So the messengers took the king’s letters all through Israel and Judah. This is what those letters said:
Jeremiah 51:31 - Easy To Read Version One messenger follows another.\par Messenger follows messenger.\par They announce to the king of Babylon\par that his whole city has been captured.\par Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to shew the king of Babylon that his city is taken at one end, Amplified Bible - Classic Edition One post shall run to meet another and one messenger to meet another to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every side and to its farthest end, American Standard Version (1901) One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every quarter: Common English Bible Courier joins courier, messenger joins messenger to relate the news to the king of Babylon that his entire city has fallen. Catholic Public Domain Version Runner will go forth to meet runner, and messenger will meet messenger, so as to tell the king of Babylon that his city has been captured, from one end to the other, Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version One running post shall meet another and messenger shall meet messenger: to tell the king of Babylon that his city is taken from one end to the other: |
So the messengers took the king’s letters all through Israel and Judah. This is what those letters said:
Mordecai wrote commands by the authority of King Xerxes. Then he sealed the letters with the king’s ring. And he sent those letters by messengers on horses. Those messengers rode fast horses which were raised especially for the king.
The messengers hurried out, riding on the king’s horses. The king commanded those messengers to hurry. And that command was also put in the capital city of Susa.
“My days go faster than a runner.\par My days fly away and there is\par no happiness in them.\par
Disaster follows disaster!\par The whole country is destroyed!\par Suddenly my tents are destroyed!\par My curtains are torn down!\par
“Announce this to all nations!\par Lift up a flag and announce the message!\par Speak the whole message and say,\par ‘The nation of Babylon will be captured.\par The god Bel {\cf2\super [407]} will be put to shame.\par The god Marduk {\cf2\super [408]} will be very afraid.\par Babylon’s idols will be put to shame.\par Her idol gods will be filled with terror.’\par
Babylon, I set a trap for you.\par And you were caught before you knew it.\par You fought against the Lord,\par so you were found and captured.\par
The king of Babylon\par heard about those armies.\par And he became very scared.\par He is so afraid,\par his hands will not move.\par His fear makes his stomach hurt\par like a woman having a baby.”\par
The places where people cross the rivers\par have been captured.\par The swamplands are burning.\par All of Babylon’s soldiers are afraid.”\par
That very same night, Belshazzar, king of the Babylonian people, was killed.