Jeremiah 51:56

⁵⁴ “The sound of a cry comes from Babylon, the sound of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!

⁵⁵ For the LORD will destroy Babylon; He will silence her mighty voice. The waves will roar like great waters; the tumult of their voices will resound.

For a destroyer is coming against her— against Babylon. Her warriors will be captured, and their bows will be broken, for the LORD is a God of retribution; He will repay in full.

⁵⁷ I will make her princes and wise men drunk, along with her governors, officials, and warriors. Then they will fall asleep forever and not wake up,” declares the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts.

⁵⁸ This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Babylon’s thick walls will be leveled, and her high gates consumed by fire. So the labor of the people will be for nothing; the nations will exhaust themselves to fuel the flames.”

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: For a destroyer is coming against her— against Babylon. Her warriors will be captured, and their bows will be broken, for the LORD is a God of retribution; He will repay in full.
KJV: Because the spoiler is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, every one of their bows is broken: for the LORD God of recompences shall surely requite.
WEB: For the destroyer has come on her, even on Babylon. Her mighty men are taken. Their bows are broken in pieces, for the LORD is a God of retribution. He will surely repay.
ASV: for the destroyer is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, their bows are broken in pieces; for Jehovah is a God of recompenses, he will surely requite.
DARBY: For the spoiler is come against her, against Babylon, and her mighty men are taken; their bows are broken in pieces; for Jehovah, the God of recompences, will certainly requite.
BLB: For is coming against her, against Babylon, the destroyer, her mighty men will be captured, their bows will be broken; for the God of recompense [is] YHWH; He will repay in full!

ÅB: For over det, over Babel, kommer en ødelegger, og dets kjemper blir fanget, deres buer knekket; for Herren er en gjengjeldelsens Gud, han lønner, han gjengjelder.
OTB: For Herren har utpekt en dag Av hevn—Han har harme over Babylon; Og kraften til hennes drepte vil falle i hennes midte.
B1930: For over det, over Babel, kommer en ødelegger, og dets kjemper blir fanget, deres buer knekket; for Herren er en gjengjeldelsens Gud, han lønner, han gjengjelder.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Jeremiah 51:6
Flee from Babylon! Escape with your lives! Do not be destroyed in her punishment. For this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance; He will pay her what she deserves.
Read in context
Habakkuk 2:8
Because you have plundered many nations, the remnant of the people will plunder you— because of your bloodshed against man and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers.
Read in context
Psalms 46:9
He makes wars to cease throughout the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields in the fire.
Read in context
Jeremiah 51:48
Then heaven and earth and all that is in them will shout for joy over Babylon because the destroyers from the north will come against her,” declares the LORD.
Read in context
Revelation 19:2
For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her hand.”
Read in context
Psalms 94:1–2
O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth.
Read in context
Jeremiah 51:24
Before your very eyes I will repay Babylon and all the dwellers of Chaldea for all the evil they have done in Zion,” declares the LORD.
Read in context
Isaiah 59:18
So He will repay according to their deeds: fury to His enemies, retribution to His foes, and recompense to the islands.
Read in context