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Wednesday in Easter Week
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Jeremiah 50:2

"Tell the news to the nations! Proclaim it! Give the signal and announce the news! Do not keep it a secret! Babylon has fallen! Her god Marduk has been shattered! Babylon's idols are put to shame; her disgusting images are crushed!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Bel;   Iconoclasm;   Merodach;   Standard;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Babylon;   Idolatry;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Baal;   Babylon;   Merodach;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Babylon;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Gods and Goddesses, Pagan;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Babylon;   Bel;   Merodach;   Seraiah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Merodach;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Babylon, History and Religion of;   Bel;   Gods, Pagan;   Jeremiah;   Lord;   Marduk;   Merodach;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bel;   Greek Versions of Ot;   Jeremiah;   Lance, Lancet;   Merodach;   Persia, Persians;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Merodach ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Babylon;   Merodach;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Mero'dach;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - War;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bel and the Dragon (2);   Confound;   Merodach;   Siege;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Bel;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Sennacherib;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Announce to the nations;proclaim and raise up a signal flag;proclaim, and hide nothing.Say, “Babylon is captured;Bel is put to shame;Marduk is terrified.”Her idols are put to shame;her false gods, devastated.
Hebrew Names Version
Declare you among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and don't conceal: say, Bavel is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodakh is dismayed; her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.
King James Version
Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.
English Standard Version
"Declare among the nations and proclaim, set up a banner and proclaim, conceal it not, and say: ‘Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed. Her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.'
New American Standard Bible
"Declare and proclaim among the nations. Proclaim it and lift up a flag, Do not conceal it. Say, 'Babylon has been captured, Bel has been put to shame, Marduk has been shattered; Her idols have been put to shame, her images have been shattered.'
New Century Version
"Announce this to the nations. Lift up a banner and tell them. Speak the whole message and say: ‘Babylon will be captured. The god Bel will be put to shame, and the god Marduk will be afraid. Babylon's gods will be put to shame, and her idols will be afraid!'
Amplified Bible
"Declare among the nations. Lift up a signal [to spread the news]—publish and proclaim it, Do not conceal it; say, 'Babylon has been taken, Bel [the patron god] has been shamed, Marduk (Bel) has been shattered. Babylon's images have been shamed, her [worthless] idols have been thrown down.'
World English Bible
Declare you among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and don't conceal: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed; her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Declare among the nations, and publish it, and set vp a standart, proclaime it and conceale it not: say, Babel is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken downe: her idols are confounded, and their images are burst in pieces.
Legacy Standard Bible
"Declare and make it heard among the nations.Make it heard and lift up a standard.Do not conceal it but say,‘Babylon has been captured;Bel has been put to shame; Marduk has been shattered;Her images have been put to shame; her idols have been shattered.'
Berean Standard Bible
"Announce and declare to the nations; lift up a banner and proclaim it; hold nothing back when you say, 'Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is shattered, her images are disgraced, her idols are broken in pieces.'
Contemporary English Version
Raise the signal flags; shout so all nations can hear— Babylon will be captured! Marduk, Babylon's god, will be ashamed and terrified, and his idols broken.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Declare it among the nations, proclaim it! Hoist a banner, proclaim it, don't hide it! Say: ‘Bavel is captured. Bel is shamed, M'rodakh disgraced, her images shamed, her idols disgraced.'
Darby Translation
Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and lift up a banner; publish, conceal not! Say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed: her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.
Easy-to-Read Version
"Announce this to all nations! Lift up a flag and announce the message! Speak the whole message and say, ‘The nation of Babylon will be captured. The god Bel will be put to shame. The god Marduk will be very afraid. Babylon's idols will be put to shame. Her gods will be filled with terror.'
George Lamsa Translation
Declare among the nations and publish and raise an ensign; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is fallen, Merodach is put to shame, her idols are confounded and her graven images are broken in pieces.
Lexham English Bible
"Declare among the nations and proclaim, and lift up a banner. Proclaim, you must not conceal it. Say, ‘Babylon is captured, Bel is ashamed, Merodach is filled with terror, her idols are ashamed, her idols are filled with terror.
Literal Translation
Declare among the nations, and make them hear, and lift up a banner. Make them hear, do not hide it; say, Babylon is captured, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is broken in pieces, her images are put to shame, her idols are broken in pieces.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Preach amonge the Gentiles, let youre voyce be herde, make a toke: crie out, kepe no sylence, but saye: Babilon shal be wonne, Bel shalhe cofounded, and Merodach shalbe ouer come. Yee their goddes shal be brought to shame, and their ymages shall stonde in feare.
American Standard Version
Declare ye among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed; her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.
Bible in Basic English
Give it out among the nations, make it public, and let the flag be lifted up; give the word and keep nothing back; say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is broken, her images are put to shame, her gods are broken.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Declare ye among the nations and announce, and set up a standard; announce, and conceal not; say: 'Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed; her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.'
King James Version (1611)
Declare yee among the nations, and publish, and set vp a standart, publish and conceale not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces, her idols are confounded, her Images are broken in pieces.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Preache among the gentiles, let your voyce be hearde, make a token, crye out, kepe no scilence, but say, Babylon is wonne, Bel is confounded, and Merodach is ouercome, yea their gods be brought to shame, and their images burst in peeces:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
that Azarias son of Maasaeas spoke, and Joanan, the son of Caree, and all the men who had spoken to Jeremias, saying, It is false: the Lord has not sent thee to us, saying, Enter not into Egypt to dwell there:
English Revised Version
Declare ye among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed; her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Telle ye among hethene men, and make ye herd; reise ye a signe; preche ye, and nyle ye holde stille; seie ye, Babiloyne is takun, Bel is schent, Maradach is ouer comun; the grauun ymagis therof ben schent, the idols of hem ben ouer comun.
Update Bible Version
Declare among the nations and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and do not conceal: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed; her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.
Webster's Bible Translation
Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, [and] conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.
New English Translation
"Announce the news among the nations! Proclaim it! Signal for people to pay attention! Declare the news! Do not hide it! Say: ‘Babylon will be captured. Bel will be put to shame. Marduk will be dismayed. Babylon's idols will be put to shame. Her disgusting images will be dismayed.
New King James Version
"Declare among the nations,Proclaim, and set up a standard;Proclaim--do not conceal it--Say, 'Babylon is taken, Bel is shamed.Merodach [fn] is broken in pieces;Her idols are humiliated,Her images are broken in pieces.'
New Living Translation
This is what the Lord says: "Tell the whole world, and keep nothing back. Raise a signal flag to tell everyone that Babylon will fall! Her images and idols will be shattered. Her gods Bel and Marduk will be utterly disgraced.
New Life Bible
"Make it known among the nations. Lift up a flag and make it known. Do not hide it, but say, ‘Babylon has been taken. Bel has been put to shame. Marduk has been broken down. Her objects of worship have been put to shame. Her false gods have been broken down.'
New Revised Standard
Declare among the nations and proclaim, set up a banner and proclaim, do not conceal it, say: Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed. Her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Tell ye among the nations And let it be heard And lift ye up a standard, Let it be heard do not conceal: Say ye - Captured is Babylon, Confounded is Bel, Broken in pieces is Merodach, Confounded are her images, Broken down her manufactured gods;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Declare ye among the nations, and publish it, lift up a standard: proclaim, and conceal it not: say: Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is overthrown, their graven things are confounded, their idols are overthrown.
Revised Standard Version
"Declare among the nations and proclaim, set up a banner and proclaim, conceal it not, and say: 'Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Mer'odach is dismayed. Her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.'
Young's Literal Translation
`Declare ye among nations, and sound, And lift up an ensign, sound, do not hide, Say ye: Captured hath been Babylon, Put to shame hath been Bel, Broken hath been Merodach, Put to shame have been her grievous things, Broken have been her idols.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Declare and proclaim among the nations. Proclaim it and lift up a standard. Do not conceal it but say, 'Babylon has been captured, Bel has been put to shame, Marduk has been shattered; Her images have been put to shame, her idols have been shattered.'

Contextual Overview

1 This is the message that the Lord gave me about the city of Babylon and its people: 2 "Tell the news to the nations! Proclaim it! Give the signal and announce the news! Do not keep it a secret! Babylon has fallen! Her god Marduk has been shattered! Babylon's idols are put to shame; her disgusting images are crushed! 3 "A nation from the north has come to attack Babylonia and will make it a desert. People and animals will run away, and no one will live there." 4 The Lord says, "When that time comes, the people of both Israel and Judah will come weeping, looking for me, their God. 5 They will ask the way to Zion and then go in that direction. They will make an eternal covenant with me and never break it. 6 "My people are like sheep whose shepherds have let them get lost in the mountains. They have wandered like sheep from one mountain to another, and they have forgotten where their home is. 7 They are attacked by all who find them. Their enemies say, ‘They sinned against the Lord , and so what we have done is not wrong. Their ancestors trusted in the Lord , and they themselves should have remained faithful to him.' 8 "People of Israel, run away from Babylonia! Leave the country! Be the first to leave!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Declare: Jeremiah 6:18, Jeremiah 31:10, Jeremiah 46:14, Psalms 64:9, Psalms 96:3, Isaiah 12:4, Isaiah 48:6, Isaiah 66:18, Isaiah 66:19, Revelation 14:6-8

set up: Heb. lift up, Isaiah 13:2

Babylon: Jeremiah 51:8, Isaiah 21:9, Revelation 14:8, Revelation 18:2

Bel: Jeremiah 51:44, Isaiah 46:1

Merodach: Jeremiah 52:31, Isaiah 39:1

her idols: Jeremiah 50:46, Jeremiah 43:12, Jeremiah 43:13, Isaiah 37:19, Zephaniah 2:11, Xerxes, after his return from his unsuccessful expedition into Greece, partly out of religious zeal, being a professed enemy to image worship, and partly to reimburse himself after his immense expenses, seized the sacred treasures, and plundered or destroyed the temples and idols of Babylon, thereby accomplishing the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah. - Isaiah 21:9, Isaiah 46:1, Jeremiah 50:2, Jeremiah 51:44, Jeremiah 51:47, Jeremiah 51:52. What God declares, "I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth that which he has swallowed," was also literally fulfilled, when the vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and placed in the temple of Bel, Daniel 1:2, were restored by order of Cyrus, Ezra 1:7, and again carried to Jerusalem. Bp. Newton, Dis. X.

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 5:4 - the head Isaiah 13:4 - noise Isaiah 19:1 - the idols Isaiah 43:14 - For Isaiah 45:21 - Tell ye Isaiah 48:20 - utter it even Jeremiah 4:6 - the standard Jeremiah 4:16 - ye Jeremiah 50:38 - the land Jeremiah 50:41 - General Jeremiah 51:17 - brutish by his knowledge Jeremiah 51:18 - in the Jeremiah 51:27 - ye up Ezekiel 23:14 - portrayed Daniel 3:14 - my gods Daniel 4:8 - Belteshazzar Hosea 8:6 - the calf Joel 3:9 - Proclaim Amos 3:9 - Publish Nahum 1:14 - out Habakkuk 2:18 - profiteth

Cross-References

Genesis 50:26
So Joseph died in Egypt at the age of a hundred and ten. They embalmed his body and put it in a coffin.
2 Chronicles 16:14
and was buried in the rock tomb which he had carved out for himself in David's City. They used spices and perfumed oils to prepare his body for burial, and they built a huge bonfire to mourn his death.
Matthew 26:12
What she did was to pour this perfume on my body to get me ready for burial.
Mark 14:8
She did what she could; she poured perfume on my body to prepare it ahead of time for burial.
Mark 16:1
After the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices to go and anoint the body of Jesus.
Luke 24:1
Very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, carrying the spices they had prepared.
John 12:7
But Jesus said, "Leave her alone! Let her keep what she has for the day of my burial.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Declare ye among the nations,.... The taking of Babylon; a piece of news, in which the nations of the world had a concern, as well as the Jews, being brought under the Babylonish yoke, from which they would now be freed; and therefore such a declaration must be very acceptable and joyful to them. Some take these words to be the words of God to the prophet; others, the words of Jeremiah to the nations; the meaning is only, that such a declaration should be made, and such things done, as follow:

and publish, and set up a standard; publish, [and] conceal not; cause it to be heard far and near; and, that it may be heard, set up a sign or standard, to gather the people together to hear it; for this standard was not to be set up for the enlisting of men, or gathering them together, to go up and fight against Babylon, since it was now taken; but as a token of victory, and as expressive joy, on account of it; or rather for the reason given; see Isaiah 13:2;

say, Babylon is taken; this is the thing to be declared, published, and not concealed; but with an audible voice to be pronounced, and rung throughout the several nations of the earth. Thus, when the everlasting Gospel is preached to every nation on earth, and Christ is set up in it as an ensign and standard to the people; it shall be everywhere published, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen", Revelation 14:6;

Bel is confounded; an idol of the Babylonians, thought by some to be the same with Baal by contraction; he is by the Septuagint called Belus, the name of one of their kings; who might be idolized after his death, as was usual among the Heathen lions: he is said to be "confounded", because he must have been, could he have been sensible of the taking of Babylon, where his temple stood, and he was worshipped, since he was not able to protect it; or rather, because his worshippers were confounded, that gloried in him, and put their trust in him. So the Targum,

"they are confounded that worship Bel;''

Revelation 14:6- :.

Merodach is broken in pieces; another of their idols, which signifies a "pure lord"; some of their kings had this as one of their names,

Isaiah 39:1. The Targum is,

"they are broken that worshipped Merodach;''

her idols are confounded, her images are broken to pieces; these were their lesser deities, as the other two were their greater ones; all should be destroyed along with it; as all the idols and images of the church of Rome will, when that is destroyed, Revelation 9:20.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Confounded ... confounded - ashamed ... ashamed.

Merodach - This deity, in the inscriptions Marduk, was the tutelary god of Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar, who called his son Evil-Merodach, appears to have been especially devoted to his service. He was really identical with Bel, and his equivalent among the planets was Jupiter: and as such he was styled “King of heaven and earth.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 50:2. Declare ye among the nations — God's determination relative to this empire.

Set up a standard — Show the people where they are to assemble.

Say, Babylon is taken — It is a thing so firmly determined, that it is as good as already done.

Bel — The tutelar deity of Babylon is confounded, because it cannot save its own city.

Merodach — Another of their idols, is broken to pieces; it was not able to save itself, much less the whole empire.

Her idols are confounded — It is a reproach to have acknowledged them.

Her images — Great and small, golden and wooden, are broken to pieces; even the form of them no longer appears.


 
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