17. “The people of Israel are like a flock of sheep that are scatteredfrom being chased by lions.The first lion to eat them upwas the king of Assyria.The last lion to crush their boneswas Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.”
18. So this is what the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says:“I will punish the king of Babylon and his countryas I punished the king of Assyria.
19. But I will bring the people of Israel back to their own pasture.They will eat on Mount Carmel and in Bashan.They will eat and be fullon the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.”
20. The Lord says,“At that time people will try to find Israel’s guilt,but there will be no guilt.People will try to find Judah’s sins,but no sins will be found,because I will leave a few people alive from Israel and Judah,and I will forgive their sins.
21. “Attack the land of Merathaim.Attack the people who live in Pekod.Chase them, kill them, and completely destroy them.Do everything I commanded you!” says the Lord.
22. “The noise of battle can be heard all over the country;it is the noise of much destruction.
23. Babylon was the hammer of the whole earth,but how broken and shattered that hammer is now.It is truly the most ruinedof all the nations.
24. Babylon, I set a trap for you,and you were caught before you knew it.You fought against the Lord,so you were found and taken prisoner.
25. The Lord has opened up his storeroomand brought out the weapons of his anger,because the Lord God All-Powerful has work to doin the land of the Babylonians.
26. Come against Babylon from far away.Break open her storehouses of grain.Pile up her dead bodies like heaps of grain.Completely destroy Babylonand do not leave anyone alive.
27. Kill all the young men in Babylon;let them be killed like animals.How terrible it will be for them, because the time has come for their defeat;it is time for them to be punished.
28. Listen to the people running to escape the country of Babylon!They are telling Jerusalemhow the Lord our God is punishing Babylon as it deservesfor destroying his Temple.
29. “Call for the archersto come against Babylon.Tell them to surround the city,and let no one escape.Pay her back for what she has done;do to her what she has done to other nations.Babylon acted with pride against the Lord,the Holy One of Israel.