29 The earth trembles and shakes because the Lord is carrying out his plan to make Babylonia a desert, where no one lives.
30 The Babylonian soldiers have stopped fighting and remain in their forts. They have lost their courage and have become helpless. The city gates are broken down, and the houses are on fire.
31 Messenger after messenger runs to tell the king of Babylonia that his city has been broken into from every side.
32 The enemy have captured the river crossing and have set the fortresses on fire. The Babylonian soldiers have panicked.
33 Soon the enemy will cut them down and trample them like grain on a threshing place. I, the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, have spoken.”
34 The king of Babylonia cut Jerusalem upand ate it.He emptied the city like a jar;like a monster he swallowed it.He took what he wantedand threw the rest away.
35 Let the people of Zion say,“May Babylonia be held responsiblefor the violence done to us!”Let the people of Jerusalem say,“May Babylonia be held responsiblefor what we have suffered!”