67 The figure here is common in the poetic tradition of the Lord going forth to do battle against his foes and the earth’s reaction to it is compared to a person trembling with fear and writhing in agony, agony like that of a woman in labor (cf. Judg 5:4; Nah 1:2–5; Hab 3:1–15 [especially v. 6]).
68 Heb “For the plans of the Lord have been carried out to make the land of Babylon …” The passive has been turned into an active and the sentence broken up to better conform with contemporary English style. For the meaning of the verb קוּם (qum) in the sense used here see 878 קוּם 7.g and compare the usage in Prov 19:21 and Isa 46:10.
69 The verbs in this verse and v. 30 are all in the past tense in Hebrew, in the tense that views the action as already as good as done (the Hebrew prophetic perfect). The verb in v. 31a, however, is imperfect, viewing the action as future; the perfects that follow are all dependent on that future. Verse 33 looks forward to a time when Babylon will be harvested and trampled like grain on the threshing floor and the imperatives imply a time in the future. Hence the present translation has rendered all the verbs in vv. 29–30 as future.
70 Heb “Their strength is dry.” This is a figurative nuance of the word “dry” which 677 נָשַׁת Qal.1 explain as meaning “fails.” The idea of “strength to do battle” is implicit from the context and is supplied in the translation here for clarity.
71 Heb “They have become women.” The metaphor has been turned into a simile and the significance of the comparison drawn out for the sake of clarity. See 50:37 for the same figure.
72 Heb “Her dwelling places have been set on fire. Her bars [i.e., the bars on the gates of her cities] have been broken.” The present translation has substituted the word “gates” for “bars” because the intent of the figure is to show that the bars of the gates have been broken giving access to the city. “Gates” makes it easier for the modern reader to understand the figure.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

The land trembles and writhes in pain,

for the Lord’s purposes against Babylon stand,

to make the land of Babylon a desolation,

without inhabitant.

The warriors of Babylon have ceased fighting;

they remain in their strongholds;

their strength has failed;

they have become women;

her dwellings are on fire;

her bars are broken.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The land trembles and writhes,

for the Lord’s purposes against Babylon stand—

to lay waste the land of Babylon

so that no one will live there.

Babylon’s warriors have stopped fighting;

they remain in their strongholds.

Their strength is exhausted;

they have become weaklings.

Her dwellings are set on fire;

the bars of her gates are broken.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The earth quakes and trembles

because the Lord’s intentions against Babylon stand:

to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.

Babylon’s warriors have stopped fighting;

they sit in their strongholds.

Their might is exhausted;

they have become like women.

Babylon’s homes have been set ablaze,

her gate bars are shattered.

NLTNew Living Translation

The earth trembles and writhes in pain,

for everything the Lord has planned against Babylon stands unchanged.

Babylon will be left desolate without a single inhabitant.

Her mightiest warriors no longer fight.

They stay in their barracks, their courage gone.

They have become like women.

The invaders have burned the houses

and broken down the city gates.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And the land quakes and writhes,

for the plans of Yahweh against Babylon stand,

to make the land of Babylon as a horror,

without inhabitant.

The warriors of Babylon have ceased to fight,

they remain in the strongholds,

their power has dried up,

they have become as women.

Her dwelling places are set on fire,

her bars are broken.

KJV 1900King James Version

And the land shall tremble and sorrow:

For every purpose of the Lord shall be performed against Babylon,

To make the land of Babylon a desolation

Without an inhabitant.

The mighty men of Babylon have forborn to fight,

They have remained in their holds:

Their might hath failed; they became as women:

They have burned her dwellingplaces;

Her bars are broken.

Public Domain