in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Me´di-a, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mor´decai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Me´di-a and Persia?
A grievous vision is declared unto me; The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Me´di-a: all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.
For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands.
Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the Lord hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple.
Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ar´arat, Minni, and Ash´kenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillars.
And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the Lord shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.