"Againstthe landof Merathaim,goup againstit, And againstthe inhabitantsof Pekod.Slayand utterlydestroythem," declaresthe LORD,"And doaccording to allthat I have commandedyou.
Then Davidsaidto Abishaiand to allhis servants,"Behold,my sonwhocameout from me seeksmy life;howmuchmorenowthis Benjamite?Lethim aloneand let him curse,for the LORDhas toldhim.
"Have I nowcomeup withoutthe LORD'Sapproval againstthisplaceto destroyit? The LORDsaidto me, 'Goup againstthislandand destroyit.'"'"
"ThussaysCyruskingof Persia,'The LORD,the Godof heaven,has givenme allthe kingdomsof the earth,and He has appointedme to buildHim a housein Jerusalem,whichis in Judah.Whoeverthere is among you of allHis people,may the LORDhis Godbe with him, and let him goup!'"
I sendit against a godlessnationAnd commissionit againstthe peopleof My furyTo capturebootyand to seizeplunder,And to tramplethem downlike mudin the streets.
"[It is I] who saysof Cyrus,'[He is] My shepherd!And he will performallMy desire.'And he declaresof Jerusalem,She will be built,'And of the temple,Your foundationwill be laid.'"
"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.
"I, even I, have spoken;indeedI have calledhim, I have broughthim, and He will makehis wayssuccessful.
Behold,I am going to command,'declaresthe LORD,'and I will bringthem backto thiscity;and they will fightagainstit and takeit and burnit with fire;and I will makethe citiesof Judaha desolationwithoutinhabitant.'"
"Cursedbe the one who doesthe LORD'Sworknegligently,And cursedbe the one who restrainshis swordfrom blood.
"Raiseyour battlecryagainsther on everyside!She has givenherselfup, her pillarshave fallen,Her wallshave been torndown.For thisis the vengeanceof the LORD:Takevengeanceon her; As she has done[to others, so] doto her.
"For a nationhas comeup againsther out of the north;it will makeher landan objectof horror,and there will be noinhabitantin it. Bothmanand beasthave wanderedoff, they have goneaway!
"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.
the Babyloniansand allthe Chaldeans,Pekodand Shoaand Koa,[and] allthe Assyrianswith them; desirableyoungmen,governorsand officialsallof them, officersand menof renown,allof them ridingon horses.
"The eternalGodis a dwellingplace,And underneathare the everlastingarms;And He droveout the enemyfrom beforeyou, And said,'Destroy!'
Nowgoand strikeAmalekand utterlydestroyallthat he has, and do not sparehim; but putto deathbothmanand woman,childand infant,oxand sheep,cameland donkey.'"
