13:1  The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw:

13:2  "Lift up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice to them, wave the hand, so that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

13:3  I have commanded My holy ones, I have also called My mighty ones for My anger, even those who rejoice in My triumph."

13:4  The noise of a multitude in the mountains, as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together; the LORD of hosts gathers an army for the battle.

13:5  They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, the LORD and the weapons of His indignation, to destroy the whole earth.

13:6  Howl! For the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

13:7  Therefore, all hands shall be faint, and every man's heart shall melt;

13:8  And they shall be afraid. Pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them. They shall be in pain like a woman who travails. They shall be amazed at one another, their faces are like blazing fire.

13:9  Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to make the earth a desolation; and He shall destroy the sinners out of it,

13:10  For the stars of the heavens and their constellations shall not give light; the sun shall be darkened in its going forth, and the moon shall not reflect its light.

13:11  "And 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 tyrants.

13:12  I will make man more scarce than gold; even man more than the fine gold of Ophir.

13:13  Therefore, I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall move out of its place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger.

13:14  And it shall be as a hunted gazelle, and as sheep without a shepherd; each man shall look to his own people, and each one shall flee into his own land.

13:15  Everyone who is found shall be thrust through; and everyone who is captured shall fall by the sword.

13:16  And their children shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be plundered, and their wives raped.

13:17  Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, who shall not value silver; and they shall not delight in gold.

13:18  And their bows 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.

13:19  And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the majestic beauty of the Chaldees, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

13:20  It shall never be inhabited forever, nor shall people dwell in it from generation to generation; nor shall the Arabian pitch his tent there; nor shall the shepherds make their flocks to lie down there.

13:21  But the wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of howling creatures; and ostriches shall dwell there, and he-goats shall dance there.

13:22  And hyenas shall cry in their towers, and jackals in their luxuriant palaces. Yea, her time is coming near, and her days shall not be prolonged."