12. I will make people scarcer than pure gold,more rare than the gold of Ophir.
13. Therefore I will make the heavens tremble;and the earth will shake from its placeat the wrath of the Lord Almighty,in the day of his burning anger.
14. Like a hunted gazelle,like sheep without a shepherd,they will all return to their own people,they will flee to their native land.
15. Whoever is captured will be thrust through;all who are caught will fall by the sword.
16. Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes;their houses will be looted and their wives violated.
17. See, I will stir up against them the Medes,who do not care for silverand have no delight in gold.
18. Their bows will strike down the young men;they will have no mercy on infantsnor will they look with compassion on children.
19. Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms,the pride and glory of the Babylonians,will be overthrown by Godlike Sodom and Gomorrah.
20. She will never be inhabitedor lived in through all generations;there no nomads will pitch their tents,there no shepherds will rest their flocks.
21. But desert creatures will lie there,jackals will fill her houses;there the owls will dwell,and there the wild goats will leap about.
22. Hyenas will inhabit her strongholds,jackals her luxurious palaces.Her time is at hand,and her days will not be prolonged.