19. I will bring the people of Israel back to their pastures.They will eat on Mount Carmel and Mount Bashan.They will eat until they are fullon the mountains of Ephraim and Gilead.
20. In those days and at that time,” declares the Lord,“people will look for Israel’s crimes, but they will find none.They will look for Judah’s sins, but none will be found.I will forgive the faithful few whom I have spared.
21. Attack the land of Merathaimand the people who live in Pekod.Claim them for me by killing them with a sword,”declares the Lord.“Do everything I commanded you.
22. The noise of battle and great destruction fills the land.
23. The hammer of the whole earth is broken and shattered.See how desolate Babylon is of all the nations!
24. I will set traps for you, Babylon.You will be caught, but you won’t know it.You will be found and capturedbecause you have opposed the Lord.
25. The Lord will open his armoryand bring out the weapons of his fury,because the Almighty Lord of Armieshas a job to do in the land of the Babylonians.
26. Attack them from a distance,open their storehouses,pile up their corpses like piles of grain,claim them for me by destroying them,and don’t leave anyone behind.
27. Kill all their young bulls.Let them go to be slaughtered.How horrible it will be for them when their time has come,the time for them to be punished.
28. Listen! Fugitives and refugees from Babylonare coming to Zion to tell aboutthe vengeance of the Lord our God, the vengeance for his temple.
29. “Call together the archers, the soldiers with bows, against Babylon.Set up blockades around it. Don’t let anyone escape.Pay the people of Babylon back for what they have done.Do to them what they did to others.They have disobeyed the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
30. That is why their young men will die in the streets,and all their soldiers will be silenced that day,”declares the Lord.
31. “I’m against you, you arrogant city,”declares the Almighty Lord of Armies.“Your day has come, the time when I will punish you.