1. This is the word the Lord spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon and the land of the Babylonians:
2. ‘Announce and proclaim among the nations,lift up a banner and proclaim it;keep nothing back, but say,“Babylon will be captured;Bel will be put to shame,Marduk filled with terror.Her images will be put to shameand her idols filled with terror.”
3. A nation from the north will attack herand lay waste her land.No one will live in it;both people and animals will flee away.
4. ‘In those days, at that time,’declares the Lord,‘the people of Israel and the people of Judah togetherwill go in tears to seek the Lord their God.
5. They will ask the way to Zionand turn their faces towards it.They will come and bind themselves to the Lordin an everlasting covenantthat will not be forgotten.
6. ‘My people have been lost sheep;their shepherds have led them astrayand caused them to roam on the mountains.They wandered over mountain and hilland forgot their own resting place.
7. Whoever found them devoured them;their enemies said, “We are not guilty,for they sinned against the Lord, their verdant pasture,the Lord, the hope of their ancestors.”
8. ‘Flee out of Babylon;leave the land of the Babylonians,and be like the goats that lead the flock.
9. For I will stir up and bring against Babylonan alliance of great nations from the land of the north.They will take up their positions against her,and from the north she will be captured.Their arrows will be like skilled warriorswho do not return empty-handed.
10. So Babylonia will be plundered;all who plunder her will have their fill,’declares the Lord.
11. ‘Because you rejoice and are glad,you who pillage my inheritance,because you frolic like a heifer threshing cornand neigh like stallions,
12. your mother will be greatly ashamed;she who gave you birth will be disgraced.She will be the least of the nations –a wilderness, a dry land, a desert.
13. Because of the Lord’s anger she will not be inhabitedbut will be completely desolate.All who pass Babylon will be appalled;they will scoff because of all her wounds.
14. ‘Take up your positions round Babylon,all you who draw the bow.Shoot at her! Spare no arrows,for she has sinned against the Lord.
15. Shout against her on every side!She surrenders, her towers fall,her walls are torn down.Since this is the vengeance of the Lord,take vengeance on her;do to her as she has done to others.
16. Cut off from Babylon the sower,and the reaper with his sickle at harvest.Because of the sword of the oppressorlet everyone return to their own people,let everyone flee to their own land.
17. ‘Israel is a scattered flockthat lions have chased away.The first to devour themwas the king of Assyria;the last to crush their boneswas Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.’