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?’

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?”

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

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

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?”

Fire burns in front of them, and flames follow after them. Ahead of them the land lies as beautiful as the Garden of Eden. Behind them is nothing but desolation; not one thing escapes.

I will raise up Cyrus to fulfill my righteous purpose, and I will guide his actions. He will restore my city and free my captive people— without seeking a reward! I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”

Babylon, the most glorious of kingdoms, the flower of Chaldean pride, will be devastated like Sodom and Gomorrah when God destroyed them.Babylon will never be inhabited again. It will remain empty for generation after generation. Nomads will refuse to camp there, and shepherds will not bed down their sheep.Desert animals will move into the ruined city, and the houses will be haunted by howling creatures. Owls will live among the ruins, and wild goats will go there to dance.Hyenas will howl in its fortresses, and jackals will make dens in its luxurious palaces. Babylon’s days are numbered; its time of destruction will soon arrive.

“ This is what King Cyrus of Persia says:“ The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.Any of you who are his people may go to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives in Jerusalem. And may your God be with you!Wherever this Jewish remnant is found, let their neighbors contribute toward their expenses by giving them silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock, as well as a voluntary offering for the Temple of God in Jerusalem.”

“ No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people.

Your holy cities are destroyed. Zion is a wilderness; yes, Jerusalem is a desolate ruin.

The armies of Israel captured 200,000 women and children from Judah and seized tremendous amounts of plunder, which they took back to Samaria.But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there in Samaria when the army of Israel returned home. He went out to meet them and said,“ The Lord, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah and let you defeat them. But you have gone too far, killing them without mercy, and all heaven is disturbed.And now you are planning to make slaves of these people from Judah and Jerusalem. What about your own sins against the Lord your God?Listen to me and return these prisoners you have taken, for they are your own relatives. Watch out, because now the Lord’s fierce anger has been turned against you!”Then some of the leaders of Israel— Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai— agreed with this and confronted the men returning from battle.“ You must not bring the prisoners here!” they declared.“ We cannot afford to add to our sins and guilt. Our guilt is already great, and the Lord’s fierce anger is already turned against Israel.”So the warriors released the prisoners and handed over the plunder in the sight of the leaders and all the people.Then the four men just mentioned by name came forward and distributed clothes from the plunder to the prisoners who were naked. They provided clothing and sandals to wear, gave them enough food and drink, and dressed their wounds with olive oil. They put those who were weak on donkeys and took all the prisoners back to their own people in Jericho, the city of palms. Then they returned to Samaria.

I will crush them and make their cities desolate from the wilderness in the south to Riblah in the north. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

And the Lord will strike the lands of the north with his fist, destroying the land of Assyria. He will make its great capital, Nineveh, a desolate wasteland, parched like a desert.The proud city will become a pasture for flocks and herds, and all sorts of wild animals will settle there. The desert owl and screech owl will roost on its ruined columns, their calls echoing through the gaping windows. Rubble will block all the doorways, and the cedar paneling will be exposed to the weather.