16. When his voice thunders, the waters in the heavens roar.He makes the clouds rise from the far-off horizons.He makes the lightning flash out in the midst of the rain.He unleashes the wind from the places where he stores it.
17. All idolaters will prove to be stupid and ignorant.Every goldsmith will be disgraced by the idol he made.For the image he forges is merely a sham.There is no breath in any of those idols.
18. They are worthless, objects to be ridiculed.When the time comes to punish them, they will be destroyed.
19. The Lord, who is the portion of the descendants of Jacob, is not like them.For he is the one who created everything,including the people of Israel whom he claims as his own.He is known as the Lord who rules over all.
20. “Babylon, you are my war club,my weapon for battle.I used you to smash nations.I used you to destroy kingdoms.
21. I used you to smash horses and their riders.I used you to smash chariots and their drivers.
22. I used you to smash men and women.I used you to smash old men and young men.I used you to smash young men and young women.
23. I used you to smash shepherds and their flocks.I used you to smash farmers and their teams of oxen.I used you to smash governors and leaders.”
24. “But I will repay Babylon and all who live in Babyloniafor all the wicked things they did in Zion right before the eyes of you Judeans,” says the Lord.
25. The Lord says, “Beware! I am opposed to you, Babylon! You are like a destructive mountain that destroys all the earth.I will unleash my power against you;I will roll you off the cliffs and make you like a burned-out mountain.
26. No one will use any of your stones as a cornerstone.No one will use any of them in the foundation of his house.For you will lie desolate forever,”says the Lord.
27. “Raise up battle flags throughout the lands.Sound the trumpets calling the nations to do battle.Prepare the nations to do battle against Babylonia.Call for these kingdoms to attack her:Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz.Appoint a commander to lead the attack.Send horses against her like a swarm of locusts.
28. Prepare the nations to do battle against her.Prepare the kings of the Medes.Prepare their governors and all their leaders.Prepare all the countries they rule to do battle against her.
29. The earth will tremble and writhe in agony.For the Lord will carry out his plan.He plans to make the land of Babyloniaa wasteland where no one lives.
30. The soldiers of Babylonia will stop fighting.They will remain in their fortified cities.They will lose their strength to do battle.They will be as frightened as women.The houses in her cities will be set on fire.The gates of her cities will be broken down.
31. One runner after another will come to the king of Babylon.One messenger after another will come bringing news.They will bring news to the king of Babylonthat his whole city has been captured.
32. They will report that the fords have been captured,the reed marshes have been burned,the soldiers are terrified.
33. For the Lord God of Israel who rules over all says,‘Fair Babylon will be like a threshing floorwhich has been trampled flat for harvest.The time for her to be cut down and harvestedwill come very soon.’
34. “King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylondevoured me and drove my people out.Like a monster from the deep he swallowed me.He filled his belly with my riches.He made me an empty dish.He completely cleaned me out.”