Raise a banner at Babylon’s walls! Strengthen the guard. Station watchmen. Prepare ambushes. For Adonai has both planned and accomplished what He spoke about the Babylonians.
“Declare it among the nations and proclaim! Raise a banner, announce, hide nothing! Say: ‘Babylon will be captured, Bel put to shame, Merodach dismayed, her images disgraced, her idols shattered!’
Adonai has opened His armory and brought out the weapons of His indignation. For it is a work that my Lord Adonai-Tzva’ot has to do in the land of Chaldea.
Sharpen the arrows. Fill the quivers! Adonai has roused the spirit of the kings of the Medes. For His plan is against Babylon, to destroy it. For it is Adonai’s vengeance, vengeance for His Temple.
Raise a banner in the land! Blow a shofar among the nations! Consecrate the nations against her. Summon against her the kingdoms— Ararat, Minni and Ashkenaz. Appoint a marshal against her. Bring horses up like rough locusts.
Adonai has done what He planned; He has fulfilled His word that He commanded from days of old. He has overthrown you without pity, He enabled the enemy to gloat over you. He has exalted the horn of your foes.
Behold, upon the mountains are the feet of him bringing good news, proclaiming shalom. O Judah, celebrate your festivals! Fulfill your vows! For never again will Belial pass through you. He has been utterly cut off.
So it came to pass when the king of Ai saw this, the men of the city hurried and rose up early, and went out to meet Israel in battle, he and all his people at the appointed place facing the Arabah. But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.