53 ^aThough Babylon were to¹ mount up to heaven,
And though she were to fortify the height of her strength,
Yet from Me plunderers would come to her,” says the Lord. ‡

54 ^aThe sound of a cry comes from Babylon,
And great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans, ‡

56 Because the plunderer comes against her, against Babylon,
And her mighty men are taken.
Every one of their bows is broken;
^aFor the Lord is the God of recompense,
He will surely repay. ‡

57 “And I will make drunk
Her princes and ^awise men,
Her governors, her deputies, and her mighty men.
And they shall sleep a perpetual sleep
And not awake,” says ^bthe King,
Whose name is the Lord of hosts.  ‡