Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel: The translation of this verse is complicated by the fact that the preposition for is uncertain in the Hebrew text. The preposition consists of only one letter, which also happens to be the final letter of the word fall, which comes immediately before it. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project concludes that two interpretations are possible: (1) If the preposition for is omitted, then the slain of Israel may be interpreted as a noun of address: “Babylon in her turn must fall, you slaughtered ones of Israel” (New Jerusalem Bible); “Babylon, too, must fall, O slain of Israel” (New American Bible). (2) However, the rendering that the Hebrew Old Testament Text Project Committee feels to be more probable for the whole verse is “In Babylon the slain of Israel must also fall, just as for Babylon have fallen the slain all the earth.” This verse then continues from the end of verse 47, which says of Babylonia, “and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.” The slain of Israel mentioned here are those who have not obeyed the commands of 51.6, 45. For the whole verse Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch (with a note giving the other possible interpretation) renders “Through Babylon people in all the world have fallen, but because of the fallen of Israel Babylon will now fall!” Good News Translation is also clear (see above).

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .