Jeremiah 50:21–29

²¹“Attack Merathaim, land of rebels!

Go after Pekod, country of doom!

Hunt them down. Make a clean sweep.” God’s Decree.

“These are my orders. Do what I tell you.

^22–24“The thunderclap of battle

shakes the foundations!

The Hammer has been hammered,

smashed and splintered,

Babylon pummeled

beyond recognition.

I set out a trap and you were caught in it.

O Babylon, you never knew what hit you,

Caught and held in the steel grip of that trap!

That’s what you get for taking on God.

^25–28“I, God, opened my arsenal.

I brought out my weapons of wrath.

The Master, God-of-the-Angel-Armies,

has a job to do in Babylon.

Come at her from all sides!

Break into her granaries!

Shovel her into piles and burn her up.

Leave nothing! Leave no one!

Kill all her young turks.

Send them to their doom!

Doom to them! Yes, Doomsday!

The clock has finally run out on them.

And here’s a surprise:

Runaways and escapees from Babylon

Show up in Zion reporting the news of God’s vengeance,

taking vengeance for my own Temple.

^29–30“Call in the troops against Babylon,

anyone who can shoot straight!

Tighten the noose!

Leave no loopholes!

Give her back as good as she gave,

a dose of her own medicine!

Her brazen insolence is an outrage

against God, The Holy of Israel.