15 Then the northern king will come and build ramps against the walls and capture a strong city. The southern army will not have the power to fight back. Even the best soldiers from the southern army will not be strong enough to stop the northern army.
15 So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.
15 Then the king of the North shall come and cast up siege works and take a well-fortified city, and the forces of the South shall not stand, or even his chosen troops, for there shall be no strength to stand [against the Syrian king].
15 So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mound, and take a well-fortified city: and the forces of the south shall not stand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to stand.
15 “When the northern king attacks, he will throw up a siege ramp and occupy a walled city. The southern forces will not be able to resist—not even its elite forces. No one will be strong enough to resist.
15 And the king of the North will arrive and will transport siege works, and he will seize the most fortified cities. And the arms of the South will not withstand him, and his elect will rise up to resist, but the strength will not.
15 Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no strength to stand.
The Lord is the God of Israel. The Lord says these things about the houses in Jerusalem and about the palaces {\cf2\super [277]} of the kings of Judah. The enemy will pull those houses down. The enemy will build ramps up to the top of the city walls. The enemy will use swords and fight the people in these cities.
“Go along the rows of Judah’s grapevines.\par Cut down the vines.\par (But don’t completely destroy them.)\par Cut off all their branches.\par Why? Because they don’t belong to the Lord.\par
So, in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s rule, on the tenth day of the tenth month {\cf2\super [434]} Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, marched against Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar had his whole army with him. The army of Babylon set up their camp outside of Jerusalem. Then they built ramps all around the city walls \{so they could get over those walls\}.
This is what the Lord All-Powerful says:\par “Cut down the trees around Jerusalem.\par And build a siege mound {\cf2\super [40]} against it.\par This city should be punished.\par Inside this city is nothing but oppression.\par
And the king of Egypt won’t be able to save the king of Judah. He might send many soldiers, but Egypt’s great power won’t save Judah. Nebuchadnezzar’s army will build dirt roads and dirt walls to capture the city. Many people will die.
And then act like you are an army surrounding the city. Build a dirt wall around the city \{to help you attack it\}. Build a dirt road leading up to the city wall. Bring battering rams {\cf2\super [35]} and set up army camps around the city.
“‘In those times, many people will be against the southern king. Some of your own people that love to fight will rebel against the southern king. They will not win, but they will make the vision {\cf2\super [126]} come true when they do this.
“‘Then after a few years, the southern king and that commander will make an agreement. The daughter of the southern king will marry the northern king. She will do this to bring peace. But she and the southern king will not be strong enough. People will turn against her and against the person that brought her to that country. And those people will turn against her child and against the person that helped her.
I watched the goat run toward the ram. The goat was very angry. It broke the ram’s two horns. The ram could not stop the goat. The goat knocked the ram to the ground. Then the goat stepped all over the ram. There was no one to save the ram from the goat.