¹¹ “Sharpen the arrows!
    ·Pick up your shields [or Fill the quivers]!
The Lord has stirred up the kings of the Medes,
    because he ·wants [^Lpurposes] to destroy Babylon.
The Lord will punish them as they deserve
    for destroying his Temple.
¹² Lift up a banner [^Ca battle standard] against the walls of Babylon!
    ·Bring more [^LStrengthen the] guards.
Put the watchmen in their places,
    and ·get ready for a secret attack [prepare an ambush]!
The Lord will certainly do what he has planned
    and what he said he would do against the people of Babylon.
¹³ You [^CBabylon] live near ·much [mighty] water [^Cthe Euphrates]
    and are rich with many treasures,
but your end as a nation has come.
    ·It is time to stop you from robbing other nations [or Your destiny is fixed].
¹⁴ The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] has promised ·in his own name [^Lby himself]:
    ‘I will surely fill you [^CBabylon] with so many men [^Cenemy soldiers] they will be like locusts [46:23; Judg. 6:5; 7:12; Nah. 3:15–17; Rev. 9:7].
They will ·stand [raise] over you and shout their victory.’