Thanksgiving Expressed

12 Then you will say on that day,
(A)I will give thanks to You, Lord;
For although (B)You were angry with me,
Your anger is turned away,
And You comfort me.
Behold, (C)God is my salvation,
I will (D)trust and not be afraid;
For (E)the Lord God is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.”
Therefore you will joyously (F)draw water
From the (G)springs of salvation.
And on that day you will (H)say,
(I)Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name.
(J)Make known His deeds among the peoples;
[a]Make them remember that His name is exalted.”
(K)Praise the Lord in song, for He has done [b]glorious things;
Let this be known throughout the earth.
(L)Rejoice and shout for joy, you inhabitant of Zion,
For (M)great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Prophecies about Babylon

13 The (N)pronouncement concerning (O)Babylon which (P)Isaiah the son of Amoz saw:

(Q)Lift up a flag on the [c](R)bare hill,
Raise your voice to them,
(S)Wave the hand that they may (T)enter the doors of the nobles.
I have commanded My consecrated ones,
I have also called for My (U)warriors
Who boast in My eminence,
To execute My anger.
A (V)sound of a roar on the mountains,
Like that of many people!
A sound of an uproar of kingdoms,
Of nations gathered together!
The Lord of armies is mustering the army for battle.
They are coming from a distant country,
From the [d](W)farthest horizons,
The Lord and the weapons of His (X)indignation,
To (Y)destroy the whole land.

Judgment on the Day of the Lord

Wail, for the (Z)day of the Lord is near!
It will come as (AA)destruction from [e]the Almighty.
Therefore (AB)all hands will fall limp,
And every human (AC)heart will melt.
They will be (AD)terrified,
Pains and anguish will take hold of them;
They will (AE)writhe like a woman in labor,
They will look at one another in astonishment,
Their faces aflame.
Behold, (AF)the day of the Lord is coming,
Cruel, with fury and burning anger,
To make the land a desolation;
And He will exterminate its sinners from it.
10 For the (AG)stars of heaven and their constellations
Will not flash their light;
The (AH)sun will be dark when it rises
And the moon will not shed its light.
11 So I will (AI)punish the world for its evil
And the (AJ)wicked for their wrongdoing;
I will also put an end to the (AK)audacity of the proud
And humiliate the (AL)arrogance of the [f](AM)tyrants.
12 I will make mortal man (AN)scarcer than pure gold
And mankind than the (AO)gold of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will make the (AP)heavens tremble,
And (AQ)the earth will be shaken from its place
At the fury of the Lord of armies
In (AR)the day of His burning anger.
14 And it will be that, like a hunted gazelle,
Or like (AS)sheep with no one to gather them,
Each of them will turn to his own people,
And each of them will flee to his own land.
15 Anyone who is found will be (AT)thrust through,
And anyone who is captured will fall by the sword.
16 Their (AU)little ones also will be dashed to pieces
Before their eyes;
Their houses will be plundered
And their wives raped.

Babylon Will Fall to the Medes

17 Behold, I am going to (AV)stir up the Medes against them,
Who will not value silver or (AW)take pleasure in gold.
18 And their bows will [g]mow down the (AX)young men,
They will not even have compassion on the fruit of the womb,
Nor will their (AY)eye pity [h]children.
19 And (AZ)Babylon, the (BA)beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans’ pride,
Will be as when God (BB)overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
20 It will (BC)never be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation;
Nor will the (BD)Arab pitch his tent there,
Nor will shepherds allow their flocks to lie down there.
21 But (BE)desert creatures will lie down there,
And their houses will be full of [i]owls;
Ostriches also will live there, and [j]shaggy goats will frolic there.
22 [k]Hyenas will howl in their fortified towers
And jackals in their luxurious (BF)palaces.
Her fateful time also [l]will soon come,
And her days will not be prolonged.

Israel’s Taunt against Babylon

14 When the Lord (BG)has compassion on Jacob and again (BH)chooses Israel, and settles them on their own land, then (BI)strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob. The peoples will take them along and bring them to their place, and the (BJ)house of Israel will make them their own possession in the land of the Lord (BK)as male and female servants; and [m]they will take their captors captive and will rule over their oppressors.

And it will be on the day when the Lord gives you (BL)rest from your hardship, your turmoil, and from the harsh service in which you have been enslaved, that you will (BM)take up this [n]taunt against the king of Babylon, and say,

“How (BN)the oppressor has ceased,
And how the [o]onslaught has ceased!
The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,
The scepter of rulers,
(BO)Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes,
Which [p]subdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution.
The whole earth is at rest and is quiet;
They (BP)break forth into shouts of joy.
Even the (BQ)juniper trees rejoice over you, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying,
‘Since you have been laid low, no tree cutter comes up against us.’
(BR)Sheol below is excited about you, to meet you when you come;
It stirs the [q]spirits of the dead for you, all the [r]leaders of the earth;
It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones.
10 (BS)They will all respond and say to you,
‘Even you have become weak as we,
You have become like us.
11 Your (BT)pride and the music of your harps
Have been brought down to Sheol;
Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you
And worms are your covering.’
12 How you have (BU)fallen from heaven,
You [s](BV)star of the morning, son of the dawn!
You have been cut down to the earth,
You who defeated the nations!
13 But you said in your heart,
‘I will (BW)ascend to heaven;
I will (BX)raise my throne above the stars of God,
And I will sit on the mount of assembly
In the recesses of the north.
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
(BY)I will make myself like the Most High.’
15 Nevertheless you (BZ)will be brought down to Sheol,
To the recesses of the pit.
16 Those who see you will stare at you,
They will [t]closely examine you, saying,
‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
Who shook kingdoms,
17 Who made the world like a (CA)wilderness
And overthrew its cities,
Who (CB)did not [u]allow his prisoners to go home?’
18 All the kings of the nations lie in glory,
Each in his own [v]tomb.
19 But you have been (CC)hurled out of your tomb
Like [w]a rejected branch,
[x]Clothed with those killed who have been pierced with a sword,
Who go down to the stones of the (CD)pit
Like a (CE)trampled corpse.
20 You will not be united with them in burial,
Because you have ruined your country,
You have killed your people.
May the (CF)descendants of evildoers never be mentioned.
21 Prepare a place of slaughter for his sons
Because of the (CG)wrongdoing of their fathers.
They must not arise and take possession of the earth,
And fill the surface of the world with cities.”

22 “I will rise up against them,” declares the Lord of armies, “and eliminate from Babylon (CH)name and survivors, (CI)offspring and descendants,” declares the Lord. 23 “I will also make it the property of the (CJ)hedgehog and swamps of water, and I will sweep it away with the broom of (CK)destruction,” declares the Lord of armies.

Judgment on Assyria

24 The Lord of armies has sworn, saying, “Certainly, (CL)just as I have intended, so it has happened, and just as I have planned, so it will stand, 25 to (CM)break Assyria in My land, and I will trample him on My mountains. Then his (CN)yoke will be removed from them, and his burden removed from their shoulders. 26 This is the (CO)plan [y]devised against the entire earth; and this is the (CP)hand that is stretched out against all the nations. 27 For (CQ)the Lord of armies has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?”

Judgment on Philistia

28 In the (CR)year that King Ahaz died, this (CS)pronouncement came:

29 “Do not rejoice, (CT)Philistia, all of you,
Because the rod that (CU)struck you is broken;
For from the serpent’s root a (CV)viper will come out,
And its fruit will be a (CW)winged serpent.
30 [z]Those who are most (CX)helpless will eat,
And the poor will lie down in security;
I will kill your root with (CY)famine,
And it will kill your survivors.
31 Wail, you (CZ)gate; cry, you city;
[aa]Melt away, (DA)Philistia, all of you!
For smoke comes from the (DB)north,
And (DC)there is no straggler in his ranks.
32 What answer will one give the (DD)messengers of the nation?
That (DE)the Lord has founded Zion,
And (DF)the poor of His people will take refuge in it.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 12:4 Or Proclaim to them that
  2. Isaiah 12:5 Or gloriously
  3. Isaiah 13:2 Or wind-swept mountain
  4. Isaiah 13:5 Lit end of heaven
  5. Isaiah 13:6 Heb Shaddai
  6. Isaiah 13:11 Or violent
  7. Isaiah 13:18 Lit dash in pieces
  8. Isaiah 13:18 Lit sons
  9. Isaiah 13:21 Or howling creatures
  10. Isaiah 13:21 Or goat demons
  11. Isaiah 13:22 Or howling creatures
  12. Isaiah 13:22 Lit is near to come
  13. Isaiah 14:2 Lit the captors will become their captives
  14. Isaiah 14:4 Or proverb
  15. Isaiah 14:4 As in DSS and ancient versions; MT uncertain
  16. Isaiah 14:6 Or ruled
  17. Isaiah 14:9 Or shades (Heb Repha’im)
  18. Isaiah 14:9 Lit male goats
  19. Isaiah 14:12 Heb Helel; i.e., shining one
  20. Isaiah 14:16 Lit show themselves attentive to
  21. Isaiah 14:17 Lit open
  22. Isaiah 14:18 Lit house
  23. Isaiah 14:19 Lit an abhorred branch
  24. Isaiah 14:19 Or As the clothing of those who are slain
  25. Isaiah 14:26 Lit planned
  26. Isaiah 14:30 Lit The firstborn of the helpless
  27. Isaiah 14:31 Or Become demoralized

Songs of Praise

12 In that day(A) you will say:

“I will praise(B) you, Lord.
    Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away(C)
    and you have comforted(D) me.
Surely God is my salvation;(E)
    I will trust(F) and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself,(G) is my strength(H) and my defense[a];
    he has become my salvation.(I)
With joy you will draw water(J)
    from the wells(K) of salvation.

In that day(L) you will say:

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;(M)
    make known among the nations(N) what he has done,
    and proclaim that his name is exalted.(O)
Sing(P) to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;(Q)
    let this be known to all the world.
Shout aloud and sing for joy,(R) people of Zion,
    for great(S) is the Holy One of Israel(T) among you.(U)

A Prophecy Against Babylon

13 A prophecy(V) against Babylon(W) that Isaiah son of Amoz(X) saw:(Y)

Raise a banner(Z) on a bare hilltop,
    shout to them;
beckon to them
    to enter the gates(AA) of the nobles.
I have commanded those I prepared for battle;
    I have summoned my warriors(AB) to carry out my wrath(AC)
    those who rejoice(AD) in my triumph.

Listen, a noise on the mountains,
    like that of a great multitude!(AE)
Listen, an uproar(AF) among the kingdoms,
    like nations massing together!
The Lord Almighty(AG) is mustering(AH)
    an army for war.
They come from faraway lands,
    from the ends of the heavens(AI)
the Lord and the weapons(AJ) of his wrath(AK)
    to destroy(AL) the whole country.

Wail,(AM) for the day(AN) of the Lord is near;
    it will come like destruction(AO) from the Almighty.[b](AP)
Because of this, all hands will go limp,(AQ)
    every heart will melt with fear.(AR)
Terror(AS) will seize them,
    pain and anguish will grip(AT) them;
    they will writhe like a woman in labor.(AU)
They will look aghast at each other,
    their faces aflame.(AV)

See, the day(AW) of the Lord is coming
    —a cruel(AX) day, with wrath(AY) and fierce anger(AZ)
to make the land desolate
    and destroy the sinners within it.
10 The stars of heaven and their constellations
    will not show their light.(BA)
The rising sun(BB) will be darkened(BC)
    and the moon will not give its light.(BD)
11 I will punish(BE) the world for its evil,
    the wicked(BF) for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty(BG)
    and will humble(BH) the pride of the ruthless.(BI)
12 I will make people(BJ) scarcer than pure gold,
    more rare than the gold of Ophir.(BK)
13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble;(BL)
    and the earth will shake(BM) from its place
at the wrath(BN) of the Lord Almighty,
    in the day of his burning anger.(BO)

14 Like a hunted(BP) gazelle,
    like sheep without a shepherd,(BQ)
they will all return to their own people,
    they will flee(BR) to their native land.(BS)
15 Whoever is captured will be thrust through;
    all who are caught will fall(BT) by the sword.(BU)
16 Their infants(BV) will be dashed to pieces before their eyes;
    their houses will be looted and their wives violated.(BW)

17 See, I will stir up(BX) against them the Medes,(BY)
    who do not care for silver
    and have no delight in gold.(BZ)
18 Their bows(CA) will strike down the young men;(CB)
    they will have no mercy(CC) on infants,
    nor will they look with compassion on children.(CD)
19 Babylon,(CE) the jewel of kingdoms,(CF)
    the pride and glory(CG) of the Babylonians,[c]
will be overthrown(CH) by God
    like Sodom and Gomorrah.(CI)
20 She will never be inhabited(CJ)
    or lived in through all generations;
there no nomads(CK) will pitch their tents,
    there no shepherds will rest their flocks.
21 But desert creatures(CL) will lie there,
    jackals(CM) will fill her houses;
there the owls(CN) will dwell,
    and there the wild goats(CO) will leap about.
22 Hyenas(CP) will inhabit her strongholds,(CQ)
    jackals(CR) her luxurious palaces.
Her time is at hand,(CS)
    and her days will not be prolonged.(CT)

14 The Lord will have compassion(CU) on Jacob;
    once again he will choose(CV) Israel
    and will settle them in their own land.(CW)
Foreigners(CX) will join them
    and unite with the descendants of Jacob.
Nations will take them
    and bring(CY) them to their own place.
And Israel will take possession of the nations(CZ)
    and make them male and female servants in the Lord’s land.
They will make captives(DA) of their captors
    and rule over their oppressors.(DB)

On the day the Lord gives you relief(DC) from your suffering and turmoil(DD) and from the harsh labor forced on you,(DE) you will take up this taunt(DF) against the king of Babylon:(DG)

How the oppressor(DH) has come to an end!
    How his fury[d] has ended!
The Lord has broken the rod(DI) of the wicked,(DJ)
    the scepter(DK) of the rulers,
which in anger struck down peoples(DL)
    with unceasing blows,
and in fury subdued(DM) nations
    with relentless aggression.(DN)
All the lands are at rest and at peace;(DO)
    they break into singing.(DP)
Even the junipers(DQ) and the cedars of Lebanon
    gloat over you and say,
“Now that you have been laid low,
    no one comes to cut us down.”(DR)

The realm of the dead(DS) below is all astir
    to meet you at your coming;
it rouses the spirits of the departed(DT) to greet you—
    all those who were leaders(DU) in the world;
it makes them rise from their thrones—
    all those who were kings over the nations.(DV)
10 They will all respond,
    they will say to you,
“You also have become weak, as we are;
    you have become like us.”(DW)
11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave,(DX)
    along with the noise of your harps;(DY)
maggots are spread out beneath you
    and worms(DZ) cover you.(EA)

12 How you have fallen(EB) from heaven,
    morning star,(EC) son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
    you who once laid low the nations!(ED)
13 You said in your heart,
    “I will ascend(EE) to the heavens;
I will raise my throne(EF)
    above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,(EG)
    on the utmost heights(EH) of Mount Zaphon.[e]
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;(EI)
    I will make myself like the Most High.”(EJ)
15 But you are brought down(EK) to the realm of the dead,(EL)
    to the depths(EM) of the pit.(EN)

16 Those who see you stare at you,
    they ponder your fate:(EO)
“Is this the man who shook(EP) the earth
    and made kingdoms tremble,
17 the man who made the world a wilderness,(EQ)
    who overthrew(ER) its cities
    and would not let his captives go home?”(ES)

18 All the kings of the nations lie in state,
    each in his own tomb.(ET)
19 But you are cast out(EU) of your tomb
    like a rejected branch;
you are covered with the slain,(EV)
    with those pierced by the sword,(EW)
    those who descend to the stones of the pit.(EX)
Like a corpse trampled underfoot,
20     you will not join them in burial,(EY)
for you have destroyed your land
    and killed your people.

Let the offspring(EZ) of the wicked(FA)
    never be mentioned(FB) again.
21 Prepare a place to slaughter his children(FC)
    for the sins of their ancestors;(FD)
they are not to rise to inherit the land
    and cover the earth with their cities.

22 “I will rise up(FE) against them,”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will wipe out Babylon’s name(FF) and survivors,
    her offspring and descendants,(FG)
declares the Lord.
23 “I will turn her into a place for owls(FH)
    and into swampland;
I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,(FI)
    declares the Lord Almighty.(FJ)

24 The Lord Almighty has sworn,(FK)

“Surely, as I have planned,(FL) so it will be,
    and as I have purposed, so it will happen.(FM)
25 I will crush the Assyrian(FN) in my land;
    on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke(FO) will be taken from my people,
    and his burden removed from their shoulders.(FP)

26 This is the plan(FQ) determined for the whole world;
    this is the hand(FR) stretched out over all nations.
27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed,(FS) and who can thwart him?
    His hand(FT) is stretched out, and who can turn it back?(FU)

A Prophecy Against the Philistines

28 This prophecy(FV) came in the year(FW) King Ahaz(FX) died:

29 Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,(FY)
    that the rod that struck you is broken;
from the root of that snake will spring up a viper,(FZ)
    its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.(GA)
30 The poorest of the poor will find pasture,
    and the needy(GB) will lie down in safety.(GC)
But your root I will destroy by famine;(GD)
    it will slay(GE) your survivors.(GF)

31 Wail,(GG) you gate!(GH) Howl, you city!
    Melt away, all you Philistines!(GI)
A cloud of smoke comes from the north,(GJ)
    and there is not a straggler in its ranks.(GK)
32 What answer shall be given
    to the envoys(GL) of that nation?
“The Lord has established Zion,(GM)
    and in her his afflicted people will find refuge.(GN)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 12:2 Or song
  2. Isaiah 13:6 Hebrew Shaddai
  3. Isaiah 13:19 Or Chaldeans
  4. Isaiah 14:4 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
  5. Isaiah 14:13 Or of the north; Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.