The beginningof his kingdomwas Babeland Erechand Accadand Calneh,in the landof Shinar.
He was a mightyhunterbeforethe LORD;thereforeit is said,"Like Nimroda mightyhunterbeforethe LORD."
It cameabout as they journeyedeast,that they founda plainin the landof Shinarand settledthere.
Thereforeits namewas calledBabel,becausetherethe LORDconfusedthe languageof the wholeearth;and from therethe LORDscatteredthem abroad overthe faceof the wholeearth.
And it cameabout in the daysof Amraphelkingof Shinar,Ariochkingof Ellasar,Chedorlaomerkingof Elam,and Tidalkingof Goiim,
"Is not Calnolike Carchemish,OrHamathlike Arpad,OrSamarialike Damascus?
Then it will happenon that daythat the LordWill againrecoverthe secondtimewith His handThe remnantof His people,whowill remain,From Assyria,Egypt,Pathros,Cush,Elam,Shinar,Hamath,And from the islandsof the sea.
At that timeMerodach-baladansonof Baladan,kingof Babylon,sentlettersand a presentto Hezekiah,for he heardthat he had beensickand had recovered.
"Pleaseinquireof the LORDon our behalf,for Nebuchadnezzarkingof Babylonis warringagainstus; perhapsthe LORDwill dealwith us according to allHis wonderfulacts,so that [the enemy] will withdrawfrom us."
The wordwhichthe LORDspokeconcerningBabylon,the landof the Chaldeans,throughJeremiahthe prophet:
"Againstthe landof Merathaim,goup againstit, And againstthe inhabitantsof Pekod.Slayand utterlydestroythem," declaresthe LORD,"And doaccording to allthat I have commandedyou.
"Haran,Canneh,Eden,the tradersof Sheba,Asshur[and] Chilmadtradedwith you.
The LordgaveJehoiakimkingof Judahinto his hand,along with someof the vesselsof the houseof God;and he broughtthem to the landof Shinar,to the houseof his god,and he broughtthe vesselsinto the treasuryof his god.
Gooverto Calnehand look,And gofrom thereto Hamaththe great,Then godownto Gathof the Philistines.Are they betterthanthesekingdoms,Oris their territorygreaterthanyours?
"Writheand laborto givebirth,Daughterof Zion,Like a woman in childbirth;For nowyou will goout of the city,Dwellin the field,And goto Babylon.Thereyou will be rescued;Therethe LORDwill redeemyou From the handof your enemies.
They will shepherdthe landof Assyriawith the sword,The landof Nimrodat its entrances;And He will deliver[us] from the AssyrianWhenhe attacksour landAnd whenhe tramplesour territory.
Then he saidto me, "To builda templefor her in the landof Shinar;and when it is prepared,she will be setthereon her own pedestal."
