15. God made the earth by his might,shaped the world by his wisdom,and crafted the skies by his knowledge.
16. At the sound of God’s voice,the heavenly waters roar.God raises the cloudsfrom the ends of the earth.He makes lightning for the rainand sends the wind from his treasuries.
17. Everyone is too foolish to understand;every smith is shamed by his idols,for their images are shams;they aren’t alive.
18. They are a delusion, a charade;at the appointed time they will be ruined!
19. But the portion of Jacobis utterly different,for he has formed all things,including his very own tribe;the Lord of heavenly forcesis his name!
20. You are my hammer,my weapon of war.With you I will crush the nations.With you I will destroy kingdoms.
21. With you I will crush horse and rider.With you I will crush chariot and driver.
22. With you I will crush men and women.With you I will crush old and young.With you I will crushyoung men and young women.
23. With you I will crushshepherds and flocks.With you I will crush farmers and oxen.With you I will crushgovernors and officials.
24. I will repay Babylon and all its inhabitantsfor the terrible thingsthey have done to Zion in your sight,declares the Lord.
25. I’m against you,you mountain of destruction,declares the Lord, you destroyer of the whole earth!I will reach out against you;I will topple you from your heights;I will turn you into a rubbish heap.
26. They will never remove a cornerstoneor a foundation stone from you.You will be a wasteland forever,declares the Lord.
27. Set up a flag in the land;sound the alarm among the nations!Prepare them for war against her;summon kingdoms against her—Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz.Appoint a commander against her;call up the troops,like swarms of locusts!
28. Prepare the nations for war against her,the kings of Media,its governors, all its officials,and all the countries they rule.
29. The earth quakes and tremblesbecause the Lord’s plansagainst Babylon are fulfilled:to reduce Babylon to a wasteland,with no one left in it.
30. Babylon’s warriors quit fighting;they hide in their fortifications.Their strength is worn out;their courage is gone!Babylon’s houses are burned down,and its gates are smashed.
31. Courier joins courier,messenger joins messengerto relate the newsto the king of Babylonthat his entire city has fallen.
32. The river crossings are blocked;the marshes are on fire;the soldiers are terrified.