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Jeremiah 51:56-58
New English Translation
Jeremiah 51:56-58
New English Translation
56 For a destroyer is attacking Babylon.[a]
Her warriors will be captured;
their bows will be broken.[b]
For the Lord is a God who punishes;[c]
he pays back in full.[d]
57 “I will make her officials and wise men drunk,
along with her governors, leaders,[e] and warriors.
They will fall asleep forever and never wake up,”[f]
says the King whose name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.[g]
58 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies[h] says,
“Babylon’s thick wall[i] will be completely demolished.[j]
Her high gates will be set on fire.
The peoples strive for what does not satisfy.[k]
The nations grow weary trying to get what will be destroyed.”[l]
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 51:56 tn Heb “for a destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon.”
- Jeremiah 51:56 tn The Piel form (which would be intransitive here, see GKC 142 §52.k) should probably be emended to Qal.
- Jeremiah 51:56 tn Or “God of retribution.”
- Jeremiah 51:56 tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following finite verb. Another option is to translate, “he certainly pays one back.” The translation assumes that the imperfect verbal form here describes the Lord’s characteristic actions. Another option is to take it as referring specifically to his judgment on Babylon, in which case one should translate, “he will pay (Babylon) back in full.”
- Jeremiah 51:57 sn For discussion of the terms “governors” and “leaders,” see the note at Jer 51:23.
- Jeremiah 51:57 sn See the note at Jer 51:39.
- Jeremiah 51:57 tn For the title “Yahweh of Armies” see the study note on Jer 2:19.
- Jeremiah 51:58 sn See the note at Jer 2:19.
- Jeremiah 51:58 tn The text has the plural “walls,” but many Hebrew mss read the singular “wall,” which is also supported by the ancient Greek version. The modifying adjective “thick” is singular as well.
- Jeremiah 51:58 tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following finite verb. Another option is to translate, “will certainly be demolished.”
- Jeremiah 51:58 tn Heb “for what is empty.”
- Jeremiah 51:58 tn Heb “and the nations for fire, and they grow weary.”
New English Translation (NET)
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