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.