Study Desk

Concerning the Ammonites:^(a) This is what the Lord says: "Has Israel no sons? Has Israel no heir? Why then has Molek^[a](b) taken possession of Gad?^(c) Why do his people live in its towns?

But the days are coming," declares the Lord , "when I will sound the battle cry^(d) against Rabbah^(e) of the Ammonites; it will become a mound of ruins,^(f) and its surrounding villages will be set on fire. Then Israel will drive out those who drove her out,^(g)" says the Lord .

"Wail, Heshbon,^(h) for Ai⁽ⁱ⁾ is destroyed! Cry out, you inhabitants of Rabbah! Put on sackcloth^(j) and mourn; rush here and there inside the walls, for Molek^(k) will go into exile,^(l) together with his priests and officials.

Why do you boast of your valleys, boast of your valleys so fruitful? Unfaithful Daughter Ammon,^(m) you trust in your riches⁽ⁿ⁾ and say, ‘Who will attack me?'^(o)

I will bring terror on you from all those around you," declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty. "Every one of you will be driven away, and no one will gather the fugitives.^(p)

"Yet afterward, I will restore^(q) the fortunes of the Ammonites," declares the Lord .

Concerning Edom:^(t) This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Is there no longer wisdom in Teman?^(u) Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom decayed?

Turn and flee, hide in deep caves,^(v) you who live in Dedan,^(w) for I will bring disaster on Esau at the time when I punish him.

If grape pickers came to you, would they not leave a few grapes? If thieves came during the night, would they not steal only as much as they wanted?

But I will strip Esau bare; I will uncover his hiding places,^(x) so that he cannot conceal himself. His armed men are destroyed, also his allies and neighbors, so there is no one^(y) to say,

‘Leave your fatherless children;^(z) I will keep them alive. Your widows^(aa) too can depend on me.'"

This is what the Lord says: "If those who do not deserve to drink the cup^(ab) must drink it, why should you go unpunished?^(ac) You will not go unpunished, but must drink it.

I swear^(ad) by myself," declares the Lord , "that Bozrah^(ae) will become a ruin and a curse,^[b] an object of horror^(af) and reproach;^(ag) and all its towns will be in ruins forever."^(ah)

I have heard a message from the Lord ; an envoy was sent to the nations to say, "Assemble yourselves to attack it! Rise up for battle!"

"Now I will make you small among the nations, despised by mankind.

The terror you inspire and the pride^(ai) of your heart have deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks,^(aj) who occupy the heights of the hill. Though you build your nest^(ak) as high as the eagle's, from there I will bring you down," declares the Lord .

"Edom will become an object of horror;^(al) all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff because of all its wounds.^(am)

As Sodom^(an) and Gomorrah^(ao) were overthrown, along with their neighboring towns," says the Lord , "so no one will live there; no people will dwell^(ap) in it.

"Like a lion^(aq) coming up from Jordan's thickets^(ar) to a rich pastureland, I will chase Edom from its land in an instant. Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this? Who is like^(as) me and who can challenge me?^(at) And what shepherd^(au) can stand against me?"

Therefore, hear what the Lord has planned against Edom,^(av) what he has purposed^(aw) against those who live in Teman:^(ax) The young of the flock^(ay) will be dragged away; their pasture will be appalled at their fate.^(az)

At the sound of their fall the earth will tremble;^(ba) their cry^(bb) will resound to the Red Sea.^[c]

Look! An eagle will soar and swoop^(bc) down, spreading its wings over Bozrah.^(bd) In that day the hearts of Edom's warriors^(be) will be like the heart of a woman in labor.^(bf)

Concerning Damascus:^(bg) "Hamath^(bh) and Arpad^(bi) are dismayed, for they have heard bad news. They are disheartened, troubled like^[d] the restless sea.^(bj)

Damascus has become feeble, she has turned to flee and panic has gripped her; anguish and pain have seized her, pain like that of a woman in labor.^(bk)

Why has the city of renown not been abandoned, the town in which I delight?

Surely, her young men^(bl) will fall in the streets; all her soldiers will be silenced^(bm) in that day," declares the Lord Almighty.

"I will set fire^(bn) to the walls of Damascus;^(bo) it will consume^(bp) the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.^(bq)"

Concerning Kedar^(br) and the kingdoms of Hazor,^(bs) which Nebuchadnezzar^(bt) king of Babylon attacked: This is what the Lord says: "Arise, and attack Kedar and destroy the people of the East.^(bu)

Their tents and their flocks^(bv) will be taken; their shelters will be carried off with all their goods and camels. People will shout to them, ‘Terror^(bw) on every side!'

"Flee quickly away! Stay in deep caves,^(bx) you who live in Hazor,^(by)" declares the Lord . "Nebuchadnezzar^(bz) king of Babylon has plotted against you; he has devised a plan against you.

"Arise and attack a nation at ease, which lives in confidence," declares the Lord , "a nation that has neither gates nor bars;^(ca) its people live far from danger.

Their camels^(cb) will become plunder, and their large herds^(cc) will be spoils of war. I will scatter to the winds^(cd) those who are in distant places^[e](ce) and will bring disaster on them from every side," declares the Lord .

"Hazor^(cf) will become a haunt of jackals,^(cg) a desolate^(ch) place forever. No one will live there; no people will dwell^(ci) in it."

This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam,^(cj) early in the reign of Zedekiah^(ck) king of Judah:

This is what the Lord Almighty says: "See, I will break the bow^(cl) of Elam, the mainstay of their might.

I will bring against Elam the four winds^(cm) from the four quarters of heaven;^(cn) I will scatter them to the four winds, and there will not be a nation where Elam's exiles do not go.

I will shatter Elam before their foes, before those who want to kill them; I will bring disaster on them, even my fierce anger,"^(co) declares the Lord . "I will pursue them with the sword^(cp) until I have made an end of them.

I will set my throne in Elam and destroy her king and officials," declares the Lord .

"Yet I will restore^(cq) the fortunes of Elam in days to come," declares the Lord .

A Message About Babylon^(a)

This is the word the Lord spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon^(b) and the land of the Babylonians^[a]:

"Announce and proclaim^(c) among the nations, lift up a banner^(d) and proclaim it; keep nothing back, but say, ‘Babylon will be captured;^(e) Bel^(f) will be put to shame,^(g) Marduk^(h) filled with terror. Her images will be put to shame and her idols⁽ⁱ⁾ filled with terror.'

A nation from the north^(j) will attack her and lay waste her land. No one will live^(k) in it; both people and animals^(l) will flee away.

"In those days, at that time," declares the Lord , "the people of Israel and the people of Judah together^(m) will go in tears⁽ⁿ⁾ to seek^(o) the Lord their God.

They will ask the way^(p) to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come^(q) and bind themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant^(r) that will not be forgotten.

"My people have been lost sheep;^(s) their shepherds^(t) have led them astray^(u) and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill^(v) and forgot their own resting place.^(w)

Whoever found them devoured^(x) them; their enemies said, ‘We are not guilty,^(y) for they sinned against the Lord , their verdant pasture, the Lord , the hope^(z) of their ancestors.'

"Flee^(aa) out of Babylon;^(ab) leave the land of the Babylonians, and be like the goats that lead the flock.

For I will stir^(ac) up and bring against Babylon an alliance of great nations^(ad) from the land of the north.^(ae) They will take up their positions against her, and from the north she will be captured.^(af) Their arrows^(ag) will be like skilled warriors who do not return empty-handed.

So Babylonia^[b] will be plundered;^(ah) all who plunder her will have their fill," declares the Lord .

"Because you rejoice and are glad, you who pillage my inheritance,^(ai) because you frolic like a heifer^(aj) threshing grain and neigh like stallions,

your mother will be greatly ashamed; she who gave you birth will be disgraced.^(ak) She will be the least of the nations— a wilderness, a dry land, a desert.^(al)

Because of the Lord 's anger she will not be inhabited but will be completely desolate.^(am) All who pass Babylon will be appalled;^(an) they will scoff^(ao) because of all her wounds.^(ap)

"Take up your positions around Babylon, all you who draw the bow.^(aq) Shoot at her! Spare no arrows,^(ar) for she has sinned against the Lord .

Shout^(as) against her on every side! She surrenders, her towers fall, her walls^(at) are torn down. Since this is the vengeance^(au) of the Lord , take vengeance on her; do to her^(av) as she has done to others.^(aw)

Cut off from Babylon the sower, and the reaper with his sickle at harvest. Because of the sword^(ax) of the oppressor let everyone return to their own people,^(ay) let everyone flee to their own land.^(az)

"Israel is a scattered flock^(ba) that lions^(bb) have chased away. The first to devour^(bc) them was the king^(bd) of Assyria; the last to crush their bones^(be) was Nebuchadnezzar^(bf) king^(bg) of Babylon."

Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "I will punish the king of Babylon and his land as I punished the king^(bh) of Assyria.^(bi)

But I will bring^(bj) Israel back to their own pasture, and they will graze on Carmel and Bashan; their appetite will be satisfied^(bk) on the hills^(bl) of Ephraim and Gilead.^(bm)

In those days, at that time," declares the Lord , "search will be made for Israel's guilt, but there will be none,^(bn) and for the sins^(bo) of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive^(bp) the remnant^(bq) I spare.

"Attack the land of Merathaim and those who live in Pekod.^(br) Pursue, kill and completely destroy^[c] them," declares the Lord . "Do everything I have commanded you.

The noise^(bs) of battle is in the land, the noise of great destruction!

How broken and shattered is the hammer^(bt) of the whole earth!^(bu) How desolate^(bv) is Babylon among the nations!

I set a trap^(bw) for you, Babylon, and you were caught before you knew it; you were found and captured^(bx) because you opposed^(by) the Lord .

The Lord has opened his arsenal and brought out the weapons^(bz) of his wrath, for the Sovereign Lord Almighty has work to do in the land of the Babylonians.^(ca)

Come against her from afar.^(cb) Break open her granaries; pile her up like heaps of grain.^(cc) Completely destroy^(cd) her and leave her no remnant.

Kill all her young bulls;^(ce) let them go down to the slaughter!^(cf) Woe to them! For their day^(cg) has come, the time^(ch) for them to be punished.

Listen to the fugitives^(ci) and refugees from Babylon declaring in Zion^(cj) how the Lord our God has taken vengeance,^(ck) vengeance for his temple.^(cl)

"Summon archers against Babylon, all those who draw the bow.^(cm) Encamp all around her; let no one escape.^(cn) Repay^(co) her for her deeds;^(cp) do to her as she has done. For she has defied^(cq) the Lord , the Holy One^(cr) of Israel.

Therefore, her young men^(cs) will fall in the streets; all her soldiers will be silenced in that day," declares the Lord .

"See, I am against^(ct) you, you arrogant one," declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty, "for your day^(cu) has come, the time for you to be punished.

The arrogant^(cv) one will stumble and fall^(cw) and no one will help her up;^(cx) I will kindle a fire^(cy) in her towns that will consume all who are around her."

This is what the Lord Almighty says: "The people of Israel are oppressed,^(cz) and the people of Judah as well. All their captors hold them fast, refusing to let them go.^(da)

Yet their Redeemer^(db) is strong; the Lord Almighty^(dc) is his name. He will vigorously defend their cause^(dd) so that he may bring rest^(de) to their land, but unrest to those who live in Babylon.

"A sword^(df) against the Babylonians!"^(dg) declares the Lord — "against those who live in Babylon and against her officials and wise^(dh) men!

A sword against her false prophets! They will become fools. A sword against her warriors!^(di) They will be filled with terror.^(dj)

A sword against her horses and chariots^(dk) and all the foreigners in her ranks! They will become weaklings.^(dl) A sword against her treasures!^(dm) They will be plundered.

A drought on^[d] her waters!^(dn) They will dry^(do) up. For it is a land of idols,^(dp) idols that will go mad with terror.

"So desert creatures^(dq) and hyenas will live there, and there the owl will dwell. It will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation.^(dr)

As I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah^(ds) along with their neighboring towns," declares the Lord , "so no one will live there; no people will dwell in it.^(dt)

"Look! An army is coming from the north;^(du) a great nation and many kings are being stirred^(dv) up from the ends of the earth.^(dw)

They are armed with bows^(dx) and spears; they are cruel^(dy) and without mercy.^(dz) They sound like the roaring sea^(ea) as they ride on their horses; they come like men in battle formation to attack you, Daughter Babylon.^(eb)

The king of Babylon has heard reports about them, and his hands hang limp.^(ec) Anguish has gripped him, pain like that of a woman in labor.^(ed)

Like a lion coming up from Jordan's thickets^(ee) to a rich pastureland, I will chase Babylon from its land in an instant. Who is the chosen^(ef) one I will appoint for this? Who is like me and who can challenge me?^(eg) And what shepherd can stand against me?"

Therefore, hear what the Lord has planned against Babylon, what he has purposed^(eh) against the land of the Babylonians:^(ei) The young of the flock will be dragged away; their pasture will be appalled at their fate.

At the sound of Babylon's capture the earth will tremble;^(ej) its cry^(ek) will resound among the nations.