taken! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the Gentiles!
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“How Sheshak will be captured, the boast of the whole earth seized! How desolate Babylon will be among the nations!
42 The sea is come up upon Babylon; she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof.
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The sea will rise over Babylon; its roaring waves will cover her.
43 Her cities were devastated, the land dry and desert, a land in which no man dwells, neither shall <em>any</em> son of man pass thereby.
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Her towns will be desolate, a dry and desert land, a land where no one lives, through which no one travels.
44 And I will visit Bel himself in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he has swallowed up; and the Gentiles shall not flow together any more unto him; and the wall of Babylon shall fall.
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I will punish Bel in Babylon and make him spew out what he has swallowed. The nations will no longer stream to him. And the wall of Babylon will fall.
45 Come out of the midst of her, my people, and save each one his life from the fierce anger of the LORD.
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“Come out of her, my people! Run for your lives! Run from the fierce anger of the LORD.
46 And lest your heart faint, and ye fear because of the news that shall be heard in the land; in one year shall the news come, and after that in the <em>next</em> year <em>shall come</em> the rumour, and <em>then shall come</em> the violence in the land, and the ruler over him who rules.
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Do not lose heart or be afraid when rumors are heard in the land; one rumor comes this year, another the next, rumors of violence in the land and of ruler against ruler.
47 Therefore, behold, the days come that I will visit the graven images of Babylon; and her whole land shall be ashamed, and all her dead shall fall in the midst of her.
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For the time will surely come when I will punish the idols of Babylon; her whole land will be disgraced and her slain will all lie fallen within her.
48 Then the heavens and the earth and all that <em>is</em> therein shall sing praises over Babylon; for the destroyers shall come unto her from the north, said the LORD.
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Then heaven and earth and all that is in them will shout for joy over Babylon, for out of the north destroyers will attack her,” declares the LORD.
49 As Babylon <em>has caused the</em> dead of Israel to fall, so because of Babylon <em>the</em> dead of all the earth fell.
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“Babylon must fall because of Israel’s slain, just as the slain in all the earth have fallen because of Babylon.
50 Ye that have escaped the sword, go away, do not tarry: remember the LORD for many days, and remember Jerusalem.
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You who have escaped the sword, leave and do not linger! Remember the LORD in a distant land, and call to mind Jerusalem.”
51 We are ashamed, because we have heard the reproach; confusion has covered our faces; for strangers are come against the sanctuaries of the LORD’s house.
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“We are disgraced, for we have been insulted and shame covers our faces, because foreigners have entered the holy places of the LORD’s house.”
52 Therefore, behold, the days come, said the LORD, that I will visit her graven images; and through all her <em>land the wounded</em> unto death shall groan.
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“But days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will punish her idols, and throughout her land the wounded will groan.
53 Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify her strength upon high, <em>yet</em> from me shall destroyers come unto her, said the LORD.
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Even if Babylon ascends to the heavens and fortifies her lofty stronghold, I will send destroyers against her,” declares the LORD.
54 The sound of a cry <em>comes</em> from Babylon, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!
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“The sound of a cry comes from Babylon, the sound of great destruction from the land of the Babylonians.
55 Because the LORD destroys Babylon and takes out of her the many thunders, her waves shall roar; like many waters shall be the sound of their voice:
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The LORD will destroy Babylon; he will silence her noisy din. Waves of enemies will rage like great waters; the roar of their voices will resound.
56 because the destroyer is come against her, <em>even</em> upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, their bow is broken: for the LORD God of recompenses shall surely requite.
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A destroyer will come against Babylon; her warriors will be captured, and their bows will be broken. For the LORD is a God of retribution; he will repay in full.
57 And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise <em>men</em>, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men; and they shall sleep an eternal sleep and shall not wake, saith the King, whose name <em>is</em> the LORD of the hosts.
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I will make her officials and wise men drunk, her governors, officers and warriors as well; they will sleep forever and not awake,” declares the King, whose name is the LORD Almighty.
58 Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly cast down, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and peoples and nations shall labour in vain in the fire <em>to save her</em>, and they shall become weary.
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This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Babylon’s thick wall will be leveled and her high gates set on fire; the peoples exhaust themselves for nothing, the nations’ labor is only fuel for the flames.”
59 The word which Jeremiah the prophet sent to Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah into Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And <em>this</em> Seraiah <em>was</em> the chief steward of the bedchambers.
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This is the message Jeremiah the prophet gave to the staff officer Seraiah son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went to Babylon with Zedekiah king of Judah in the fourth year of his reign.
60 So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, <em>even</em> all these words that are written against Babylon.
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Jeremiah had written on a scroll about all the disasters that would come upon Babylon—all that had been recorded concerning Babylon.
61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon and shalt see and shalt read all these things;
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He said to Seraiah, “When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud.
62 then thou shalt say, O LORD, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that no one shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate for ever.
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Then say, ‘LORD, you have said you will destroy this place, so that neither people nor animals will live in it; it will be desolate forever.’
63 And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, <em>that</em> thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates;
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When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates.
64 and thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be overcome. Thus far <em>are</em> the words of Jeremiah.
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Then say, ‘So will Babylon sink to rise no more because of the disaster I will bring on her. And her people will fall.’ ” The words of Jeremiah end here.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.