I will stir up great nations that will join forces against Babylon. I will bring them from the land of the north. They will take up their battle positions against Babylon. They will come from the north and capture it. Their arrows will be like skilled soldiers. They will not miss their mark.

因我必激动联合的大国从北方上来攻击巴比伦，他们要摆阵攻击他；他必从那里被攻取。他们的箭好像善射之勇士的箭，一枝也不徒然返回。

看哪，因我必激起大国联盟，带领他们从北方来攻击巴比伦，他们要摆阵攻击它，它必在那里被攻取。他们的箭好像善射勇士的箭，绝不徒然返回。

看哪，因我必激起大国联盟，带领他们从北方来攻击巴比伦，他们要摆阵攻击它，它必在那里被攻取。他们的箭好像善射勇士的箭，绝不徒然返回。

看啊，我要使来自北方的列强联合起来攻打巴比伦，他们要列阵攻占它，他们的勇士箭术高超，百发百中。

因为，看哪！我必激动强国从北方之地联群而来，攻击巴比伦；他们要列阵攻打巴比伦；巴比伦就必被攻取。他们的箭必像善战的勇士，不会空手而回。

因我必激動聯合的大國從北方上來攻擊巴比倫，他們要擺陣攻擊她；她必從那裏被攻取。他們的箭好像善射之勇士的箭，一枝也不徒然返回。

看哪，因我必激起大國聯盟，帶領他們從北方來攻擊巴比倫，他們要擺陣攻擊它，它必在那裏被攻取。他們的箭好像善射勇士的箭，絕不徒然返回。

看哪，因我必激起大國聯盟，帶領他們從北方來攻擊巴比倫，他們要擺陣攻擊它，它必在那裏被攻取。他們的箭好像善射勇士的箭，絕不徒然返回。

看啊，我要使來自北方的列強聯合起來攻打巴比倫，他們要列陣攻佔它，他們的勇士箭術高超，百發百中。

因為，看哪！我必激動強國從北方之地聯群而來，攻擊巴比倫；他們要列陣攻打巴比倫；巴比倫就必被攻取。他們的箭必像善戰的勇士，不會空手而回。

因為你看，我必激動一班大國，使他們從北方之地上來、攻擊巴比倫；他們必擺陣攻擊她；就從那裏她就要被攻取；他們的箭如同善戰的勇士，總不空回。

蓋我必使大邦之眾、來自北方、以攻巴比倫、列陳擊之、於是被陷、敵矢必如精練武士之矢、無徒返者、

大邦之民、必率群眾、來自北方、攻巴比倫、列行伍、取邑垣、若善戰者、矢不虛發、我使之然。

我必使大邦之眾、來自北方、攻擊巴比倫、向城列陣、城由此而陷、彼俱勇士、矢無不中、必不徒勞而返、彼俱勇士矢無不中必不徒勞而返或作其矢猶如行事亨通之勇士必不徒勞而返

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

For behold, I am stirring up and bringing against Babylon a gathering of great nations, from the north country. And they shall array themselves against her. From there she shall be taken. Their arrows are like a skilled warrior who does not return empty-handed.

For I am raising up an army of great nations from the north. They will join forces to attack Babylon, and she will be captured. The enemies’ arrows will go straight to the mark; they will not miss!

For I will soon stir up and bring against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country. They will line up in battle formation against her; from there she will be captured. Their arrows will be like a skilled warrior who does not return empty-handed.

For behold, I am going to rouse and bring up against Babylon A contingent of great nations from the land of the north, And they will draw up their battle lines against her; From there she will be taken captive. Their arrows will be like an expert warrior Who does not return empty handed.

For behold, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon An assembly of great nations from the north country, And they shall array themselves against her; From there she shall be captured. Their arrows shall be like those of an expert warrior; None shall return in vain.

For, lo, I will stir up and cause to come up against Babylon a company of great nations from the north country; and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of an expert mighty man; none shall return in vain.

For I will soon stir up and bring against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country. They will line up in battle formation against her; from there she will be captured. Their arrows will be like those of a skilled warrior who does not return empty-handed.

For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows[ shall be] as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.

For I will rouse into action and bring against Babylon a host of mighty nations from the land of the north. They will set up their battle lines against her. They will come from the north and capture her. Their arrows will be like a skilled soldier who does not return from the battle empty-handed.

For, behold, I will stir up and cause to come up against Babylon a company of great nations from the north country; and they will set themselves in array against her. She will be taken from there. Their arrows will be as of an expert mighty man. None of them will return in vain.

The bow of Jonathan didn’t turn back. The sword of Saul didn’t return without being satisfied. They spilled the blood of their enemies. They killed mighty men.

“ All you who shoot arrows, take up your battle positions around Babylon. Shoot at it! Do not spare any arrows! Its people have sinned against me.

A nation from the north will attack it. That nation will destroy Babylon. No one will live there. People and animals alike will run away.

“ Nations, lift up a banner in the land of Babylon! Blow a trumpet among yourselves! Prepare yourselves for battle against Babylon. Send the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni and Ashkenaz against it. Appoint a commander against it. Send many horses against it. Let them be as many as a huge number of locusts.Prepare yourselves for battle against Babylon. Prepare the kings of the Medes. Prepare their governors and all their officials. Prepare all the countries they rule over.

“ I have stirred up you kings of the Medes. So sharpen your arrows! Get your shields! I plan to destroy Babylon. I will pay the Babylonians back. They have destroyed my temple.

The Lord says,“ I will stir up the spirits of destroyers. They will march out against Babylon and its people.I will send other nations against it to separate the straw from the grain. I will send them to destroy Babylon completely. They will oppose it on every side. At that time it will be destroyed.Do not let its soldiers get their bows ready to use. Do not let them put on their armor. Do not spare their young men. Destroy their armies completely.They will fall down dead in Babylon. They will receive deadly wounds in its streets.

“ Look! An army is coming from the north. I am stirring up a great nation and many kings. They are coming from a land that is very far away.Their soldiers are armed with bows and spears. They are mean. They do not show any mercy at all. They come riding in on their horses. They sound like the roaring ocean. They are lined up for battle. They are coming to attack you, city of Babylon.

I will make you slaves to your enemies. You will serve them in a land you have not known about before. My anger will start a fire that will burn you up.”

It was the first year of the rule of Cyrus. He was king of Persia. The Lord inspired him to send a message all through his kingdom. It happened so that what the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah would come true. The message was written down. It said,“ Cyrus, the king of Persia, says,“‘ The Lord is the God of heaven. He has given me all the kingdoms on earth. He has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.

Lift up a banner on the top of a bare hill. Shout to the enemy soldiers. Wave for them to enter the gates that are used by the nobles of Babylon.The Lord has commanded the soldiers he prepared for battle. He has sent for them to carry out his anger against Babylon. They will be happy when he wins the battle for them.Listen! I hear a noise in the mountains. It sounds like a huge crowd. Listen! I hear a loud noise among the kingdoms. It sounds like nations gathering together. The Lord who rules over all is bringing an army together for war.They come from lands far away. They come from the farthest places on earth. The Lord and those weapons of his anger are coming to destroy the whole country of Babylon.

“ I have stirred up a king who will come from the north. He lives in the east. He will bring honor to me. He walks all over rulers as if they were mud. He steps on them just as a potter stomps on clay.

So come against it from far away. Open up its storerooms. Stack everything up like piles of grain. Completely destroy that country. Do not leave anyone alive there.

The Lord will stir up the Medes to attack the Babylonians. They aren’t interested in getting silver. They don’t want gold.Instead, they will use their bows and arrows to strike down the young men. They won’t even show any mercy to babies. They won’t take pity on children.

“ Enemies of Babylon, attack their land of Merathaim. Make war against those who live in Pekod. Chase them and kill them. Destroy them completely,” announces the Lord.“ Do everything I have commanded you to do.

“ Send for men armed with bows and arrows. Send them against Babylon. Set up camp all around it. Do not let anyone escape. Pay it back for what its people have done. Do to them what they have done to others. They have dared to disobey me. I am the Holy One of Israel.

I have seen a vision about something terrible that will happen. People are turning against Babylon. Robbers are taking its goods. Elamites, attack the city! Medes, surround it! The Lord will put an end to all the suffering Babylon has caused.

“ Cyrus is my anointed king. I take hold of his right hand. I give him the power to bring nations under his control. I help him strip kings of their power to go to war against him. I break city gates open so he can go through them. I say to him,‘ I will march out ahead of you. I will make the mountains level. I will break down bronze gates. I will cut through their heavy iron bars.I will give you treasures that are hidden away. I will give you riches that are stored up in secret places. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I am the God of Israel. I am sending for you by name.Cyrus, I am sending for you by name. I am doing it for the good of the family of Jacob. They are my servant. I am doing it for Israel. They are my chosen people. You do not know anything about me. But I am giving you a title of honor.