17. The Lord will stir up the Medes to attack the Babylonians. They aren't interested in getting silver. They don't delight in gold.
18. Instead, they will use their bows and arrows to strike the young men down. They won't even show any mercy to babies. They won't take pity on children.
19. The city of Babylon is the jewel of kingdoms. It is the glory and pride of the Babylonians. But God will destroy it just as he did Sodom and Gomorrah.
20. No one will ever live in Babylon again. No one will live there for all time to come. Arabs will never set up their tents there. Shepherds will never rest their flocks there.
21. But desert creatures will lie down there. Wild dogs will fill its houses. Owls will live there. Wild goats will jump around in it.