Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.
For out of the norththerecometh up a nationagainst her, whichshallmake her landdesolate, and noneshalldwelltherein: theyshallremove, theyshalldepart, both man and beast.
In thosedays, and in thattime, saith the LORD, the children of Israelshallcome, they and the children of Judahtogether, going and weeping: theyshall go, and seek the LORDtheir God.
Theyshall ask the way to Zionwiththeirfacesthitherward, saying, Come, and let us joinourselves to the LORD in a perpetualcovenantthatshall not be forgotten.
My peoplehathbeenlostsheep: theirshepherdshavecausedthem to go astray, theyhaveturnedthemaway on the mountains: theyhavegonefrommountain to hill, theyhaveforgottentheirrestingplace.
All thatfoundthemhavedevouredthem: and theiradversariessaid, We offend not, becausetheyhavesinnedagainst the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of theirfathers.
For, lo, I willraise and cause to come up againstBabylon an assembly of greatnationsfrom the northcountry: and theyshall set themselves in arrayagainst her; fromthence she shall be taken: theirarrowsshall be as of a mightyexpert man; noneshallreturn in vain.
Yourmothershall be soreconfounded; she thatbare you shall be ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nationsshall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.
Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be whollydesolate: every one thatgoeth by Babylonshall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues.
Shoutagainst her roundabout: she hathgiven her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are throwndown: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: takevengeanceupon her; as she hathdone, do unto her.
Cut off the sowerfromBabylon, and him thathandleth the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressingswordtheyshallturnevery one to his people, and theyshallfleeevery one to his own land.
Israel is a scatteredsheep; the lionshavedriven him away: first the king of Assyriahathdevoured him; and lastthisNebuchadrezzarking of Babylonhathbroken his bones.
In thosedays, and in thattime, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israelshall be sought for, and thereshall be none; and the sins of Judah, and theyshall not be found: for I willpardonthemwhom I reserve.
Go up against the land of Merathaim, evenagainst it, and against the inhabitants of Pekod: waste and utterlydestroyafterthem, saith the LORD, and do according to all that I havecommandedthee.
I havelaid a snare for thee, and thou art alsotaken, O Babylon, and thouwast not aware: thou art found, and alsocaught, becausethouhaststrivenagainst the LORD.
The LORDhathopened his armoury, and hathbroughtforth the weapons of his indignation: for this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.
Calltogether the archersagainstBabylon: all ye thatbend the bow, campagainst it roundabout; let nonethereofescape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hathdone, do unto her: for she hathbeenproudagainst the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.
Thussaith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judahwereoppressedtogether: and all thattookthemcaptivesheldthemfast; theyrefused to let them go.
TheirRedeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shallthroughlypleadtheircause, that he may giverest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
A sword is upontheirhorses, and upontheirchariots, and upon all the mingledpeoplethat are in the midst of her; and theyshallbecome as women: a sword is upon her treasures; and theyshall be robbed.
Therefore the wildbeasts of the desertwith the wildbeasts of the islandsshalldwellthere, and the owlsshalldwelltherein: and it shall be no moreinhabited for ever; neithershall it be dwelt in fromgeneration to generation.
As God overthrewSodom and Gomorrah and the neighbourcitiesthereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man abidethere, neithershall any son of man dwelltherein.
Theyshallhold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not shewmercy: theirvoiceshallroarlike the sea, and theyshallrideuponhorses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, againstthee, O daughter of Babylon.
Behold, he shallcome up like a lionfrom the swelling of Jordanunto the habitation of the strong: but I willmakethemsuddenly run awayfrom her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appointover her? for who is like me? and who willappoint me the time? and who is thatshepherdthatwillstandbefore me?
Thereforehear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hathtakenagainstBabylon; and his purposes, that he hathpurposedagainst the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flockshalldrawthem out: surely he shallmaketheirhabitationdesolatewiththem.