Isaiah 13

1The oracle concerning Babylon, which Isaiah son of Amoz saw.

2On a bare mountain raise a signal; lift up the voice to them; wave the hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.

3I myself have commanded my consecrated ones; I have also summoned my warriors for my anger, my proudly exulting ones.

4The sound of a multitude in the mountains, like a great people! The sound of an uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathered together! Yahweh of hosts is mustering an army for battle.

5They are coming from a distant land, from the end of the heavens— Yahweh and the weapons of his wrath— to destroy the whole earth.

6Wail, for the day of Yahweh is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty.

7Therefore all hands will grow weak, and every human heart will melt.

8They will be dismayed; pains and labor pangs will seize them. They will writhe like a woman giving birth. Each man will stare at his neighbor; their faces will be faces of flame.

9Behold, the day of Yahweh is coming—cruel, with wrath and fierce anger—to make the land a desolation, and he will destroy its sinners from it.

10For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun is darkened at its rising, and the moon will not make its light shine.

11And I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant, and I will humble the haughtiness of the ruthless.

12I will make mortal man rarer than fine gold, and mankind than the gold of Ophir.

13Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will shake from its place, at the fury of Yahweh of Armies, in the day of his burning anger.

14And it will be like a hunted gazelle, and like sheep with no one to gather them; each man will turn to his own people, and each will flee to his own land.

15Everyone who is found will be pierced through, and everyone who is caught will fall by the sword.

16Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses will be plundered, and their wives raped.

17Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who do not value silver and do not delight in gold.

18And their bows will dash young men to pieces; they will show no compassion on the fruit of the womb; their eyes will not spare children.

19And Babylon, the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans’ pride, will be like God’s overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah.

20It will never be inhabited, and it will not be dwelt in from generation to generation; no Arab will pitch his tent there, and shepherds will not make their flocks lie down there.

21But desert creatures will lie down there, and their houses will be full of owls; ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will dance there.

22Hyenas will cry out in her palaces, and jackals in her luxurious halls. Her time is near to come, and her days will not be prolonged.