Isaiah

Prophecies about judgment and salvation, promising hope and a savior.

Chapter 13

1 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

*Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw a message about Babylon's judgment.

2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

*Raise a flag on a tall mountain, shout loudly, and wave your hand so they can enter the important people's gates.

3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.

*I've told my holy ones to come, and I've called my strong ones too, because of my anger. They are the ones who celebrate my greatness.

4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.

*A loud sound of many people in the mountains, like a huge crowd; a big noisy group of countries coming together: the powerful Lord gathers the army for the fight.

5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

*They arrive from a distant land, from the farthest part of the sky, it's God and his tools of anger, to ruin everything in the area.

6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

*Shout, because the day of the Lord is near; it will arrive as a devastation from the all-powerful God.

7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:

*So, everyone's hands will grow weak, and all people's hearts will lose strength.

8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

*People will be scared, feeling lots of pain and sadness. They'll hurt like a pregnant woman. They'll be shocked by each other. Their faces will look like they're on fire.

9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

*Look, the day when God arrives will be full of anger and strong rage. It will leave the land empty and destroyed. He will get rid of the wicked people from that place.

10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

*The stars and patterns in the sky won't shine brightly. The sun will be dim when it appears, and the moon won't shine its light.

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 terrible.

*I will punish the world for its bad actions and bad people for their wrongdoings. I will stop the prideful from being proud and bring down the powerful.

12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

*I will make a person more valuable than the best gold; even greater than the gold from the land of Ophir.

13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

*So, I will make the sky tremble, and the earth will move from its spot because of the LORD's intense anger on that very angry day.

14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.

*It will be like a hunted deer and a sheep not taken by anyone. Each person will go back to their own group and everyone will run to their own land.

15 Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.

*Anyone caught will be killed, and anyone connected to them will be killed with a sword.

16 Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.

*Their kids will be hurt right in front of them; their homes will be destroyed and their women taken away.

17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.

*Look, I will get the Medes to attack them. The Medes won't care about silver, and they won't enjoy gold either.

18 Their bows also 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.

*Their arrows will severely hurt young people. They won't feel bad about hurting babies or children.

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

*And Babylon, famous for its great kingdom, the best of the Chaldeans' achievements, will become like when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

*It will always be empty and uninhabited, not lived in by anyone from one generation to another. Neither Arabs nor shepherds will set up camp or create a sheep pen there.

21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.

*But wild animals will live in the desert area; their homes will be filled with sad creatures; owls will live there and strange creatures will dance there.

22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.

*Wild animals on islands will howl in their empty homes, and dragons in their nice palaces too. Her time is almost here, and she won't live much longer.

read summary

Back to Chapters

Back to Books

* work in progress, there will be mistakes