15 Soldiers around Babylon, shout the war cry!Babylon has surrendered. Her towers have fallen.Her walls have been torn down.The Lord is giving them the punishment they deserve.You nations should give Babylon what she deserves.Do to her what she has done to others.
16 Don’t let the people from Babylon plant their crops.Don’t let them gather the harvest.The soldiers of Babylon treated their captives cruelly.Now, let everyone go back home!Let everyone run to his own country.
17 “The people of Israel are like a flock of sheep that are scattered.They are like sheep that have been chased away by lions.The first lion to eat them upwas the king of Assyria.The last lion to crush their boneswas Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.”
18 So this is what the Lord of heaven’s armies, the God of Israel, says:“I will punish the king of Babylon and his country.I will punish him as I punished the king of Assyria.
19 But I will bring the people of Israel back to their own pasture.They will eat on Mount Carmel and in Bashan.They will eat and be full.They will eat on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.”
20 The Lord says,“At that time people will try to find Israel’s guilt.But there will be no guilt.People will try to find Judah’s sins.But no sins will be found.This is because I am saving the few people left alive from Israel and Judah.And I am forgiving their sins.
21 “Attack the land of Merathaim.Attack the people who live in Pekod.Chase them, kill them and completely destroy them.Do everything I commanded you!” says the Lord.