15. Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead,down to its lowest depths.
16. Everyone there will stare at you and ask,‘Can this be the one who shook the earthand made the kingdoms of the world tremble?
17. Is this the one who destroyed the worldand made it into a wasteland?Is this the king who demolished the world’s greatest citiesand had no mercy on his prisoners?’
18. “The kings of the nations lie in stately glory,each in his own tomb,
19. but you will be thrown out of your gravelike a worthless branch.Like a corpse trampled underfoot,you will be dumped into a mass gravewith those killed in battle.You will descend to the pit.
20. You will not be given a proper burial,for you have destroyed your nationand slaughtered your people.The descendants of such an evil personwill never again receive honor.
21. Kill this man’s children!Let them die because of their father’s sins!They must not rise and conquer the earth,filling the world with their cities.”
22. This is what the lord of Heaven’s Armies says:“I, myself, have risen against Babylon!I will destroy its children and its children’s children,”says the lord.
23. “I will make Babylon a desolate place of owls,filled with swamps and marshes.I will sweep the land with the broom of destruction.I, the lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”
24. The lord of Heaven’s Armies has sworn this oath:“It will all happen as I have planned.It will be as I have decided.
25. I will break the Assyrians when they are in Israel;I will trample them on my mountains.My people will no longer be their slavesnor bow down under their heavy loads.
26. I have a plan for the whole earth,a hand of judgment upon all the nations.
27. The lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken—who can change his plans?When his hand is raised,who can stop him?”
28. This message came to me the year King Ahaz died:
29. Do not rejoice, you Philistines,that the rod that struck you is broken—that the king who attacked you is dead.For from that snake a more poisonous snake will be born,a fiery serpent to destroy you!
30. I will feed the poor in my pasture;the needy will lie down in peace.But as for you, I will wipe you out with famineand destroy the few who remain.
31. Wail at the gates! Weep in the cities!Melt with fear, you Philistines!A powerful army comes like smoke from the north.Each soldier rushes forward eager to fight.
32. What should we tell the Philistine messengers? Tell them, “The lord has built Jerusalem;its walls will give refuge to his oppressed people.”