23-24. After this, I went to the kings of Dedan, Tema, Buz, the tribes of the Arabian Desert,
25. Zimri, Elam, Media,
26. and the countries in the north, both near and far.I went to all the countries on earth, one after another, and finally to Babylonia.
27. The Lord had said I must tell each king, “The Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, commands you to drink from this cup that is full of the wine of his anger. It will make you so drunk that you will vomit. And when the Lord sends war against the nations, you will be completely defeated.”
28. The Lord told me that if any of them refused to drink from the cup, I must tell them that he had said, “I, the Lord All-Powerful, command you to drink.
29. Starting with my own city of Jerusalem, everyone on earth will suffer from war. So there is no way I will let you escape unharmed.”
30. The Lord told me to say:From my sacred templeI will roar like thunder,while I trample my peopleand everyone elseas though they were grapes.
31. My voice will be heardeverywhere on earth,accusing nations of their crimesand sentencing the guiltyto death.
32. The Lord All-Powerful says:You can see disaster spreadingfrom far across the earth,from nation to nationlike a horrible storm.
33. When it strikes, I will kill so many people that their bodies will cover the ground like manure. No one will be left to bury them or to mourn.
34. The Lord's people are his flock,and you leaderswere the shepherds.But now it's your turnto be butchered like sheep.You'll shatter like fine potterydropped on the floor.So roll on the ground,crying and mourning.
35. You have nowhere to run,nowhere to hide.
36-38. Listen to the criesof the shepherds,as the Lord's burning angerturns peaceful meadowsinto barren deserts.The Lord has abandonedhis peoplelike a lion leaving its den.