"Drawup your battlelinesagainstBabylonon everyside,Allyou who bendthe bow;Shootat her, do not be sparingwith [your] arrows,For she has sinnedagainst the LORD.
Now when Joabsawthat the battlewas set againsthim in frontand in the rear,he selectedfrom allthe choicemen of Israel,and arrayed[them] againstthe Arameans.
Against You, You only,I have sinnedAnd donewhatis evilin Your sight,Sothat You are justifiedwhen You speakAnd blamelesswhen You judge.
A soundof tumulton the mountains,Likethat of manypeople!A soundof the uproarof kingdoms,Of nationsgatheredtogether! The LORDof hostsis musteringthe armyfor battle.
Its arrowsare sharpand allits bowsare bent;The hoofsof its horsesseemlike flintand its [chariot] wheelslike a whirlwind.
Goup, you horses,and drivemadly,you chariots,That the mightymenmay marchforward:Ethiopiaand Put,that handlethe shield,And the Lydians,that handle[and] bendthe bow.
I have hearda messagefrom the LORD,And an envoyis sentamong the nations,[saying], "Gatheryourselves together and comeagainsther, And riseup for battle!"
"Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,'Behold,I am going to breakthe bowof Elam,The finestof their might.
"Becauseyou are glad,becauseyou are jubilant,O you who pillageMy heritage,Becauseyou skipaboutlike a threshingheiferAnd neighlike stallions,
"SummonmanyagainstBabylon,Allthose who bendthe bow:Encampagainsther on everyside,Let there be noescape. Repayher according to her work;According to allthat she has done,[so] doto her; For she has becomearrogantagainstthe LORD,Againstthe HolyOneof Israel.
"They seize[their] bowand javelin;They are crueland havenomercy.Their voiceroarslike the sea;And they rideon horses,Marshalledlike a manfor the battleAgainstyou, O daughterof Babylon.
"Allwho cameupon them have devouredthem; And their adversarieshave said,We are not guilty,Inasmuchas they have sinnedagainst the LORD[who is] the habitationof righteousness,Even the LORD,the hopeof their fathers.'
"For behold,I am going to arouseand bringup againstBabylonA hordeof greatnationsfrom the landof the north,And they will drawup [their] battlelinesagainst her; From thereshe will be takencaptive.Their arrowswill be like an expertwarriorWho does not returnempty-handed.
"I will dispatchforeignersto Babylonthat they may winnowher And may devastateher land;For on everysidethey will be opposedto her In the dayof [her] calamity.
Liftup a signalin the land,Blowa trumpetamong the nations!Consecratethe nationsagainsther, Summonagainsther the kingdomsof Ararat,Minniand Ashkenaz;Appointa marshalagainsther, Bringup the horseslike bristlylocusts.
"Let not him who bendshis bowbend[it], Norlet him riseup in his scale-armor;So do not spareher youngmen;Devoteallher armyto destruction.
"For the violencedone to Lebanonwill overwhelmyou, And the devastationof [its] beastsby which you terrifiedthem, Becauseof humanbloodshedand violencedone to the land,To the townand allits inhabitants.
"Becauseyou have lootedmanynations,Allthe remainderof the peopleswill lootyou-- Becauseof humanbloodshedand violencedone to the land,To the townand allits inhabitants.
and on her foreheada name[was] written,a mystery,"BABYLONTHE GREAT,THE MOTHEROF HARLOTSAND OF THE ABOMINATIONSOF THE EARTH."
So Davidaroseearlyin the morningand leftthe flockwith a keeperand took[the supplies] and wentas Jessehad commandedhim. And he cameto the circleof the campwhile the armywas goingout in battlearrayshoutingthe warcry.
