But disaster struck the vine. Angry, mighty hands pulled it up by its roots and threw it to the ground. The hot east wind dried it up, and her fruit shriveled and fell to the ground. Her strong stem was withered and was consumed by the fire.
“Assemble the archers and attack Babylon! Encamp around her and leave no way of escape. Treat her as she has treated others and repay her for all she has done, for she was arrogant and defiant to Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel.
Yahweh says: “Now, carry out my instructions to the letter. Attack the land of Merathaim and those who live in Pekod! Kill them and destroy everything they leave behind.
For listen, I am stirring up trouble out of the north against Babylon, and raising up a coalition of mighty nations to attack her. They will take up battle positions against her and conquer her. Their arrows are like a skilled soldier who kills and never returns empty-handed.
I will bring storms of judgment from everywhere to break out against them. I will scatter them to the four winds. And there will not be a single nation that will not take you captive.
Therefore, I will make the heavens shudder and the earth shake from its foundation because of the wrath of the Lord, Commander of Angel Armies, in the day of his fierce anger.
Here is a prophecy concerning Babylon, the Desert by the Sea: As whirlwinds rushing in from the southland, an invader comes in from the desert, from a land to be feared.
“Get down from your throne and sit in the dust, O Miss Babylon! Sit on the ground where you belong, not on a throne, O Miss Chaldea! For you will never be described again as ‘delicate and dainty.’
I, Yahweh, say, even if Babylon should climb up to the sky, and entrench herself in an inaccessible height, I would still call her enemies to destroy her.”