The wordthatthe LORDspokeagainstBabylon and againstthe landof the ChaldeansbyJeremiahthe prophet. Declareye among the nations, and publish, and set upa standard; publish, and concealnot: say, Babylonis taken, Belis confounded, Merodachis broken in pieces; her idolsare confounded, her imagesare broken in pieces. Forout of the norththere cometh upa nationagainsther, whichshall makeher landdesolate, and noneshalldwelltherein: they shall remove, they shall depart, both manand beast. In thosedays, and in thattime, saiththe LORD, the childrenof Israelshall come, theyand the childrenof Judahtogether, goingand weeping: they shall go, and seekthe LORDtheir God. They shall askthe wayto Zionwith their facesthitherward, saying , Come, and let us join ourselvestothe LORDin a perpetualcovenant that shall notbe forgotten. My peoplehath beenlostsheep: their shepherdshave caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gonefrom mountaintohill, they have forgottentheir resting place. Allthat foundthem have devouredthem: and their adversariessaid, We offendnot, becausethey have sinnedagainst the LORD, the habitationof justice, even the LORD, the hopeof their fathers. Removeout of the midstof Babylon, and go forthout of the landof the Chaldeans, and beas the he goatsbeforethe flocks. For, lo, Iwill raiseand cause to come upagainstBabylonan assemblyof greatnationsfrom the northcountry: and they shall set themselves in arrayagainst her; from thenceshe shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mightyexpertman; noneshall returnin vain. And Chaldeashall bea spoil: allthat spoilher shall be satisfied, saiththe LORD. Becauseye were glad, becauseye rejoiced, O ye destroyersof mine heritage, becauseye are grown fatas the heiferat grass, and bellowas bulls; Your mothershall be soreconfounded; she that boreyou shall be ashamed: behold, the hindmostof the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert. Because of the wrathof the LORDit shall notbe inhabited, but it shall bewhollydesolate: every onethat goethbyBabylonshall be astonished, and hissatallher plagues. Put yourselves in arrayagainstBabylonround about: allye that bendthe bow, shootather, sparenoarrows: forshe hath sinnedagainst the LORD. Shoutagainsther round about: she hath givenher hand: her foundationsare fallen, her wallsare thrown down: forit is the vengeanceof the LORD: take vengeanceupon her; asshe hath done, dounto her. Cut offthe sowerfrom Babylon, and him that handleththe sicklein the timeof harvest: for fearof the oppressingswordthey shall turnevery onetohis people, and they shall fleeevery oneto his own land. Israel is a scatteredsheep; the lionshave driven him away: firstthe kingof Assyriahath devouredhim; and lastthisNebuchadnezzarkingof Babylonhath broken his bones. Thereforethussaiththe LORDof hosts, the Godof Israel; Behold, I will punishthe kingof Babylonand his land, asI have punishedthe kingof Assyria. And I will bringIsraelagain tohis habitation, and he shall feedon Carmeland Bashan, and his soulshall be satisfiedupon mountEphraimand Gilead. In thosedays, and in thattime, saiththe LORD, the iniquityof Israelshall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sinsof Judah, and they shall notbe found: forI will pardonthem whomI reserve. Go upagainstthe landof Merathaim, even againstit, and againstthe inhabitantsof Pekod: wasteand utterly destroyafterthem, saiththe LORD, and doaccording to allthatI have commandedthee. A soundof battle is in the land, and of greatdestruction. Howis the hammerof the wholeearthcut asunderand broken! howis Babylonbecomea desolationamong the nations! I have laid a snarefor thee, and thou art alsotaken, O Babylon, and thouwast notaware: thou art found, and alsocaught, becausethou hast strivenagainst the LORD. The LORDhath openedhis armory, and hath brought forththe weaponsof his indignation: forthis is the workof the LordGODof hostsin the landof the Chaldeans. Comeagainst her from the utmost border, openher storehouses: cast her upas heaps, and destroyher utterly: let nothingof her beleft. Slayallher bullocks; let them go downto the slaughter: woeuntothem! fortheir dayis come, the timeof their visitation. The voiceof them that fleeand escapeout of the landof Babylon, to declarein Zionthe vengeanceof the LORDour God, the vengeanceof his temple. Call togetherthe archersagainstBabylon: allye that bendthe bow, campagainstit round about; letnonethereof escape: recompenseher according to her work; according to allthatshe hath done, dounto her: forshe hath been proudagainstthe LORD, againstthe Holy Oneof Israel. Thereforeshall her young menfallin the streets, and allher menof warshall be cut offin thatday, saiththe LORD. Behold, I am againstthee, O thou most proud, saiththe LordGODof hosts: forthy dayis come, the time that I will visitthee. And the most proudshall stumbleand fall, and noneshall raise him up: and I will kindlea firein his cities, and it shall devourallround abouthim. Thussaiththe LORDof hosts; The childrenof Israeland the childrenof Judah were oppressedtogether: and allthat took them captivesheld them fast; they refusedto let them go. Their Redeemer is strong; the LORDof hosts is his name: he shall throughly pleadtheir cause, thathe may give restto the land, and disquietthe inhabitantsof Babylon. A sword is uponthe Chaldeans, saiththe LORD, and uponthe inhabitantsof Babylon, and uponher princes, and uponher wise men . A sword is uponthe liars; and they shall dote: a sword is uponher mighty men; and they shall be dismayed. A sword is upontheir horses, and upontheir chariots, and uponallthe mingled peoplethat are in the midstof her; and they shall becomeas women: a sword is uponher treasures; and they shall be robbed. A drought is uponher waters; and they shall be dried up: forit is the landof graven images, and theyare madupon their idols. Thereforethe wild beasts of the desertwiththe wild beasts of the islandsshall dwell there , and the owlsshall dwelltherein: and it shall be nomoreinhabitedforever; neithershall it be dwelt infromgenerationto generation. As GodoverthrewSodomand Gomorrahand the neighbor cities thereof, saiththe LORD; so shall nomanabidethere, neithershall any sonof mandwelltherein. Behold, a peopleshall comefrom the north, and a greatnation, and manykingsshall be raised upfrom the coastsof the earth. They shall holdthe bowand the lance: they are cruel, and will notshow mercy: their voiceshall roarlike the sea, and they shall rideuponhorses, every one put in array, like a manto the battle, againstthee, O daughterof Babylon. The kingof Babylonhath heardthe reportof them, and his handswaxed feeble: anguishtook holdof him, and pangsas of a woman in travail. Behold, he shall come uplike a lionfrom the swellingof Jordanuntothe habitationof the strong: butI will make them suddenlyrun awayfromher: and who is a chosen man, that I may appointoverher? forwho is like me? and whowill appoint me the time? and who is thatshepherdthatwill standbeforeme? Thereforehearye the counselof the LORD, thathe hath takenagainstBabylon; and his purposes, thathe hath purposedagainstthe landof the Chaldeans: Surelythe leastof the flockshall draw them out: surelyhe shall make their habitationdesolatewiththem. At the noiseof the takingof Babylonthe earthis moved, and the cryis heardamong the nations.