Study Desk

Get the nations ready for battle against her. Get the kings of the Medes ready. Get their governors and all their important officials ready. Get all the countries they rule ready for battle against Babylon.

Babylon did terrible things to hurt us. Now I want those things to happen to Babylon." The people living in Zion said, "The people of Babylon are guilty of killing our people. Now they are being punished for the bad things they did." The city of Jerusalem said those things.

Babylon will become a pile of ruined buildings, a place fit only for wild dogs. People will be shocked and shake their heads at what is left there. It will be a place where no one lives.

They are acting like powerful lions. I will give a party for them. I will make them drunk. They will laugh and have a good time, and then they will sleep forever. They will never wake up." This is what the Lord said.

The army will come and destroy Babylon. Its soldiers will be captured, and their bows will be broken, This will happen because the Lord punishes people for the bad things they do. He gives them the full punishment they deserve.

This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: "Babylon's thick, strong wall will be pulled down. Her high gates will be burned. The people of Babylon will work hard, but it will not help. They will get very tired trying to save the city. But they will only be fuel for the flames."

Zedekiah was 21 years old when he became king of Judah. He ruled in Jerusalem for eleven years. His mother's name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah. Hamutal's family was from the town of Libnah.

By the ninth day of the fourth month of that year, the hunger in the city was very bad. There was no food left for the people in the city to eat.

The commander of the king's special guards took these things away: basins, firepans, large bowls, pots, lampstands, pans, and bowls used for drink offerings. He took everything that was made of gold or silver.

The two pillars, the Sea and the twelve bronze bulls under it, and the moveable stands were very heavy. King Solomon had made those things for the Lord 's Temple. The bronze that those things were made of was so heavy it could not be weighed.

King Jehoiachin of Judah was in prison in Babylon for 37 years. In the 37th year of his imprisonment, King Evil Merodach of Babylon was very kind to Jehoiachin. He let Jehoiachin out of prison in that year. This was the same year that Evil Merodach became king of Babylon. He set Jehoiachin free from prison on the 25th day of the 12th month.

So Jehoiachin took his prison clothes off. For the rest of his life, he ate regularly at the king's table.

The roads to Zion are very sad, because no one comes to Zion for the festivals anymore. All of Zion's gates have been destroyed; all her priests groan in sorrow. Zion's young women have been taken away, and all this made Zion sad.

Jerusalem's enemies have won. Her enemies have been successful. This happened because the Lord punished her. He punished Jerusalem for her many sins. Her children have gone away. Their enemies captured them and took them away.

All the people of Jerusalem are groaning. All of her people are looking for food. They are giving away all their nice things for food to stay alive. Jerusalem says, "Look, Lord . Look at me! See how people hate me.

The Lord sent fire from above that went down into my bones. He stretched out a net for my feet. He turned me all the way around. He made me into a wasteland. I am sick all day.

Now Jerusalem says, "I refused to listen to the Lord , so he is right for doing these things. So listen, all you people! Look at my pain! My young women and men have gone into captivity.

I called out to my lovers, but they tricked me. My priests and my elders have died in the city. They were looking for food for themselves. They wanted to keep themselves alive.

Look how the Lord has covered daughter Zion with the cloud of his anger. He has thrown her, the glory of Israel, from the sky to the ground. In his anger he showed no care even for the Temple where he rests his feet.

The Lord has become like an enemy. He has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all her palaces and all her fortresses. He has made much sadness and crying for the dead in Daughter Judah.