Study Desk

"A sword against the Chaldeans," declares the LORD, "And against the inhabitants of Babylon And against her leaders and her wise men!

"A sword against the oracle priests, and they will become fools! A sword against her warriors, and they will be shattered!

"A sword against their horses, against their chariots, And against all the foreigners who are in the midst of her, And they will become women! A sword against her treasures, and they will be plundered!

"A drought on her waters, and they will be dried up! For it is a land of idols, And they go insane at frightful images.

"Behold, a people is coming from the north, And a great nation and many kings Will be roused from the remote parts of the earth.

"They seize their bow and javelin; They are cruel and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea; And they ride on horses, Drawn up like a man for the battle Against you, daughter of Babylon.

"The king of Babylon has heard the report about them, And his hands hang limp; Distress has gripped him, Agony like a woman in childbirth.

"Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thicket of the Jordan to a perennially watered pasture; for in an instant I will chase them away from it, and I will appoint over it whoever is chosen. For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court? And who then is the shepherd who can stand against Me?"

This is what the LORD says: "Behold, I am going to stir up The spirit of a destroyer against Babylon And against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai.

Babylon has been a golden cup in the hand of the LORD, Intoxicating all the earth. The nations have drunk of her wine; Therefore the nations are going insane.

Lift up a signal flag against the walls of Babylon; Post a strong guard, Station sentries, Set up an ambush! For the LORD has both planned and performed What He spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.

The LORD of armies has sworn by Himself: "I will certainly fill you with a population like locusts, And they will cry out with shouts of victory over you."

When He utters His voice, there is a roar of waters in the heavens, And He makes the clouds ascend from the end of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain And brings out wind from His storehouses.

They are worthless, a work of mockery; At the time of their punishment they will perish.

"Behold, I am against you, mountain of destruction That destroys the whole earth," declares the LORD, "And I will stretch out My hand against you, And roll you down from the rocky cliffs, And I will make you a burnt out mountain.

"They will not take from you even a stone for a corner Nor a stone for foundations, But you will be desolate forever," declares the LORD.

Lift up a signal flag in the land, Blow a trumpet among the nations! Consecrate the nations against her, Summon against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz; Appoint an officer against her, Bring up the horses like bristly locusts.

So the land quakes and writhes, For the plans of the LORD against Babylon stand, To make the land of Babylon A desolation without inhabitants.

For this is what the LORD of armies, the God of Israel says: "The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor At the time that it is tread down; In just a little while the time of harvest will come for her."

"Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me, he has crushed me, He has set me down like an empty vessel; He has swallowed me like a monster, He has filled his stomach with my delicacies; He has washed me away.