² Raise a banner^(A) on a bare hilltop,
    shout to them;
beckon to them
    to enter the gates^(B) of the nobles.
³ I have commanded those I prepared for battle;
    I have summoned my warriors^(C) to carry out my wrath^(D)—
    those who rejoice^(E) in my triumph.

⁴ Listen, a noise on the mountains,
    like that of a great multitude!^(F)
Listen, an uproar^(G) among the kingdoms,
    like nations massing together!
The Lord Almighty^(H) is mustering^(I)
    an army for war.
⁵ They come from faraway lands,
    from the ends of the heavens^(J)—
the Lord and the weapons^(K) of his wrath^(L)—
    to destroy^(M) the whole country.

⁶ Wail,^(N) for the day^(O) of the Lord is near;
    it will come like destruction^(P) from the Almighty.^[a](Q)
7 Because of this, all hands will go limp,^(R)
    every heart will melt with fear.^(S)
8 Terror^(T) will seize them,
    pain and anguish will grip^(U) them;
    they will writhe like a woman in labor.^(V)
They will look aghast at each other,
    their faces aflame.^(W)

⁹ See, the day^(X) of the Lord is coming
    —a cruel^(Y) day, with wrath^(Z) and fierce anger^(AA)—
to make the land desolate
    and destroy the sinners within it.
¹⁰ The stars of heaven and their constellations
    will not show their light.^(AB)
The rising sun^(AC) will be darkened^(AD)
    and the moon will not give its light.^(AE)
11 I will punish^(AF) the world for its evil,
    the wicked^(AG) for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty^(AH)
    and will humble^(AI) the pride of the ruthless.^(AJ)
12 I will make people^(AK) scarcer than pure gold,
    more rare than the gold of Ophir.^(AL)
13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble;^(AM)
    and the earth will shake^(AN) from its place
at the wrath^(AO) of the Lord Almighty,
    in the day of his burning anger.^(AP)

¹⁴ Like a hunted^(AQ) gazelle,
    like sheep without a shepherd,^(AR)
they will all return to their own people,
    they will flee^(AS) to their native land.^(AT)
15 Whoever is captured will be thrust through;
    all who are caught will fall^(AU) by the sword.^(AV)
16 Their infants^(AW) will be dashed to pieces before their eyes;
    their houses will be looted and their wives violated.^(AX)

¹⁷ See, I will stir up^(AY) against them the Medes,^(AZ)
    who do not care for silver
    and have no delight in gold.^(BA)
18 Their bows^(BB) will strike down the young men;^(BC)
    they will have no mercy^(BD) on infants,
    nor will they look with compassion on children.^(BE)
19 Babylon,^(BF) the jewel of kingdoms,^(BG)
    the pride and glory^(BH) of the Babylonians,^[b]
will be overthrown^(BI) by God
    like Sodom and Gomorrah.^(BJ)
20 She will never be inhabited^(BK)
    or lived in through all generations;
there no nomads^(BL) will pitch their tents,
    there no shepherds will rest their flocks.
²¹ But desert creatures^(BM) will lie there,
    jackals^(BN) will fill her houses;
there the owls^(BO) will dwell,
    and there the wild goats^(BP) will leap about.
²² Hyenas^(BQ) will inhabit her strongholds,^(BR)
    jackals^(BS) her luxurious palaces.
Her time is at hand,^(BT)
    and her days will not be prolonged.^(BU)