God

Flee! Leave your homes! Hide yourselves well, you who live in Hatzor," says ADONAI; "for N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel has devised a plan against you; he has formed a scheme against you.

Get up! March on a nation at ease, that lives secure," says ADONAI. "They have neither gates nor bars; they live in isolation.

Their camels will be booty, their many cattle a spoil. I will scatter to the winds those who shave the sides of their heads; From every direction I will bring their disaster on them," says ADONAI.

This is the word of ADONAI that came to Yirmeyahu the prophet concerning 'Eilam at the beginning of the reign of Tzidkiyahu king of Y'hudah:

"ADONAI-Tzva'ot says: 'I will break 'Eilam's bow, the mainstay of their might.

I will bring against 'Eilam the four winds from the four quarters of the sky and scatter them to all those winds. There will not be one nation to which the dispersed of 'Eilam will not come.

I will break 'Eilam before their foes, before those who seek their lives; I will bring disaster on them, my burning anger,' says ADONAI. 'I will send the sword to pursue them until I have finished them off.

I will put my throne in 'Eilam and destroy their king and leaders,' says ADONAI.

'But in the acharit-hayamim, I will bring back the exiles of 'Eilam,' says ADONAI."

This is the word which ADONAI spoke concerning Bavel, concerning the land of the Kasdim, through Yirmeyahu the prophet:

In those days, at that time," says ADONAI, "the people of Isra'el will come, together with the people of Y'hudah. They will weep as they go their way, seeking ADONAI their God.

They will ask the way to Tziyon; and, turning their faces toward it, will say, 'Come, join yourselves to ADONAI by an everlasting covenant never to be forgotten.'

Everyone finding them ate them up. Their enemies said, 'We aren't guilty; for they sinned against ADONAI, the resting place of justice; yes, against ADONAI, their ancestors' hope.'

for I will stir up and bring against Bavel an alliance of great nations from the country to the north. They will array themselves against her; from there she will be captured. Their arrows are like those of a death-dealing warrior; none will return in vain.

The land of the Kasdim will be plundered; all who plunder it will get enough," says ADONAI.

Because of the anger of ADONAI, no one will live there any more; all of it will be desolate. Everyone passing Bavel will whistle in shock at all her plagues.

"Take your positions surrounding Bavel, all you whose bows are strung; shoot at her, spare no arrows; because she sinned against ADONAI.

From all sides raise the war cry against her! Now she surrenders! Her buttresses fall, her walls are thrown down, for this is the vengeance of ADONAI. Avenge yourself on her! As she has done, do to her!

Therefore ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: "I will punish the king of Bavel and his land as I punished the king of Ashur.

I will bring Isra'el back to his pasture, to graze on the Karmel and the Bashan, on the hills of Efrayim and in Gil'ad until he has his fill.

In those days, at that time," says ADONAI, "Isra'el's guilt will be sought, but there will be none, and Y'hudah's sins, but they won't be found; for I will pardon the remnant I leave.

"Attack the land of Meratayim; attack it and those living in P'kod. Waste them, utterly destroy them; do all I have ordered you," says ADONAI.

I set a trap and caught you, Bavel, before you knew it. You were discovered and seized, because you challenged ADONAI.

ADONAI has opened his store of arms and brought out the weapons of his wrath; for Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot has work to do in the land of the Kasdim.

Hear the sound of the fugitives, of those escaping from Bavel, coming to proclaim in Tziyon the vengeance of ADONAI our God, vengeance over his temple.