Isaiah 13

1The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

2Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

3I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.

4The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.footnote a

5They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

6Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

7Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:footnote b

8And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.footnote cfootnote dfootnote e

9Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

10For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

11And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

12I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

13Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

14And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.

15Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.

16Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.

17Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.

18Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.

19And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.footnote f

20It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

21But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.footnote gfootnote hfootnote i

22And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.footnote jfootnote k

The Burden against Babylon

1This is the burden against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz received:

2Raise a banner on a barren hilltop;call aloud to them.Wave your hand,that they may enter the gates of the nobles. 3I have commanded My sanctified ones;I have even summoned My warriorsto execute My wrathand exult in My triumph. 4Listen, a tumult on the mountains,like that of a great multitude!Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms,like nations gathered together!The LORD of Hosts is mobilizingan army for war. 5They are coming from faraway lands,from the ends of the heavens—the LORD and the weapons of His wrath—to destroy the whole country.

6Wail, for the Day of the LORD is near;it will come as destruction from the Almighty.footnote a 7Therefore all hands will fall limp,and every man’s heart will melt. 8Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them;they will writhe like a woman in labor.They will look at one another,their faces flushed with fear.

9Behold, the Day of the LORD is coming—cruel, with fury and burning anger—to make the earth a desolationand to destroy the sinners within it. 10For the stars of heaven and their constellationswill not give their light.The rising sun will be darkened,and the moon will not give its light. 11I will punish the world for its eviland the wicked for their iniquity.I will end the haughtiness of the arrogantand lay low the pride of the ruthless. 12I will make man scarcer than pure gold,and mankind rarer than the gold of Ophir.

13Therefore I will make the heavens tremble,and the earth will be shaken from its placeat the wrath of the LORD of Hostson the day of His burning anger. 14Like a hunted gazelle,like a sheep without a shepherd,each will return to his own people,each will flee to his native land. 15Whoever is caught will be stabbed,and whoever is captured will die by the sword.

16Their infants will be dashed to piecesbefore their eyes,their houses will be looted,and their wives will be ravished. 17Behold, I will stir up against them the Medes,who have no regard for silverand no desire for gold. 18Their bows will dash young men to pieces;they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb;they will not look with pity on the children. 19And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms,the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans,will be overthrown by Godlike Sodom and Gomorrah.

20She will never be inhabitedor settled from generation to generation;no nomad will pitch his tent there,no shepherd will rest his flock there. 21But desert creatures will lie down there,and howling creatures will fill her houses.Ostrichesfootnote bwill dwell there,and wild goats will leap about. 22Hyenas will howl in her fortressesand jackalsfootnote cin her luxurious palaces.Babylon’s time is at hand,and her days will not be prolonged.