A Taunt for Babylon’s King

1But the LORD will have mercy on the descendants of Jacob. He will choose Israel as his special people once again. He will bring them back to settle once again in their own land. And people from many different nations will come and join them there and unite with the people of Israel.a 2The nations of the world will help the people of Israel to return, and those who come to live in the LORD’s land will serve them. Those who captured Israel will themselves be captured, and Israel will rule over its enemies.

3In that wonderful day when the LORD gives his people rest from sorrow and fear, from slavery and chains, 4you will taunt the king of Babylon. You will say,

“The mighty man has been destroyed.

Yes, your insolenceb is ended.

5For the LORD has crushed your wicked power

and broken your evil rule.

6You struck the people with endless blows of rage

and held the nations in your angry grip

with unrelenting tyranny.

7But finally the earth is at rest and quiet.

Now it can sing again!

8Even the trees of the forest—

the cypress trees and the cedars of Lebanon—

sing out this joyous song:

‘Since you have been cut down,

no one will come now to cut us down!’

9“In the place of the deadc there is excitement

over your arrival.

The spirits of world leaders and mighty kings long dead

stand up to see you.

10With one voice they all cry out,

‘Now you are as weak as we are!

11Your might and power were buried with you.d

The sound of the harp in your palace has ceased.

Now maggots are your sheet,

and worms your blanket.’

12“How you are fallen from heaven,

O shining star, son of the morning!

You have been thrown down to the earth,

you who destroyed the nations of the world.

13For you said to yourself,

‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars.

I will preside on the mountain of the gods

far away in the north.e

14I will climb to the highest heavens

and be like the Most High.’

15Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead,

down to its lowest depths.

16Everyone there will stare at you and ask,

‘Can this be the one who shook the earth

and made the kingdoms of the world tremble?

17Is this the one who destroyed the world

and made it into a wasteland?

Is this the king who demolished the world’s greatest cities

and had no mercy on his prisoners?’

18“The kings of the nations lie in stately glory,

each in his own tomb,

19but you will be thrown out of your grave

like a worthless branch.

Like a corpse trampled underfoot,

you will be dumped into a mass grave

with those killed in battle.

You will descend to the pit.

20You will not be given a proper burial,

for you have destroyed your nation

and slaughtered your people.

The descendants of such an evil person

will never again receive honor.

21Kill this man’s children!

Let them die because of their father’s sins!

They must not rise and conquer the earth,

filling the world with their cities.”

22This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says:

“I, myself, have risen against Babylon!

I will destroy its children and its children’s children,”

says the LORD.

23“I will make Babylon a desolate place of owls,

filled with swamps and marshes.

I will sweep the land with the broom of destruction.

I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”

A Message about Assyria

24The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has sworn this oath:

“It will all happen as I have planned.

It will be as I have decided.

25I will break the Assyrians when they are in Israel;

I will trample them on my mountains.

My people will no longer be their slaves

nor bow down under their heavy loads.

26I have a plan for the whole earth,

a hand of judgment upon all the nations.

27The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has spoken—

who can change his plans?

When his hand is raised,

who can stop him?”

A Message about Philistia

28This message came to me the year King Ahaz died:f

29Do not rejoice, you Philistines,

that the rod that struck you is broken—

that the king who attacked you is dead.

For from that snake a more poisonous snake will be born,

a fiery serpent to destroy you!

30I will feed the poor in my pasture;

the needy will lie down in peace.

But as for you, I will wipe you out with famine

and destroy the few who remain.

31Wail at the gates! Weep in the cities!

Melt with fear, you Philistines!

A powerful army comes like smoke from the north.

Each soldier rushes forward eager to fight.

32What should we tell the Philistine messengers? Tell them,

“The LORD has built Jerusalemg;

its walls will give refuge to his oppressed people.”