Jeremiah 51:22–28

²²I use you to destroy men and women.

I use you to destroy old people and young people.

I use you to destroy young men and young women.

²³I use you to destroy shepherds and their flocks.

I use you to destroy farmers and their oxen.

I use you to destroy governors and officials.

²⁴“Judah, I will pay Babylon back. You will see it with your own eyes. I will pay back all those who live in Babylonia. I will pay them back for all of the wrong things they have done in Zion,” announces the Lord.

²⁵“Babylonia, I am against you.

Your kingdom is like a destroying mountain.

You have destroyed the whole earth,”

announces the Lord.

“I will reach out my hand against you.

I will roll you off the cliffs.

I will make you like a mountain that has been burned up.

²⁶No rock will be taken from you to be used

as the most important stone for a building.

No stones will be taken from you

to be used for a foundation.

Your land will be empty forever,”

announces the Lord.

²⁷“Nations, lift up a banner in the land of Babylonia!

Blow a trumpet among yourselves!

Prepare yourselves for battle against Babylonia.

Send the kingdoms

of Ararat, Minni and Ashkenaz against it.

Appoint a commander against it.

Send many horses against it.

Let them be as many as a huge number of locusts.

²⁸Prepare yourselves for battle against Babylonia.

Prepare the kings of the Medes.

Prepare their governors and all of their officials.

Prepare all of the countries they rule over.