How was the hammer of all the earth cut off, and it will be broken! How was Babel for a desolation among the nations!

I laid a snare for thee yea and thou wast captured O Babylon, when, thou wast not aware, - Thou wast found out yea and taken, For with Yahweh, hadst thou contended.

At the noise of the taking of Babylon, the earth trembled, - And, the outcry, among the nations, was heard.

For Israel has not been forsaken, nor Judah by his God, by the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.

A cup of gold, was Babylon in the hand of Yahweh, Making drunk all the earth, - Of her wine, have the nations drunk, For this cause have the nations been acting as men who are mad.

Suddenly Babylon fell and was shattered.
Wail for her;
get balm for her wound—
perhaps she can be healed.

We tried to heal Babylon, and she was not healed. Forsake her and let us go each one to his country, for her judgment has reached to the heavens, and it has been lifted up to [the] skies.

By the voice that he uttered, there was a tumult of waters in the heavens, And he caused vapours to ascend from the end of the earth, - Lightnings for the rain, made he, And brought forth wind out of his treasures.

Every man was brutish from knowledge; every founder was ashamed from his carved image: for his founding is a falsehood, and no spirit in them.

Then did the land tremble and was in pain, - For the plans of Yahweh, had been established against Babylon, To make the land of Babylon an astonishment, without inhabitant.

A runner shall run to meet a runner, and he announcing, to meet him announcing, to announce to the king of Babel that his city was taken from the extremity.

He hath taken my substance away and the thing that was left me hath he carried unto Babylon,' sayeth the daughter that dwelleth in Zion. 'Yea, and my blood also, unto the Chaldeans,' sayeth Jerusalem.

And Babel was for heaps, a habitation of jackals, an astonishment and a hissing, from none inhabiting.

How was Sheshach taken and the praise of all the earth will be seized; how was Babel for a desolation among the nations!

The sea came up against Babel: with the multitude of rolling waves was she covered.

Even if Babylon was lifted up to heaven, even if she had the high places of her strength shut in with walls, still I would send against her those who will make her waste, says the Lord.

For Jehovah laid Babel waste, and he destroyed from her the great voice: and the billows roared as many waters, and a noise of their voice was given.

For he spoiling came upon her, upon Babel, and her strong ones were taken, their bow was broken: for the God of recompenses, Jehovah requiting will requite.

The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah king of Judah into Babylon, in the fourth year of his reign, - now Seraiah, was travelling-marshal.

So Jeremiah wrote all the calamity which was to come unto Babylon in one scroll; even all these words which have been written against Babylon.

And it was as thou finishedst to read this book, thou shalt bind upon it a stone and cast it into the midst of Phrath

Twenty-one years old, was Zedekiah when he began to reign, and eleven years, reigned he, in Jerusalem, - and, his mother's name, was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

And he did that which was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, - according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

For it was, because the anger of Yahweh, had come against Jerusalem and Judah until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.

In the fourth month, on [the] ninth [day] of the month, the famine in the city became severe and there was no food for the people of the land.

then was the city broken up, and all the men of war, beginning to flee went forth out of the city by night, by way of the gate between the two walls which was by the garden of the king the Chaldeans being near the city round about, - and they went the way towards the Waste Plain.

And the force of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and overtook Zedekiah, in the Waste Plains of Jericho, - and, all his force, was scattered from him.

The king of Babylon had Zedekiah's sons put to death while Zedekiah was forced to watch. He also had all the nobles of Judah put to death there at Riblah.

He had Zedekiah's eyes put out and had him bound in chains. Then the king of Babylon had him led off to Babylon and he was imprisoned there until the day he died.

And in the fifth month on the tenth of the month, the same, was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, chief of the royal executioners, - who stood before the king of Babylon into, Jerusalem;

And the walls round Jerusalem were broken down by the Chaldaean army which was with the captain.

Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took away into exile some of the poorest of the people, those who were left in the city [at the time it was captured], along with those who deserted to join the king of Babylon [during the siege] and the rest of the artisans.

And the pillars of bronze that pertained to the house of Yahweh and the stands and the sea of bronze which was in the house of Yahweh, did the Chaldeans, break in pieces, - and they carried away all the bronze of them to Babylon;

They took away also the Caldrons, shovels, flesh hooks, sprinklers, spoons, and all the brazen vessel that was occupied in the service;

And the cups, and the firepans, and the basins, and the pots, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the bowls-that which was of gold, in gold, and that which was of silver, in silver,- the captain of the guard took away.

As for the two pillars the one sea, and the twelve oxen of bronze which were under the stands which King Solomon had made for the house of Yahweh, without weight was the bronze of all these things.

Now as for the pillars, eighteen cubits, was the height of each pillar, and, a line of twelve cubits, compassed it about, - and the thickness thereof was four fingers breadth - hollow;

and there was, a capital, upon it, of bronze, and the height of each capital, was five cubits, with lattice-work and pomegranates upon the capital round about - the whole was of bronze, - and like these, were the second pillar and the pomegranates.

There were ninety-six apples on the outside; the number of apples all round the network was a hundred.

The captain of the royal guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest who was second in rank, and the three doorkeepers.

and out of the city, took he one eunuch who was in charge over the men f war and seven men of them who used to watch the face of the king, who were found in the city, and the scribe of the prince of the host, who used to muster the people of the land, - and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the midst of the city.

And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away captive out of his land.

In the thirty seventh year after that Jehoiachin the king of Judah was carried away in the twenty fifth day of the twelfth Month, Evilmerodach king of Babylon, the same year that he reigned, gave Jehoiachin the king of Judah his pardon, and let him out of prison,

And his prison clothing was changed, and he was a guest at the king's table every day for the rest of his life.

And his allowance, was a continual allowance given him from the king of Babylon the portion of the day upon its own day, until the day of his death, - all the days of his life.

How is seated alone, the city that abounded with people, hath become as a widow, - She who abounded among the nations was a princess among provinces, hath come under tribute.

Judah was carried away captive from affliction, and from the greatness of her serving: she dwelt in the nations, she found no rest: all pursuing her overtook her between straitnesses.

Jerusalem remembers the days of her misery and wanderings, all her treasures that were from the days of long ago. When her people fell into [the] hand of the enemy, there was no one helping her; the enemies saw her, they mocked at her destruction.

Jerusalem sinned a sin; for this she was for a removing: all honoring her despised her, for they saw her nakedness: also she sighed, and she will turn away behind.

Her uncleanness [was] in her skirts; she did not remember her future, she has descended beyond understanding, there is no comforter for her. See, O Yahweh, my persecution! [My] enemy has been made great!

All her people sighing, seeking bread; they gave from their delights for food to turn back the soul: see, O Jehovah, and regard; for I was despised.

Is it nothing to you, {all who pass by}? Look and see if there is sorrow like my sorrow, which was dealt to me, which Yahweh inflicted on the {day of his wrath}.

My rebellion was bound [as] a yoke, with his hand it was fastened together; it was put on my neck [and] caused my strength to fail. The Lord gave me into the hands [of those whom] I cannot withstand.

Zion spread forth her hands, none comforting for her: Jehovah commanded for Jacob, his adversaries round about him: Jerusalem was for uncleanness within them.

(Resh) Look, O Lord! I am distressed; my stomach is in knots! My heart is pounding inside me. Yes, I was terribly rebellious! Out in the street the sword bereaves a mother of her children; Inside the house death is present.

They hear that I was groaning; [there is] no comforter for me. All my enemies have heard my misery, they are pleased that you have done it. Bring [that] day that you have proclaimed, And let them be like me.

{Aleph} Alas, how hath the LORD darkened the daughter of Zion so sore in his wrath? As for the honour of Israel, he hath casten it down from heaven: How happeneth it, that he remembered not his own foot stool when he was angry?

(Gimel) In fierce anger he destroyed the whole army of Israel. He withdrew his right hand as the enemy attacked. He was like a raging fire in the land of Jacob; it consumed everything around it.

ד DaletHe has bent His bow like an enemy;
His right hand is positioned like an adversary.
He has killed everyone who was loved,
pouring out His wrath like fire
on the tent of Daughter Zion.

The Lord was as an enemy: he has swallowed up Israel, he has swallowed up all her palaces: he has destroyed his strongholds, and has increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

{Vav} Her tabernacle - which was like a garden of pleasure - hath he destroyed; her high solemn feasts hath he put down. The LORD hath brought it so to pass, that the high solemn feasts and Sabbaths in Zion are clean forgotten. In his heavy displeasure hath he made the king and priests to be despised.

(Khet) The Lord was determined to tear down Daughter Zion's wall. He prepared to knock it down; he did not withdraw his hand from destroying. He made the ramparts and fortified walls lament; together they mourned their ruin.

Mine eyes failed with tears, my bowels were in a ferment, my liver was poured out to the earth, upon the breaking of the daughter of my people; in the fainting of the child and suckling in the wide places of the city.

They say to their mothers, Where is grain and wine? when they faint as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers' bosom.

All who go by make a noise with their hands at you; they make hisses, shaking their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem, and saying, Is this the town which was the crown of everything beautiful, the joy of all the earth?

The Lord has done that which was his purpose; he has put into force the orders which he gave in the days which are past; pulling down without pity, he has made your hater glad over you, lifting up the horn of those who were against you.

Wilt thou proclaim, like the day of an appointed meeting - My terrors round about? when there was not - in the day of the anger of Yahweh - fugitive or survivor, - Those whom I dandled and reared, my foe hath destroyed.

He was to me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.

I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.

Who was it that spake, and it was done, when , My Lord, had not commanded?

They who are against me without cause have gone hard after me as if I was a bird;

The waters closed over my head; I thought I was about to die.

I was making prayer to your name, O Lord, out of the lowest prison.

The valued sons of Zion, whose price was the best gold, are looked on as vessels of earth, the work of the hands of the potter!

The tongue of the suckling, cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst, - Young children, have asked bread, there was none, to break, it to them.

For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.

Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:

Their form dark above blackness; they were not known in the streets: their skin adhered to their bones; it was dried up, it was as wood.

They wandered, blind, in the streets;
They were defiled with blood
So that no one could touch their garments.

"Go away! Defiled!" they shout to them. "Go away! Go away! Do not touch!" so they left, they left; it was said among the nations, "{They will no longer dwell with us}."

Yet our eyes failed,
Looking for help was useless;
In our watching we have watched
For a nation that could not save.

They hunted our steps from going in our streets; our end was near, our days were fulfilled, for our end has come.

The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.

Thine iniquity was finished, O daughter of Zion; he will not add to carry thee into exile: reviewing thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he uncovered upon thy sins.

Remember, O Jehovah, what was to us: look and see our reproach.

Our inheritance was turned to strangers, our houses to foreigners.

Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine.

The joy of our heart ceased; our dance was turned to mourning.

For this our heart was languid; for this our eyes were darkened.

For mount Zion was laid waste, the foxes went upon it.

Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Kebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

The word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Kebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.

And I looked, and behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and from the midst of it as the color of amber, from the midst of the fire.

Also from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the color of burnished brass.

and the likeness of their faces was the face of a man, with the face of a lion to the right of the four of them, and the face of an ox on the left, of the four of them, - the face of an eagle, also had they four;

And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.