8. "People of Judah, run away from Babylon. Leave the land of Babylonia. Be like the goats that lead the flock.
9. I will stir up great nations that will join forces against Babylon. I will bring them from the land of the north. They will take up their battle positions against Babylon. They will come from the north and capture it. Their arrows will be like skilled soldiers. They will not miss their mark.
10. So the riches of Babylonia will be taken away. All those who steal from it will have more than enough," announces the Lord.
11. "People of Babylonia, you have stolen what belongs to me. That has made you glad and full of joy. You dance around like a young cow on a threshing floor. You neigh like stallions.
12. Because of that, you will bring great shame on your land. Your whole nation will be dishonored. It will become the least important of the nations. It will become a dry and empty desert.
13. Because I am angry with it, no one will live there. It will be completely deserted. All those who pass by it will be shocked. They will make fun of it because of all of its wounds.
14. "All you who draw the bow, take up your battle positions around Babylon. Shoot at it! Do not spare any arrows! Its people have sinned against me.
15. Shout against them on every side! They are giving up. The towers of the city are falling. Its walls are being pulled down. I am paying its people back. So pay them back yourselves. Do to them what they have done to others.
16. Do not leave anyone in Babylonia to plant the fields. Do not leave anyone to harvest the grain. Let each of them return to his own people. Let him run away to his own land. If he doesn't, his enemy's sword will bring him great harm.
17. "Israel is like a scattered flock that lions have chased away. The first lion that ate them up was the king of Assyria. The last one that broke their bones was Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonia."
18. The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, "I punished the king of Assyria. In the same way, I will punish the king of Babylonia and his land.
19. But I will bring Israel back to their own grasslands. I will feed them on Mount Carmel and in Bashan. I will satisfy their hunger on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.
20. A new day is coming," announces the Lord. "At that time people will search for Israel's guilt. But they will not find any. They will search for Judah's sins. But they will not find any. That is because I will forgive the people I have spared.
21. "Enemies of Babylonia, attack their land of Merathaim. Make war against those who live in Pekod. Chase them and kill them. Destroy them completely," announces the Lord. "Do everything I have commanded you to do.