53. Although Babylon's wallsreach to the sky,the army I sendwill destroy that city.I, the Lord, have spoken.
54. Listen to the cries for helpcoming from Babylon.Everywhere in the countrythe sounds of destructioncan be heard.
55. The shouts of the enemy,like crashing ocean waves,will drown out Babylon's criesas I level the city.
56. An enemy will attackand destroy Babylon.Its soldiers will be capturedand their weapons broken,because I am a Godwho takes revenge against nationsfor what they do.
57. I, the Lord All-Powerful,the true King, promisethat the officials and advisers,the governors and leadersand the soldiers of Babylonwill get drunk, fall asleep,and never wake up.
58. The thick walls of that citywill be torn down,and its huge gates burnt.Everything that nationworked so hard to gainwill go up in smoke.
59. During Zedekiah's fourth year as king of Judah, he went to Babylon. And Baruch's brother Seraiah went along as the officer in charge of arranging for places to stay overnight.
60. Before they left, I wrote on a scroll all the terrible things that would happen to Babylon.
61. I gave the scroll to Seraiah and said:When you get to Babylon, read this scroll aloud,
62. then pray, “Our Lord, you promised to destroy this place and make it into a desert where no people or animals will ever live.”