He says,“ I will include Egypt and Babylon in a list of nations who recognize me as king. I will also include Philistia and Tyre, along with Cush. I will say about them,‘ They were born in Zion.’ ”

我要提起拉哈伯和巴比伦人，是在认识我之中的；看哪，非利士和推罗并古实人，个个生在那里。

我要提起拉哈伯和巴比伦人，是在认识我之中的；看哪，非利士、推罗和古实人，个个生在那里。

我要提起拉哈伯和巴比伦人，是在认识我之中的；看哪，非利士、推罗和古实人，个个生在那里。

“我要把埃及人、巴比伦人、非利士人、泰尔人和古实人列为认识我的民族，视他们为锡安人。”

“在认识我的人中，我提到拉哈伯和巴比伦，看哪！还有非利士、推罗和古实，我说：‘这一个是生在那里的。’”

“在认识我的人中，我要提起拉哈伯和巴比伦；看哪，还有非利士、提尔与库实，我说：‘这一个出生在那里！’”

我要提起拉哈伯和巴比倫人，是在認識我之中的；看哪，非利士和泰爾並古實人，個個生在那裏。

我要提起拉哈伯和巴比倫人，是在認識我之中的；看哪，非利士、推羅和古實人，個個生在那裏。

我要提起拉哈伯和巴比倫人，是在認識我之中的；看哪，非利士、推羅和古實人，個個生在那裏。

「我要把埃及人、巴比倫人、非利士人、泰爾人和古實人列為認識我的民族，視他們為錫安人。」

“在認識我的人中，我提到拉哈伯和巴比倫，看哪！還有非利士、推羅和古實，我說：‘這一個是生在那裡的。’”

在認識我的人中間我要提起有拉哈伯和巴比倫人；你看，有非利士和推羅同古實人呢：『這一個是生於那裏的。』

「在認識我的人中，我要提起拉哈伯和巴比倫；看哪，還有非利士、提爾與庫實，我說：『這一個出生在那裡！』」

我必言及拉哈伯巴比倫、在識我者之中、非利士推羅古實、各有其人生於郇兮、

其命維何、曰、喇合巴比倫之人、將宗事乎我兮、非利士、推羅、古實之人、將為郇之赤子兮、

主云拉哈伯與巴比倫人、我謂其必歸於認識我之人、非利士人、推羅人、並古實人、皆可以為生在郇城者、

拉哈西比。為予素識。菲璃諦羅。乃至古實。莫不歸化。視同己出。

“ I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me— Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush— and will say,‘ This one was born in Zion.’”

Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon; behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush—“ This one was born there,” they say.

I will count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me— also Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia. They have all become citizens of Jerusalem!

“ I will make a record of those who know me: Rahab, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Cush— each one was born there.”

“ I shall mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me; Behold, Philistia and Tyre with Cush:‘ This one was born there.’ ”

“ I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me; Behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia:‘ This one was born there.’”

I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon as among them that know me: Behold, Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia: This one was born there.

“ I will mention those who know Me: Rahab, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Cush— each one was born there.”

I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this[ man] was born there.

I mention Rahab and Babylon to my followers. Here are Philistia and Tyre, along with Ethiopia. It is said of them,“ This one was born there.”

I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me. Behold, Philistia, Tyre, and also Ethiopia:“ This one was born there.”

The people of Tyre will come with gifts. Wealthy people will try to gain your favor.

Messengers will come from Egypt. The people of Cush will be quick to bring gifts to you.

At that time there will be a wide road from Egypt to Assyria. The people of Assyria will go to Egypt. And the people of Egypt will go to Assyria. The people of Egypt and Assyria will worship the Lord together.At that time Egypt, Assyria and Israel will be a blessing to the whole earth.The Lord who rules over all will bless those three nations. He will say,“ Let the Egyptians be blessed. They are my people. Let the Assyrians be blessed. My hands created them. And let the Israelites be blessed. They are my very own people.”

You crushed Egypt and killed her people. With your powerful arm you scattered your enemies.

God doesn’t hold back his anger. Even the helpers of the sea monster Rahab bowed in fear at his feet.

Wake up, arm of the Lord! Wake up! Dress yourself with strength as if it were your clothes! Wake up, just as you did in the past. Wake up, as you did long ago. Didn’t you cut Rahab to pieces? Didn’t you stab that sea monster to death?

He said,“ Isn’t this the great Babylon I have built as a place for my royal palace? I used my mighty power to build it. It shows how glorious my majesty is.”

We were sitting by the rivers of Babylon. We wept when we remembered what had happened to Zion.

Here is a prophecy against Tyre that the Lord gave me. Men in the ships of Tarshish, cry out! The city of Tyre is destroyed. Its houses and harbor are gone. That’s the message you have received from the island of Cyprus.People on the island of Tyre, be silent. Traders from the city of Sidon, be quiet. Those who sail on the Mediterranean Sea have made you rich.Grain from Egypt came across the mighty waters. The harvest of the Nile River brought wealth to Tyre. It became the market place of the nations.Sidon, be ashamed. Mighty Tyre out in the sea, be ashamed. The sea has spoken. It has said,“ It’s as if I had never felt labor pains or had children. It’s as if I had never brought up sons or daughters. It’s as if the city of Tyre had never existed.”The Egyptians will hear about what has happened to Tyre. They’ll be very sad and troubled.People of the island of Tyre, cry out! Go across the sea to Tarshish.Just look at Tyre. It’s no longer the old, old city that was known for its wild parties. It no longer sends its people out to make their homes in lands far away.Tyre was a city that produced kings. Its traders were princes. They were honored all over the earth. So who planned to destroy such a city?The Lord who rules over all planned to do it. He wanted to bring down all its pride and glory. He wanted to shame those who were honored all over the earth.People of Tarshish, farm your land as they do along the Nile River. That’s because you don’t have a harbor anymore.The Lord has reached his powerful hand out over the sea. He has made its kingdoms tremble with fear. He has given a command concerning Phoenicia. He has ordered that its forts be destroyed.He said,“ No more wild parties for you! People of Sidon, you are now destroyed!“ Leave your city. Go across the sea to Cyprus. Even there you will not find any rest.”Look at the land of the Babylonians. No one lives there anymore. The Assyrians have turned it into a place for desert creatures. They built their towers in order to attack it. They took everything out of its forts. They knocked down all its buildings.Men in the ships of Tarshish, cry out! Mighty Tyre is destroyed!A time is coming when people will forget about Tyre for 70 years. That’s the length of a king’s life. But at the end of those 70 years, Tyre will be like the prostitute that people sing about. They say,“ Forgotten prostitute, pick up a harp. Walk through the city. Play the harp well. Sing many songs. Then you will be remembered.”At the end of the 70 years, the Lord will punish Tyre. He will let it return to its way of life as a prostitute. It will earn its living with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth.But the money it earns will be set apart for the Lord. The money won’t be stored up or kept for Tyre. Instead, it will go to those who live the way the Lord wants them to. It will pay for plenty of food and fine clothes for them.

‘ You can be sure the time will come when everything in your palace will be carried off to Babylon. Everything the kings before you have stored up until this day will be taken away. There will not be anything left,’ says the Lord.‘ Some of the members of your family line will be taken away. They will be your own flesh and blood. They will include the children who will be born into your family line in years to come. And they will serve the king of Babylon in his palace.’ ”

Here is the prophecy against Babylon that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw.Lift up a banner on the top of a bare hill. Shout to the enemy soldiers. Wave for them to enter the gates that are used by the nobles of Babylon.The Lord has commanded the soldiers he prepared for battle. He has sent for them to carry out his anger against Babylon. They will be happy when he wins the battle for them.Listen! I hear a noise in the mountains. It sounds like a huge crowd. Listen! I hear a loud noise among the kingdoms. It sounds like nations gathering together. The Lord who rules over all is bringing an army together for war.They come from lands far away. They come from the farthest places on earth. The Lord and those weapons of his anger are coming to destroy the whole country of Babylon.Cry out! The day of the Lord is near. The Mighty One is coming to destroy the Babylonians.Their hands won’t be able to help them. Everyone’s heart will melt away in fear.The people will be filled with terror. Pain and suffering will grab hold of them. They will groan with pain like a woman having a baby. They’ll look at one another in terror. Their faces will burn with shame.The day of the Lord is coming. It will be a terrible day. The Lord’ s burning anger will blaze out. He will make the land dry and empty. He’ll destroy the sinners in it.All the stars in the sky will stop giving their light. The sun will be darkened as soon as it rises. The moon will not shine.The Lord will punish the world because it is so evil. He will punish evil people for their sins. He’ll put an end to the bragging of those who are proud. He’ll bring down the pride of those who don’t show any pity.He’ll make people harder to find than pure gold. They will be harder to find than gold from Ophir.He will make the heavens tremble. He’ll shake the earth out of its place. The Lord who rules over all will show how angry he is. At that time his burning anger will blaze out.Outsiders who live in Babylon will scatter like antelope that are chased by a hunter. They are like sheep that don’t have a shepherd. All of them will return to their own people. They will run back to their own countries.Those who are captured will have spears stuck through them. Those who are caught will be killed by swords.Their babies will be smashed to pieces right in front of their eyes. Their houses will be robbed. Their wives will be raped.The Lord will stir up the Medes to attack the Babylonians. They aren’t interested in getting silver. They don’t want gold.Instead, they will use their bows and arrows to strike down the young men. They won’t even show any mercy to babies. They won’t take pity on children.The city of Babylon is the jewel of kingdoms. It is the pride and glory of the Babylonians. But God will destroy it just as he did Sodom and Gomorrah.No one will ever live in Babylon again. No one will live there for all time to come. Those who wander in the desert will never set up their tents there. Shepherds will never rest their flocks there.But desert creatures will lie down there. Wild dogs will fill its houses. Owls will live there. Wild goats will jump around in it.Hyenas will live in its forts. Wild dogs will live in its beautiful palaces. The time for Babylon to be punished is near. Its days are numbered.

The name written on her forehead was a mystery. Here is what it said. the great city of babylon the mother of prostitutes the mother of everything on earth that god hates

Ishbi- Benob belonged to the family line of Rapha. The tip of his bronze spear weighed seven and a half pounds. He was also armed with a new sword. He said he would kill David.But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, came to save David. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. Then David’s men made a promise. They said to David,“ We never want you to go out with us to battle again. You are the lamp of Israel’s kingdom. We want that lamp to keep on burning brightly.”There was another battle against the Philistines. It took place at Gob. At that time Sibbekai killed Saph. Sibbekai was a Hushathite. Saph was from the family line of Rapha.In another battle against the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan killed Goliath’s brother. Elhanan was the son of Jair from Bethlehem. Goliath was from the city of Gath. His spear was as big as a weaver’s rod.There was still another battle. It took place at Gath. A huge man lived there. He had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. So the total number of his toes and fingers was 24. He was also from the family of Rapha.He made fun of Israel. So Jonathan killed him. Jonathan was the son of David’s brother Shimeah.Those four Philistine men lived in Gath. They were from the family line of Rapha. David and his men killed them.

So Philip started out. On his way he met an Ethiopian official. The man had an important position in charge of all the wealth of the Kandake. Kandake means queen of Ethiopia. This official had gone to Jerusalem to worship.

So I will send for all the nations in the north. And I will send for my servant Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon,’ announces the Lord.‘ I will bring all of them against this land and against you who live here. They will march out against all the nations that are around this land. I will set apart Judah and the nations around it in a special way to be destroyed. People will be shocked because of them. And they will make fun of them. Those nations will be destroyed forever.

A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said,“ Son of man, sing a song of sadness about Tyre.It is located at the gateway to the Mediterranean Sea. It does business with nations on many coasts. Say to it,‘ The Lord and King says,“‘ “Tyre, you say,‘ I am perfect and beautiful.’You were like a ship that ruled over the high seas. Your builders made you perfect and beautiful.They cut all your lumber from juniper trees on Mount Hermon. They used a cedar tree from Lebanon to make a mast for you.They made your oars out of oak trees from Bashan. They made your deck out of cypress wood from the coasts of Cyprus. They decorated it with ivory.Your sail was made out of beautiful Egyptian linen. It served as your banner. Your shades were made out of blue and purple cloth. They were from the coasts of Elishah.Men from Sidon and Arvad manned your oars. Tyre, your sailors were skillful.Very skilled workers from Byblos were on board. They kept you waterproof. All the ships on the sea and their sailors came up beside you. They brought their goods to trade for yours.“‘ “Men from Persia, Lydia and Put served as soldiers in your army, city of Tyre. They hung their shields and helmets on your walls. That brought glory to you.Men from Arvad and Helek guarded your walls on every side. Men from Gammad were in your towers. They hung their shields around your walls. They made you perfect and beautiful.“‘ “Tarshish did business with you because you had so much wealth. They traded silver, iron, tin and lead for your goods.“‘ “Greece, Tubal and Meshek did business with you. They traded human beings and bronze objects for your products.“‘ “Men from Beth Togarmah traded chariot horses, war horses and mules for your goods.“‘ “Men from Rhodes did business with you. Many lands along the coast bought goods from you. They paid you with ivory tusks and ebony wood.“‘ “Aram did business with you because you had so many products for sale. They traded turquoise, purple cloth and needlework for your goods. They also traded fine linen, coral and rubies for them.“‘ “Judah and Israel did business with you. They traded wheat from Minnith, sweets, honey, olive oil and lotion for your products.“‘ “Damascus did business with you. That’s because you had so many products and so much wealth. They traded to you wine from Helbon and wool from Zahar.They also traded to you casks of wine from Izal. You traded to them wrought iron, cassia and calamus.“‘ “Dedan traded saddle blankets to you.“‘ “Arabia and all the princes of Kedar bought goods from you. They traded you lambs, rams and goats for them.“‘ “Traders from Sheba and Raamah did business with you. They traded the finest spices, jewels and gold for your goods.“‘ “Harran, Kanneh and Eden did business with you. So did traders from Sheba, Ashur and Kilmad.In your market they traded beautiful clothes, blue cloth, and needlework to you. They also traded colorful rugs that had twisted cords and tight knots.“‘ “The ships of Tarshish carry your products. You are like a ship filled with a heavy load as you sail the sea.The sailors who man your oars take you out to the high seas. But the east wind will break you in pieces far out at sea.You will be wrecked on that day. Your wealth, goods and products will sink deep into the sea. So will your sailors, officers, carpenters, traders and all your soldiers. Anyone else on board will sink too.The lands along the coast will shake when your sailors cry out.

People of Babylon, you are sentenced to be destroyed. Happy is the person who pays you back according to what you have done to us.Happy is the person who grabs your babies and smashes them against the rocks.

they will make fun of the king of Babylon. They will say,“ See how the one who crushed others has fallen! See how his anger has come to an end!The Lord has taken away the authority of evil people. He has broken the power of rulers.When they became angry, they struck down nations. Their blows never stopped. In their anger they brought nations under their control. They attacked them again and again.

With a mighty voice he shouted,“‘ Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen!’( Isaiah 21:9) She has become a place where demons live. She has become a den for every evil spirit. She has become a place where every‘ unclean’ bird is found. She has become a place where every‘ unclean’ and hated animal is found.

The king said to Daniel,“ I’m sure your God is the greatest God of all. He is the Lord of kings. He explains mysteries. That’s why you were able to explain the mystery of my dream.”Then the king put Daniel in a position of authority. He gave him many gifts. He made him ruler over the city of Babylon and the towns around it. He put him in charge of all its other wise men.

“ Son of man, speak to Ethbaal. He is the ruler of Tyre. Tell him,‘ The Lord and King says,“‘ “In your proud heart you say,‘ I am a god. I sit on the throne of a god in the Mediterranean Sea.’ But you are only a human being. You are not a god. In spite of that, you think you are as wise as a god.

The officials of the city of Zoan are very foolish. Pharaoh’s wise men give advice that doesn’t make any sense. How can they dare to say to Pharaoh,“ We’re among the wise men”? How can they say to him,“ We’re like the advisers to the kings of long ago”?

The queen of Sheba heard about how famous Solomon was. She also heard about how he served and worshiped the Lord. So she came to test Solomon with hard questions.She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large group of attendants. Her camels were carrying spices, huge amounts of gold, and valuable jewels. She came to Solomon and asked him about everything she wanted to know.Solomon answered all her questions. There wasn’t anything too hard for the king to explain to her.So the queen of Sheba saw how very wise Solomon was. She saw the palace he had built.She saw the food on his table. She saw his officials sitting there. She saw the robes of the servants who waited on everyone. She saw his wine tasters. And she saw the burnt offerings Solomon sacrificed at the Lord’ s temple. She could hardly believe everything she had seen.She said to the king,“ Back in my own country I heard a report about you. I heard about how much you had accomplished. I also heard about how wise you are. Everything I heard is true.But I didn’t believe those things. So I came to see for myself. And now I believe it! You are twice as wise and wealthy as people say you are. The report I heard doesn’t even begin to tell the whole story about you.How happy your people must be! How happy your officials must be! They always get to serve you and hear the wise things you say.May the Lord your God be praised. He takes great delight in you. He placed you on the throne of Israel. The Lord will love Israel for all time to come. That’s why he has made you king. He knows that you will do what is fair and right.”She gave the king four and a half tons of gold. She also gave him huge amounts of spices and valuable jewels. No one would ever bring to King Solomon as many spices as the queen of Sheba gave him.Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir. From there they also brought huge amounts of almugwood and valuable jewels.The king used the almugwood to make supports for the Lord’ s temple and the royal palace. He also used it to make harps and lyres for those who played the music. That much almugwood has never been brought into Judah or seen there since that day.King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba everything she wanted and asked for. That was in addition to what he had given her out of his royal riches. Then she left. She returned to her own country with her attendants.Each year Solomon received 25 tons of gold.That didn’t include the money brought in by business and trade. It also didn’t include the money from all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the territories.King Solomon made 200 large shields out of hammered gold. Each one weighed 15 pounds.He also made 300 small shields out of hammered gold. Each one weighed seven and a half pounds. The king put all the shields in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.Then he made a large throne. It was covered with ivory. And that was covered with fine gold.The throne had six steps. Its back had a rounded top. The throne had armrests on both sides of the seat. A statue of a lion stood on each side of the throne.Twelve lions stood on the six steps. There was one at each end of each step. Nothing like that throne had ever been made for any other kingdom.All of King Solomon’s cups were made out of gold. All the things used in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were made out of pure gold. Nothing was made out of silver. When Solomon was king, silver wasn’t considered to be worth very much.He had many ships that carried goods to be traded. His ships went to sea along with Hiram’s ships. Once every three years the ships returned. They brought gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks.King Solomon was richer than all the other kings on earth. He was also wiser than they were.People from the whole world wanted to meet Solomon in person. They wanted to see for themselves how wise God had made him.Year after year, everyone who came to him brought a gift. They brought gifts made out of silver and gold. They brought robes, weapons and spices. They also brought horses and mules.Solomon had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He kept some of his horses and chariots in the chariot cities. He kept the others with him in Jerusalem.The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones. He made cedar wood as common there as sycamore- fig trees in the western hills.Solomon got horses from Egypt and from Kue. The royal traders bought them from Kue at the current price.They weighed out 15 pounds of silver for a chariot from Egypt. And they weighed out almost four pounds of silver for a horse. They also sold horses and chariots to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Arameans.

Here is the message the Lord spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. It was about the city of Babylon and the land of Babylon. He said,“ Announce this message among the nations. Lift up a banner. Let the nations hear the message. Do not keep anything back. Say,‘ Babylon will be captured. The god named Bel will be put to shame. The god named Marduk will be filled with terror. Babylon’s gods will be put to shame. The gods its people made will be filled with terror.’A nation from the north will attack it. That nation will destroy Babylon. No one will live there. People and animals alike will run away.“ The days are coming,” announces the Lord.“ At that time the people of Israel and Judah will gather together. They will come in tears to me. I am the Lord their God.They will ask how to get to Zion. Then they will turn their faces toward it. They will come and join themselves to me. They will enter into the covenant I make with them. It will last forever. It will never be forgotten.“ My people have been like lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray. They have caused them to wander in the mountains. They have wandered over mountains and hills. They have forgotten that I am their true resting place.Everyone who found them destroyed them. Their enemies said,‘ We aren’t guilty. They sinned against the Lord. He gave them everything they needed. He has always been Israel’s hope.’“ People of Judah, run away from Babylon. Leave the land of Babylon. Be like the goats that lead the flock.I will stir up great nations that will join forces against Babylon. I will bring them from the land of the north. They will take up their battle positions against Babylon. They will come from the north and capture it. Their arrows will be like skilled soldiers. They will not miss their mark.So the riches of Babylon will be taken away. All those who steal from it will have more than enough,” announces the Lord.“ People of Babylon, you have stolen what belongs to me. That has made you glad and full of joy. You dance around like a young cow on a threshing floor. You neigh like stallions.Because of that, you will bring great shame on your land. Your whole nation will be dishonored. It will become the least important of the nations. It will become a dry and empty desert.Because I am angry with it, no one will live there. It will be completely deserted. All those who pass by Babylon will be shocked. They will make fun of it because of all its wounds.“ All you who shoot arrows, take up your battle positions around Babylon. Shoot at it! Do not spare any arrows! Its people have sinned against me.Shout against them on every side! They are giving up. The towers of the city are falling. Its walls are being pulled down. The Lord is paying back its people. So pay them back yourselves. Do to them what they have done to others.Do not leave anyone in Babylon to plant the fields. Do not leave anyone to harvest the grain. Let each of them return to their own people. Let them run away to their own land. If they don’t, their enemy’s sword will bring them great harm.“ Israel is like a scattered flock that lions have chased away. The first lion that ate them up was the king of Assyria. The last one that broke their bones was Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon.”The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says,“ I punished the king of Assyria. In the same way, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land.But I will bring Israel back to their own grasslands. I will feed them on Mount Carmel and in Bashan. I will satisfy their hunger on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.The days are coming,” announces the Lord.“ At that time people will search for Israel’s guilt. But they will not find any. They will search for Judah’s sins. But they will not find any. That is because I will forgive the people I have spared.“ Enemies of Babylon, attack their land of Merathaim. Make war against those who live in Pekod. Chase them and kill them. Destroy them completely,” announces the Lord.“ Do everything I have commanded you to do.The noise of battle is heard in the land. It is the noise of a great city being destroyed!It has been broken to pieces. It was the hammer that broke the whole earth. How empty Babylon is among the nations!Babylon, I set a trap for you. And you were caught before you knew it. You were found and captured. That is because you opposed me.I have opened up my storeroom. I have brought out the weapons I use when I am angry. I am the Lord and King who rules over all. I have work to do in the land of the Babylonians.So come against it from far away. Open up its storerooms. Stack everything up like piles of grain. Completely destroy that country. Do not leave anyone alive there.Kill all Babylon’s strongest warriors. Let them die in battle. How terrible it will be for them! Their time to be judged has come. Now they will be punished.Listen to those who have escaped. Listen to those who have returned from Babylon. They are announcing in Zion how I have paid Babylon back. I have paid it back for destroying my temple.“ Send for men armed with bows and arrows. Send them against Babylon. Set up camp all around it. Do not let anyone escape. Pay it back for what its people have done. Do to them what they have done to others. They have dared to disobey me. I am the Holy One of Israel.You can be sure its young men will fall dead in the streets. All its soldiers will be put to death at that time,” announces the Lord.“ Proud Babylonians, I am against you,” announces the Lord. The Lord who rules over all says,“ Your day to be judged has come. It is time for you to be punished.You proud people will trip and fall. No one will help you up. I will start a fire in your towns. It will burn up everyone around you.”The Lord who rules over all says,“ The people of Israel are being treated badly. So are the people of Judah. Those who have captured them are holding them. They refuse to let them go.But I am strong and will save them. My name is the Lord Who Rules Over All. I will stand up for them. I will bring peace and rest to their land. But I will bring trouble to those who live in Babylon.“ A sword is coming against the Babylonians!” announces the Lord.“ It is coming against those who live in Babylon. It is coming against their officials and wise men.A sword is coming against their prophets. But they are not really prophets at all! So they will look foolish. A sword is coming against their soldiers! They will be filled with terror.A sword is coming against their horses and chariots! It is coming against all the hired soldiers in their armies. They will become weak. A sword is coming against their treasures! They will be stolen.There will not be any rain for their rivers. So they will dry up. Those things will happen because their land is full of statues of gods. Those gods will go crazy with terror.“ Desert creatures and hyenas will live in Babylon. And so will owls. People will never live there again. It will not be lived in for all time to come.I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. I also destroyed the towns that were near them,” announces the Lord.“ Babylon will be just like them. No one will live there. No human beings will stay there.“ Look! An army is coming from the north. I am stirring up a great nation and many kings. They are coming from a land that is very far away.Their soldiers are armed with bows and spears. They are mean. They do not show any mercy at all. They come riding in on their horses. They sound like the roaring ocean. They are lined up for battle. They are coming to attack you, city of Babylon.The king of Babylon has heard reports about them. His hands can’t help him. He is in great pain. It is like the pain of a woman having a baby.I will be like a lion coming up from the bushes by the Jordan River. I will hunt in rich grasslands. I will chase the people of Babylon from their land in an instant. What nation will I choose to do this? Which one will I appoint? Is anyone like me? Who would dare to argue with me? What leader can stand against me?”So listen to what the Lord has planned against Babylon. Hear what he has planned against the land of the Babylonians. Their young people will be dragged away. Their grasslands will be shocked at their fate.At the news of Babylon’s capture, the earth will shake. The people’s cries will be heard among the nations.

Goliath stood there and shouted to the soldiers of Israel. He said,“ Why do you come out and line up for battle? I’m a Philistine. You are servants of Saul. Choose one of your men. Have him come down and face me.