43. Babylon will be like a dry, desert land. Its cities will be empty ruins. No one will live in those cities. No one will even travel through them.
44. I will punish the false god Bel in Babylon. I will make him vomit out the people he swallowed. The wall around Babylon will fall, and other nations will stop coming to Babylon.
45. Come out of the city of Babylon, my people. Run to save your lives. Run from the Lord’S great anger.
46. “Don’t be sad, my people. Rumors will spread, but don’t be afraid. One rumor comes this year. Another rumor will come next year. There will be rumors about terrible fighting in the country. There will be rumors about rulers fighting against other rulers.
47. The time will surely come when I will punish the false gods of Babylon, and the whole land of Babylon will be put to shame. There will be many dead people, lying in the streets of that city.
48. Then heaven and earth and all that is in them will shout with joy about Babylon. They will shout because an army came from the north and fought against Babylon.” This is what the Lord said.
49. “Babylon killed people from Israel. Babylon killed people from every place on earth. So Babylon must fall!
50. You people escaped the swords. You must hurry and leave Babylon. Don’t wait! You are in a faraway land, but remember the Lord where you are and remember Jerusalem.”
51. “We people of Judah are ashamed. We have been insulted, because strangers have gone into the holy places of the Lord’S Temple.”
52. The Lord says, “The time is coming, when I will punish the idols of Babylon. At that time wounded people will cry with pain everywhere in that country.
53. Babylon might grow until she touches the sky. Babylon might make her forts strong, but I will send people to fight against that city. And they will destroy her.” This is what the Lord said.
54. “We can hear people crying in Babylon. We hear the sound of people destroying things in the land of Babylon.
55. The Lord will destroy Babylon very soon. He will stop the loud noises in that city. Enemies will come roaring in like ocean waves. People all around will hear that roar.
56. The army will come and destroy Babylon. Its soldiers will be captured, and their bows will be broken, This will happen because the Lord punishes people for the bad things they do. He gives them the full punishment they deserve.
57. I will make Babylon’s wise men and important officials drunk. I will make the governors, officers, and soldiers drunk too. Then they will sleep forever. They will never wake up.” This is what the King said. His name is the Lord All-Powerful.
58. This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: “Babylon’s thick, strong wall will be pulled down. Her high gates will be burned. The people of Babylon will work hard, but it will not help. They will get very tired trying to save the city. But they will only be fuel for the flames.”