Thussaysthe LORD:"Behold,I am going to arouseagainstBabylonAnd againstthe inhabitantsof Leb-kamaiThe spiritof a destroyer.
"Behold,I will puta spiritin him so that he will heara rumorand returnto his own land.And I will make him fallby the swordin his own land."'"
O daughterof Babylon,you devastatedone, How blessedwill be the one whorepaysyou With the recompensewith whichyou have repaidus.
ThereforeI will make the heavenstremble,And the earthwill be shakenfrom its placeAt the furyof the LORDof hostsIn the dayof His burninganger.
I will ascendabovethe heightsof the clouds;I will makemyself likethe MostHigh.'
The oracleconcerning the wildernessof the sea.As windstormsin the Negevsweepon, It comesfrom the wilderness,from a terrifyingland.
"Comedownand sitin the dust,O virgindaughterof Babylon;Siton the groundwithouta throne,O daughterof the Chaldeans!For you shall nolongerbe calledtenderand delicate.
"Behold,the stormof the LORDhas goneforthin wrath,Even a whirlingtempest;It will swirldownon the headof the wicked.
I will bringupon Elamthe fourwindsFrom the fourendsof heaven,And will scatterthem to allthesewinds;And therewill be nonationTo whichthe outcastsof Elamwill not go.
"Againstthe landof Merathaim,goup againstit, And againstthe inhabitantsof Pekod.Slayand utterlydestroythem," declaresthe LORD,"And doaccording to allthat I have commandedyou.
"I seta snarefor you and you were alsocaught,O Babylon,While you yourselfwere not aware;You have been foundand alsoseizedBecauseyou have engagedin conflictwith the LORD."
"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.
Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"The sonsof Israelare oppressed,And the sonsof Judahas well;And allwho tookthem captivehave heldthem fast,They have refusedto letthem go.
"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.
"ThoughBabylonshould ascendto the heavens,And thoughshe should fortifyher loftystronghold,From Me destroyerswill cometo her," declaresthe LORD.
So Jeremiahwrotein a singlescrollallthe calamitywhichwould comeupon Babylon,[that is], allthesewordswhich have been writtenconcerningBabylon.
But it was pluckedup in fury;It was castdownto the ground;And the eastwinddriedup its fruit.Its strongbranchwas tornoffSo that it withered;The fireconsumedit.
Thoughhe flourishesamongthe reeds,An eastwindwill come,The windof the LORDcomingup from the wilderness;And his fountainwill becomedryAnd his springwill be driedup; It will plunder[his] treasuryof everypreciousarticle.
Ifa trumpetis blownin a citywill not the peopletremble?Ifa calamityoccursin a cityhas not the LORDdoneit?
For thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"AftergloryHe has sentme againstthe nationswhich plunderyou, for he who touchesyou, touchesthe appleof His eye.
and he fellto the groundand hearda voicesayingto him, "Saul,Saul,whyare you persecutingMe?"
