24  The Lord of hosts has sworn:

^q“As I have planned,

so shall it be,

and as I have purposed,

so shall it stand,

26  ^d“‘Have you not heard

that I determined it long ago?

I planned from days of old

what now I bring to pass,

that you should make fortified cities

crash into heaps of ruins,

10  ^ydeclaring the end from the beginning

and from ancient times things not yet done,

saying, ^z‘My counsel shall stand,

and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

11  ^acalling a bird of prey from the east,

the man of my counsel from a far country.

^bI have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;

I have purposed, and I will do it.

11  so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but ^sit shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.