Focused Passage

Isaiah 13:1-8

The Oracle Against Babylon and the Day of the LORD

The chapter moves from the announcement of an oracle against Babylon, to the LORD mustering his consecrated warriors, to the terror of the day of the LORD, to cosmic judgment and human anguish, to the punishment of arrogance, to the Medes being stirred against Babylon, and finally to Babylon’s irreversible desolation.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1This is the burden against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz received:

2Raise a banner on a barren hilltop; call aloud to them. Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.

3I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have even summoned My warriors to execute My wrath and exult in My triumph.

4Listen, a tumult on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations gathered together! The LORD of Hosts is mobilizing an army for war.

5They are coming from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens—the LORD and the weapons of His wrath—to destroy the whole country.

6Wail, for the Day of the LORD is near; it will come as destruction from the Almighty.

7Therefore all hands will fall limp, and every man’s heart will melt.

8Terror, pain, and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look at one another, their faces flushed with fear.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

[This is] the burdenמַשָּׂ֖אH4853Noun - masculine singular constructagainst Babylonבָּבֶ֑לH894Noun - proper - feminine singularthatאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativeIsaiahיְשַׁעְיָ֖הוּH3470Noun - proper - masculine singularsonבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular constructof Amozאָמֽוֹץ׃H531Noun - proper - masculine singularreceivedחָזָ֔הH2372Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 2

Original words

Raiseשְֽׂאוּ־H5375Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plurala bannerנֵ֔סH5251Noun - masculine singularonעַ֤לH5921Prepositiona barrenנִשְׁפֶּה֙H8192Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularhilltopהַר־H2022Noun - masculine singularcallהָרִ֥ימוּH7311Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralaloudק֖וֹלH6963Noun - masculine singularto themלָהֶ֑םPreposition | third person masculine pluralWaveהָנִ֣יפוּH5130Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralyour handיָ֔דH3027Noun - feminine singularthat they may enterוְיָבֹ֖אוּH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine pluralthe gatesפִּתְחֵ֥יH6607Noun - masculine plural constructof the noblesנְדִיבִֽים׃H5081Adjective - masculine plural
Verse 3

Original words

Iאֲנִ֥יH589Pronoun - first person common singularhave commandedצִוֵּ֖יתִיH6680Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singularMy sanctified onesלִמְקֻדָּשָׁ֑יH6942Preposition-l | Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singularI have evenגַּ֣םH1571Conjunctionsummonedקָרָ֤אתִיH7121Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularMy warriorsגִבּוֹרַי֙H1368Adjective - masculine plural construct | first person common singularto execute My wrathלְאַפִּ֔יH639Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular[and] exultעַלִּיזֵ֖יH5947Adjective - masculine plural constructin My triumphגַּאֲוָתִֽי׃H1346Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 4

Original words

Listenק֥וֹלH6963Noun - masculine singular constructa tumultהָמ֛וֹןH1995Noun - masculine singularon the mountainsבֶּֽהָרִ֖יםH2022Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plurallike thatדְּמ֣וּתH1823Noun - feminine singularof a greatרָ֑בH7227Adjective - masculine singularmultitudeעַם־H5971Noun - masculine singularListenק֠וֹלH6963Noun - masculine singular constructan uproarשְׁא֞וֹןH7588Noun - masculine singular constructamong the kingdomsמַמְלְכ֤וֹתH4467Noun - feminine plural constructlike nationsגּוֹיִם֙H1471Noun - masculine pluralgathered togetherנֶֽאֱסָפִ֔יםH622Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine pluralThe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularof Hostsצְבָא֔וֹתH6635Noun - common pluralis mobilizingמְפַקֵּ֖דH6485Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularan armyצְבָ֥אH6635Noun - common singular constructfor warמִלְחָמָֽה׃H4421Noun - feminine singular
Verse 5

Original words

They are comingבָּאִ֛יםH935Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralfrom farawayמֶרְחָ֖קH4801Noun - masculine singularlandsמֵאֶ֥רֶץH776Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructfrom the endsמִקְצֵ֣הH7097Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructof the heavensהַשָּׁמָ֑יִםH8064Article | Noun - masculine pluralthe LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularand the weaponsוּכְלֵ֣יH3627Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural constructof His wrathזַעְמ֔וֹH2195Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularto destroyלְחַבֵּ֖לH2254Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructthe wholeכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructcountryהָאָֽרֶץ׃H776Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 6

Original words

Wailהֵילִ֕ילוּH3213Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralforכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionthe Dayי֣וֹםH3117Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularis nearקָר֖וֹבH7138Adjective - masculine singularit will comeיָבֽוֹא׃H935Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularas destructionכְּשֹׁ֖דH7701Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singularfrom the Almightyמִשַּׁדַּ֥יH7706Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Hebrew Shaddai
Verse 7

Original words

Thereforeעַל־H5921Preposition. . .כֵּ֖ןH3651Adverballכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructhandsיָדַ֣יִםH3027Noun - fdwill fall limpתִּרְפֶּ֑ינָהH7503Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine pluraland everyוְכָל־H3605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructman’sאֱנ֖וֹשׁH582Noun - masculine singularheartלְבַ֥בH3824Noun - masculine singular constructwill meltיִמָּס׃H4549Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 8

Original words

Terrorוְֽנִבְהָ֓לוּ׀H926Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralpainצִירִ֤יםH6735Noun - masculine pluraland anguishוַֽחֲבָלִים֙H2256Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine pluralwill seize themיֹֽאחֵז֔וּןH270Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nunthey will writheיְחִיל֑וּןH2342Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nunlike a woman in laborכַּיּוֹלֵדָ֖הH3205Preposition-k, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularThey will look atאֶל־H413Prepositiononeאִ֤ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularanotherרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙H7453Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singulartheir facesפְּנֵ֥יH6440Noun - common plural constructflushedלְהָבִ֖יםH3851Noun - masculine plural. . .פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃H6440Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine pluralwith fearיִתְמָ֔הוּH8539Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.