Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write about this battle in a ·book [or scroll] ·so people will remember [^Las a memorial]. And ·be sure to tell [^Lplace this in the ear of] Joshua, because I will completely ·destroy [annihilate; blot out] the Amalekites from ·the earth [^Lunder heaven; Deut. 25:17–19].”

(Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites; they were ·a group of Amorites who were left alive [^Lthe remnant of the Amorites]. The Israelites had ·promised [sworn; vowed; Josh. 9:14–15] not to hurt the Gibeonites, but Saul had tried to ·kill [annihilate; exterminate] them, because ·he was eager to help [of his zeal for] the people of Israel and Judah.) King David called the Gibeonites together and spoke to them.

The Gibeonites said, “·Saul [^LThe man] ·made plans against [destroyed; consumed] us and ·tried to destroy [planned to annihilate/exterminate] all our people ·who are [so we would have no place] left in the land of Israel.

I ·chased [pursued] my enemies and ·destroyed [exterminated] them. I did not ·quit [turn back] till they were ·destroyed [annihilated; consumed].

Then the Lord sent an angel who ·killed [destroyed; annihilated] all the soldiers, ·leaders [commanders], and officers in the ·camp [army] of the king of Assyria. So the king went back to his own country in ·disgrace [shame; humiliation]. When he went into the ·temple [^Lhouse] of his god, some of his own ·sons [children] killed him with a sword.

·Letters [Dispatches; Scrolls] were sent by ·messengers [couriers] to all the king’s ·empire [^Lprovinces] ordering them to destroy, kill, and ·completely wipe out [annihilate] all the Jews, young and old, including women and little children. It was to happen on a single day—the thirteenth day of the twelfth month [^CMarch 7, about twelve months later], which was Adar. And they could ·take [plunder; confiscate] ·everything the Jewish people owned [^Ltheir possessions].

My people and I have been sold to be destroyed, ·killed [slaughtered] and ·completely wiped out [annihilated]. If we had ·merely [only; simply] been sold as male and female slaves, I would have ·kept quiet [remained silent], because that would not ·be enough of a problem to bother [have justified/been sufficent for troubling] the king.”

These were the king’s ·orders [edicts; decrees]: The Jews in every city have the right to ·gather together [assemble] to ·protect themselves [defend their lives]. They may destroy, kill, and ·completely wipe out [annihilate] the army of any ·state [province] or ·people [nation] who attack them [^Cthe king could not cancel his previous unalterable decree, but he could allow the Jews to defend themselves and attack], including their women and children. They may also ·take by force [plunder; confiscate] the property of their enemies.

I ·chased [pursued] my enemies and ·caught [exterminated] them. I did not ·quit [turn back] until they were ·destroyed [annihilated; consumed].

·Destroy [Annihilate] them in your anger; ·destroy [annihilate] them ·completely [^Lso they will be no more]! Then they will know that God rules over ·Israel [^LJacob] and to the ends of the earth. ·Selah [Interlude]

Let those who accuse me be ashamed and ·destroyed [annihilated]. Let those who are ·trying [seeking] to hurt me be covered with shame and disgrace.

Why do you ·hold back your power [^Lreturn your hand]? ·Bring your power out in the open [^LTake your right hand out of your bosom] and ·destroy [annihilate] them!

We are ·destroyed [annihilated] by your anger; we are terrified by your hot anger.

The wicked person’s house will be ·destroyed [annihilated], but a good person’s tent will ·still be standing [flourish].

I will send ·war [sword], ·hunger [famine], and ·disease [pestilence] against them. ·I will attack them until they have all been killed. Then they will no longer be in [^L…until they have been annihilated from] the land I gave to them and their ·ancestors [fathers].’”

I will send for all the ·peoples [clans; families] of the north [^CBabylon],” says the Lord, “along with my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. I will bring them all against Judah, those who live there, and all the nations around you, too. I will ·completely destroy [annihilate] all those countries and leave them ·in ruins [desolate] forever. ·People will be shocked when they see how badly I have destroyed those countries [^LI will make them a horror and a hissing and an everlasting reproach].

I am watching over them, not ·to take care of them, but to hurt them [^Lfor good but for evil/harm]. The ·Jews [^LJudeans] who live in Egypt will die from swords or ·hunger [famine] until they are all ·destroyed [annihilated].

I will terrify Elam in front of their enemies, who ·want to destroy them [^Lseek their life]. I will bring ·disaster [evil; trouble] to Elam and show them how angry I am!” says the Lord. “I will send a sword ·to chase Elam [^Lafter them] until I have ·killed [ended; annihilated] them all.

“Attack the land of Merathaim. Attack the people who live in Pekod [^Calternate names for Babylon]. ·Chase them, kill them [^LPut them to the sword], and ·completely destroy [annihilate] them. Do everything I commanded you!” says the Lord.

Come against it [^CBabylon] from far away. Break open her storehouses of grain. Pile them up [^Cdead bodies] like heaps of grain. ·Completely destroy Babylon [^LAnnihilate it] and ·do not leave anyone alive [^Llet there be no remnant].

Don’t let the archers [^Cof Babylon] ·prepare [draw] their bows to shoot. Don’t even let them put on their ·armor [coat of mail]. Don’t ·feel sorry for [pity] the young men of Babylon, but ·completely destroy [annihilate] her army.

“You invited ·terrors [or enemies] to come against me on every side, as if ·you were inviting them to a feast [^Lon an appointed/feast day]. No one escaped or remained alive on the day of the Lord’s anger. My enemy has ·killed [annihilated] those I ·cared for [nursed; bore] and brought up.”

Then that ·Man of Evil [^Levil/lawless one; 2:3] will ·appear [be revealed], and the Lord Jesus will ·kill [destroy] him with the breath that comes from his mouth [Is. 11:4] and will ·destroy [annihilate; put an end to] him with the ·glory [brightness; splendor; or appearance; manifestation] of his ·coming [arrival; presence].