1 verbum quod locutus est Dominus de Babylone et de terra Chaldeorum
in manu Hieremiae prophetae
2 adnuntiate in gentibus et auditum facite
levate signum praedicate et nolite celare
dicite capta est Babylon confusus est Bel
victus est Marodach confusa sunt sculptilia eius
superata sunt idola eorum
3 quoniam ascendit contra eam gens ab aquilone
quae ponet terram eius in solitudinem
et non erit qui habitet in ea ab homine usque ad pecus
et moti sunt et abierunt
4 in diebus illis et in tempore illo ait Dominus
venient filii Israhel ipsi et filii Iuda simul
ambulantes et flentes properabunt
et Dominum Deum suum quaerent
5 in Sion interrogabunt viam huc facies eorum venient
et adponentur ad Dominum foedere sempiterno
quod nulla oblivione delebitur
6 grex perditus factus est populus meus
pastores eorum seduxerunt eos feceruntque vagari in montibus
de monte in collem transierunt obliti sunt cubilis sui
7 omnes qui invenerunt comederunt eos
et hostes eorum dixerunt non peccavimus
pro eo quod peccaverunt Domino decori iustitiae
et expectationi patrum eorum Domino
8 recedite de medio Babylonis et de terra Chaldeorum egredimini
et estote quasi hedi ante greges
9 quoniam ecce ego suscito et adducam in Babylonem
congregationem gentium magnarum de terra aquilonis
et praeparabuntur adversum eam et inde capietur
sagitta eius quasi viri fortis interfectoris non revertetur vacua
10 et erit Chaldea in praedam
omnes vastantes eam replebuntur ait Dominus
11 quoniam exultatis et magna loquimini
diripientes hereditatem meam
quoniam effusi estis sicut vitulus super herbam
et mugistis ut tauri
12 confusa est mater vestra nimis
et adaequata pulveri quae genuit vos
ecce novissima erit in gentibus deserta invia et arens
13 ab ira Domini non habitabitur sed redigetur tota in solitudinem
omnis qui transit per Babylonem stupebit
et sibilabit super universis plagis eius
14 praeparamini contra Babylonem per circuitum
omnes qui intenditis arcum debellate eam
non parcatis iaculis quia Domino peccavit
15 clamate adversus eam ubique
dedit manum ceciderunt fundamenta eius destructi sunt muri eius
quoniam ultio Domini est ultionem accipite de ea
sicut fecit facite ei
16 disperdite satorem de Babylone
et tenentem falcem in tempore messis
a facie gladii columbae unusquisque ad populum suum convertetur
et singuli ad terram suam fugient
17 grex dispersus Israhel leones eiecerunt eum
primus comedit eum rex Assur
iste novissimus exossavit eum Nabuchodonosor rex Babylonis
18 propterea haec dicit Dominus exercituum Deus Israhel
ecce ego visitabo regem Babylonis et terram eius
sicut visitavi regem Assur
19 et reducam Israhel ad habitaculum suum
et pascetur Carmelum et Basan
et in monte Ephraim et Galaad saturabitur anima eius
20 in diebus illis et in tempore illo ait Dominus
quaeretur iniquitas Israhel et non erit
et peccatum Iuda et non invenietur
quoniam propitius ero eis quos reliquero
21 super terram dominantium ascende
et super habitatores eius visita
dissipa et interfice quae post eos sunt ait Dominus
et fac iuxta omnia quae praecepi tibi
22 vox belli in terra et contritio magna
23 quomodo confractus est et contritus est malleus universae
terrae
quomodo versa est in desertum Babylon in gentibus
24 inlaqueavi te et capta es Babylon et nesciebas
inventa es et adprehensa quoniam Dominum provocasti
25 aperuit Dominus thesaurum suum et protulit vasa irae suae
quoniam opus est Domino Deo exercituum in terra Chaldeorum
26 venite ad eam ab extremis finibus
aperite ut exeant qui conculcent eam
tollite de via lapides et redigite in acervos
et interficite eam nec sit quicquam reliquum
27 dissipate universos fortes eius descendant in occisionem
vae eis quia venit dies eorum tempus visitationis eorum
28 vox fugientium et eorum qui evaserunt de terra Babylonis
ut adnuntient in Sion ultionem Domini Dei nostri
ultionem templi eius
29 adnuntiate in Babylonem plurimis omnibus qui tendunt arcum
consistite adversum eam per gyrum et nullus evadat
reddite ei secundum opus suum
iuxta omnia quae fecit facite illi
quia contra Dominum erecta est adversum Sanctum Israhel
30 idcirco cadent iuvenes eius in plateis eius
et omnes viri bellatores eius conticescent in die illa ait Dominus
31 ecce ego ad te superbe dicit Dominus Deus exercituum
quia venit dies tuus tempus visitationis tuae
32 et cadet superbus et corruet et non erit qui suscitet eum
et succendam ignem in urbibus eius
et devorabit omnia in circuitu eius
33 haec dicit Dominus exercituum
calumniam sustinent filii Israhel et filii Iuda simul
omnes qui ceperunt eos tenent nolunt dimittere eos
34 redemptor eorum Fortis Dominus exercituum nomen eius
iudicio defendet causam eorum
ut exterreat terram et commoveat habitatores Babylonis
35 gladius ad Chaldeos ait Dominus
et ad habitatores Babylonis et ad principes et ad sapientes eius
36 gladius ad divinos eius qui stulti erunt
gladius ad fortes illius qui timebunt
37 gladius ad equos eius et ad currus eius
et ad omne vulgus quod est in medio eius et erunt quasi mulieres
gladius ad thesauros eius qui diripientur
38 siccitas super aquas eius erit et arescent
quia terra sculptilium est et in portentis gloriantur
39 propterea habitabunt dracones cum fatuis ficariis
et habitabunt in ea strutiones
et non habitabitur ultra usque ad
sempiternum
nec extruetur usque ad generationem et generationem
40 sicut subvertit Deus Sodomam et Gomorram et vicinas eius
ait Dominus
non habitabit ibi vir nec incolet eam filius hominis
41 ecce populus venit ab aquilone et gens magna
et reges multi consurgent a finibus terrae
42 arcum et scutum adprehendent crudeles sunt et inmisericordes
vox eorum quasi mare sonabit et super equos ascendent
sicut vir paratus ad proelium contra te filia Babylon
43 audivit rex Babylonis famam eorum et dissolutae sunt manus eius
angustia adprehendit eum dolor quasi parturientem
44 ecce quasi leo ascendet de superbia Iordanis
ad pulchritudinem robustam
quia subito currere eum faciam ad illam
et quis erit electus quem praeponam ei
quis enim similis mei et quis sustinebit me
et quis est iste pastor qui resistat vultui meo
45 propterea audite consilium Domini
quod mente concepit adversum Babylonem
et cogitationes eius quas cogitavit super terram Chaldeorum
nisi detraxerint eos parvuli gregum
nisi dissipatum fuerit cum ipsis habitaculum eorum
46 a voce captivitatis Babylonis commota est terra
et clamor inter gentes auditus est
1 The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet. 2 Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces. 3 For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast.
4 ¶ In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God. 5 They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying , Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten. 6 My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace. 7 All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers. 8 Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks.
9 ¶ For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain. 10 And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith the LORD. 11 Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls; 12 Your mother shall be sore confounded; she that bare you shall be ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert. 13 Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues. 14 Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD. 15 Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her. 16 Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land.
17 ¶ Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones. 18 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria. 19 And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead. 20 In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.
21 ¶ Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against the inhabitants of Pekod: waste and utterly destroy after them, saith the LORD, and do according to all that I have commanded thee. 22 A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction. 23 How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations! 24 I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the LORD. 25 The LORD hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation: for this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans. 26 Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses: cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left. 27 Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation. 28 The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple. 29 Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel. 30 Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD. 31 Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee. 32 And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.
33 ¶ Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go. 34 Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
35 ¶ A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men . 36 A sword is upon the liars; and they shall dote: a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed. 37 A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed. 38 A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols. 39 Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there , and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation. 40 As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein. 41 Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. 42 They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not shew mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon. 43 The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail. 44 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me? 45 Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them. 46 At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.