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51 Yahweh says:

“Behold, I will raise up against Babylon,
    and against those who dwell in Lebkamai, a destroying wind.
I will send to Babylon strangers, who will winnow her.
    They will empty her land;
    for in the day of trouble they will be against her all around.
Against him who bends, let the archer bend his bow,
    also against him who lifts himself up in his coat of mail.
Don’t spare her young men!
    Utterly destroy all her army!
They will fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans,
    and thrust through in her streets.
For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, by his God,
    by Yahweh of Armies;
    though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.

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God’s Judgment on Babylon

51 This is what the Lord says:

I am about to rouse the spirit of a destroyer[a] against Babylon(A)
and against the population of Leb-qamai.[b][c]
I will send strangers to Babylon
who will scatter her and strip her land bare,(B)
for they will come against her
from every side in the day of disaster.
Don’t let the archer string his bow;
don’t let him put on[d] his armor.(C)
Don’t spare her young men;
completely destroy her entire army!
Those who were slain will fall in the land of the Chaldeans,
those who were pierced through, in her streets.(D)
For Israel and Judah are not left widowed
by their God, the Lord of Armies,
though their land is full of guilt
against the Holy One of Israel.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 51:1 Or to stir up a destructive wind
  2. 51:1 Lit heart of my adversaries
  3. 51:1 = Chaldeans
  4. 51:3 Hb obscure