Isaiah 13

King James Version

Full text for Isaiah Chapter 13

1¶ The 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.

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.

6¶ Howl 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:

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.

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.

18[Their] 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.

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

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.

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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Isaiah pronounces a divine burden against Babylon, foretelling its utter destruction. The Lord of hosts gathers nations from afar to execute His fierce anger, bringing a 'Day of the Lord' marked by cosmic disturbances and widespread terror. Babylon, once the glory of kingdoms, is destined for complete desolation, never to be inhabited again.

Medium Summary

The prophecy begins with Isaiah's vision of the burden against Babylon, where the Lord commands His sanctified and mighty ones to lift a banner for battle. A tumultuous host of nations, gathered by the Lord of hosts, approaches from a far country to destroy the land. This impending 'Day of the Lord' is described as a cruel time of wrath, causing all hands to be faint and hearts to melt, with pangs like a woman in travail. Cosmic signs, including the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars, will accompany this judgment, as the Lord punishes the world for its evil and humbles the proud. The Medes are specifically named as the instruments of God's wrath, showing no pity, leading to Babylon's complete and eternal desolation, likened to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Long Summary

Isaiah's prophecy, titled 'The burden of Babylon,' details a severe judgment against the mighty city. The Lord commands a banner to be lifted on a high mountain, calling His sanctified and mighty ones, those who rejoice in His highness, to assemble. A great multitude of nations, mustered by the Lord of hosts, gathers from the ends of heaven, signifying the divine orchestration of this impending battle. The chapter warns of the 'Day of the Lord,' a time of destruction from the Almighty, which will cause all men's hearts to melt and fill them with terror and pain. This day is depicted as cruel, bringing wrath and fierce anger to lay the land desolate and destroy its sinners. Cosmic phenomena will accompany this judgment, with the stars, sun, and moon withholding their light, symbolizing a profound disruption of the natural order. The Lord declares His intent to punish the world for its evil, to humble the arrogant, and to lay low the haughtiness of the terrible, making man more precious than fine gold in the aftermath of the devastation. The heavens will shake, and the earth will remove out of its place in the Lord's fierce anger. The inhabitants will flee like a chased roe, seeking their own lands, but many will be thrust through by the sword. The prophecy explicitly states that the Medes will be stirred up against Babylon, a people who disregard silver and gold, indicating their merciless nature. They will dash young men to pieces, show no pity on children, and ravish wives. Ultimately, Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, will be overthrown like Sodom and Gomorrah, never to be inhabited again, becoming a desolate dwelling for wild beasts, owls, satyrs, and dragons, signifying its complete and permanent ruin.

Core Concepts

  • Burden of BabylonThis refers to the prophetic pronouncement or oracle of judgment delivered by Isaiah specifically against the city and empire of Babylon.
  • The Day of the LordA recurring theme in prophecy, this signifies a specific time of divine intervention and judgment, characterized by God's wrath, destruction, and cosmic disturbances.
  • Divine Mobilization of NationsThe Lord of hosts actively gathers and commands various nations, including His 'sanctified ones' and 'mighty ones,' to serve as instruments of His anger against Babylon.
  • Cosmic and Terrestrial UpheavalThe prophecy describes the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars, along with the shaking of the heavens and earth, as signs accompanying God's fierce anger and judgment.
  • The Medes as God's InstrumentThe Medes are specifically identified as the agents whom the Lord will stir up against Babylon, noted for their mercilessness and disregard for material wealth.
  • Utter Desolation of BabylonBabylon's fate is prophesied as complete and permanent ruin, likened to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, becoming an uninhabited wasteland for wild beasts.