He who struck the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hinders.

Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, says the LORD, and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual desolations.

How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how has Babylon become a desolation among the nations!

You are my battle-axe and weapons of war: for with you will I break in pieces the nations, and with you will I destroy kingdoms;

With you also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with you will I break in pieces old and young; and with you will I break in pieces the young man and the maiden;

Draw your water for the siege, fortify your strongholds: go into the clay, and tread the mortar, make strong the brick kiln.

There shall the fire devour you; the sword shall cut you off, it shall eat you up like the locust: make yourself many like the locust, make yourself many like the swarming locusts.

But if you will go, do it, be strong for the battle: but God shall make you fall before the enemy: for God has power to help, and to cast down.

Order the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.

Why have I seen them dismayed and turned back? and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled in haste, and look not back: for fear was all around, says the LORD.

Who is this that comes up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers?

Come up, you horses; and rage, you chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.

Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his purpose is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance for his temple.

Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD has both purposed and done that which he spoke against the inhabitants of Babylon.

Proclaim you this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:

Assemble yourselves, and come, all you nations, and gather yourselves together round about: there cause your mighty ones to come down, O LORD.