¹² Raise a standard against the walls of Babylon;
    make the watch strong;
post sentinels;
    prepare the ambushes,
for the Lord has both planned and done
    what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.^(A)

¹¹ Sharpen the arrows!
    Fill the quivers!

² On a bare hill raise a signal;
    cry aloud to them;
wave the hand for them to enter
    the gates of the nobles.^(A)

¹⁴ Draw water for the siege;
    strengthen your forts;
trample the clay;
    tread the mortar;
    take hold of the brick mold!
¹⁵ There the fire will devour you;
    the sword will cut you off.
    It will devour you like the locust.

Multiply yourselves like the locust;
    multiply like the grasshopper!^(A)

¹¹ Come quickly,^[a]
    all you nations all around;
    gather yourselves there.
Bring down your warriors, O Lord.^(B)
12 Let the nations rouse themselves
    and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat,
for there I will sit to judge
    all the neighboring nations.^(C)

¹³ Put in the sickle,
    for the harvest is ripe.
Go in, tread,
    for the winepress is full.
The vats overflow,
    for their wickedness is great.^(D)

¹⁴ Multitudes, multitudes,
    in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
    in the valley of decision.^(E)

¹⁷ The Lord has done what he purposed;
    he has carried out his threat;
as he ordained long ago,
    he has demolished without pity;
he has made the enemy rejoice over you
    and exalted the might of your foes.^(A)