Isaiah 13

1The prophecy about Babylon that Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw.

2Raise a banner on the bare mountain! Cry out to them! Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.

3I have commanded those I consecrated; indeed, I have summoned my warriors for my wrath, even those exulting in my majesty.

4A sound of tumult in the mountains like a great people; a sound of uproar from kingdoms of nations gathered! Yahweh of hosts musters the army for battle.

5They come from a distant land, from the edge of the heavens—Yahweh and the weapons of his indignation—to destroy the whole earth.

6Howl, for the day of Yahweh is near and comes as destruction from the Almighty.

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

8They will be terrified, pangs and birth pains seizing them; they will writhe like a woman in labor, each man marveling at his neighbor, their faces faces of flame.

9See, the day of Yahweh comes, cruel with wrath and fury and anger, to make the land a desolation and destroy its sinners from it.

10For the stars of heaven and its constellations will not shine their light; the sun will be darkened in its rising, and the moon will not shine its light.

11I will punish the world for evil and the wicked for their iniquity; I will bring the arrogance of the proud to an end and humble the haughtiness of the tyrants.

12I will make mortals rarer than fine gold, and humans than the pure gold of Ophir.

13Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will quake from its place, in the outburst of Yahweh of hosts and on the day of the heat of his anger.

14It will be like a driven gazelle and like sheep that no one gathers; every man will turn to his people, and every man will flee to his land.

15All who are found will be pierced, and all who are taken will fall by the sword.

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

17See, I will rouse the Medes against them, who will not esteem silver and will not desire gold.

18Their bows will shatter the youths to pieces; they will show no compassion on the sons, fruit of the womb. Their eyes will not spare.

19Babylon, glory of kingdoms, beauty of the Chaldeans' pride, will become like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah by God.

20It will not be inhabited forever, nor dwelt in from generation to generation; no Arab will set up a tent there, nor will shepherds let their flocks lie down there.

21Wild desert beasts will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill their houses; owls will dwell there, and wild goats will leap there.

22Hyenas will cry out in their desolate houses, and jackals in the palaces of delight. Her time is near to come, and her days will not be drawn out.