Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Empires/world powers » The ram and the he goat
In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar, there appeared a vision unto me Daniel, after that I had seen the first. I saw in a vision, and when I saw it, I was at Susa in the chief city, which lieth in the land of Elam, and in the vision me thought I was by the river of Ulai. Then I looked up, and saw, and behold, there stood before the river, a ram, which had horns: and these horns were high, but one was higher than another, and the highest came up last. read more.
I saw that this ram pushed with his horns, against the west, against the north and against the south: so that no beasts might stand before him, nor defend them from his power: but he did as him listed, and waxed great. I took heed unto this, and then came there a he goat from the west over the whole earth, and touched not the ground. This goat had a marvelous goodly horn betwixt his eyes, and came unto the ram, that had the two horns, whom I had seen afore by the river side, and ran fiercely upon him with his might. I saw him draw nigh unto the ram, being very fierce upon him: yea he gave him such a stroke, that he brake his two horns. Neither had the ram so much strength as to stand before him: but he cast him down, trod him under his feet: and no man was able to deliver the ram out of his power. The goat waxed exceedingly great, and when he was at the strongest, his great horn was broken also. Then grew there another four such like in the stead, toward the four winds of the heaven. Yea out of one of the least of these horns, there came up yet another horn, which waxed marvelous great: toward the south, toward the east, and toward the fair pleasant land. It grew up to the host of heaven, whereof it did cast some down to the ground, and of the stars also, and trod them under feet. Yea it grew up unto the prince of the host, from whom the daily offering was taken, and the place of his Sanctuary casten down. And a certain season was given unto it, against the daily offering, because of wickedness: that it might cast down the verity to the ground, and so to prosper in all things that it went about. Upon this I heard one of the saints speaking, which saint said unto one that asked this question, "How long shall this vision of the daily sacrifice and of the wasting abomination endure: that the Sanctuary and the power shall so be trodden under foot?" And he answered him, "Unto the evening and the morning, even two thousand and three hundred days. Then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed again." Now when I, Daniel, had seen this vision, and sought for the understanding of it: behold, there stood before me a thing like unto a man. And I heard a man's voice in the river of Ulai, which cried, and said, "O Gabriel, make this man understand the vision." So he came, and stood by me. But I was afraid at his coming, and fell down upon my face. Then said he unto me, "O thou son of man, mark well, for in the last time shall this vision be fulfilled." Now as he was speaking unto me, I waxed faint, so that I sunk down to the ground. But he took hold upon me, and set me up again, saying, "Behold, I will show thee what shall happen in the last wrath: for in the time appointed it shall be fulfilled. The ram which thou sawest with the two horns, is the king of the Medes and Persians: but the goat is the king of Greek land: the great horn that stood betwixt his eyes, that is the principal king. But whereas it brake, and four others rose up in the stead: it signifieth that out of this people shall stand up four kingdoms, but not so mighty as it. After these kingdoms, while ungodliness is a growing, there shall arise a king of an unshamefast face, which shall be wise in dark speakings. He shall be mighty and strong, but not in his own strength. He shall destroy above measure, and all that he goeth about, shall prosper: he shall slay the strong and holy people. And through his craftiness, falsity shall prosper in his hand; his heart shall be proud, and many a one shall he put to death in his wealthiness. He shall stand up against the Prince of Princes, but he shall be destroyed without hand. And this vision that is showed unto thee, is as sure as the evening and the morning. Therefore write thou upon this sight, for it will be long before it come to pass."
I saw that this ram pushed with his horns, against the west, against the north and against the south: so that no beasts might stand before him, nor defend them from his power: but he did as him listed, and waxed great. I took heed unto this, and then came there a he goat from the west over the whole earth, and touched not the ground. This goat had a marvelous goodly horn betwixt his eyes, and came unto the ram, that had the two horns, whom I had seen afore by the river side, and ran fiercely upon him with his might. I saw him draw nigh unto the ram, being very fierce upon him: yea he gave him such a stroke, that he brake his two horns. Neither had the ram so much strength as to stand before him: but he cast him down, trod him under his feet: and no man was able to deliver the ram out of his power. The goat waxed exceedingly great, and when he was at the strongest, his great horn was broken also. Then grew there another four such like in the stead, toward the four winds of the heaven. Yea out of one of the least of these horns, there came up yet another horn, which waxed marvelous great: toward the south, toward the east, and toward the fair pleasant land. It grew up to the host of heaven, whereof it did cast some down to the ground, and of the stars also, and trod them under feet. Yea it grew up unto the prince of the host, from whom the daily offering was taken, and the place of his Sanctuary casten down. And a certain season was given unto it, against the daily offering, because of wickedness: that it might cast down the verity to the ground, and so to prosper in all things that it went about. Upon this I heard one of the saints speaking, which saint said unto one that asked this question, "How long shall this vision of the daily sacrifice and of the wasting abomination endure: that the Sanctuary and the power shall so be trodden under foot?" And he answered him, "Unto the evening and the morning, even two thousand and three hundred days. Then shall the Sanctuary be cleansed again." Now when I, Daniel, had seen this vision, and sought for the understanding of it: behold, there stood before me a thing like unto a man. And I heard a man's voice in the river of Ulai, which cried, and said, "O Gabriel, make this man understand the vision." So he came, and stood by me. But I was afraid at his coming, and fell down upon my face. Then said he unto me, "O thou son of man, mark well, for in the last time shall this vision be fulfilled." Now as he was speaking unto me, I waxed faint, so that I sunk down to the ground. But he took hold upon me, and set me up again, saying, "Behold, I will show thee what shall happen in the last wrath: for in the time appointed it shall be fulfilled. The ram which thou sawest with the two horns, is the king of the Medes and Persians: but the goat is the king of Greek land: the great horn that stood betwixt his eyes, that is the principal king. But whereas it brake, and four others rose up in the stead: it signifieth that out of this people shall stand up four kingdoms, but not so mighty as it. After these kingdoms, while ungodliness is a growing, there shall arise a king of an unshamefast face, which shall be wise in dark speakings. He shall be mighty and strong, but not in his own strength. He shall destroy above measure, and all that he goeth about, shall prosper: he shall slay the strong and holy people. And through his craftiness, falsity shall prosper in his hand; his heart shall be proud, and many a one shall he put to death in his wealthiness. He shall stand up against the Prince of Princes, but he shall be destroyed without hand. And this vision that is showed unto thee, is as sure as the evening and the morning. Therefore write thou upon this sight, for it will be long before it come to pass."
Then said he, "Knowest thou wherefore I am come unto thee? Now will I go again to fight with the prince of the Persians: As soon as I go forth, lo, the prince of Greekland shall come. Nevertheless, I will show thee the thing that is fast noted in the scripture of truth. And as for all yonder matters, there is none that helpeth me in them, but Michael your prince.
And in the first year of Darius of Media, I stood by him, to comfort him and to strength him, and now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia, but the fourth shall be far richer than they all. And when he is in the chiefest power of his riches, he shall provoke every man against the realm of Greekland. Then shall there arise yet a mighty king, that shall rule with great dominion, and do what him list. read more.
And as soon as his kingdom cometh up, it shall be destroyed, and divided toward the four winds of the heaven. They that come after him shall not have such power and dominion as he: but his kingdom shall be scattered: yea, even among others than those.
And as soon as his kingdom cometh up, it shall be destroyed, and divided toward the four winds of the heaven. They that come after him shall not have such power and dominion as he: but his kingdom shall be scattered: yea, even among others than those.
the Macedonian empire » Predictions respecting » Conquest of the medo-persian kingdom
and came unto the ram, that had the two horns, whom I had seen afore by the river side, and ran fiercely upon him with his might.
and now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia, but the fourth shall be far richer than they all. And when he is in the chiefest power of his riches, he shall provoke every man against the realm of Greekland. Then shall there arise yet a mighty king, that shall rule with great dominion, and do what him list.
the Macedonian empire » Called the kingdom of grecia
and now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia, but the fourth shall be far richer than they all. And when he is in the chiefest power of his riches, he shall provoke every man against the realm of Greekland.
Medo-persian kingdom » Kings of, mentioned in scripture » Xerxes
and now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia, but the fourth shall be far richer than they all. And when he is in the chiefest power of his riches, he shall provoke every man against the realm of Greekland.
Medo-persian kingdom » Predictions respecting » Invasion of greece under xerxes
and now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia, but the fourth shall be far richer than they all. And when he is in the chiefest power of his riches, he shall provoke every man against the realm of Greekland.
Persia » Prophecies concerning
This is the heavy burden of the waste sea: A grievous vision was showed unto me, even as the stormy weather that passeth through at the noonday, to come from the wilderness, from that horrible land. Whoso may deceive, said the voice, let him deceive: Who so may destroy, let him destroy. Up Elam, besiege it O Media, for I will still all their groanings. With this, the reins of my back were full of pain: Pangs came upon me, as upon a woman in her travail. It made me stoop when I heard it, and it vexed me when I saw it. read more.
My heart panted, I trembled for fear. The night of my voluptuousness hath he turned against me into fear. While they garnished the table, the watchman looked: and while he was eating and drinking it was said, "Up, ye Captains, take you to your shield." For thus the Lord hath charged me: "Go thy way, and set a watchman, that he may tell what he seeth." And when he had waited diligently, he saw two horsemen: the one riding upon an Ass, the other upon a camel. And the watchman cried, "LORD, I have stood waiting all the whole day, and am appointed to keep my watch every night. And behold, here cometh a chariot of men with two horsemen." And he answered and said, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen! She is turned upside down, and all the images of her gods are smitten to the ground!" This, O my fellow threshers and fanners, have I heard of the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, to show it unto you.
My heart panted, I trembled for fear. The night of my voluptuousness hath he turned against me into fear. While they garnished the table, the watchman looked: and while he was eating and drinking it was said, "Up, ye Captains, take you to your shield." For thus the Lord hath charged me: "Go thy way, and set a watchman, that he may tell what he seeth." And when he had waited diligently, he saw two horsemen: the one riding upon an Ass, the other upon a camel. And the watchman cried, "LORD, I have stood waiting all the whole day, and am appointed to keep my watch every night. And behold, here cometh a chariot of men with two horsemen." And he answered and said, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen! She is turned upside down, and all the images of her gods are smitten to the ground!" This, O my fellow threshers and fanners, have I heard of the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, to show it unto you.
And in the first year of Darius of Media, I stood by him, to comfort him and to strength him, and now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia, but the fourth shall be far richer than they all. And when he is in the chiefest power of his riches, he shall provoke every man against the realm of Greekland. Then shall there arise yet a mighty king, that shall rule with great dominion, and do what him list. read more.
And as soon as his kingdom cometh up, it shall be destroyed, and divided toward the four winds of the heaven. They that come after him shall not have such power and dominion as he: but his kingdom shall be scattered: yea, even among others than those.
And as soon as his kingdom cometh up, it shall be destroyed, and divided toward the four winds of the heaven. They that come after him shall not have such power and dominion as he: but his kingdom shall be scattered: yea, even among others than those.
Thou king sawest, and behold: there stood before thee a great Image, whose figure was marvelous great, and his visage grim. The image head was of fine gold, his breast and arms of silver, his body and loins were of copper, his legs were of iron, his feet were part of iron and part of earth. read more.
Thou beheldest it till a stone was cut without hands, which smote the image upon the feet that were both of iron and earth, and brake them to powder. Then was the iron, the earth, the copper, the silver and gold broken altogether in pieces: and became like the chaff of corn, that the wind bloweth away from the summer floors, that they can no more be found. But the stone that smote the Image, became a great mountain, which fulfilleth the whole earth. This is the dream. And now will we show before the king, what it meaneth. O king, thou art a king of kings: For the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, riches, strength, and majesty: And hath delivered thee all things that are among the children of men: the beasts of the field, and the fowls under the heaven, and given thee dominion over them all. Thou art that golden head. After thee there shall arise another kingdom, which shall be less than thine. The third kingdom shall be like copper, and have domination in all lands. The fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron. For like as iron bruiseth and breaketh all things: Yea even as iron beateth everything down, so shall it beat down and destroy. Whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of earth and part of iron: that is a divided kingdom, which nevertheless shall have some of the iron ground mixed with it, forsomuch as thou hast seen the iron mixed with the clay. The toes of the feet that were part of iron and part of clay, signifieth: that it shall be a kingdom partly strong and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with clay: they shall mingle themselves with the seed of simple people: and yet not continue one with another, like as iron will not be soldered with a potsherd. In the days of these kings, shall the God of heaven set up an everlasting kingdom, which shall not perish, and his kingdom shall not be given over to another people. Yea, the same shall break and destroy all these kingdoms, but it shall endure forever. And whereas thou sawest that without any hands there was cut out of the mount a stone, which brake the iron, the copper, the earth, the silver and gold in pieces: by that hath the great God showed the king, what will come after this. This is a true dream, and the interpretation of it is sure."
Thou beheldest it till a stone was cut without hands, which smote the image upon the feet that were both of iron and earth, and brake them to powder. Then was the iron, the earth, the copper, the silver and gold broken altogether in pieces: and became like the chaff of corn, that the wind bloweth away from the summer floors, that they can no more be found. But the stone that smote the Image, became a great mountain, which fulfilleth the whole earth. This is the dream. And now will we show before the king, what it meaneth. O king, thou art a king of kings: For the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, riches, strength, and majesty: And hath delivered thee all things that are among the children of men: the beasts of the field, and the fowls under the heaven, and given thee dominion over them all. Thou art that golden head. After thee there shall arise another kingdom, which shall be less than thine. The third kingdom shall be like copper, and have domination in all lands. The fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron. For like as iron bruiseth and breaketh all things: Yea even as iron beateth everything down, so shall it beat down and destroy. Whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of earth and part of iron: that is a divided kingdom, which nevertheless shall have some of the iron ground mixed with it, forsomuch as thou hast seen the iron mixed with the clay. The toes of the feet that were part of iron and part of clay, signifieth: that it shall be a kingdom partly strong and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with clay: they shall mingle themselves with the seed of simple people: and yet not continue one with another, like as iron will not be soldered with a potsherd. In the days of these kings, shall the God of heaven set up an everlasting kingdom, which shall not perish, and his kingdom shall not be given over to another people. Yea, the same shall break and destroy all these kingdoms, but it shall endure forever. And whereas thou sawest that without any hands there was cut out of the mount a stone, which brake the iron, the copper, the earth, the silver and gold in pieces: by that hath the great God showed the king, what will come after this. This is a true dream, and the interpretation of it is sure."
The Persians, Ethiopians, and with them the Libyans which all bear shields and helmets:
For lo, I shall bring up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver, nor be desirous of gold.
These are the words, that the LORD spake to the prophet Jeremiah concerning Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah. "Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, and take away their strength; and upon Elam I will bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them against the same four winds. And there shall be no people, but some of Elam shall flee unto them. read more.
For I will cause Elam to be afraid of their enemies, and of them that seek their lives: and will bring upon them the indignation of my wrath, sayeth the LORD. And I will persecute them with the sword so long till I have brought them to naught. I will set my stool in Elam, I will destroy both the king and the princes from thence, sayeth the LORD. But in process of time, I will bring Elam out of captivity again, sayeth the LORD."
For I will cause Elam to be afraid of their enemies, and of them that seek their lives: and will bring upon them the indignation of my wrath, sayeth the LORD. And I will persecute them with the sword so long till I have brought them to naught. I will set my stool in Elam, I will destroy both the king and the princes from thence, sayeth the LORD. But in process of time, I will bring Elam out of captivity again, sayeth the LORD."
Make sharp the arrows, and fill the quivers: for the LORD shall raise up the spirit of the king of the Medes, which hath already a desire to destroy Babylon. This shall be the vengeance of the LORD's, and the vengeance of his temple. Set up tokens upon the walls of Babylon, make your watch strong, set your watchmen in array, yea hold privy watches: and yet for all that shall the LORD go forth with the device, which he hath taken upon them that dwell in Babylon. O thou that dwellest by the great waters, O thou that hast so great treasure and riches, thine end is come: and the reckoning of thy winnings. read more.
The LORD of Hosts hath sworn by himself that he will overwhelm thee with men, like grasshoppers in number, which with courage shall cry 'Alarum, Alarum' against thee. Yea even the LORD of Hosts, that with his power made the earth, with his wisdom prepared the round world, and with his discretion spied out the heavens. As soon as he letteth his voice be heard, the waters in the air wax fierce: He draweth up the clouds from the ends of the earth. He turneth the lightnings to rain, he bringeth the winds out of their secret places. By the reason of wisdom, all men are become fools. Confounded be all the casters of images: for the thing that they make is but deceit, and hath no breath. Vain is it; and worthy to be laughed at. And in the time of visitation it shall perish. "Nevertheless, the portion of Jacob is none such: but he that made all things, whose name is the LORD of Hosts, he is the rod of his inheritance. Thou breakest my weapons of war, and yet through thee I have scattered the nations and kingdoms; through thee have I scattered horse and horseman; yea, the chariots, and such as sat upon them; through thee I have scattered man and woman, old and young, bachelor and maiden. Through thee I have scattered the shepherd and his flock, the husbandman and his cattle, the princes and the rulers. Therefore will I reward the city of Babylon and all her citizens the Chaldeans, with all the evil which they have done unto Zion. Yea, that ye yourselves shall see it, sayeth the LORD. "Behold, I come upon thee, thou noisesome hill, sayeth the LORD; thou that destroyest all lands. I will stretch out my hand over thee, and cast thee down from the stony rocks; and will make thee a burnt hill, so that neither cornerstones, nor pinnacles, nor foundation stones shall be taken any more out of thee, but waste and desolate shalt thou lie for evermore, sayeth the LORD. Set up a token in the land, blow the trumpets among the Heathen, provoke the nations against her, call the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz against her: set the prince against her, bring as great a sort of horses against her, as if they were grasshoppers. Prepare against them the people of the Medes with their kings, princes and all their chief rulers; yea, and the whole land that is under them. The land also shall shake and be afraid, when the device of the LORD shall come forth against Babylon: to make the land of Babylon so waste that no man shall dwell any more therein. The Worthies of Babylon shall leave the battle, and keep themselves in strongholds, their strength hath failed them, they shall be like women. Their dwelling places shall be burnt up, their bars shall be broken. One pursuant shall meet another; yea, one post shall come by another; to bring the king of Babylon tidings that his city is taken in on every side: the fords occupied; the fens burnt up; and the soldiers sore afraid. "For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon hath been in her time like as a threshing floor, but shortly shall her harvest come. 'Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured and destroyed me, he hath made me an empty vessel. He swallowed me up like a dragon, and filled his belly with my delicates: he hath cast me out. He hath taken my substance away and the thing that was left me hath he carried unto Babylon,' sayeth the daughter that dwelleth in Zion. 'Yea, and my blood also, unto the Chaldeans,' sayeth Jerusalem. Therefore thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, I will defend thy cause, and avenge thee: I will drink up her sea, and dry up her water springs. Babylon shall become a heap of stones, a dwelling place for dragons, a fearfulness and wondering, because no man dwelleth there. They shall roar together like lions, and as the young lions when they be angry, so shall they bend themselves. In their heat I shall set drink before them, and they shall be drunken for joy: Then shall they sleep an everlasting sleep, and never wake, sayeth the LORD. I shall carry them down to be slain like sheep, like whethers and goats. O how was Sheshach won? O, how was the glory of the whole land taken? How happeneth it that Babylon is so wondered at among the Heathen? The sea is risen over Babylon, and hath covered her with his great waves. Her cities are laid waste, the land lieth unbuilded and void: it is a land where no man dwelleth, and where no man traveleth through. Moreover, I will visit Bel at Babylon: and the thing that he hath swallowed up, that same shall I pluck out of his mouth. The Gentiles also shall run no more unto him; yea, and the walls of Babylon shall fall. O my people, come out of Babylon: that every man may save his life from the fearful wrath of the LORD. Be not faint hearted, and fear not at every rumor that shall be heard in the land: for every year bringeth new tidings; yea, strange wickedness and lordship. And lo, the time cometh that I will visit the images of Babylon, and the whole land shall be confounded; yea, and her slain shall lie in the midst of her. Heaven and earth, with all that is therein, shall rejoice over Babylon when the destroyers shall come upon her from the North, sayeth the LORD. Like as Babylon hath beaten down and slain many out of Israel, so shall there fall many, and be slain, in all her kingdom. Ye that have escaped the sword: haste you, stand not still. Remember the LORD afar off, and think upon Jerusalem: for we were ashamed to hear the blasphemies; our faces were covered with shame, because the strange aliens came into the Sanctuary of the LORD. "Wherefore, behold, sayeth the LORD, the time cometh that I will visit the images of Babylon, and through the whole land they shall mourn and fall. Though Babylon climbed up into heaven, and kept her power on high: yet shall I send her destroyers, sayeth the LORD. A piteous cry shall be heard from Babylon, and a great misery from the land of the Chaldeans: when the LORD destroyeth them, and when he driveth out the high stomach and proud boasting, wherewith they have been as furious as the waves of great water floods, and made great crakes with their words. For the destroyers shall come upon her, even upon Babylon, which shall take her worthies and brake their bows: for God is disposed to avenge himself upon them, and sufficiently to recompense them. Yea, sayeth the LORD, I will make their princes, their wise men, their chief rulers and all their worthies, drunken: so that they shall sleep an everlasting sleep and never wake. Thus sayeth the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts. "Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: The thick wall of Babylon shall be broken, and her proud gates shall be burnt up. And the thing that the Gentiles and the people have wrought with great travail and labour shall come to naught and be consumed in the fire." This is the charge that Jeremiah gave unto Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went toward Babylon with Zedekiah the king of Judah, in the fourth year of his reign. Now this Seraiah was a peaceable prince. Jeremiah wrote in a book all the misery that should come upon Babylon; yea, and all these sermons that be written against Babylon; and gave Seraiah this charge, "When thou comest unto Babylon, see that thou read all these words, and say, 'O LORD, thou art determined to root out this place, so that neither people nor cattle shall dwell there anymore, but to lie waste forever.' And when thou hast read out the book, bind a stone to it, and cast it in the midst of Euphrates, and say, 'Even thus shall Babylon sink, and be thrust down with the burden of trouble that I will bring upon her: so that she shall never come up again.'" Thus far are the preachings of Jeremiah.
The LORD of Hosts hath sworn by himself that he will overwhelm thee with men, like grasshoppers in number, which with courage shall cry 'Alarum, Alarum' against thee. Yea even the LORD of Hosts, that with his power made the earth, with his wisdom prepared the round world, and with his discretion spied out the heavens. As soon as he letteth his voice be heard, the waters in the air wax fierce: He draweth up the clouds from the ends of the earth. He turneth the lightnings to rain, he bringeth the winds out of their secret places. By the reason of wisdom, all men are become fools. Confounded be all the casters of images: for the thing that they make is but deceit, and hath no breath. Vain is it; and worthy to be laughed at. And in the time of visitation it shall perish. "Nevertheless, the portion of Jacob is none such: but he that made all things, whose name is the LORD of Hosts, he is the rod of his inheritance. Thou breakest my weapons of war, and yet through thee I have scattered the nations and kingdoms; through thee have I scattered horse and horseman; yea, the chariots, and such as sat upon them; through thee I have scattered man and woman, old and young, bachelor and maiden. Through thee I have scattered the shepherd and his flock, the husbandman and his cattle, the princes and the rulers. Therefore will I reward the city of Babylon and all her citizens the Chaldeans, with all the evil which they have done unto Zion. Yea, that ye yourselves shall see it, sayeth the LORD. "Behold, I come upon thee, thou noisesome hill, sayeth the LORD; thou that destroyest all lands. I will stretch out my hand over thee, and cast thee down from the stony rocks; and will make thee a burnt hill, so that neither cornerstones, nor pinnacles, nor foundation stones shall be taken any more out of thee, but waste and desolate shalt thou lie for evermore, sayeth the LORD. Set up a token in the land, blow the trumpets among the Heathen, provoke the nations against her, call the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz against her: set the prince against her, bring as great a sort of horses against her, as if they were grasshoppers. Prepare against them the people of the Medes with their kings, princes and all their chief rulers; yea, and the whole land that is under them. The land also shall shake and be afraid, when the device of the LORD shall come forth against Babylon: to make the land of Babylon so waste that no man shall dwell any more therein. The Worthies of Babylon shall leave the battle, and keep themselves in strongholds, their strength hath failed them, they shall be like women. Their dwelling places shall be burnt up, their bars shall be broken. One pursuant shall meet another; yea, one post shall come by another; to bring the king of Babylon tidings that his city is taken in on every side: the fords occupied; the fens burnt up; and the soldiers sore afraid. "For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon hath been in her time like as a threshing floor, but shortly shall her harvest come. 'Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured and destroyed me, he hath made me an empty vessel. He swallowed me up like a dragon, and filled his belly with my delicates: he hath cast me out. He hath taken my substance away and the thing that was left me hath he carried unto Babylon,' sayeth the daughter that dwelleth in Zion. 'Yea, and my blood also, unto the Chaldeans,' sayeth Jerusalem. Therefore thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, I will defend thy cause, and avenge thee: I will drink up her sea, and dry up her water springs. Babylon shall become a heap of stones, a dwelling place for dragons, a fearfulness and wondering, because no man dwelleth there. They shall roar together like lions, and as the young lions when they be angry, so shall they bend themselves. In their heat I shall set drink before them, and they shall be drunken for joy: Then shall they sleep an everlasting sleep, and never wake, sayeth the LORD. I shall carry them down to be slain like sheep, like whethers and goats. O how was Sheshach won? O, how was the glory of the whole land taken? How happeneth it that Babylon is so wondered at among the Heathen? The sea is risen over Babylon, and hath covered her with his great waves. Her cities are laid waste, the land lieth unbuilded and void: it is a land where no man dwelleth, and where no man traveleth through. Moreover, I will visit Bel at Babylon: and the thing that he hath swallowed up, that same shall I pluck out of his mouth. The Gentiles also shall run no more unto him; yea, and the walls of Babylon shall fall. O my people, come out of Babylon: that every man may save his life from the fearful wrath of the LORD. Be not faint hearted, and fear not at every rumor that shall be heard in the land: for every year bringeth new tidings; yea, strange wickedness and lordship. And lo, the time cometh that I will visit the images of Babylon, and the whole land shall be confounded; yea, and her slain shall lie in the midst of her. Heaven and earth, with all that is therein, shall rejoice over Babylon when the destroyers shall come upon her from the North, sayeth the LORD. Like as Babylon hath beaten down and slain many out of Israel, so shall there fall many, and be slain, in all her kingdom. Ye that have escaped the sword: haste you, stand not still. Remember the LORD afar off, and think upon Jerusalem: for we were ashamed to hear the blasphemies; our faces were covered with shame, because the strange aliens came into the Sanctuary of the LORD. "Wherefore, behold, sayeth the LORD, the time cometh that I will visit the images of Babylon, and through the whole land they shall mourn and fall. Though Babylon climbed up into heaven, and kept her power on high: yet shall I send her destroyers, sayeth the LORD. A piteous cry shall be heard from Babylon, and a great misery from the land of the Chaldeans: when the LORD destroyeth them, and when he driveth out the high stomach and proud boasting, wherewith they have been as furious as the waves of great water floods, and made great crakes with their words. For the destroyers shall come upon her, even upon Babylon, which shall take her worthies and brake their bows: for God is disposed to avenge himself upon them, and sufficiently to recompense them. Yea, sayeth the LORD, I will make their princes, their wise men, their chief rulers and all their worthies, drunken: so that they shall sleep an everlasting sleep and never wake. Thus sayeth the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts. "Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: The thick wall of Babylon shall be broken, and her proud gates shall be burnt up. And the thing that the Gentiles and the people have wrought with great travail and labour shall come to naught and be consumed in the fire." This is the charge that Jeremiah gave unto Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went toward Babylon with Zedekiah the king of Judah, in the fourth year of his reign. Now this Seraiah was a peaceable prince. Jeremiah wrote in a book all the misery that should come upon Babylon; yea, and all these sermons that be written against Babylon; and gave Seraiah this charge, "When thou comest unto Babylon, see that thou read all these words, and say, 'O LORD, thou art determined to root out this place, so that neither people nor cattle shall dwell there anymore, but to lie waste forever.' And when thou hast read out the book, bind a stone to it, and cast it in the midst of Euphrates, and say, 'Even thus shall Babylon sink, and be thrust down with the burden of trouble that I will bring upon her: so that she shall never come up again.'" Thus far are the preachings of Jeremiah.
There is Elam also with all his people, and their graves round about: which all being wounded and slain with the sword, are gone down uncircumcised under the earth. Which, nevertheless, sometime brought fear into the land of the living: for the which they bear their shame, with the others that be gone down to the grave. Their burial is given them and all their people, among them that be slain. Their graves are round about all them, which be uncircumcised, and with them that be slain through the sword: for seeing that in times past they made the land of the living afraid, they must now bear their own shame, with them that go down to the pit, and lie among them, that be slain.