An Oracle against Babylon
2
Lift up a banner on a barren mountain.(C)
Call out to them.
Wave your hand, and they will go
through the gates of the nobles.
3 Call out to them.
Wave your hand, and they will go
through the gates of the nobles.
I have commanded My chosen ones;
I have also called My warriors,
who exult in My triumph,
to execute My wrath.(D)
4 I have also called My warriors,
who exult in My triumph,
to execute My wrath.(D)
Listen, a tumult on the mountains,
like that of a mighty people!
Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms,
like nations being gathered together!
The Lord of Hosts is mobilizing an army for war.
5 like that of a mighty people!
Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms,
like nations being gathered together!
The Lord of Hosts is mobilizing an army for war.
They are coming from a far land,
from the distant horizon—
the Lord and the weapons of His wrath—
to destroy the whole country.(a)
from the distant horizon—
the Lord and the weapons of His wrath—
to destroy the whole country.(a)
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7
Therefore everyone’s hands will become weak,
and every man’s heart will melt.
8 and every man’s heart will melt.
They will be horrified;
pain and agony will seize them;
they will be in anguish like a woman in labor.(G)
They will look at each other,
their faces flushed with fear.
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10
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12
13 pain and agony will seize them;
they will be in anguish like a woman in labor.(G)
They will look at each other,
their faces flushed with fear.
Therefore I will make the heavens tremble,
and the earth will shake from its foundations(N)
at the wrath of the Lord of Hosts,
on the day of His burning anger.
14 and the earth will shake from its foundations(N)
at the wrath of the Lord of Hosts,
on the day of His burning anger.
Like wandering gazelles
and like sheep without a shepherd,(O)
each one will turn to his own people,
each one will flee to his own land.
15 and like sheep without a shepherd,(O)
each one will turn to his own people,
each one will flee to his own land.
Whoever is found will be stabbed,
and whoever is caught will die by the sword.
16 and whoever is caught will die by the sword.
Their children will be smashed to death before their eyes;(P)
their houses will be looted,
and their wives raped.
17
18 their houses will be looted,
and their wives raped.
Their bows will cut young men to pieces.
They will have no compassion on little ones;
they will not look with pity on children.
They will have no compassion on little ones;
they will not look with pity on children.
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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.(R)
20 the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans,
will be like Sodom and Gomorrah
when God overthrew them.(R)
It will never be inhabited
or lived in from generation to generation;(S)
a nomad will not pitch his tent there,
and shepherds will not let their flocks rest there.
21 or lived in from generation to generation;(S)
a nomad will not pitch his tent there,
and shepherds will not let their flocks rest there.
But desert creatures will lie down there,
and owls will fill the houses.
Ostriches will dwell there,
and wild goats will leap about.(T)
22 and owls will fill the houses.
Ostriches will dwell there,
and wild goats will leap about.(T)
Hyenas will howl in the fortresses,
and jackals, in the luxurious palaces.
Babylon’s time is almost up;
her days are almost over.
and jackals, in the luxurious palaces.
Babylon’s time is almost up;
her days are almost over.
Footnotes:
a.
Isaiah 13:5: Or earth
b.
Isaiah 13:10: Or Orions
c.
Isaiah 13:17: Lit who have no regard for
Cross references:
A.
Isaiah 13:1:
Isaiah 14:28; Isaiah 15:1; Isaiah 17:1; Isaiah 19:1; Isaiah 21:1; Isaiah 21:11; Isaiah 21:13; Isaiah 22:1; Isaiah 23:1; Isaiah 30:6
B.
Isaiah 13:1:
Isaiah 13:19; Isaiah 14:4; Isaiah 47:1-15; Jeremiah 24:1; Jeremiah 50:1-51; Matthew 1:11