So this is what the Lord says: “I will soon defend you, Judah, and make sure that Babylon is punished. I will dry up Babylon’s sea and make her springs become dry.
This is what the Lord, who saves you, the Holy One of Israel, says: “I will send armies to Babylon for you, and I will knock down all its locked gates. The Babylonians will shout their cries of sorrow.
“Sharpen the arrows! Pick up your shields! The Lord has stirred up the kings of the Medes, because he wants to destroy Babylon. The Lord will punish them as they deserve for destroying his Temple.
“Run away from Babylon and save your lives! Don’t stay and be killed because of Babylon’s sins. It is time for the Lord to punish Babylon; he will give Babylon the punishment she deserves.
I will use my people Israel to take revenge on Edom. So the Israelites will do to Edom what my hot anger demands. Then the Edomites will know what my revenge feels like, says the Lord God.’
Israel is doing well among the nations, but the Lord will send a wind from the east, coming from the desert, that will dry up his springs and wells of water. He will destroy from their treasure houses everything of value.
My friends, do not try to punish others when they wrong you, but wait for God to punish them with his anger. It is written: “I will punish those who do wrong; I will repay them,” says the Lord.
I will punish those who do wrong; I will repay them. Soon their foot will slip, because their day of trouble is near, and their punishment will come quickly.”
Be happy, nations, with his people, because he will repay you for the blood of his servants. He will punish his enemies, and he will remove the sin of his land and people.
The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates so that the water in the river was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east to come.