Did he turn the world into a desert? Did he destroy its cities? Did he refuse to let his prisoners go home?’

使世界如同荒野，使城邑倾覆，不释放被掳的人归家，是这个人吗？’

使世界如同荒野，使城镇倾覆；是他，不释放被掳的人归家。’

使世界如同荒野，使城镇倾覆；是他，不释放被掳的人归家。’

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？’

使世界如同荒野，倾覆城镇，又不释放囚犯的，就是这人吗？’

那使世界如同荒野，倾覆其城镇，又不释放囚犯回家的，难道就是这人吗？’

使世界如同荒野，使城邑傾覆，不釋放被擄的人歸家，是這個人嗎？

使世界如同荒野，使城鎮傾覆；是他，不釋放被擄的人歸家。』

使世界如同荒野，使城鎮傾覆；是他，不釋放被擄的人歸家。』

這就是那曾使天下荒涼、城邑傾覆、不肯釋放俘虜回家的人嗎？』

使世界如同荒野，傾覆城鎮，又不釋放囚犯的，就是這人嗎？’

使世界如荒野，將城市翻毁，不開釋被擄之人回家的，是這個人麼？」

那使世界如同荒野，傾覆其城鎮，又不釋放囚犯回家的，難道就是這人嗎？』

寰區荒落、城邑傾圮、不令俘虜返故土者、乃斯人耶、

the man who made the world a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?”

who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?’

Is this the one who destroyed the world and made it into a wasteland? Is this the king who demolished the world’s greatest cities and had no mercy on his prisoners?’

who turned the world into a wilderness, who destroyed its cities and would not release the prisoners to return home?”

Who made the world like a wilderness And overthrew its cities, Who did not allow his prisoners to go home?’

Who made the world as a wilderness And destroyed its cities, Who did not open the house of his prisoners?’

that made the world as a wilderness, and overthrew the cities thereof; that let not loose his prisoners to their home?

who turned the world into a wilderness, who destroyed its cities and would not release the prisoners to return home?”

[ That] made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof;[ that] opened not the house of his prisoners?

Is this the one who made the world like a desert, who ruined its cities, and refused to free his prisoners so they could return home?”’

who made the world like a wilderness, and overthrew its cities, who didn’t release his prisoners to their home?”

Like fire they eat up everything in their path. Behind them it looks as if flames have burned the land. In front of them the land is like the Garden of Eden. Behind them it is a dry and empty desert. Nothing escapes them.

I will stir up Cyrus and help him win his battles. I will make all his roads straight. He will rebuild Jerusalem. My people have been taken away from their country. But he will set them free. I will not pay him to do it. He will not receive a reward for it,” says the Lord who rules over all.

The city of Babylon is the jewel of kingdoms. It is the pride and glory of the Babylonians. But God will destroy it just as he did Sodom and Gomorrah.No one will ever live in Babylon again. No one will live there for all time to come. Those who wander in the desert will never set up their tents there. Shepherds will never rest their flocks there.But desert creatures will lie down there. Wild dogs will fill its houses. Owls will live there. Wild goats will jump around in it.Hyenas will live in its forts. Wild dogs will live in its beautiful palaces. The time for Babylon to be punished is near. Its days are numbered.

“ Cyrus, the king of Persia, says,“‘ The Lord is the God of heaven. He has given me all the kingdoms on earth. He has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem and build the Lord’ s temple. He is the God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem. And may their God be with them.The people still left alive in every place must bring gifts to the people going. They must provide silver and gold to the people going up to Jerusalem. The people must bring goods and livestock. They should also bring any offerings they choose to. All those gifts will be for God’s temple in Jerusalem.’ ”

“ Here is the way I want you to fast.“ Set free those who are held by chains without any reason. Untie the ropes that hold people as slaves. Set free those who are crushed. Break every evil chain.

Your sacred cities have become a desert. Even Zion is a desert. Jerusalem is a dry and empty place.

The men of Israel captured 200,000 wives, sons and daughters from their relatives in Judah. They also took a large amount of goods. They carried all of it back to Samaria.But a prophet of the Lord was there. His name was Oded. When the army returned to Samaria, he went out to meet them. He said to them,“ The Lord is the God of your people. He was very angry with Judah. So he handed them over to you. But you have killed them. Your anger reached all the way to heaven.Now you are planning to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves. But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the Lord your God?Listen to me! You have taken your relatives from Judah as prisoners. The Lord is very angry with you. So send your relatives back.”Then some of the leaders in Ephraim stood up to those who were returning from the war. The leaders were Azariah, Berekiah, Jehizkiah and Amasa. Azariah was the son of Jehohanan. Berekiah was the son of Meshillemoth. Jehizkiah was the son of Shallum. And Amasa was the son of Hadlai.“ Don’t bring those prisoners here,” they said.“ If you do, we’ll be guilty in the sight of the Lord. Do you really want to add to our sin and guilt? We’re already very guilty. The Lord is very angry with Israel.”So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and the goods they had taken. They did it in front of the officials and the whole community.Azariah, Berekiah, Jehizkiah and Amasa received the prisoners. From the goods that had been taken, they gave clothes to everyone who was naked. They gave them clothes, sandals, food, drink and healing lotion. They put all the weak people on donkeys. They took them back to their relatives at Jericho. Then they returned to Samaria. Jericho was also known as the City of Palm Trees.

I will reach out my powerful hand against them. The land will become dry and empty. Those people will live from the desert all the way to Diblah. They will know that I am the Lord.”

The Lord will reach out his powerful hand against the north. He will destroy Assyria. He’ll leave Nineveh totally empty. It will be as dry as a desert.Flocks and herds will lie down there. So will creatures of every kind. Desert owls and screech owls will rest on its pillars. The sound of their hooting will echo through the windows. The doorways will be full of trash. The cedar beams will be showing.