Dual Panel1This is a message <04853> about Babylon <0894> that <0834> God revealed <02372> to Isaiah <03470> son <01121> of Amoz <0531>:
2On <05921> a bare <08192> hill <02022> raise <07311> a signal flag <05251>, shout <06963> to them, wave <05130> your hand <03027>, so they might enter <0935> the gates <06607> of the princes <05081>!
3I <0589> have given orders <06680> to my chosen soldiers <06942>; I have summoned <07121> the warriors <01368> through whom I will vent my anger <0639>, my boasting <01346>, arrogant ones <05947>.
4There is a loud <06963> noise <01995> on the mountains <02022>– it sounds like <01823> a large <07227> army <05971>! There is great <07588> commotion <06963> among the kingdoms <04467>– nations <01471> are being assembled <0622>! The Lord <03068> who commands armies <06635> is mustering <06485> forces <06635> for battle <04421>.
5They come <0935> from a distant <04801> land <0776>, from the horizon <08064> <07097>. It is the Lord <03068> with his instruments <03627> of judgment <02195>, coming to destroy <02254> the whole <03605> earth <0776>.
6Wail <03213>, for <03588> the Lord’s <03068> day <03117> of judgment is near <07138>; it comes <0935> with all the destructive <07701> power of the sovereign <07706> judge.
7For this reason <03651> <05921> all <03605> hands <03027> hang limp <07503>, every <03605> human <0582> heart <03824> loses <04549> its courage <04549>.
8They panic <0926>– cramps <06735> and pain <02256> seize hold <0270> of them like those of a woman who is straining <02342> to give birth <03205>. They look <08539> at <0413> one <0376> another <07453> in astonishment <08539>; their faces <06440> are flushed red <03851>.
9Look <02009>, the Lord’s <03068> day <03117> of judgment is coming <0935>; it is a day of cruelty <0394> and savage <05678>, raging <02740> anger <0639>, destroying <08047> <07760> the earth <0776> and annihilating <08045> its sinners <02400>.
10Indeed <03588> the stars <03556> in the sky <08064> and their constellations <03685> no <03808> longer give out <01984> their light <0216>; the sun <08121> is darkened <02821> as soon as it rises <03318>, and the moon <03394> does not <03808> shine <0216> <05050>.
11I will punish <06485> the world <08398> for <05921> its evil <07451>, and wicked people <07563> for <05921> their sin <05771>. I will put an end <07673> to the pride <01347> of the insolent <02086>, I will bring down <08213> the arrogance <01346> of tyrants <06184>.
12I will make <03365> human beings <0376> more scarce <03365> than pure gold <06337>, and people <0120> more scarce than gold <03800> from Ophir <0211>.
13So <03651> I will shake <07264> the heavens <08064>, and the earth <0776> will shake <07493> loose from its foundation <04725>, because of the fury <05678> of the Lord <03068> who commands armies <06635>, in the day <03117> he vents his raging <02740> anger <0639>.
14Like a frightened <05080> gazelle <06643> or a sheep <06629> with no <0369> shepherd <06908>, each <0376> will turn <06437> toward <0413> home <05971>, each <0376> will run <05127> to <0413> his homeland <0776>.
15Everyone <03605> who is caught <04672> will be stabbed <01856>; everyone <03605> who is seized <05595> will die <05307> by the sword <02719>.
16Their children <05768> will be smashed to pieces <07376> before their very eyes <05869>; their houses <01004> will be looted <08155> and their wives <0802> raped <07693>.
17Look <02005>, I am stirring up <05782> the Medes <04074> to attack <05921> them; they are not <03808> concerned <02803> about silver <03701>, nor <03808> are they interested <02654> in gold <02091>.
18Their arrows <07198> will cut <07376> young men <05288> to ribbons <07376>; they have no <03808> compassion <07355> on a person’s offspring <0990> <06529>, they will not <03808> look <05869> with pity <02347> on <05921> children <01121>.
19Babylon <0894>, the most admired <06643> of kingdoms <04467>, the Chaldeans <03778>’ source of honor <08597> and pride <01347>, will be destroyed <04114> by God <0430> just as Sodom <05467> and Gomorrah <06017> were.
20No one <03808> will live <03427> there again <05331>; no one <03808> will ever <01755> <01755> <05704> reside <07931> there again <01755> <01755> <05704>. No <03808> bedouin <06163> will camp <0167> there <08033>, no <03808> shepherds <07462> will rest <07257> their flocks there <08033>.
21Wild animals <06728> will rest <07257> there <08033>, the ruined houses <01004> will be full <04390> of hyenas <0255>. Ostriches <03284> <01323> will live <07931> there <08033>, wild goats <08163> will skip <07540> among the ruins.
22Wild dogs <0338> will yip <06030> in her ruined fortresses <0490>, jackals <08577> will yelp in the once-splendid <06027> palaces <01964>. Her time <06256> is almost <07138> up <0935>, her days <03117> will not <03808> be prolonged <04900>.