31. One messenger follows another;messenger follows messenger.They announce to the king of Babylonthat his whole city has been captured.
32. The river crossings have been captured,and the swamplands are burning.All of Babylon’s soldiers are terribly afraid.”
33. This is what the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says:“The city of Babylon is like a threshing floor,where people crush the grain at harvest time.The time to harvest Babylon is coming soon.”
34. “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has defeated and destroyed us.In the past he took our people away,and we became like an empty jar.He was like a giant snake that swallowed us.He filled his stomach with our best things.Then he spit us out.
35. Babylon did terrible things to hurt us.Now let those things happen to Babylon,”say the people of Jerusalem.“The people of Babylon killed our people.Now let them be punished for what they did,” says Jerusalem.
36. So this is what the Lord says:“I will soon defend you, Judah,and make sure that Babylon is punished.I will dry up Babylon’s seaand make her springs become dry.
37. Babylon will become a pile of ruins,a home for wild dogs.People will be shocked by what happened there.No one will live there anymore.
38. Babylon’s people roar like young lions;they growl like baby lions.
39. While they are stirred up,I will give a feast for themand make them drunk.They will shout and laugh.And they will sleep forever and never wake up!” says the Lord.