26  O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth,

and roll in ashes;

make mourning as ^wfor an only son,

most bitter lamentation,

for suddenly the destroyer

will come upon us.

12  Upon all the bare heights in the desert

destroyers have come,

for the sword of the Lord devours

from one end of the land to the other;

no flesh has peace.

8  I have made their widows more in number

than the sand of the seas;

I have brought against the mothers of young men

a destroyer ^pat noonday;

I have made anguish and terror

fall upon them suddenly.

48  Then the heavens and the earth,

and all that is in them,

shall ^lsing for joy over Babylon,

for the destroyers shall come against them out of the ^mnorth,

declares the Lord.

53  Though Babylon should mount up to heaven,

and though she should fortify her strong height,

yet destroyers would come from me against her,

declares the Lord.

56  for a destroyer has come upon her,

upon Babylon;

her warriors are taken;

their bows are broken in pieces,

for the Lord is a God of recompense;

he will surely repay.