Jeremiah 51:9

⁷ Babylon was a gold cup in the hand of the LORD, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations have gone mad.

⁸ Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been shattered. Wail for her; get her balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed.

“We tried to heal Babylon, but she could not be healed. Abandon her! Let each of us go to his own land, for her judgment extends to the sky and reaches to the clouds.”

¹⁰ “The LORD has brought forth our vindication; come, let us tell in Zion what the LORD our God has accomplished.”

¹¹ Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! The LORD has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His plan is aimed at Babylon to destroy her, for it is the vengeance of the LORD— vengeance for His temple.

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: “We tried to heal Babylon, but she could not be healed. Abandon her! Let each of us go to his own land, for her judgment extends to the sky and reaches to the clouds.”
KJV: We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.
WEB: “We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed. Forsake her, and let’s each go into his own country; for her judgment reaches to heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.
ASV: We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country; for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.
DARBY: We have treated Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country; for her judgment reacheth unto the heavens, and is lifted up to the skies.
BLB: “We would have healed Babylon, and she was not healed; leave her, and let us go, each man to his land, for her judgment reaches to the heavens, and it is lifted up even to the clouds!”

ÅB: Vi har søkt å lege Babel, men det lot seg ikke lege. Forlat det, så vi kan gå hver til sitt land! For dommen over det når til himmelen og hever seg til skyene.
OTB: «‘O bue av de mektige skal bli brutt, og de som flykter skal gå såret; For Herren «en dom har utformet mot Babylon, For å ødelegge kaldeernes land; Og landet vil bli et objekt for ødeleggelse, uten innbygger.»
B1930: Vi har søkt å læge Babel, men det lot sig ikke læge. Forlat det, så vi kan gå hver til sitt land! For dommen over det når til himmelen og hever sig til skyene.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Jeremiah 50:16
Cut off the sower from Babylon, and the one who wields the sickle at harvest time. In the face of the oppressor’s sword, each will turn to his own people, each will flee to his own land.
Read in context
Revelation 18:5
For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
Read in context
Isaiah 13:14
Like a hunted gazelle, like a sheep without a shepherd, each will return to his own people, each will flee to his native land.
Read in context
Jeremiah 46:16
They continue to stumble; indeed, they have fallen over one another. They say, ‘Get up! Let us return to our people and to the land of our birth, away from the sword of the oppressor.’
Read in context
Daniel 4:20–22
The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth,
Read in context
Ezra 9:6
and said: “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached the heavens.
Read in context
2 Chronicles 28:9
But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army that returned to Samaria. “Look,” he said to them, “because of His wrath against Judah, the LORD, the God of your fathers, has delivered them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches up to heaven.
Read in context
Jeremiah 8:20
“The harvest has passed, the summer has ended, but we have not been saved.”
Read in context