7
Babylon was
1a golden cup in the LORD's hand,
2making all the earth drunken;
3the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad.
8
4Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken;
5wail for her!
6Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.
9
We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed.
7Forsake her, and
8let us go each to his own country, for
9her judgment has reached up to heaven and has been lifted up even to the skies.
10
10The LORD has brought about our vindication;
11come, let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.
11
12"Sharpen the arrows! Take up the shields!
13The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of
14the Medes, because
15his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it,
16for that is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance for
17his temple.
12
18"Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon;
19make the watch strong; set up watchmen; prepare the ambushes;
20for the LORD has both planned and done what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.
13
21O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut.
14
22The LORD of hosts has sworn by himself: Surely I will fill you with men,
23as many as locusts,
24and they shall raise the shout of victory over you.
15
25"It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.
16
When he utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.
17
Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.