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The spoyle of me, and that which was left of me, is brought vnto Babel, shall the inhabitant of Zion say: and my blood vnto the inhabitantes of Caldea, shall Ierusalem say.
Therefore thus sayth the Lord, Beholde, I will maintayne thy cause, and take vengeance for thee, and I will drie vp the sea, and drie vp her springes.
And Babel shall be as heapes, a dwelling place for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.
They shall rore together like lions, and yell as the lyons whelpes.
In their heate I will make them feastes, and I wil make them drunken, that they may reioyce, and sleepe a perpetual sleepe, and not wake, sayth the Lord.
I wil bring them downe like lambes to the slaughter, and like rams and goates.
How is Sheshach taken! and howe is the glory of the whole earth taken! how is Babel become an astonishment among the nations!
The sea is come vp vpon Babel: he is couered with the multitude of the waues thereof.
Her cities are desolate: the land is dry and a wildernes, a land wherein no man dwelleth, neither doth the sonne of man passe thereby.
I wil also visite Bel in Babel, and I wil bring out of his mouth, that which he hath swallowed vp, and the nations shall runne no more vnto him, and the wall of Babel shall fall.
My people, go out of the middes of her, and deliuer yee euery man his soule from the fierce wrath of the Lord,
Least your heart euen faynt, and ye feare the rumour, that shalbe heard in the land: the rumour shall come this yeere, and after that in the other yeere shall come a rumour, and crueltie in the land, and ruler against ruler.
Therefore beholde, the dayes come, that I will visite the images of Babel, and the whole land shalbe confounded, and all her slayne shall fall in the middes of her.
Then the heauen and the earth, and all that is therein, shall reioyce for Babel: for the destroyers shall come vnto her from the North, saith the Lord.
As Babel caused the slaine of Israel to fal, so by Babel the slaine of all the earth did fall.
Ye that haue escaped the sworde, goe away, stand not still: remember the Lord a farre of, and let Ierusalem come into your minde.
Wee are confounded because wee haue heard reproch: shame hath couered our faces, for straungers are come into the Sanctuaries of the Lordes House.
Wherefore behold, the dayes come, sayth the Lord, that I will visite her grauen images, and through all her land the wounded shall grone.
Though Babel should mount vp to heauen, and though shee should defend her strength on hye, yet from mee shall her destroyers come, sayth the Lord.
A sound of a cry commeth from Babel, and great destruction from the land of the Caldeans,
Because the Lord hath layde Babel waste and destroyed from her the great voyce, and her waues shall roare like great waters, and a sounde was made by their noyse:
Because the destroyer is come vpon her, euen vpon Babel, and her strong men are taken, their bowes are broken: for the Lord God that recompenceth, shall surely recompence.
And I will make drunke her princes, and her wise men, her dukes, and her nobles, and her strong men: and they shall sleepe a perpetuall sleepe, and not wake, sayth the King, whose Name is the Lord of hostes.
Thus saith the Lord of hostes, The thicke wall of Babel shalbe broken, and her hie gates shall be burnt with fire, and the people shall labour in vaine, and the folke in ye fire, for they shalbe weary.
The worde which Ieremiah the Prophet commanded Sheraiah the sonne of Neriiah, the sonne of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the King of Iudah into Babel, in the fourth yeere of his reigne: and this Sheraiah was a peaceable prince.
So Ieremiah wrote in a booke all the euill that should come vpon Babel: euen al these things, that are written against Babel.
And Ieremiah sayd to Sheraiah, Whe thou commest vnto Babel, and shalt see, and shalt reade all these wordes,
Then shalt thou say, O Lord, thou hast spoken against this place, to destroy it, that none should remaine in it, neither man nor beast, but that it should be desolate for euer.
And when thou hast made an ende of reading this booke, thou shalt binde a stone to it, and cast it in the middes of Euphrates,
And shalt say, Thus shall Babel be drowned, and shall not rise from the euil, that I will bring vpon her: and they shall be weary. Thus farre are the wordes of Ieremiah.
Zedekiah was one and twentie yeere olde when he began to reigne, and he reigned eleuen yeeres in Ierusalem, and his mothers name was Hamutal, the daughter of Ieremiah of Libnah.
And he did euil in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that Iehoiakim had done.
Doubtlesse because the wrath of the Lord was against Ierusalem and Iudah, till he had cast them out from his presence, therefore Zedekiah rebelled against the King of Babel.
But in the ninth yeere of his reigne, in the tenth moneth the tenth day of the moneth came Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel, he and all his hoste against Ierusalem, and pitched against it, and buylt fortes against it round about.
So the citie was besieged vnto the eleuenth yeere of the King Zedekiah.
Now in the fourth moneth, the ninth day of the moneth, the famine was sore in ye citie, so that there was no more bread for ye people of the land.
Then the citie was broken vp and all the men of warre fled, and went out of the citie by night, by the way of the gate betweene the two walles, which was by the kings garden: (now the Caldeans were by the citie round about) and they went by the way of the wildernes.
But the army of the Caldeans pursued after the king, and tooke Zedekiah in the desert of Iericho, and all his host was scattered from him.
Then they tooke the king and caryed him vp vnto the king of Babel to Riblah in the lande of Hamath, where he gaue iudgement vpon him.
And the king of Babel slewe the sonnes of Zedekiah, before his eyes he slew also al ye princes of Iudah in Riblah.
Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and the king of Babel bound him in chaines, and caried him to Babel, and put him in pryson till the day of his death.
Now in the fift moneth in the tenth day of the moneth (which was the nineteenth yere of ye King Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel) came Nebuzar-adan chiefe steward which stoode before the king of Babel in Ierusalem,
And burnt the House of the Lord, and the Kings house, and all the houses of Ierusalem, and all the great houses burnt he with fire.
And al the armie of the Caldeans that were with the chiefe steward, brake downe all ye walles of Ierusalem round about.
Then Nebuzar-adan the chiefe steward caried away captiue certaine of the poore of the people, and the residue of the people that remayned in the citie, and those that were fled, and fallen to the king of Babel, with the rest of the multitude.
But Nebuzar-adan the chiefe steward left certaine of the poore of the lande, to dresse the vines, and to till the land.
Also the pillars of brasse that were in the House of the Lord, and the bases, and the brasen Sea, that was in the house of ye Lord, the Caldeans brake, and caried all the brasse of them to Babel.
The pots also and the besomes, and the instruments of musicke, and the basins, and the incense dishes, and all the vessels of brasse wherewith they ministred, tooke they away.
And the bowles, and the ashpannes, and the basins, and the pots, and the candlestickes, and the incense dishes, and the cuppes, and all that was of golde, and that was of siluer, tooke the chiefe steward away,
With the two pillars, one Sea, and twelue brasen bulles, that were vnder the bases, which King Salomon had made in ye house of ye Lord: the brasse of all these vessels was without weight.
And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteene cubites, and a threede of twelue cubites did compasse it, and the thicknesse thereof was foure fingers: it was holowe.
And a chapiter of brasse was vpon it, and the height of one chapiter was fiue cubites with networke, and pomegranates vpon the chapiters round about, all of brasse: the seconde pillar also, and the pomegranates were like vnto these.
And there were ninetie and sixe pomegranates on a side: and all the pomegranates vpon the net worke were an hundreth round about.
And the chiefe steward tooke Sheraiah the chiefe Priest, and Zephaniah the seconde Priest, and the three keepers of the doore.
Hee tooke also out of the citie an Eunuch, which had the ouersight of the men of warre, and seuen men that were in the Kings presence, which were founde in the citie, and Sopher captayne of the hoste who mustered the people of the lande, and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the middes of the citie.
Nebuzar-adan the chiefe stewarde tooke them, and brought them to the king of Babel to Riblah.
And the king of Babel smote them, and slewe them in Riblah, in the lande of Hamath: thus Iudah was caried away captiue out of his owne land.
This is the people, whome Nebuchad-nezzar caried away captiue, in the seuenth yeere, euen three thousande Iewes, and three and twentie.
In the eightenth yere of Nebuchad-nezzar he caried away captiue from Ierusalem eight hundreth thirtie and two persons.
In the three and twentieth yeere of Nebuchad-nezzar, Nebuzar-adan the chiefe stewarde caried away captiue of the Iewes seuen hundreth fourtie and fiue persons: all the persons were foure thousand and sixe hundreth.
And in the seuen and thirtieth yeere of the captiuitie of Iehoiachin King of Iudah, in the twelfth moneth, in the fiue and twentieth day of the moneth, Euil-merodach King of Babel, in the first yeere of his reigne, lifted vp the head of Iehoiachin King of Iudah, and brought him out of pryson,
And spake kindly vnto him, and set his throne aboue the throne of the Kings, that were with him in Babel,
And changed his pryson garmentes, and he did continually eate bread before him all the dayes of his life.
His porcion was a continuall portion giuen him of ye king of Babel, euery day a certaine, all the dayes of his life vntill he died.
Howe doeth the citie remaine solitarie that was full of people? she is as a widowe: she that was great among the nations, and princesse among the prouinces, is made tributarie.
She weepeth continually in the night, and her teares runne downe by her cheekes: among all her louers, she hath none to comfort her: all her friendes haue delt vnfaithfully with her, and are her enemies.
Iudah is caried away captiue because of affliction, and because of great seruitude: shee dwelleth among the heathen, and findeth no rest: all her persecuters tooke her in the straites.
The wayes of Zion lament, because no man commeth to the solemne feastes: all her gates are desolate: her Priests sigh: her virgins are discomfited, and she is in heauinesse.
Her aduersaries are the chiefe, and her enemies prosper: for the Lord hath afflicted her, for the multitude of her transgressions, and her children are gone into captiuitie before the enemie.
And from the daughter of Zion all her beautie is departed: her princes are become like harts that finde no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
Ierusalem remembred the dayes of her affliction, and of her rebellion, and all her pleasant things, that shee had in times past, when her people fell into the hande of the enemie, and none did helpe her: the aduersarie sawe her, and did mocke at her Sabbaths.
Ierusalem hath grieuously sinned, therefore shee is in derision: all that honoured her, despise her, because they haue seene her filthinesse: yea, she sigheth and turneth backeward.
Her filthinesse is in her skirts: she remembred not her last ende, therefore she came downe wonderfully: she had no comforter: O Lord, behold mine affliction: for the enemie is proud.
The enemie hath stretched out his hande vpon al her pleasant things: for she hath seene the heathen enter into her Sanctuarie, whom thou diddest commande, that they shoulde not enter into thy Church.
All her people sigh and seeke their bread: they haue giuen their pleasant thinges for meate to refresh the soule: see, O Lord, and consider: for I am become vile.
Haue ye no regarde, all yee that passe by this way? behold, and see, if there be any sorowe like vnto my sorowe, which is done vnto mee, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath.
From aboue hath hee sent fire into my bones, which preuaile against them: he hath spred a net for my feete, and turned me backe: hee hath made me desolate, and daily in heauinesse.
The yoke of my transgressions is bounde vpon his hand: they are wrapped, and come vp vpon my necke: hee hath made my strength to fall: the Lord hath deliuered me into their hands, neither am I able to rise vp.
The Lord hath troden vnder foote all my valiant men in the middes of me: he hath called an assembly against me to destroy my yong men: the Lord hath troden the wine presse vpon the virgine the daughter of Iudah.
For these things I weepe: mine eye, euen mine eye casteth out water, because the comforter that should refresh my soule, is farre from me: my children are desolate, because the enemie preuailed.
Zion stretcheth out her handes, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath appoynted the enemies of Iaakob rounde about him: Ierusalem is as a menstruous woman in the middes of them.
The Lord is righteous: for I haue rebelled against his commandement: heare, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorowe: my virgins and my yong men are gone into captiuitie.
I called for my louers, but they deceiued me: my Priestes and mine Elders perished in the citie while they sought their meate to refresh their soules.
Behold, O Lord, howe I am troubled: my bowels swell: mine heart is turned within me, for I am ful of heauinesse: the sword spoyleth abroad, as death doeth at home.
They haue heard that I mourne, but there is none to comfort mee: all mine enemies haue heard of my trouble, and are glad, that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day, that thou hast pronounced, and they shalbe like vnto me.
Let all their wickednes come before thee: do vnto them, as thou hast done vnto me, for all my transgressions: for my sighes are many, and mine heart is heauy.
How hath the Lord darkened the daughter of Zion in his wrath! and hath cast downe from heauen vnto the earth the beautie of Israel, and remembred not his footestoole in the day of his wrath!
The Lord hath destroyed al the habitations of Iaakob, and not spared: he hath throwen downe in his wrath ye strong holds of the daughter of Iudah: he hath cast the downe to ye ground: he hath polluted the kingdome and the princes thereof.
Hee hath cut off in his fierce wrath all the horne of Israel: he hath drawen backe his right hand from before the enemie, and there was kindled in Iaakob like a flame of fire, which deuoured rounde about.
He hath bent his bowe like an enemie: his right hand was stretched vp as an aduersarie, and slewe al that was pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he powred out his wrath like fire.
The Lord was as an enemie: he hath deuoured Israel, and consumed all his palaces: hee hath destroyed his strong holdes, and hath increased in the daughter of Iudah lamentation and mourning.
For hee hath destroyed his Tabernacle, as a garden, hee hath destroyed his Congregation: the Lord hath caused the feastes and Sabbathes to bee forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his wrath the King and the Priest.
The Lord hath forsaken his altar: he hath abhorred his Sanctuarie: he hath giue into the hand of the enemie the walles of her palaces: they haue made a noyse in the House of the Lord, as in the day of solemnitie.
The Lord hath determined to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion: hee stretched out a lyne: hee hath not withdrawen his hande from destroying: therefore hee made the rampart and the wall to lament: they were destroyed together.
Her gates are sunke to the grounde: he hath destroyed and broken her barres: her King and her princes are among the Gentiles: the Lawe is no more, neither can her Prophets receiue any vision from the Lord.
The Elders of the daughter of Zion sit vpon the grounde, and keepe silence: they haue cast vp dust vpon their heades: they haue girded them selues with sackecloth: the virgines of Ierusalem hang downe their heades to the ground.
Mine eyes doe saile with teares: my bowels swell: my liuer is powred vpon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people, because the children and sucklings swoone in the streetes of the citie.
They haue sayd to their mothers, Where is bread and drinke? when they swooned as the wounded in the streetes of the citie, and whe they gaue vp the ghost in their mothers bosome.
What thing shall I take to witnesse for thee? what thing shall I compare to thee, O daughter Ierusalem? what shall I liken to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgine daughter Zion? for thy breach is great like ye sea: who can heale thee?
Thy Prophets haue looked out vayne, and foolish things for thee, and they haue not discouered thine iniquitie, to turne away thy captiuitie, but haue looked out for thee false prophesies, and causes of banishment.