The Judgment of Babylon
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On a bare hill 3raise a signal; cry aloud to them; wave the hand for 4them to enter the gates of the nobles.
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I myself have commanded my consecrated ones, and have summoned my mighty men to execute my anger, my proudly exulting ones.a
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The sound 5of a tumult is on the mountains as of a great multitude! The sound of an uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathering together! 6The LORD of hosts is mustering a host for battle.
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7They come from a distant land, from the end of the heavens, the LORD and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.b
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They will be dismayed: 11pangs and agony will seize them; 12they will be in anguish like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at one another; their faces will be aflame.
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Behold, 13the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and 14to destroy its sinners from it.
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15For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; 16the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light.
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I will punish 17the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will 18put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, 19and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless.
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Therefore 22I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the LORD of hosts in the day of his fierce anger.
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And like a hunted gazelle, or like sheep with none to gather them, 23each will turn to his own people, and each will flee to his own land.
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Whoever is found will be thrust through, and whoever is caught will fall by the sword.
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24Their infants will be dashed in pieces before their eyes; their houses will be plundered and their wives ravished.
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Behold, 25I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold.
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26Their bows will slaughterd the young men; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; their eyes will not pity children.
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And Babylon, 27the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be 28like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them.
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29It will never be inhabited or lived in for all generations; no 30Arab will pitch his tent there; no 31shepherds will make their flocks lie down there.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)