16
At his command the waters above the sky roar; he brings clouds from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning flash in the rain and sends the wind from his storeroom.
17
At the sight of this, people feel stupid and senseless; those who make idols are disillusioned because the gods they make are false and lifeless.
18
They are worthless and should be despised; they will be destroyed when the Lord comes to deal with them.
19
The God of Jacob is not like them; he is the one who made everything, and he has chosen Israel to be his very own people. The Lord Almighty is his name.
20
The Lord says, "Babylonia, you are my hammer, my weapon of war. I used you to crush nations and kingdoms,
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to shatter horses and riders, to shatter chariots and their drivers,
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to kill men and women, to slay old and young, to kill boys and girls,
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to slaughter shepherds and their flocks, to slaughter farmers and their plow horses, to crush rulers and high officials."
24
The Lord says, "You will see me repay Babylonia and its people for all the evil they did to Jerusalem.
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Babylonia, you are like a mountain that destroys the whole world, but I, the Lord, am your enemy. I will take hold of you, level you to the ground, and leave you in ashes.
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None of the stones from your ruins will ever be used again for building. You will be like a desert forever. I, the Lord, have spoken.