^{21 Ref} Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against the inhabitants of Pekod: waste and utterly destroy after them, saith the LORD, and do according to all that I have commanded thee.

^{22 Ref} A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.

^{23 Ref} How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!

^{24 Ref} I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the LORD.

^{25 Ref} The LORD hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation: for this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.

^{26 Ref} Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses: cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.

^{27 Ref} Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.

^{28 Ref} The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple.

^{29 Ref} Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.

^{30 Ref} Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD.

^{31 Ref} Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.

^{32 Ref} And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.

^{33 Ref} Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go.

^{34 Ref} Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.

^{35 Ref} A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.

^{36 Ref} A sword is upon the liars; and they shall dote: a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed.

^{37 Ref} A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.

^{38 Ref} A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.

^{39 Ref} Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.

^{40 Ref} As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.

^{41 Ref} Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.

^{42 Ref} They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not shew mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.

^{43 Ref} The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.

^{44 Ref} Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?

^{45 Ref} Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitation desolate with them.

^{46 Ref} At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations.