The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak
    and will come to rest on Damascus^(B)—
for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel
    are on the Lord—^[a]
2 and on Hamath^(C) too, which borders on it,
    and on Tyre^(D) and Sidon,^(E) though they are very skillful.
³ Tyre has built herself a stronghold;
    she has heaped up silver like dust,
    and gold like the dirt of the streets.^(F)
4 But the Lord will take away her possessions
    and destroy^(G) her power on the sea,
    and she will be consumed by fire.^(H)
5 Ashkelon^(I) will see it and fear;
    Gaza will writhe in agony,
    and Ekron too, for her hope will wither.
Gaza will lose her king
    and Ashkelon will be deserted.
⁶ A mongrel people will occupy Ashdod,
    and I will put an end^(J) to the pride of the Philistines.
⁷ I will take the blood from their mouths,
    the forbidden food from between their teeth.
Those who are left will belong to our God^(K)
    and become a clan in Judah,
    and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.^(L)
8 But I will encamp^(M) at my temple
    to guard it against marauding forces.^(N)
Never again will an oppressor overrun my people,
    for now I am keeping watch.^(O)

³ “My anger burns against the shepherds,
    and I will punish the leaders;^(AZ)
for the Lord Almighty will care
    for his flock, the people of Judah,
    and make them like a proud horse in battle.^(BA)
4 From Judah will come the cornerstone,^(BB)
    from him the tent peg,^(BC)
from him the battle bow,^(BD)
    from him every ruler.
⁵ Together they^[d] will be like warriors in battle
    trampling their enemy into the mud of the streets.^(BE)
They will fight because the Lord is with them,
    and they will put the enemy horsemen to shame.^(BF)

⁶ “I will strengthen^(BG) Judah
    and save the tribes of Joseph.
I will restore them
    because I have compassion^(BH) on them.^(BI)
They will be as though
    I had not rejected them,
for I am the Lord their God
    and I will answer^(BJ) them.
⁷ The Ephraimites will become like warriors,
    and their hearts will be glad as with wine.^(BK)
Their children will see it and be joyful;
    their hearts will rejoice^(BL) in the Lord.
⁸ I will signal^(BM) for them
    and gather them in.
Surely I will redeem them;
    they will be as numerous^(BN) as before.
⁹ Though I scatter them among the peoples,
    yet in distant lands they will remember me.^(BO)
They and their children will survive,
    and they will return.
¹⁰ I will bring them back from Egypt
    and gather them from Assyria.^(BP)
I will bring them to Gilead^(BQ) and Lebanon,
    and there will not be room^(BR) enough for them.
¹¹ They will pass through the sea of trouble;
    the surging sea will be subdued
    and all the depths of the Nile will dry up.^(BS)
Assyria’s pride^(BT) will be brought down
    and Egypt’s scepter^(BU) will pass away.^(BV)
12 I will strengthen^(BW) them in the Lord
    and in his name they will live securely,^(BX)”
declares the Lord.

“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’^[a](D)
    She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,^(E)
    a haunt for every unclean bird,
    a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.^(F)
3 For all the nations have drunk
    the maddening wine of her adulteries.^(G)
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,^(H)
    and the merchants of the earth grew rich^(I) from her excessive luxuries.”^(J)

“‘Come out of her, my people,’^[b](K)
    so that you will not share in her sins,
    so that you will not receive any of her plagues;^(L)
5 for her sins are piled up to heaven,^(M)
    and God has remembered^(N) her crimes.
⁶ Give back to her as she has given;
    pay her back^(O) double^(P) for what she has done.
    Pour her a double portion from her own cup.^(Q)
7 Give her as much torment and grief
    as the glory and luxury she gave herself.^(R)
In her heart she boasts,
    ‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;^[c]
    I will never mourn.’^(S)
8 Therefore in one day^(T) her plagues will overtake her:
    death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,^(U)
    for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,^(AA)
    you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour^(AB) your doom has come!’

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,^(AK)
    dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
    and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!^(AL)
17 In one hour^(AM) such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’^(AN)

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,^(AV)
    where all who had ships on the sea
    became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’^(AW)

²⁰ “Rejoice over her, you heavens!^(AX)
    Rejoice, you people of God!
    Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
    with the judgment she imposed on you.”^(AY)

“With such violence
    the great city^(BB) of Babylon will be thrown down,
    never to be found again.
²² The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
    will never be heard in you again.^(BC)
No worker of any trade
    will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
    will never be heard in you again.^(BD)
23 The light of a lamp
    will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
    will never be heard in you again.^(BE)
Your merchants were the world’s important people.^(BF)
    By your magic spell^(BG) all the nations were led astray.
²⁴ In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,^(BH)
    of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”^(BI)

¹⁵ He sends his command^(A) to the earth;
    his word runs^(B) swiftly.
¹⁶ He spreads the snow^(C) like wool
    and scatters the frost^(D) like ashes.
¹⁷ He hurls down his hail^(E) like pebbles.
    Who can withstand his icy blast?
¹⁸ He sends his word^(F) and melts them;
    he stirs up his breezes,^(G) and the waters flow.

¹⁹ He has revealed his word^(H) to Jacob,^(I)
    his laws and decrees^(J) to Israel.
²⁰ He has done this for no other nation;^(K)
    they do not know^(L) his laws.^[a]

Praise the Lord.^(M)