The Babylonian Exile

say to the people of 'Amon, 'Hear the word of Adonai ELOHIM. Adonai ELOHIM says, "Because you gloated when my sanctuary was profaned, when the land of Isra'el was laid waste, and when the house of Y'hudah went into exile;

I will let the people from the east take possession of you. They will set up camps and build their homes among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk.

I will turn Rabbah into a camel pasture and 'Amon into a sheep-yard. Then you will know that I am ADONAI."

For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: "Because you clapped your hands and stamped your feet, full of malicious joy over the land of Isra'el;

I am going to stretch out my hand over you and deliver you as plunder to the nations; I will cut you off from being a people and cause you to cease from being a nation; I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.'"

"Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because Mo'av and Se'ir say, "The house of Y'hudah is like all the other nations,"

I will expose the flank of Mo'av, with all its cities - that is, all the cities on its frontier, the glory of the land, Beit-Yeshimot, Ba'al-M'on and Kiryatayim -

together with the people of 'Amon, to the people from the east, whom I will let take possession of them. Thus the people of 'Amon will not be remembered as being one of the nations;

and I will execute judgments on Mo'av. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.'

"Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because Edom has taken severe vengeance against the house of Y'hudah, incurring much guilt by its acts of vengeance against them,

therefore,' Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I will stretch my hand out over Edom and eliminate both its humans and its animals. I will make it a ruin; from Teman to D'dan they will die by the sword.

Moreover, I will lay my vengeance on Edom through my people Isra'el; they will treat Edom in accordance with my anger and my fury; and they will know my vengeance' says Adonai ELOHIM.

"Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Because the P'lishtim have acted out of vengeance, taking revenge and destroying with malice of heart, due to their long-standing hatred;

therefore,' Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I will stretch out my hand over the P'lishtim, eliminate the K'reti and destroy the rest of the seacoast peoples.

I will execute great vengeance on them with furious punishments; and they will know that I am ADONAI when I lay my vengeance on them.'"

On the first day of the month in the eleventh year, the word of ADONAI came to me:

"Human being, since Tzor has said against Yerushalayim, 'Ha! She is shattered, the gateway of the peoples. Now that she is ruined, her riches will be mine';

therefore, Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Look, Tzor! I am against you. Just as the sea churns up its waves, I will churn up many nations against you.

They will destroy the walls of Tzor, they will demolish her towers. I will scrape its soil from her and reduce her to bare rock.

With the sea all around her, she will be a place for drying fish nets and a plunder for the nations. I have spoken,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

'Her daughters on the mainland will be put to death with the sword; then they will know that I am ADONAI.'

"For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will bring upon Tzor, from the north, N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel, king of kings, with horses, chariots, cavalry, and a great and powerful army.

"'Your daughters on the mainland he will put to death with the sword. He will build siege-towers against you, he will build a ramp against you and raise a screen of shields against you.

He will pound your walls with his battering-rams and break down your towers with his axes.

His horses are so many that their dust will cover you. The thunder of cavalry, wagons and chariots will shake your walls, as he enters your gates, like men storming a city through a breach.