The LORD's people will come home

1The LORD will have mercy on Israel and will let them be his chosen people once again. He will bring them back to their own land, and foreigners will join them as part of Israel. 2Other nations will lead them home, and Israel will make slaves of them in the land that belongs to the Lord. Israel will rule over those who once governed and ill-treated them.

Death to the king of Babylonia!

3The LORD will set you free from your sorrow, suffering, and slavery. 4Then you will make fun of the king of Babylonia by singing this song:

That cruel monster is done for!

He won't attack us again.14.4 He…again: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

5The LORD has crushed the power

of those evil kings,

6who were furious

and never stopped abusing

the people of other nations.

7Now all the world is at peace;

its people are celebrating

with joyful songs.

8King of Babylonia,

even the cypress trees

and the cedars of Lebanon

celebrate and say,

“Since you were put down,

no one comes along

to chop us down.”

9The world of the dead

eagerly waits for you.

With great excitement,

the spirits of ancient rulers

hear about your coming.

10Each one of them will say,

“Now you are just as weak

as any of us!

11Your pride and your music

have ended here

in the world of the dead.

Worms are your blanket,

maggots are your bed.”

12You, the bright morning star,14.12: Rev 8.10; 9.1.

have fallen from the sky!

You brought down other nations;

now you are brought down.

13You said to yourself,14.13-15: Mt 11.23; Lk 10.15.

“I'll climb to heaven

and place my throne

above the highest stars.

I'll sit there with the gods

far away in the north.

14I'll be above the clouds,

just like God Most High.”

15But now you are deep

in the world of the dead.

16Those who see you will stare

and wonder, “Is this the man

who made the world tremble

and shook up kingdoms?

17Did he capture every city

and make earth a desert?

Is he the one who refused

to let prisoners go home?”

18When kings die, they are buried

in glorious tombs.

19But you will be left unburied,

just another dead body

lying underfoot

like a broken branch.

You will be one of many

killed in battle and gone down

to the deep rocky pit.14.19 deep rocky pit: The world of the dead.

20You won't be buried with kings;

you ruined your country

and murdered your people.

You evil monster!

We hope that your family

will be forgotten for ever.

21We will slaughter your sons

to make them pay for the crimes

of their ancestors.

They won't take over the world

or build cities

anywhere on this earth.

22The LORD All-Powerful has promised to attack Babylonia and destroy everyone there, so that none of them will ever be remembered again. 23The LORD will sweep out the people, and the land will become a swamp for wild animals.

Assyria will be punished

24The LORD All-Powerful14.24-27: Is 10.5-34; Ne 1.1—3.19; Zep 2.13-15.

has made this promise:

Everything I have planned

will happen just as I said.

25I will wipe out every Assyrian

in my country,

and I will crush those

on my mountains.

I will free my people

from slavery

to the Assyrians.

26I have planned this

for the whole world,

and my mighty arm

controls every nation.

27I, the LORD All-Powerful,

have made these plans.

No one can stop me now!

The Philistines will be punished

28This message came from the LORD14.28: 2 K 16.20; 2 Ch 28.27.

in the year King Ahaz died:14.28 King Ahaz died: 715 BC.

29Philistines, don't be happy14.29-31: Jr 47.1-7; Ez 25.15-17; Jl 3.4-8; Am 1.6-8; Zep 2.4-7; Zec 9.5-7.

just because the rod

that punished you

is broken.

That rod will become

a poisonous snake, and then

a flying fiery dragon.

30The poor and needy will find

pastures for their sheep

and will live in safety.

But I will starve some of you,

and others will be killed.

31Cry and weep in the gates

of your towns,

you Philistines!

Smoke blows in from the north,14.31 north: The Assyrian and Babylonian attacks came from the north.

and every soldier is ready.

32If a messenger comes

from a distant nation,

you must say:

“The LORD built Zion.

Even the poorest of his people

will find safety there.”