31. One courier follows anotherand messenger follows messengerto announce to the king of Babylonthat his entire city is captured,
32. the river crossings seized,the marshes set on fire,and the soldiers terrified.’
33. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says:‘Daughter Babylon is like a threshing-floorat the time it is trampled;the time to harvest her will soon come.’
34. ‘Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured us,he has thrown us into confusion,he has made us an empty jar.Like a serpent he has swallowed usand filled his stomach with our delicacies,and then has spewed us out.
35. May the violence done to our flesh be on Babylon,’say the inhabitants of Zion.‘May our blood be on those who live in Babylonia,’says Jerusalem.
36. Therefore this is what the Lord says:‘See, I will defend your causeand avenge you;I will dry up her seaand make her springs dry.
37. Babylon will be a heap of ruins,a haunt of jackals,an object of horror and scorn,a place where no one lives.
38. Her people all roar like young lions,they growl like lion cubs.
39. But while they are aroused,I will set out a feast for themand make them drunk,so that they shout with laughter –then sleep for ever and not awake,’declares the Lord.
40. ‘I will bring them downlike lambs to the slaughter,like rams and goats.
41. ‘How Sheshak will be captured,the boast of the whole earth seized!How desolate Babylon will beamong the nations!
42. The sea will rise over Babylon;its roaring waves will cover her.
43. Her towns will be desolate,a dry and desert land,a land where no one lives,through which no one travels.
44. I will punish Bel in Babylonand make him spew out what he has swallowed.The nations will no longer stream to him.And the wall of Babylon will fall.
45. ‘Come out of her, my people!Run for your lives!Run from the fierce anger of the Lord.
46. Do not lose heart or be afraidwhen rumours are heard in the land;one rumour comes this year, another the next,rumours of violence in the landand of ruler against ruler.
47. For the time will surely comewhen I will punish the idols of Babylon;her whole land will be disgracedand her slain will all lie fallen within her.
48. Then heaven and earth and all that is in themwill shout for joy over Babylon,for out of the northdestroyers will attack her,’declares the Lord.
49. ‘Babylon must fall because of Israel’s slain,just as the slain in all the earthhave fallen because of Babylon.
50. You who have escaped the sword,leave and do not linger!Remember the Lord in a distant land,and call to mind Jerusalem.’
51. ‘We are disgraced,for we have been insultedand shame covers our faces,because foreigners have enteredthe holy places of the Lord’s house.’