Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: {Prepare: Heb. Sanctify}

But if thou wilt go, do {it}, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.

Thou {art} my battle axe {and} weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; {with thee: or, in thee, or, by thee}

Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device {is} against Babylon, to destroy it; because it {is} the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple. {bright: Heb. pure}

How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!

Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.

He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, {and} none hindereth. {a continual...: Heb. a stroke without removing}

Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln.

Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.

Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln.

Then {she that is} mine enemy shall see {it}, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets. {Then...: or, And thou wilt see her that is mine enemy, and cover her with shame} {shall she...: Heb. she shall be for a treading down}

Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.

Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon. {ambushes: Heb. liers in wait}

I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant. {towers: or, corners}

Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy.

{Their} bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.

Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.