“Take courage!
O Jerusalem!
The one who named you
Will comfort you.
Wretched will be
Those who mistreated you!
They rejoiced at your fall.
Wretched will be
The cities
That your children
Served as slaves!
Wretched will be
The city
That received your offspring!
She rejoiced
At your fall.
She was glad
For your ruin.
Now she will be grieved
At her own desolation.
I will take away her pride
In her great population.
Her insolence
Will be turned to grief.
Fire will come upon her
from the Everlasting One
For many days.
For a long time,
She will be inhabited
By demons.”
Now there is a turn, as this author speaks directly to Jerusalem instead of Jerusalem herself complaining. Jerusalem was encouraged to be courageous. She would be comforted. However, those who mistreated her and rejoiced at her fall will be miserable. The cities where the children of Jerusalem served as slaves would be miserable also. The city of Babylon, that received the children of Jerusalem, rejoiced and was glad at the downfall and ruin of Jerusalem. Now they will be grieved at their own desolation. The pride of those people and their insolence will be turned to grief. The Everlasting One, not Yahweh, will bring fire upon it for many days. For a long time it will be inhabited by demons.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 