1The Lord will show tender love toward Jacob’s people.
Once again he will choose Israel.
He’ll give them homes in their own land.
Outsiders will join them.
They and the people of Jacob will become one people.
2Nations will help Israel
return to their own land.
Israel will possess other nations.
They will serve Israel as male and female servants in the Lord’s land.
The Israelites will make prisoners of those who had held them as prisoners.
Israel will rule over those who had crushed them.
3The Lord will put an end to Israel’s suffering and trouble. They will no longer be forced to do hard labor. At that time, 4they will make fun of the king of Babylon. They will say,
“See how the one who crushed others has fallen!
See how his anger has come to an end!
5The Lord has taken away the authority of evil people.
He has broken the power of rulers.
6When they became angry, they struck down nations.
Their blows never stopped.
In their anger they brought nations under their control.
They attacked them again and again.
7All the lands now enjoy peace and rest.
They break out into singing.
8Even the juniper trees show how happy they are.
The cedar trees of Lebanon celebrate too.
They say, ‘Babylon, you have fallen.
Now no one comes and cuts us down.’
9“King of Babylon, many people in the place of the dead are really excited.
They’re excited about meeting you when you go down there.
The spirits of the dead get up to welcome you.
At one time all of them were leaders in the world.
They were kings over the nations.
They get up from their thrones.
10All of them call out to you.
They say,
‘You have become weak, just as we are.
You have become like us.’
11Your grand show of power has been brought down to the grave.
The noise of your harps has come down here along with your power.
Maggots are spread out under you.
Worms cover you.
12“King of Babylon, you thought you were the bright morning star.
But now you have fallen from heaven!
You once brought down nations.
But now you have been thrown down to the earth!
13You said in your heart,
‘I will go up to the heavens.
I’ll raise my throne
above the stars of God.
I’ll sit as king on the mountain where the gods meet.
I’ll set up my throne on the highest slopes of Mount Zaphon.
14I will rise above the tops of the clouds.
I’ll make myself like the Most High God.’
15But now you have been brought down to the place of the dead.
You have been thrown into the deepest part of the pit.
16“Those who see you stare at you.
They think about what has happened to you.
They say to themselves,
‘Is this the man who shook the earth?
Is he the one who made kingdoms tremble with fear?
17Did he turn the world into a desert?
Did he destroy its cities?
Did he refuse to let his prisoners go home?’
18“All the kings of the nations are buried with honor.
Each of them lies in his own tomb.
19But you have been thrown out of your tomb.
You are like a branch that is cut off and thrown away.
You are covered with the bodies
of those who have been killed by swords.
You have been tossed into a stony pit along with them.
You are like a dead body that people have walked on.
20You won’t be buried like other kings.
That’s because you have destroyed your land.
You have killed your people.
“Let the children of that evil man be killed.
Let none of them be left to carry on the family name.
21So prepare a place to kill his children.
Kill them because of the sins of the rulers
who lived before them.
They must not rise to power.
They must not rule over the world.
They must not cover the earth with their cities.”
22“I will rise up against them,”
announces the Lord who rules over all.
“I will destroy Babylon.
It will not be remembered anymore.
No one will be left alive there.
I will destroy its people and their children after them,”
announces the Lord.
23“I will turn it into a place where nothing but owls can live.
I will turn it into a swamp.
I will sweep through it like a broom and destroy everything,”
announces the Lord who rules over all.
24The Lord who rules over all has made a promise. He has said,
“You can be sure that what I have planned will happen.
What I have decided will take place.
25I will crush the Assyrians in my land.
On my mountains I will walk all over them.
The yokes they put on my people will be removed.
The heavy load they put on their shoulders will be taken away.”
26That’s how the Lord carries out his plan all over the world.
That’s how he reaches out his powerful hand to punish all the nations.
27The Lord who rules over all has planned it.
Who can stop him?
He has reached out his powerful hand.
Who can keep him from using it?
A Prophecy Against the Philistines
28This prophecy came to me from the Lord in the year King Ahaz died. The Lord said,
29“The rod of Assyria has struck all of you Philistines.
But do not be glad that it is broken.
That rod is like a snake that will produce an even more poisonous snake.
It will produce a darting, poisonous serpent.
30Even the poorest people in Israel will have plenty to eat.
Those who are in need will lie down in safety.
But I will destroy your families.
They will die of hunger.
I will kill any of them who are still left alive.
31“Cities of Philistia, cry out for help! Scream in pain!
All you Philistines, melt away in fear!
An army is coming from the north in a cloud of dust.
No one in its ranks is falling behind.
32What answer should be given
to the messengers from that nation?
Tell them, ‘The Lord has made Zion secure.
His suffering people will find safety there.’ ”
以色列人必重归故土
1耶和华必怜悯雅各，再次选择以色列人做祂的子民，把他们安置在他们自己的土地上。外族人必与他们联合，归入以色列。 2各国必帮助他们重返故乡。在耶和华赐给他们的土地上，外族人必做他们的仆婢。他们必掳掠以前掳掠他们的人，统治以前压制他们的人。
对巴比伦的讽刺
3耶和华使他们脱离痛苦、悲伤和残酷奴役的时候， 4他们必这样讥笑巴比伦王：
“暴君灭亡了！
暴政结束了！
5耶和华折断了邪恶君主的权杖。
6他曾狂怒地攻伐列邦，
无休无止，
怒气冲冲地征服列国，
大肆迫害。
7如今天下太平，
人人欢呼歌唱，
8连松树和黎巴嫩的香柏树都欢喜快乐地说，
‘自从他灭亡后，
再没有人上来砍伐我们。’
9巴比伦王啊，你下到阴间，
阴间兴奋地迎接你，
那些在世上做过君王和首领的阴魂都从座位上站起来迎接你，
10对你说，
‘你如今也跟我们一样软弱无能。’
11你的荣耀和琴声一同落入阴间，
虫成了你的床铺，
蛆成了你的被子。
12“明亮的晨星、黎明之子啊，
你怎么从天上坠落下来？
你这打败列国的怎么被砍倒在地上？
13你曾想，‘我要升到天上，
把自己的宝座设在上帝的众星之上；
我要坐在遥远的北方众神明聚会的山上；
14我要升到云天之上，
使自己与至高者一样。’
15可是，你必坠入阴间，
掉进死亡的深坑。
16看见你的都瞪大眼睛盯着你，
都在想，‘这就是那曾使大地震动、列国颤抖的人吗？
17这就是那曾使天下荒凉、城邑倾覆、不肯释放俘虏回家的人吗？’
18万国的君王都躺在自己华丽的陵墓中，
19只有你像一根毫无用处的树枝，
被抛弃在自己的坟墓外。
你就像一具遭人践踏的尸体，
与丧身刀下的人一同被扔进乱石坑里。
20你必得不到君王的葬礼，
因为你祸国殃民，
杀害自己的百姓。
“恶人的子孙必永远被遗忘。
21预备杀戮他的子孙吧，
因为他们的祖先罪恶深重，
免得他们兴起统治世界、到处建造城邑。”
22万军之耶和华说：
“我必攻击巴比伦，
铲除巴比伦的名号、余民和后裔。
这是耶和华说的。
23我必用毁灭的扫帚清扫它，
使它成为沼泽之地和刺猬的住所。
这是万军之耶和华说的。”
关于亚述的预言
24万军之耶和华起誓说：
“我的计划必实现，
我的旨意必成就。
25我必在我的土地上击垮亚述人，
在我的山上践踏他们，
除去他们加在我子民身上的轭和重担。
26这是我对全世界所定的计划，
是向列国伸出的惩罚之手。”
27万军之耶和华定了计划，
谁能阻挠呢？
祂的手已经伸出，
谁能叫祂收回呢？
关于非利士的预言
28亚哈斯王驾崩那年，我得到以下预言：
29非利士人啊，
不要因击打你们的杖已经折断14:29 “击打你们的杖已经折断”指攻击非利士的王已死。便高兴。
因为那杖就像一条蛇，
必生出一条更危险的蛇，
一条会飞的毒蛇。
30贫穷人必衣食无忧，
困苦人必安然度日，
但我必用饥荒除掉你们的子孙，
消灭你们残存的人。
31城门啊，哀号吧！
城邑啊，哭喊吧！
非利士人啊，战抖吧！
因为有阵容整齐的军队从北方如尘烟滚滚而来。
32该怎样回复外国的使者呢？
要告诉他们：“耶和华建立了锡安，
祂困苦的子民必得到保护。”
