Study Desk

A Prophecy Against Babylon

A prophecy^(a) against Babylon^(b) that Isaiah son of Amoz^(c) saw:^(d)

Raise a banner^(e) on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates^(f) of the nobles.

I have commanded those I prepared for battle; I have summoned my warriors^(g) to carry out my wrath^(h)— those who rejoice⁽ⁱ⁾ in my triumph.

Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude!^(j) Listen, an uproar^(k) among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The Lord Almighty^(l) is mustering^(m) an army for war.

They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens⁽ⁿ⁾— the Lord and the weapons^(o) of his wrath^(p)— to destroy^(q) the whole country.

Wail,^(r) for the day^(s) of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction^(t) from the Almighty.^[a](u)

Because of this, all hands will go limp,^(v) every heart will melt with fear.^(w)

Terror^(x) will seize them, pain and anguish will grip^(y) them; they will writhe like a woman in labor.^(z) They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame.^(aa)

See, the day^(ab) of the Lord is coming —a cruel^(ac) day, with wrath^(ad) and fierce anger^(ae)— to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it.

The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light.^(af) The rising sun^(ag) will be darkened^(ah) and the moon will not give its light.^(ai)

I will punish^(aj) the world for its evil, the wicked^(ak) for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty^(al) and will humble^(am) the pride of the ruthless.^(an)

I will make people^(ao) scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir.^(ap)

Therefore I will make the heavens tremble;^(aq) and the earth will shake^(ar) from its place at the wrath^(as) of the Lord Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.^(at)

Like a hunted^(au) gazelle, like sheep without a shepherd,^(av) they will all return to their own people, they will flee^(aw) to their native land.^(ax)

Whoever is captured will be thrust through; all who are caught will fall^(ay) by the sword.^(az)

Their infants^(ba) will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses will be looted and their wives violated.^(bb)

See, I will stir up^(bc) against them the Medes,^(bd) who do not care for silver and have no delight in gold.^(be)

Their bows^(bf) will strike down the young men;^(bg) they will have no mercy^(bh) on infants, nor will they look with compassion on children.^(bi)

Babylon,^(bj) the jewel of kingdoms,^(bk) the pride and glory^(bl) of the Babylonians,^[b] will be overthrown^(bm) by God like Sodom and Gomorrah.^(bn)

She will never be inhabited^(bo) or lived in through all generations; there no nomads^(bp) will pitch their tents, there no shepherds will rest their flocks.

But desert creatures^(bq) will lie there, jackals^(br) will fill her houses; there the owls^(bs) will dwell, and there the wild goats^(bt) will leap about.

Hyenas^(bu) will inhabit her strongholds,^(bv) jackals^(bw) her luxurious palaces. Her time is at hand,^(bx) and her days will not be prolonged.^(by)

The Lord will have compassion^(a) on Jacob; once again he will choose^(b) Israel and will settle them in their own land.^(c) Foreigners^(d) will join them and unite with the descendants of Jacob.

Nations will take them and bring^(e) them to their own place. And Israel will take possession of the nations^(f) and make them male and female servants in the Lord 's land. They will make captives^(g) of their captors and rule over their oppressors.^(h)

On the day the Lord gives you relief⁽ⁱ⁾ from your suffering and turmoil^(j) and from the harsh labor forced on you,^(k)

you will take up this taunt^(l) against the king of Babylon:^(m) How the oppressor⁽ⁿ⁾ has come to an end! How his fury^[a] has ended!

The Lord has broken the rod^(o) of the wicked,^(p) the scepter^(q) of the rulers,

which in anger struck down peoples^(r) with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued^(s) nations with relentless aggression.^(t)

All the lands are at rest and at peace;^(u) they break into singing.^(v)

Even the junipers^(w) and the cedars of Lebanon gloat over you and say, "Now that you have been laid low, no one comes to cut us down."^(x)

The realm of the dead^(y) below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed^(z) to greet you— all those who were leaders^(aa) in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones— all those who were kings over the nations.^(ab)

They will all respond, they will say to you, "You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us."^(ac)

All your pomp has been brought down to the grave,^(ad) along with the noise of your harps;^(ae) maggots are spread out beneath you and worms^(af) cover you.^(ag)

How you have fallen^(ah) from heaven, morning star,^(ai) son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!^(aj)

You said in your heart, "I will ascend^(ak) to the heavens; I will raise my throne^(al) above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,^(am) on the utmost heights^(an) of Mount Zaphon.^[b]

I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;^(ao) I will make myself like the Most High."^(ap)

But you are brought down^(aq) to the realm of the dead,^(ar) to the depths^(as) of the pit.^(at)

Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate:^(au) "Is this the man who shook^(av) the earth and made kingdoms tremble,

the man who made the world a wilderness,^(aw) who overthrew^(ax) its cities and would not let his captives go home?"^(ay)

All the kings of the nations lie in state, each in his own tomb.^(az)

But you are cast out^(ba) of your tomb like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain,^(bb) with those pierced by the sword,^(bc) those who descend to the stones of the pit.^(bd) Like a corpse trampled underfoot,

you will not join them in burial,^(be) for you have destroyed your land and killed your people. Let the offspring^(bf) of the wicked^(bg) never be mentioned^(bh) again.

Prepare a place to slaughter his children^(bi) for the sins of their ancestors;^(bj) they are not to rise to inherit the land and cover the earth with their cities.

"I will rise up^(bk) against them," declares the Lord Almighty. "I will wipe out Babylon's name^(bl) and survivors, her offspring and descendants,^(bm)" declares the Lord .

"I will turn her into a place for owls^(bn) and into swampland; I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,^(bo)" declares the Lord Almighty.^(bp)

The Lord Almighty has sworn,^(bq) "Surely, as I have planned,^(br) so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.^(bs)

I will crush the Assyrian^(bt) in my land; on my mountains I will trample him down. His yoke^(bu) will be taken from my people, and his burden removed from their shoulders.^(bv)"

This is the plan^(bw) determined for the whole world; this is the hand^(bx) stretched out over all nations.

For the Lord Almighty has purposed,^(by) and who can thwart him? His hand^(bz) is stretched out, and who can turn it back?^(ca)

This prophecy^(cb) came in the year^(cc) King Ahaz^(cd) died:

Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,^(ce) that the rod that struck you is broken; from the root of that snake will spring up a viper,^(cf) its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.^(cg)

The poorest of the poor will find pasture, and the needy^(ch) will lie down in safety.^(ci) But your root I will destroy by famine;^(cj) it will slay^(ck) your survivors.^(cl)

Wail,^(cm) you gate!^(cn) Howl, you city! Melt away, all you Philistines!^(co) A cloud of smoke comes from the north,^(cp) and there is not a straggler in its ranks.^(cq)

What answer shall be given to the envoys^(cr) of that nation? "The Lord has established Zion,^(cs) and in her his afflicted people will find refuge.^(ct)"

A prophecy^(b) against Moab:^(c) Ar^(d) in Moab is ruined,^(e) destroyed in a night! Kir^(f) in Moab is ruined, destroyed in a night!

Dibon^(g) goes up to its temple, to its high places^(h) to weep; Moab wails⁽ⁱ⁾ over Nebo^(j) and Medeba. Every head is shaved^(k) and every beard cut off.^(l)

In the streets they wear sackcloth;^(m) on the roofs⁽ⁿ⁾ and in the public squares^(o) they all wail,^(p) prostrate with weeping.^(q)

Heshbon^(r) and Elealeh^(s) cry out, their voices are heard all the way to Jahaz.^(t) Therefore the armed men of Moab cry out, and their hearts are faint.

My heart cries out^(u) over Moab;^(v) her fugitives^(w) flee as far as Zoar,^(x) as far as Eglath Shelishiyah. They go up the hill to Luhith, weeping as they go; on the road to Horonaim^(y) they lament their destruction.^(z)

The waters of Nimrim are dried up^(aa) and the grass is withered;^(ab) the vegetation is gone^(ac) and nothing green is left.^(ad)

So the wealth they have acquired^(ae) and stored up they carry away over the Ravine of the Poplars.

Their outcry echoes along the border of Moab; their wailing reaches as far as Eglaim, their lamentation as far as Beer^(af) Elim.

The waters of Dimon^[a] are full of blood, but I will bring still more upon Dimon^[b]— a lion^(ag) upon the fugitives of Moab^(ah) and upon those who remain in the land.

Send lambs^(a) as tribute^(b) to the ruler of the land, from Sela,^(c) across the desert, to the mount of Daughter Zion.^(d)

Like fluttering birds pushed from the nest,^(e) so are the women of Moab^(f) at the fords^(g) of the Arnon.^(h)

"Make up your mind," Moab says. "Render a decision. Make your shadow like night— at high noon. Hide the fugitives,⁽ⁱ⁾ do not betray the refugees.

Let the Moabite fugitives stay with you; be their shelter^(j) from the destroyer." The oppressor^(k) will come to an end, and destruction will cease;^(l) the aggressor will vanish from the land.

In love a throne^(m) will be established;⁽ⁿ⁾ in faithfulness a man will sit on it— one from the house^[a] of David^(o)— one who in judging seeks justice^(p) and speeds the cause of righteousness.

We have heard of Moab's^(q) pride^(r)— how great is her arrogance!— of her conceit, her pride and her insolence; but her boasts are empty.

Therefore the Moabites wail,^(s) they wail together for Moab. Lament and grieve for the raisin cakes^(t) of Kir Hareseth.^(u)

The fields of Heshbon^(v) wither,^(w) the vines of Sibmah^(x) also. The rulers of the nations have trampled down the choicest vines,^(y) which once reached Jazer^(z) and spread toward the desert. Their shoots spread out^(aa) and went as far as the sea.^[b](ab)

So I weep,^(ac) as Jazer weeps, for the vines of Sibmah. Heshbon and Elealeh,^(ad) I drench you with tears!^(ae) The shouts of joy^(af) over your ripened fruit and over your harvests^(ag) have been stilled.

Joy and gladness are taken away from the orchards;^(ah) no one sings or shouts^(ai) in the vineyards; no one treads^(aj) out wine at the presses,^(ak) for I have put an end to the shouting.

My heart laments for Moab^(al) like a harp,^(am) my inmost being^(an) for Kir Hareseth.

When Moab appears at her high place,^(ao) she only wears herself out; when she goes to her shrine^(ap) to pray, it is to no avail.^(aq)

This is the word the Lord has already spoken concerning Moab.

But now the Lord says: "Within three years,^(ar) as a servant bound by contract^(as) would count them,^(at) Moab's splendor and all her many people will be despised,^(au) and her survivors will be very few and feeble."^(av)

A prophecy^(a) against Damascus:^(b) "See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins.^(c)

The cities of Aroer^(d) will be deserted and left to flocks,^(e) which will lie down,^(f) with no one to make them afraid.^(g)

The fortified^(h) city will disappear from Ephraim, and royal power from Damascus; the remnant of Aram will be like the glory⁽ⁱ⁾ of the Israelites,"^(j) declares the Lord Almighty.

"In that day^(k) the glory^(l) of Jacob will fade; the fat of his body will waste^(m) away.

It will be as when reapers harvest the standing grain, gathering⁽ⁿ⁾ the grain in their arms— as when someone gleans heads of grain^(o) in the Valley of Rephaim.^(p)

Yet some gleanings will remain,^(q) as when an olive tree is beaten,^(r) leaving two or three olives on the topmost branches, four or five on the fruitful boughs," declares the Lord , the God of Israel.

In that day^(s) people will look^(t) to their Maker^(u) and turn their eyes to the Holy One^(v) of Israel.

They will not look to the altars,^(w) the work of their hands,^(x) and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles^[a](y) and the incense altars their fingers^(z) have made.

In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth.^(aa) And all will be desolation.

You have forgotten^(ab) God your Savior;^(ac) you have not remembered the Rock,^(ad) your fortress.^(ae) Therefore, though you set out the finest plants and plant imported vines,^(af)

though on the day you set them out, you make them grow, and on the morning^(ag) when you plant them, you bring them to bud, yet the harvest^(ah) will be as nothing^(ai) in the day of disease and incurable^(aj) pain.^(ak)

Woe to the many nations that rage^(al)— they rage like the raging sea!^(am) Woe to the peoples who roar^(an)— they roar like the roaring of great waters!^(ao)

Although the peoples roar^(ap) like the roar of surging waters, when he rebukes^(aq) them they flee^(ar) far away, driven before the wind like chaff^(as) on the hills, like tumbleweed before a gale.^(at)

In the evening, sudden^(au) terror!^(av) Before the morning, they are gone!^(aw) This is the portion of those who loot us, the lot of those who plunder us.