Jeremiah 51:58

51:58 This is what the Lord who rules over all ¹  says,

“Babylon’s thick wall ²  will be completely demolished. ³ 

Her high gates will be set on fire.

The peoples strive for what does not satisfy. ⁴ 

The nations grow weary trying to get what will be destroyed.” ⁵ 

Habakkuk 2:13

2:13 Be sure of this! The Lord who commands armies has decreed:

The nations’ efforts will go up in smoke;

their exhausting work will be for nothing. ⁶ 

Psalms 76:12

76:12 He humbles princes; ⁷ 

the kings of the earth regard him as awesome. ⁸ 

¹ sn See the note at Jer 2:19.

² tn The text has the plural “walls,” but many Hebrew mss read the singular “wall,” which is also supported by the ancient Greek version. The modifying adjective “thick” is singular as well.

³ tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following finite verb. Another option is to translate, “will certainly be demolished.”

⁴ tn Heb “for what is empty.”

⁵ tn Heb “and the nations for fire, and they grow weary.”

⁶ tn Heb “Is it not, look, from the Lord of hosts that the nations work hard for fire, and the peoples are exhausted for nothing?”

⁷ tn Heb “he reduces the spirit of princes.” According to HALOT 148 s.v. II בצר, the Hebrew verb בָּצַר (batsar) is here a hapax legomenon meaning “reduce, humble.” The statement is generalizing, with the imperfect tense highlighting God’s typical behavior.

⁸ tn Heb “[he is] awesome to the kings of the earth.”