17. Israelites are scattered sheep,driven away by lions.First the king of Assyria devoured them,and now Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar has ravaged them.
18. Therefore, the Lord of heavenly forces, the God of Israel, proclaims:I’m going to punish the king of Babylon and his land,just as I punished the king of Assyria.
19. But I will restore Israel to their pasture;they will graze on Carmel and Bashan;they will eat their fillin the highlands of Ephraim and Gilead.
20. In those days and at that time,declares the Lord, if one searches for the sin of Israel,they will find nothing;if one seeks outthe wrongdoing of Judah,they will look in vain.I will forgive those I have spared.
21. Attack the land of Merathaim;crush those living in Pekod.Ruin and destroy them,declares the Lord;do all I have commanded you.
22. There’s the sound of war in the landand enormous devastation.
23. How the hammer of the whole earthhas been broken and shatteredinto pieces!How Babylon has become a wastelandamong the nations!
24. You set a trap for others, Babylon,but you yourself were caughtin it unaware;you have been found and capturedbecause you have defied the Lord.
25. The Lord has opened his arsenaland brought out his brutal weapons.The Lord God of heavenly forceshas a job to doin the land of the Babylonians.
26. Come against her from every side;throw open her granaries;pile her up like stalks of grain;totally destroy her;leave nothing intact.