35"A sword will kill the Babylonians and everyone who lives in Babylon," declares the LORD. "A sword will kill their officials and their wise men.
36A sword will kill the false prophets. They will become fools. A sword will kill their soldiers and defeat them.
37A sword will kill their horses, their chariots, and all the foreigners within their ranks. They will become women. A sword will destroy their treasures, and they will be looted.
38A drought will diminish their water supply, and it will dry up. Babylon is a land of idols, statues that will go crazy with fear.
39That is why desert animals will live with hyenas. Desert owls will also live there. It will no longer be inhabited or lived in for generations.
40Babylon will be like Sodom, Gomorrah, and their neighboring cities when I, God, destroyed them. No one will live there. No human will stay there," declares the LORD.
41"People are going to come from the north. A great nation and many kings will rise from the ends of the earth.
42They will take hold of bows and spears. They will be cruel and have no compassion. They will sound like the sea when it roars. They will ride horses. They are ready for war, ready to attack you, people of Babylon.
43The king of Babylon has heard reports about them, and he loses courage. Anguish will grip him as pain grips a woman in labor.
44I will suddenly chase them from their places like a lion coming out of the jungle along the Jordan River into pastureland. I will appoint over Babylon whomever I choose. Who is like me? Who can challenge me? Is there any leader who can stand up to me? 45Listen to the plans that the LORD is making against Babylon and the things he intends to do to the land of the Babylonians. He will surely drag away the little ones of the flock. He will surely destroy the pasture because of the Babylonians. 46The earth will quake at the news that Babylon has been captured. Its cry will be heard among the nations."
