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1This is a message about Babylon that God revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz:[#sn Isa 13-23 contains a series of judgment oracles against various nations. It is likely that Israel, not the nations mentioned, actually heard these oracles. The oracles probably had a twofold purpose. For those leaders who insisted on getting embroiled in international politics, these oracles were a reminder that Judah need not fear foreign nations or seek international alliances for security reasons. For the righteous remnant within the nation, these oracles were a reminder that Israel’s God was indeed the sovereign ruler of the earth, worthy of his people’s trust.; #tn Heb “The message [traditionally, “burden”] [about] Babylon which Isaiah son of Amoz saw.”]
2On a bare hill raise a signal flag,[#sn The Lord is speaking here (see v. 3).]
shout to them,
wave your hand,
so they might enter the gates of the princes!
3I have given orders to my chosen soldiers;[#tn Heb “my consecrated ones,” i.e., those who have been set apart by God for the special task of carrying out his judgment.]
I have summoned the warriors through whom I will vent my anger,
my boasting, arrogant ones.
4There is a loud noise on the mountains –[#sn In vv. 4-10 the prophet appears to be speaking, since the Lord is referred to in the third person. However, since the Lord refers to himself in the third person later in this chapter (see v. 13), it is possible that he speaks throughout the chapter.]
it sounds like a large army!
There is great commotion among the kingdoms –
nations are being assembled!
The Lord who commands armies is mustering
forces for battle.
5They come from a distant land,
from the horizon.
It is the Lord with his instruments of judgment,
coming to destroy the whole earth.
6Wail, for the Lord ’s day of judgment is near;[#tn Heb “the day of the Lord” (so KJV, NAB).]
it comes with all the destructive power of the sovereign judge.
7For this reason all hands hang limp,[#tn Heb “drop”; KJV “be faint”; ASV “be feeble”; NAB “fall helpless.”]
every human heart loses its courage.
8They panic –
cramps and pain seize hold of them
like those of a woman who is straining to give birth.
They look at one another in astonishment;
their faces are flushed red.
9Look, the Lord ’s day of judgment is coming;[#tn Heb “the day of the Lord.”]
it is a day of cruelty and savage, raging anger,
destroying the earth
and annihilating its sinners.
10Indeed the stars in the sky and their constellations
no longer give out their light;
the sun is darkened as soon as it rises,
and the moon does not shine.
11I will punish the world for its evil,[#sn The Lord is definitely speaking (again?) at this point. See the note at v. 4.; #tn Or “I will bring disaster on the world.” Hebrew רָעָה (ra’ah) could refer to the judgment (i.e., disaster, calamity) or to the evil that prompts it. The structure of the parallel line favors the latter interpretation.]
and wicked people for their sin.
I will put an end to the pride of the insolent,
I will bring down the arrogance of tyrants.
12I will make human beings more scarce than pure gold,
and people more scarce than gold from Ophir.
13So I will shake the heavens,[#tn Or “the sky.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.]
and the earth will shake loose from its foundation,
because of the fury of the Lord who commands armies,
in the day he vents his raging anger.
14Like a frightened gazelle[#tn Or “like a gazelle being chased.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.]
or a sheep with no shepherd,
each will turn toward home,
each will run to his homeland.
15Everyone who is caught will be stabbed;
everyone who is seized will die by the sword.
16Their children will be smashed to pieces before their very eyes;
their houses will be looted
and their wives raped.
17Look, I am stirring up the Medes to attack them;[#tn Heb “against them”; NLT “against Babylon.”]
they are not concerned about silver,
nor are they interested in gold.
18Their arrows will cut young men to ribbons;[#tn Heb “and bows cut to bits young men.” “Bows” stands by metonymy for arrows.]
they have no compassion on a person’s offspring,
they will not look with pity on children.
19Babylon, the most admired of kingdoms,[#tn Or “most beautiful” (NCV, TEV).]
the Chaldeans’ source of honor and pride,
will be destroyed by God
just as Sodom and Gomorrah were.
20No one will live there again;
no one will ever reside there again.
No bedouin will camp there,
no shepherds will rest their flocks there.
21Wild animals will rest there,
the ruined houses will be full of hyenas.
Ostriches will live there,
wild goats will skip among the ruins.
22Wild dogs will yip in her ruined fortresses,
jackals will yelp in the once-splendid palaces.
Her time is almost up,
her days will not be prolonged.