And Babylon,the beautyof kingdoms,the gloryof the Chaldeans'pride,Will be as when GodoverthrewSodomand Gomorrah.
Then the LORDrainedon Sodomand Gomorrahbrimstoneand firefrom the LORDout of heaven,
and He overthrewthosecities,and allthe valley,and allthe inhabitantsof the cities,and whatgrewon the ground.
The oracleconcerning BabylonwhichIsaiahthe sonof Amozsaw.
"Now behold,herecomesa troopof riders,horsemenin pairs."And one said,"Fallen,fallenis Babylon;And allthe imagesof her godsare shatteredon the ground."
"Sitsilently,and gointo darkness,O daughterof the Chaldeans,For you will nolongerbe calledThe queenof kingdoms.
"Assemble,allof you, and listen!Whoamong them has declaredthesethings?The LORDloveshim; he will carryout His goodpleasureon Babylon,And His arm[will be against] the Chaldeans.
Then it will be when seventyyearsare completedI will punishthe kingof Babylonand that nation,'declaresthe LORD,'for their iniquity,and the landof the Chaldeans;and I will makeit an everlastingdesolation.
"Like the overthrowof Sodomand Gomorrahwith its neighbors,"saysthe LORD,"noonewill livethere,norwill a sonof manresidein it.
"As when GodoverthrewSodomAnd Gomorrahwith its neighbors,"declaresthe LORD,"Nomanwill livethere,Norwill [any] sonof manresidein it.
"They will not takefrom you [even] a stonefor a cornerNora stonefor foundations,But you will be desolateforever,"declaresthe LORD.
So the landquakesand writhes,For the purposesof the LORDagainstBabylonstand,To makethe landof BabylonA desolationwithoutinhabitants.
"HowSheshakhas been captured,And the praiseof the wholeearthbeen seized!HowBabylonhas becomean objectof horroramong the nations!
and say,'You, O LORD,have promisedconcerningthisplaceto cutit off,so that there will be nothingdwellingin it, whethermanor beast,but it will be a perpetualdesolation.'
"The kingreflectedand said,'Is thisnot Babylonthe great,whichI myselfhave builtas a royalresidenceby the mightof my powerand for the gloryof my majesty?'
"I overthrewyou, as GodoverthrewSodomand Gomorrah,And you were like a firebrandsnatchedfrom a blaze;Yet you have not returnedto Me," declaresthe LORD.
"Therefore,as I live,"declaresthe LORDof hosts,The Godof Israel,"SurelyMoabwill be like SodomAnd the sonsof Ammonlike Gomorrah--A placepossessedby nettlesand saltpits,And a perpetualdesolation.The remnantof My peoplewill plunderthem And the remainderof My nationwill inheritthem."
And justas Isaiahforetold,"UNLESSTHE LORDOF SABAOTHHAD LEFTTO US A POSTERITY,WE WOULD HAVE BECOMELIKESODOM,AND WOULD HAVE RESEMBLEDGOMORRAH."
Allits landis brimstoneand salt,a burningwaste, unsownand unproductive,and nograssgrowsin it, like the overthrowof Sodomand Gomorrah,Admahand Zeboiim,whichthe LORDoverthrewin His angerand in His wrath.'
"And the merchantsof the earthweepand mournoverher, becauseno onebuystheir cargoesany more--
"And they threwduston their headsand were cryingout, weepingand mourning,saying,Woe,woe,the greatcity,in whichallwho hadshipsat seabecame richby her wealth,for in onehourshe has been laid waste!'
