Isaiah 13

A Pronouncement against Babylon

1 A pronouncement  * 13:1 Is 14:28; 15:1; 17:1; 19:1; 21:1,11,13; 22:1; 23:1; 30:6 concerning Babylon  * 13:1 Is 13:19; 14:4; 47:1–15; Jr 24:1; 50:1–51:64; Mt 1:11; Rv 14:8 that Isaiah son of Amoz saw:

2 Lift up a banner on a barren mountain.  * 13:2 Is 5:26; Jr 50:2

Call out to them.

Signal with your hand, and they will go

through the gates of the nobles.

3 I have commanded my consecrated ones;

yes, I have called my warriors,

who celebrate my triumph,

to execute my wrath.  * 13:3 Ps 78:21,50; Ezk 5:15; 20:8

4 Listen, a commotion on the mountains,

like that of a mighty people!

Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms,

like nations being gathered together!

The Lord of Armies is mobilizing an army for war.

5 They are coming from a distant land,

from the farthest horizon —

the Lord and the weapons of his wrath —

to destroy the whole country.  * 13:5 Or earth

6 Wail! For the day of the  Lord is near.  * 13:6 Is 2:12; 10:3; 13:9; 34:2,8; 61:2; Ezk 30:3; Am 5:18; Zph 1:7

It will come as destruction from the Almighty.  * 13:6 Is 10:25; 14:23; Jl 1:15

7 Therefore everyone’s hands will become weak,

and every man will lose heart.

8 They will be horrified;

pain and agony will seize them;

they will be in anguish like a woman in labor.  * 13:8 Is 26:17; Jr 4:31; Jn 16:21

They will look at each other,

their faces flushed with fear.

9 Look, the day  * 13:9 Mt 25:13 of the  Lord is coming —

cruel, with fury and burning anger —

to make the earth a desolation

and to destroy its sinners.  * 13:9 Dt 32:43

10 Indeed, the stars of the sky and its constellations  * 13:10 Or Orions

will not give their light.

The sun will be dark when it rises,

and the moon will not shine.  * 13:10 Is 34:4; Mt 24:29; Mk 13:24–25; Lk 21:26; Rv 8:12

11 I will punish the world for its evil,  * 13:11 Jr 23:2; 36:31; 44:29

and wicked people for their iniquities.

I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant  * 13:11 Is 2:11; 23:9; Dn 5:22–23

and humiliate the insolence of tyrants.

12 I will make a human more scarce than fine gold,

and mankind more rare than the gold of Ophir.  * 13:12 1Kg 9:28; Jb 28:16; Ps 45:9

13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble,

and the earth will shake from its foundations  * 13:13 Ps 18:7; Is 2:19; 24:1,19–20; Hg 2:6

at the wrath of the  Lord of Armies,

on the day of his burning anger.

14 Like wandering gazelles

and like sheep without a shepherd,  * 13:14 1Kg 22:17; Mt 9:36; Mk 6:34; 1Pt 2:25

each one will turn to his own people,

each one will flee to his own land.

15 Whoever is found will be stabbed,

and whoever is caught will die by the sword.

16 Their children will be dashed to pieces before their eyes;  * 13:16 Ps 137:8–9; Is 13:18; 14:21; Hs 10:14; Nah 3:10

their houses will be looted,

and their wives raped.

17 Look! I am stirring up the Medes against them,  * 13:17 Jr 51:11; Dn 5:28

who cannot be bought off with  * 13:17 Lit who have no regard for  silver

and who have no desire for gold.

18 Their bows will cut young men to pieces.

They will have no compassion on offspring;

they will not look with pity on children.

19 And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms,

the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans,

will be like Sodom and Gomorrah

when God overthrew them.  * 13:19 Gn 19:24; Jr 14:18; 50:40; Am 4:11

20 It will never be inhabited

or lived in from generation to generation;  * 13:20 Is 14:23; 34:10–15; Jr 51:37–43

a nomad will not pitch his tent there,

and shepherds will not let their flocks rest there.

21 But desert creatures will lie down there,

and owls will fill the houses.

Ostriches will dwell there,

and wild goats will leap about.  * 13:21 Is 34:11–15; Zph 2:14; Rv 18:2

22 Hyenas will howl in the fortresses,

and jackals, in the luxurious palaces.

Babylon’s time is almost up;

her days are almost over.