The Fall of Babylon

21 The oracle of the wilderness of the sea:

As storm winds passing over in the Negev,

• it comes[fn] from the desert,
  • from a frightful land.

2 A hard revelation is told to me;

• the treacherous deals treacherously,
  • and the destroyer destroys.
• Go up, Elam;
  • lay siege, Media!

I put an end to all of her sighing.

• 3 Therefore my loins are filled with anguish;
  • pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman giving birth.
• I am too bent to hear ,[fn]
  • I am too dismayed to see .[fn]
• 4 My mind[fn] staggers; fear terrifies me;
  • the twilight I desired[fn] brought[fn] me fear.
• 5 Set out the table in order!
  • Spread out the rugs![fn]
  • Eat! drink!
• Rise up, commanders;
  • smear[fn] the shield!

6 For the Lord said this to me:

• “Go, set a watchman in position.
  • He must announce what he sees.
• 7 When[fn] he sees riders,[fn]
  • a pair of horsemen,
• riders[fn] of donkeys,[fn]
  • riders[fn] of camels,[fn]
• then[fn] he must listen attentively,
  • paying attention, paying special[fn] attention.”

8 Then[fn] the ⌊watchman⌋[fn] called,

• “Lord, I am standing on the watchtower continually by day,
  • and I am standing at my post throughout[fn] the night.
• 9 And look at this! A man’s a chariot is coming,
  • a pair of horsemen!”

Then[fn] he responded and said,

• “It has fallen! Babylon has fallen!
  • And all the images of her gods are[fn] smashed on the ground!”
• 10 My downtrodden people
  • and the son of my threshing floor,

I will announce to you what I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel.