9. For see, the day of the lord is coming—the terrible day of his fury and fierce anger.The land will be made desolate,and all the sinners destroyed with it.
10. The heavens will be black above them;the stars will give no light.The sun will be dark when it rises,and the moon will provide no light.
11. “I, the lord, will punish the world for its eviland the wicked for their sin.I will crush the arrogance of the proudand humble the pride of the mighty.
12. I will make people scarcer than gold—more rare than the fine gold of Ophir.
13. For I will shake the heavens.The earth will move from its placewhen the lord of Heaven’s Armies displays his wrathin the day of his fierce anger.”
14. Everyone in Babylon will run about like a hunted gazelle,like sheep without a shepherd.They will try to find their own peopleand flee to their own land.
15. Anyone who is captured will be cut down—run through with a sword.
16. Their little children will be dashed to death before their eyes.Their homes will be sacked, and their wives will be raped.
17. “Look, I will stir up the Medes against Babylon.They cannot be tempted by silveror bribed with gold.