² “Announce and proclaim^(A) among the nations,
    lift up a banner^(B) and proclaim it;
    keep nothing back, but say,
‘Babylon will be captured;^(C)
    Bel^(D) will be put to shame,^(E)
    Marduk^(F) filled with terror.
Her images will be put to shame
    and her idols^(G) filled with terror.’

⁹ For I will stir^(A) up and bring against Babylon
    an alliance of great nations^(B) from the land of the north.^(C)
They will take up their positions against her,
    and from the north she will be captured.^(D)
Their arrows^(E) will be like skilled warriors
    who do not return empty-handed.

¹² your mother will be greatly ashamed;
    she who gave you birth will be disgraced.^(A)
She will be the least of the nations—
    a wilderness, a dry land, a desert.^(B)

²³ How broken and shattered
    is the hammer^(A) of the whole earth!^(B)
How desolate^(C) is Babylon
    among the nations!

⁴⁶ At the sound of Babylon’s capture the earth will tremble;^(A)
    its cry^(B) will resound among the nations.

⁷ Babylon was a gold cup^(A) in the Lord’s hand;
    she made the whole earth drunk.
The nations drank her wine;
    therefore they have now gone mad.

²⁰ “You are my war club,^(A)
    my weapon for battle—
with you I shatter^(B) nations,^(C)
    with you I destroy kingdoms,

²⁷ “Lift up a banner^(A) in the land!
    Blow the trumpet among the nations!
Prepare the nations for battle against her;
    summon against her these kingdoms:^(B)
    Ararat,^(C) Minni and Ashkenaz.^(D)
Appoint a commander against her;
    send up horses like a swarm of locusts.^(E)

²⁸ Prepare the nations for battle against her—
    the kings of the Medes,^(A)
their governors and all their officials,
    and all the countries they rule.^(B)