Font Size
Isaiah 13-23
Expanded Bible
Isaiah 13-23
Expanded Bible
God’s Message to Babylon
13 God showed Isaiah son of Amoz this ·message [oracle; T burden] about Babylon:
2 Raise a ·flag [banner; signal flag] on the bare mountain.
·Call out [Shout] to them.
·Raise [Wave] your hand to signal them
to enter through the gates ·for important people [of the nobles/princes].
3 I myself have commanded those people
·whom I have separated as mine [or my holy/sanctified/chosen ones].
I have ·called [summoned] those warriors to carry out my anger.
They rejoice ·and are glad to do my will [or in my triumph/exaltation].
4 Listen to the loud ·noise [tumult] in the mountains,
the sound of ·many people [a great crowd/army].
Listen to the ·noise [uproar; commotion] among the kingdoms,
the sound of nations gathering together.
The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] is ·calling together [summoning; mustering] his army for battle.
5 They are coming from a faraway land,
from the ·edge of the horizon [or end of the heavens].
·In anger the Lord is using this army like a weapon [L The Lord and his weapons of wrath/indignation]
to destroy the whole ·country [land; or earth].
6 ·Cry [Wail], because the Lord’s day of judging is near;
the Almighty is sending destruction.
7 ·People will be weak with fear [L All hands will go limp/fail],
and ·their courage [L every human heart] will melt away.
8 Everyone will be ·afraid [terrified; dismayed].
Pain and ·hurt [anguish] will ·grab [grip; seize] them;
they will ·hurt [writhe in pain] like a woman giving birth.
They will look at each other ·in fear [aghast; or in shock/amazement],
with their faces ·red [aflame] like fire.
God’s Judgment Against Babylon
9 ·Look [T Behold], the Lord’s day of judging is coming—
a ·terrible [cruel] day, a day of ·God’s anger [L wrath and rage of anger].
He will ·destroy [desolate] the ·land [or earth]
and the sinners who live in it.
10 [L For] The stars of heaven and their constellations
will not show their light.
The sun will grow dark as it rises,
and the moon will not give its light.
11 The Lord says, “I will punish the world for its evil
and wicked people for their sins.
I will cause ·proud people [the arrogant] to lose their pride,
and I will ·destroy [humble; lay low] the pride of ·those who are cruel to others [the ruthless/tyrants].
12 People will be ·harder to find [scarcer] than pure gold;
there will be fewer people than there is fine gold in Ophir [C perhaps a region in southern Arabia].
13 I will make the ·sky [or heavens] shake,
and the earth will be ·moved [shaken] from its place
by the ·anger [wrath; fury] of the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]
·at the time [L in the day] of his burning anger.
14 “Then the people from Babylon will run away like hunted ·deer [gazelle]
or like sheep who have no shepherd.
Everyone will turn back to his own people;
each will run back to his own land.
15 Everyone who is captured will be ·killed [stabbed; thrust through];
everyone who is caught will ·be killed with a [L fall by the] sword.
16 Their little children will be ·beaten to death [dashed to pieces] in front of them.
Their houses will be ·robbed [looted; plundered]
and their wives raped.
17 “·Look [T Behold], I will ·cause the armies of Media to attack Babylon [L stir up the Medes against them; C fulfilled by Cyrus the Great in 539 bc].
They do not care about silver
or delight in gold.
18 Their soldiers will shoot the young men with ·arrows [L bows];
they will show no mercy on ·children [L the fruit of the womb],
nor will they feel ·sorry [pity; compassion] for ·little ones [children; sons].
19 Babylon is the most beautiful of all kingdoms,
·and the Babylonians are very proud of it [L the glory and pride of the Chaldeans].
But God will destroy it
like Sodom and Gomorrah [Gen. 19:23–29].
20 No one will ever live there
or settle there ·again [from generation to generation].
No ·Arab [or bedouin; nomad] will put a tent there;
no shepherd will ·bring [bed down their] sheep there.
21 Only desert animals will live there,
and their houses will be full of ·wild dogs [or jackals; hyenas; howling creatures; or owls].
Owls will live there,
and wild goats will ·leap [skip] about in the houses.
22 ·Wolves [or Hyenas] will howl within the ·strong walls [citadels; towers],
and ·wild dogs [jackals] will bark in the ·beautiful [delightful] ·buildings [palaces].
·The end of Babylon is near [L Her time has nearly come];
·its time is almost over [L and her days will not be extended].”
Israel Will Return Home
14 The Lord will ·show mercy to [have compassion on] the ·people of Jacob [L Jacob], and he will again choose ·the people of Israel [L Israel]. He will settle them in their own land. Then ·non-Israelite people [foreigners; strangers] will join the Israelites and will ·become a part of [unite with; attach to] the ·family [L house] of Jacob. 2 Nations will take the Israelites back to their ·land [place]. Then those men and women from the other nations will become ·slaves [servants] to Israel in the Lord’s land. Israel will capture those who had captured them and will rule over ·those who had ruled them [their oppressors].
The King of Babylon Will Fall
3 The Lord will ·take away the Israelites’ hard work and will comfort them [L give you rest/relief from your suffering/pain and turmoil]. ·They [L You] will no longer have to work hard as slaves. 4 On that day ·Israel [L you] will sing this ·song about [or taunt against] the king of Babylon:
The ·cruel king who ruled us [L oppressor] is finished;
his ·angry rule [arrogant fury; hostility] is finished!
5 The Lord has ·taken away the power [broken the club/rod/staff] of the wicked
and the ·scepter [staff] of evil rulers
6 ·The king of Babylon [L …which] struck ·people [or nations] in anger
·again and again [with endless blows].
He ruled nations in anger
·and continued to hurt them [with unrelenting oppression/aggression].
7 But now, the whole world rests and is quiet.
Now the people begin to sing.
8 Even the ·pine trees [junipers; evergreens; cypresses] ·are happy [rejoice at you],
and the cedar trees of Lebanon rejoice.
They say, “The king has ·fallen [been laid low],
so no ·one [woodcutter] will ever cut us down again.”
9 ·The place of the dead [or The grave; L Sheol] is ·excited [stirred up]
to meet you when you come.
It wakes the ·spirits of the dead [ghosts],
the ·leaders [L rams] of the world.
It makes kings of all nations
·stand up from their thrones to greet you [L rise up from their thrones].
10 All these leaders will ·make fun of you [L respond]
and will say,
“Now you are weak, as we are.
Now you are just like us.”
11 Your ·pride [or pomp; splendor] has been sent down to ·the place of the dead [or the grave; L Sheol].
The music from your harps goes with it.
·Flies [or Maggots] are spread out like your bed beneath you,
and worms cover your body like a blanket.
12 How you have fallen from heaven,
·morning star [or day star; or shining one; C still addressing the king of Babylon, though sometimes applied to Satan],
·even though you were as bright as the rising sun [L son of the dawn]!
In the past all the nations on earth ·bowed down before you [or were laid low by you],
but now you have been cut down.
13 You told yourself,
“I will ·go up to heaven [or ascend to the sky].
I will put my throne
above God’s stars.
I will ·sit [or rule] on the mountain of the ·gods [L assembly],
on the slopes of ·the sacred mountain [or the north; or Mount Zaphon; C known as the mountain of Baal].
14 I will ·go up [ascend] above the ·tops [or high places] of the clouds.
I will be like God Most High.”
15 But you were brought down to ·the grave [or the place of the dead; L Sheol],
to the deep places ·where the dead are [L of the pit].
16 Those who see you stare at you.
They ·think about [ponder] what has happened to you
and say, “Is this the same man who ·caused great fear on [L shook the] earth,
who ·shook [made to tremble] the kingdoms,
17 who turned the world into a desert,
who ·destroyed [overthrew] its cities,
who captured people in war
and would not let them go home?”
18 Every king of the nations ·has been buried with honor [lies in glory],
each in his own ·grave [L house].
19 But you are thrown out of your grave,
like an ·unwanted [loathed; rejected] branch.
·You are covered by bodies [L Clothed with the slain]
that ·died in battle [L were pierced with a sword],
by bodies to be buried in a rocky pit.
You are like a ·dead body other soldiers walk on [trampled corpse].
20 You will not be buried with those bodies,
because you ruined your own country
and killed your own people.
·The children [or May the offspring/descendants] of evil people
will never be mentioned again.
21 Prepare to ·kill his children [execute/slaughter his sons],
·because their father is guilty [for the sins of their fathers/ancestors].
They will never ·again take control of [L rise and possess] the earth;
they will never again fill the ·world [surface/L face of the earth/world] with their cities.
22 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says this:
“I will ·fight [L rise up] against those people;
I will ·destroy [L cut off from] Babylon ·and its people [L its name and remnant/survivors],
its ·children [offspring] and their ·descendants [posterity],” says the Lord.
23 “I will make Babylon fit only for ·owls [or hedgehogs; or porcupines]
and for swamps.
I will sweep Babylon as with a broom of destruction,”
says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
God Will Punish Assyria
24 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] has ·made this promise [sworn this oath]:
“These things will happen exactly as I planned them;
they will happen exactly as I ·set them up [purposed them].
25 I will ·destroy [crush; break] ·the king of Assyria [L Assyria] in my ·country [land];
I will trample him on my mountains.
His yoke [C oppressive rule] will be taken off my people,
And his burden will be removed from their shoulders.
26 “This is what I plan to do for all the earth.
And this is the hand that I have ·raised [stretched out] over all nations.”
27 When the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] makes a plan,
·no one [L who…?] can stop it.
When the Lord ·raises his hand to punish people [L stretches out his hand],
·no one [L who…?] can stop it.
God’s Message to Philistia
28 This message was given in the year that King Ahaz died [C about 715 bc]:
29 Country of Philistia, don’t ·be happy [rejoice]
that the ·king [L club; rod] who struck you is now ·dead [broken; C either the king of Assyria or Ahaz, king of Judah].
He is like a snake that will give birth to another dangerous snake [L For from the snake’s/serpent’s root will come a viper/adder].
·The new king will be like a quick, dangerous snake to bite you [L its offspring/fruit will be a darting/flying poisonous/fiery adder].
30 Even the ·poorest of my people [or firstborn of the poor] will ·be able to eat safely [find pasture; graze in pasure],
and people in need will be able to lie down in safety.
But I will kill your ·family [L root] with ·hunger [famine],
and ·all your people who are left will die [L it will slay your survivors/remnant].
31 ·People near the city gates, cry out [L Wail, gate, and cry out, city]!
Philistines, ·be frightened [melt away],
because a cloud of ·dust [or smoke] comes from the north [C evidence of an approaching army].
·Full of men ready to fight [L And there is no straggler/loner in its ranks].
32 What shall we tell the messengers ·from Philistia [L of the nation]?
Say that the Lord has made ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple] strong
and that his ·poor [oppressed; afflicted] people will go there for ·safety [refuge].
God’s Message to Moab
15 This is a ·message [prophecy; oracle; burden] about Moab:
In one night ·armies took the wealth from Ar in Moab [or Ar of Moab is destroyed/laid waste],
and ·it [or Moab] was ·destroyed [ruined].
In one night ·armies took the wealth from Kir in Moab [or Kir is destroyed/laid waste],
and it [or Moab] was ·destroyed [ruined].
2 The ·people of Dibon [L Dibon] go to the ·places of worship [temple; L house] to ·cry [lament; weep].
The people of Moab ·cry [wail] for the cities of Nebo and Medeba.
Every head is ·shaved [L bald]
and every beard is cut off [C signs of sorrow, mourning, or humiliation].
3 In the streets they wear ·rough cloth [sackcloth; C to show their sadness].
On the roofs [C roofs were flat and used as living and storage space in Palestine] and in the public squares,
they are ·crying loudly [wailing], ·with tears streaming down [or falling down weeping].
4 ·People in the cities Heshbon and Elealeh [L Heshbon and Elealeh] cry out loud.
You can hear their voices far away in the city Jahaz.
Even the ·soldiers [armed men] ·are frightened [cry out; shout in terror];
·they are shaking with fear [L his soul wavers/trembles].
5 My heart cries with sorrow for Moab.
Its ·people [fugitives] ·run away to Zoar for safety [L flee to Zoar];
they run to Eglath Shelishiyah.
People are going up the ·mountain road to [ascent of] Luhith,
·crying [weeping] as they go.
People are going on the road to Horonaim,
·crying over [lamenting] their destruction.
6 But the water of Nimrim ·has dried up [are devastated/desolate].
The grass has dried up,
and all the plants ·are dead [have failed/disappeared];
nothing green is left.
7 So the people gather up what they have ·saved [stored up]
and carry it across the ·Ravine [Brook; Stream] of the Poplars.
8 Crying ·is heard everywhere in [or echoes throughout the borders of] Moab.
Their ·crying [wailing; howling] is heard as far away as the city Eglaim;
it is heard as far away as Beer Elim.
9 The water of the city Dibon is full of blood,
and I, the Lord, will bring even more troubles to Dibon.
·I will send lions to kill [L A lion for] ·those left in [the fugitives of] Moab
And ·those who remain in [the remnant/survivors of] the land.
16 Send lambs [C as tribute payment] to the ·king [ruler] of the land
Send it from Sela [C an Edomite city, later the Nabatean capital called Petra] through the desert
to the mountain of ·Jerusalem [L the daughter of Zion; C Zion was the location of the Temple; 1:8].
2 The women of Moab
·try to cross the river [L at the fords of] Arnon
like little birds
·that have fallen [or pushed away; or scattered] from their nest.
3 They say: “·Help us [or Make a decision].
·Tell us what to do [or Grant us justice].
Protect us from our enemies
as ·shade [L shade like night] protects us from the noon sun.
·Hide us, because we are running for safety [L Shelter the fugitives/outcasts]!
Don’t ·give us to our enemies [betray/uncover the refugee].
4 Let ·those of us who were forced out [the fugitives/outcasts] of Moab live ·in your land [L among you].
Hide ·us [L them] from ·our enemies [L the destroyer].”
The ·enemy [oppressor] will ·be defeated [come to an end].
The ·robbing of Moab [L destruction] will stop;
those who ·hurt others [L trample] will disappear from the land.
5 Then a ·new loyal king will come [L throne will be established in faithfulness/lovingkindness];
·this faithful king will be from the family of David [L he will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent of David; 9:1–7; 11:1–16].
He will judge ·fairly [with justice]
and ·do what is right [hasten righteousness].
6 We have heard that the people of Moab are proud
and very conceited.
They are very proud and angry,
but their bragging ·means nothing [is empty].
7 So ·the people of Moab will cry [L Moab wails for Moab];
they will all ·be sad [wail].
They will ·moan and groan [or mourn, utterly stricken]
for the raisin cakes [C perhaps associated with pagan ritual (Hos. 3:1); also known as an aphrodisiac (Song 2:5)] they had in Kir Hareseth.
8 But the fields of Heshbon ·cannot grow grapes [wither; dry up; L languish];
and the vines of Sibmah dry up;
·foreign rulers [L lords of the nations] have ·destroyed [struck down] the ·grapevines [choice plants].
The grapevines once spread as far as the city of Jazer and into the desert;
they had spread as far as the sea [C probably the Dead Sea].
9 I ·cry [weep] with the people of Jazer
for the grapevines of Sibmah.
I will ·cry with the [or drench you with tears, you] people of Heshbon and Elealeh.
·There will be no shouts of joy,
because there will be no harvest or ripe fruit [or Your enemies shout for joy over your fruit and harvest].
10 There will be no joy and happiness in the orchards
and no songs or shouts of joy in the vineyards.
No one ·makes [treads/stomps out] wine in the winepresses,
because I have put an end to shouts of joy.
11 My ·heart cries [inner parts moan/sigh] for Moab like a ·harp playing a funeral song [L harp];
·I am very sad [L my inner being] for Kir Hareseth.
12 The people of Moab will ·go to their places of worship [L appear and grow weary at their high places]
and will try to pray.
But when they go to their temple to pray,
they will not be able.
13 Earlier the Lord said these things about Moab. 14 Now the Lord says, “In three years ·all those people and what they take pride in [L the glory of Moab] will be ·hated [despised]. (This is three years as a hired helper would count time [C meaning carefully calculated, so as to be properly paid; 21:16].) There will be a few people left, but they will be ·weak [feeble].”
God’s Message to Aram
17 This is a ·message [prophecy; oracle; burden] about Damascus:
“[L Look; T Behold] The city of Damascus will ·be destroyed [L cease to be];
only ruins will remain.
2 The cities of Aroer will be ·abandoned [deserted; desolate].
·Flocks will wander freely in those empty towns [L They will be for flocks];
they will lie down and no one will ·bother [disturb; frighten] them.
3 The ·strong, walled [fortified] cities of ·Israel [L Ephraim; C the most influential tribe of the northern kingdom of Israel] will be destroyed.
The ·government in Damascus will end [L kingdom from Damascus; C the capital of Syria].
·Those left alive [The remnant] of Aram [C Syria] will be
like the glory of Israel,” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
4 “·At that time [L In that day] ·Israel’s wealth [L Jacob’s glory] will ·all be gone [or fade; wane].
·Israel will be like a body wasting away from sickness [L The fatness of his flesh will grow lean].
5 That time will be like the grain harvest in the Valley of Rephaim.
The workers cut the wheat.
Then they cut the heads of grain from the plants
and collect the grain.
6 That time will also be like ·the olive harvest [when an olive tree is beaten],
when ·a few olives [L gleanings] are left [24:13].
Two or three olives are left in the top branches.
Four or five olives are left on full branches,” says the Lord, the God of Israel.
7 ·At that time [L In that day] people will look to their Maker;
their eyes will ·see [or L look toward] the Holy One of Israel [1:4].
8 They will not trust the altars ·they have made [L the work of their hands],
nor will they trust what their ·hands [L fingers] have made,
not even the ·Asherah idols [L Asherahs; C sacred trees or poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah] and ·altars [incense altars].
9 ·At that time [L In that day] all their strong cities will be empty. They will be like the ·cities the Hivites and [or wooded heights] the Amorites left when the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] came to take the land. Everything will be ruined.
10 You have forgotten the God who ·saves [rescues] you;
you have not remembered ·that God is your place of safety [L the Rock, your stronghold/strength].
You plant ·the finest [beautiful; pleasant] plants
and grapevines from ·faraway [exotic; foreign] places.
11 You plant your grapevines one day and try to make them grow,
and ·the next day [in the morning] you make them blossom.
But ·at harvest time everything will be dead [L the harvest will be a heap/disaster];
·a sickness will kill all the plants [L in the day of disease and incurable pain].
12 ·Listen [or Woe] to the many people!
·Their crying is like the noise from the sea [They rage/roar like the raging/roaring sea].
·Listen [or Woe] to the nations!
Their ·crying [roar] is like the ·crashing [roaring] of great ·waves [waters].
13 The people roar like the ·waves [roaring of many waters],
but when ·God [L he] ·speaks harshly to [shouts at; rebukes] them, they will ·run [flee far] away.
They will be like chaff on the hills being blown by the wind,
or like ·tumbleweeds [L a rolling thing] blown away by a storm.
14 ·At night [L In the time of evening] ·the people will be very frightened [L look/T behold, terror!].
Before morning, ·no one will be left [the enemy will be gone; L he is no more].
This is the ·fate [portion] of those who ·steal from [plunder] us,
and ·what happens to [the lot of] those who ·rob [loot] us.
God’s Message to Cush
18 ·How terrible it will be for [Woe to; or Listen,] the land beyond the rivers of ·Cush [or Ethiopia; C the upper Nile region].
·It is filled with the sound of wings [L …the land of buzzing wings; or …the land of flapping sails].
2 That land sends ·messengers [envoys; ambassadors] across the sea;
they go on the water in boats made of ·reeds [papyrus; C light and speedy].
Go, ·quick [swiftly] messengers,
to a people who are tall and smooth-skinned,
who are feared ·everywhere [far and wide].
They are a powerful nation ·that defeats other nations [or who speak a strange language].
Their land is divided by rivers.
3 All you ·people [inhabitants] of the world, look!
Everyone who lives in the world, look!
You will see a ·banner [standard; signal flag] raised on a mountain.
You will hear a trumpet sound.
4 The Lord said to me,
“I will quietly watch from ·where I live [my dwelling place],
like ·heat in the sunshine [L glowing heat upon the light],
like ·the dew [L a cloud of dew] in the heat of harvest time.”
5 The time will come, after the flowers have bloomed and before the harvest,
when ·new grapes will be budding and growing [the flower becomes a ripening grape].
·The enemy [or The Lord; L He] will cut the plants with pruning knives;
he will cut down the ·vines [branches; tendrils] and take them away.
6 They will be left for the ·birds [or birds of prey] of the mountains
and for the wild animals.
Birds will feed on them all summer,
and wild animals will eat them that winter.”
7 ·At that time [L In that day] ·a gift [tribute] will be brought to the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]
from the people who are tall and smooth-skinned,
who are feared ·everywhere [far and wide].
They are a powerful nation ·that defeats other nations [or who speak a strange language].
Their land is divided by rivers.
These gifts will be brought to the place ·of [L of the name of] the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts],
to Mount Zion.
God’s Message to Egypt
19 This is a ·message [prophecy; oracle; burden] about Egypt:
Look, the Lord is coming on a ·fast [swift] cloud
to enter Egypt.
The idols of Egypt will tremble before him,
and Egypt’s ·courage [heart] will melt away.
2 The Lord says, “I will ·cause the Egyptians to fight against themselves [L provoke Egypt against Egypt].
People will fight with their ·relatives [brothers];
neighbors will fight neighbors;
cities will fight cities;
kingdoms will fight kingdoms.
3 The Egyptians will ·be afraid [lose heart],
and I will ·ruin their plans [confuse their counsel].
They will ·ask advice from [consult] their idols and spirits of the dead,
from their mediums and ·fortune-tellers [magicians; necromancers].”
4 The Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says,
“I will hand Egypt ·over to [L into the hand of] a hard master,
and a ·powerful [fierce] king will rule over them.”
5 The ·sea [or river; L waters] will become dry,
and the ·water will disappear from the Nile River [L river will be parched and dry].
6 The canals will stink;
the streams of Egypt will decrease and dry up.
All the ·water plants [L reeds and bulrushes] will rot;
7 all the plants along the banks of the Nile will die.
Even the ·planted [cultivated] fields by the Nile
will dry up, blow away, and disappear [C catastrophic, since the Nile was essential to Egypt’s existence].
8 The fishermen, all those who ·catch fish from [L cast hooks into] the Nile,
will groan and ·cry [lament];
those who ·fish in the Nile [L spread nets on the water] will ·be sad [grieve; lose heart].
9 All the people who make cloth from flax will ·be sad [despair; or be ashamed],
and those who weave linen will ·lose hope [turn pale].
10 Those who ·weave cloth [or are its foundations] will be broken.
All those who work for ·money [wages] will be ·sad [L grieved in their soul].
11 The officers of the city of Zoan [C probably Tanis, the Egyptian city nearest Israel] are fools;
the wise ·men who advise the king of Egypt [counselors/advisors of Pharaoh] give ·wrong [senseless; stupid] advice.
How can you say to him, ‘I am ·wise [L a son of the wise]’?
How can you say, ‘I am ·from the old family of the kings [a son of ancient kings; C “son of” may mean “an expert in the ways of”]’?
12 Egypt, where are your wise men?
Let them show you
what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] has planned for Egypt.
13 The officers of Zoan [v. 11] have ·been fooled [become fools];
the ·leaders [princes] of Memphis [C prominent city in northern Egypt] ·have believed false things [are deceived/deluded].
So the ·leaders of Egypt [L cornerstones of her tribes]
lead that nation ·the wrong way [astray].
14 The Lord has ·made the leaders confused [L mixed into them a spirit of distortion].
They have led Egypt to ·wander in the wrong ways [or err in all it does],
like drunk people stumbling in their own vomit.
15 There is nothing Egypt can do;
·no one there can help [L head or tail, palm branch or reed; C no one, high or low, could help Egypt].
16 In that day the Egyptians will be like women [C physically weak and vulnerable]. They will ·be afraid of [tremble with fear at] the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], because he will raise his hand to strike them down. 17 The land of Judah will ·bring fear [be a terror] to Egypt. Anyone there who hears the name Judah will be afraid, because the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] has planned terrible things for them. 18 ·At that time [L In that day] five cities in Egypt will speak the language of Canaan [C Hebrew or Aramaic, evidence of Israel’s dominance over Egypt], and they will ·promise to be loyal [swear allegiance] to the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. One of these cities will be named the City of Destruction.[a] 19 ·At that time [L In that day] there will be an altar for the Lord in the middle of Egypt and a ·monument [or sacred pillar] to the Lord at the border of Egypt. 20 This will be a sign and a witness to the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] in the land of Egypt. When the people cry to the Lord for help, he will send a savior and defender, who will rescue them.
21 So the Lord will ·show himself [make himself known] to the Egyptians, and ·then [L in that day] they will ·know he is [acknowledge; know] the Lord. They will ·worship [serve] God ·and offer many sacrifices [with sacrifices and offerings]. They will make ·promises [vows] to the Lord and will keep them. 22 The Lord will ·punish [L strike] the Egyptians, but then he will heal them. They will ·come back [return] to the Lord, and he will listen to their ·prayers [pleas] and heal them.
23 ·At that time [L In that day] there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians will go to Egypt, and the Egyptians will go to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship God together. 24 ·At that time [L In that day] ·Israel, Assyria, and Egypt will join together [L Israel will be the third, with Egypt and Assyria; C a great power like them], which will be a blessing for the earth. 25 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] will bless them, saying, “Egypt, you are my people. Assyria, ·I made you [L the work of my hands]. Israel, ·I own you [my inheritance]. You are all blessed!”
Assyria Will Defeat Egypt and Cush
20 [L In the year that; C about 712 bc] Sargon king of Assyria sent ·a military commander [or his commander-in-chief] to Ashdod [C a Philistine city] to attack that city. So the commander attacked and captured it. 2 ·Then [L At that time] the Lord spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Take the ·rough cloth [burlap; sackcloth; C a sign of mourning] off your body, and take your sandals off your feet.” So Isaiah obeyed and walked around ·naked [stripped] and barefoot.
3 Then the Lord said, “[L Just as] Isaiah my servant has walked around naked and barefoot for three years as a ·sign [L sign and omen/portent] against Egypt and Cush [18:1]. 4 [L So; Thus] The king of Assyria will carry away prisoners from Egypt and ·captives [exiles] from Cush. Old people and young people will be led away ·naked [stripped] and barefoot, with their buttocks bare. So the Egyptians will be shamed. 5 People who ·looked to Cush for help [trusted/put hope in Cush] will be ·afraid [dismayed; disillusioned], and those who ·were amazed by [boasted/took pride in] Egypt’s glory will be shamed. 6 People who live ·near the sea [in this coastland] will say, ‘Look at what happened to those ·we trusted in for help [in whom we hoped]. We ·ran [fled] to them so they would ·save [rescue] us from the king of Assyria. So how will we be able to escape?’”
God’s Message to Babylon
21 This is a ·message [prophecy; oracle; burden] about the Desert by the Sea [C probably Babylon (v. 9), though an unusual description of it]:
·Disaster [or An invader; L It] is coming from the desert
like ·wind [whirlwinds] blowing in the ·south [or Negev].
It is coming from a terrible country.
2 I have seen a ·terrible [terrifying; dire; distressing] vision.
·I see traitors turning against you [L The betrayer betrays]
·and people taking your wealth [the destroyer destroys; or the looter loots].
Elam, ·attack the people [L go up; C Elam sounds like the Hebrew for “go up”]!
Media, ·surround the city and attack it [besiege]!
I will bring an end to ·the pain the city causes [L all the groaning].
3 ·I saw those terrible things, and now [L For this reason; At this] ·I am in pain [my loins/stomach are filled with pain];
my pains ·are [seize me] like the pains of giving birth.
What I hear ·makes me very afraid [distresses/staggers me];
what I see ·causes me to shake with fear [bewilders/horrifies me].
4 ·I am worried [My heart reels/falters/wanders],
and I am shaking with fear.
·My pleasant evening [L The twilight/evening I longed for]
has become a night of ·fear [trembling].
5 They ·set [prepared] the table;
they ·spread the rugs [or post a watchman];
they eat and drink.
Leaders, ·stand up [arise].
·Prepare the shields for battle [L Anoint/oil the shield; C preparation for battle]!
6 The Lord said to me,
“Go, place a ·lookout [guard; watchman] for the city
and have him report what he sees.
7 ·If [or When] he sees chariots and teams of horses,
riders on donkeys, or riders on camels,
he should ·pay very close attention [L be alert, very alert].”
8 Then the lookout[b] called out,
“My master, each day I stand in the watchtower watching;
every night I ·have been on guard [stand at my post].
9 Look, I see a man coming in a chariot
with a team of horses.”
The man gives back the answer,
“Babylon has fallen. It has fallen [Jer. 51:8; Rev. 14:8; 18:2]!
All the ·statues [idols; carved images] of her gods
lie ·broken [shattered] on the ground.”
10 My ·people are crushed like grain on the threshing floor [L trampled one, and son of the threshing floor].
My people, I tell you what I have heard
from the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts],
from the God of Israel.
God’s Message to Edom
11 This is a ·message [prophecy; oracle; burden] about Dumah [C another name for Edom, meaning “silence” or “stillness”]:
Someone calls to me from ·Edom [L Seir],
“Watchman, how much of the night is left?
Watchman, how much longer will it be night?”
12 The watchman answers,
“Morning is coming, but then night will come again.
If you ·have something to ask [wish to ask],
then come back and ask.”
God’s Message to Arabia
13 This is a ·message [prophecy; oracle; burden] about Arabia:
You ·traders [caravans] from Dedan
who spent the night ·near some trees in [in the thickets of] Arabia.
14 Bring water to thirsty travelers;
you people of Tema, give food
to ·those who were escaping [the fugitives].
15 They ·were running [flee] from swords,
from ·swords ready to kill [L the drawn sword],
from ·bows ready to shoot [the bent bow],
from ·a hard [the distress/terrors/hardship of] battle.
16 This is what the Lord said to me: “Within a year all the ·glory [splendor] of the country of Kedar will be gone. (This is a year as a hired helper counts time [C carefully calculated; 16:14].) 17 ·At that time [L In that day] only a few of the archers, the ·soldiers [warriors; mighty men] of [L the sons of] Kedar, will be left alive.” The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.
God’s Message to Jerusalem
22 This is a ·message [prophecy; oracle; burden] about the Valley of Vision [C perhaps the Hinnom Valley near Jerusalem; the prophecy concerns Jerusalem]:
·What is wrong with you people [or What is the reason; L What to you, then]?
Why are you on your roofs [C roofs were flat and used for living and storage space]?
2 This city was ·a very busy city [L full of noise],
·full of noise and wild parties [town of tumult and revelry].
Now your people have been ·killed [slain],
but not with swords,
nor did they die in battle.
3 All your leaders ·ran away [fled] together,
but they have been captured without using a bow.
All you who were captured
tried to run ·away before the enemy came [or far away; or while the enemy was far away].
4 So I say, “Don’t look at me.
Let me ·cry loudly [weep bitterly].
Don’t hurry to ·comfort [console] me
about the destruction of ·Jerusalem [or my vulnerable people; L the daughter of my people].”
5 The Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] has ·chosen a special day [L a day]
of ·riots [tumult] and confusion.
·People will trample each other […and trampling] in the Valley of Vision.
The city walls will be knocked down,
and the people will cry out to the mountain.
6 ·The soldiers from Elam [L Elam] will ·gather their arrows [L pick up its quiver]
and their chariots and men on horses.
Kir will ·prepare [L uncover] their shields.
7 Your ·nicest [choicest; fairest] valleys will be filled with chariots.
Horsemen ·will be ordered to guard [take their positions at] the gates of the city.
8 ·The walls protecting Judah will fall [L He removed defenses/covering from Judah; C “He” could be the Lord or the invading army].
·At that time [L In that day] the people of Jerusalem ·depended on [looked to]
the weapons kept at the ·Palace [L house] of the Forest [C probably the royal armory; 1 Kin. 7:2–5; 10:16–17].
9 You saw that the walls of Jerusalem
had many ·cracks that needed repairing [breaches; breaks].
You stored up water in the lower pool [C preparation for a siege].
10 You ·counted [surveyed] the houses of Jerusalem,
and you tore down houses to ·repair the walls with their stones [L strengthen/fortify the wall].
11 You made a ·pool [reservoir] between the two walls
to save water from the old pool,
but you did not ·trust [look to] the ·God who made these things [L one who made it; C the “it” could be the pool, the wall or the whole city of Jerusalem];
you did not ·respect [consider; have regard for] the One who ·planned [or fashioned; formed] ·them [it] long ago.
12 ·At that time [L In that day] the Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] ·told the people
to cry and be sad [L called for weeping and mourning],
·to shave their heads [L for baldness] and ·wear rough cloth [for wearing burlap/sackcloth; C signs of sorrow and repentance].
13 But look, ·the people are happy
and are having wild parties [L joy and revelry].
They slaughter cattle and kill sheep;
they eat ·the food [meat; flesh] and drink the wine.
They say, “Let us eat and drink,
because tomorrow we will die.”
14 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] said to me: “You people will die before this ·guilt is forgiven [sin is atoned for].” The Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] said this.
God’s Message to Shebna
15 This is what the Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says:
“Go to this ·servant [steward; administrator] Shebna [36:3, 11, 22; 37:2; 2 Kin. 18:37; 19:2],
·the manager of the palace [L who is over the house].
16 Say to him, ‘What ·are you doing here [or right do you have to be here]?
Who said you could ·cut out [carve; hew] a tomb for yourself here?
Why are you ·preparing [carving; hewing] your tomb in a high place?
Why are you ·carving out [cutting; inscribing] a ·tomb [L dwelling place] from the rock?
17 Look, ·mighty one [or mere man; L man]! The Lord ·will throw you away [L hurling will hurl you].
·He will take firm hold of [L Seizing he will seize] you
18 and roll you tightly into a ball
and throw you into another country.
There you will die,
and there your ·fine [glorious; splendid] chariots will remain.
You ·are a disgrace [bring shame] to your master’s house.
19 I will force you out of your ·important job [office],
and you will be thrown down from your ·important place [position].’
20 “·At that time [L In that day] I will call for my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah [36:3, 11, 22; 37:2; 2 Kin. 18:18, 26, 37]. 21 I will take your robe and put it on him and ·give him [tie around him; or strengthen him with] your ·belt [sash]. I will hand over to him ·the important job you have [your authority], and he will be like a father to the ·people [inhabitants] of Jerusalem and the ·family [L house] of Judah. 22 I will put the key to the house of David [C a sign of authority, indicating access to the king; Rev. 3:7] around his neck. If he opens a door, no one will be able to close it; if he closes a door, no one will be able to open it. 23 I will make him like a peg that is hammered into a strong board [C a symbol of strength]. He will be like an ·honored chair in [or throne of honor for] his father’s house. 24 All the ·honored and important things of his family [L glory of the house of his father] will ·depend on him [or be given to him; L hang on him; C continuing the “peg” imagery in v. 23, meaning either honor or responsibility]; ·all the adults and little children will depend on him [L its offspring and offshoots]. ·They will be like bowls and jars hanging on him [L …all the small utensils, from the bowls to the jars].
25 “·At that time [L In that day],” says the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], “the peg hammered into the strong board will weaken. It will ·break [or be cut off] and fall, and everything hanging on it will be destroyed [C Eliakim’s authority would also eventually be taken away].” The Lord says this.
God’s Message to Lebanon
23 This is a ·message [prophecy; oracle; burden] about Tyre [C port city in Phoenicia, north of Israel; present-day Lebanon]:
You ·trading ships [L ships of Tarshish; C western port city, probably in Spain; 2:16], ·cry [wail]!
The houses and harbor of Tyre are ·destroyed [devastated; laid waste].
This news came to the ships
from the land of ·Cyprus [L the Kittim; C the people of Cyprus, an island west of Israel].
2 ·Be silent [or Mourn in silence], you who live on the ·island of Tyre [or coastland];
you merchants of Sidon [C port city of Phoenica], be silent.
·Sailors have made you rich [or …whose messengers have crossed the sea].
3 They traveled ·the sea [the great waters; or many seas] to bring ·grain from Egypt [L the grain of Shihor; C the east branch of the Nile in Egypt];
the harvest of the Nile was Tyre’s ·profit [revenue];
she was the marketplace of the nations.
4 Sidon, be ashamed.
·Strong city [Fortress] of the sea, be ashamed, because the sea says:
“I have not ·felt the pain of giving birth [gone into labor or given birth];
I have not reared young men or women.”
5 Egypt will hear the news about Tyre,
and it will make Egypt ·hurt with sorrow [be in anguish].
6 ·You ships should return [Travel; or Send word; L Cross over] to Tarshish [v. 1].
·Be sad [Wail], you people ·living near the sea [of the coast].
7 ·Look at [L Is this…?] your ·once happy [boisterous] city,
·founded so long ago [whose beginning was from days of antiquity].
·People from that city have traveled […whose feet have taken her]
far away to live.
8 Who planned Tyre’s destruction?
Tyre ·made others rich [bestower of crowns; or wearer of crowns].
Its merchants ·were treated like [L were; or are] princes,
and its traders were ·greatly respected [L the honored/renowned of the earth].
9 It was the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] who planned this.
He decided to ·make these proud people unimportant [L bring down the pride of all her glory/splendor];
he decided to ·disgrace [humble] ·those who were greatly respected [L the honored/renowned of the earth].
10 Go through[c] [or Cultivate; Till] your land, ·people [L daughter] of Tarshish [v. 1],
like ·the Nile goes through Egypt [or they do along the Nile].
There is no ·harbor [or marketplace; or restraint; or strength] for you now!
11 The Lord has stretched his hand over the sea
and made its kingdoms tremble.
He commands that Canaan’s
·strong, walled cities [fortresses; strongholds] be destroyed.
12 He said, “·Sidon [L Virgin daughter Sidon], you will not ·rejoice [celebrate] any longer,
because you are ·destroyed [crushed; oppressed].
·Even if you cross the sea [L Arise, cross over] to ·Cyprus [L Kittim],
[but] you will not find a place to rest.”
13 Look at the land of the ·Babylonians [Chaldeans];
·it is not a country now [this people is no more].
Assyria has made it a place for ·wild [desert] animals.
Assyria built ·towers to attack it [siege towers];
the soldiers ·took all the treasures from its cities [stripped bare/tore down its fortresses/palaces],
and they turned it into ruins.
14 ·So be sad [Wail], you ·trading ships [L ships of Tarshish; v. 1; 2:16],
because your ·strong city [fortress; stronghold] is destroyed.
15 ·At that time [L In that day] Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, which is the length of a king’s life. ·After [L At the end of] seventy years, Tyre will be like the prostitute in this song:
16 “Oh ·woman [prostitute; harlot], you are forgotten.
Take your harp and walk through the city.
Play your harp well. Sing ·your song often [many songs].
Then people will remember you.”
17 ·After [L At the end of] seventy years the Lord will ·deal with [visit] Tyre, and it will again ·have trade [earn wages]. It will be like a prostitute for all the ·nations [kingdoms] of the earth. 18 The profits will be ·saved [set apart; holy] for the Lord. Tyre will not ·keep [store up or hoard] the money she earns but will give them to the people who ·serve [worship; L dwell before] the Lord, so they will have plenty of food and ·nice clothes [beautiful coverings].
Footnotes
- Isaiah 19:18 City of Destruction Most Hebrew copies read “City of Destruction.” The Dead Sea Scrolls, some Hebrew copies and other translations read “City of the Sun.”
- Isaiah 21:8 lookout The Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac copies read “lookout.” Some Hebrew copies read “the lion.”
- Isaiah 23:10 Go through Hebrew copies read “Go through.” The Dead Sea Scrolls and some Greek copies read “Cultivate.”
Isaiah 13-23
New International Version
Isaiah 13-23
New International Version
A Prophecy Against Babylon
13 A prophecy(A) against Babylon(B) that Isaiah son of Amoz(C) saw:(D)
2 Raise a banner(E) on a bare hilltop,
shout to them;
beckon to them
to enter the gates(F) of the nobles.
3 I have commanded those I prepared for battle;
I have summoned my warriors(G) to carry out my wrath(H)—
those who rejoice(I) in my triumph.
4 Listen, a noise on the mountains,
like that of a great multitude!(J)
Listen, an uproar(K) among the kingdoms,
like nations massing together!
The Lord Almighty(L) is mustering(M)
an army for war.
5 They come from faraway lands,
from the ends of the heavens(N)—
the Lord and the weapons(O) of his wrath(P)—
to destroy(Q) the whole country.
6 Wail,(R) for the day(S) of the Lord is near;
it will come like destruction(T) from the Almighty.[a](U)
7 Because of this, all hands will go limp,(V)
every heart will melt with fear.(W)
8 Terror(X) will seize them,
pain and anguish will grip(Y) them;
they will writhe like a woman in labor.(Z)
They will look aghast at each other,
their faces aflame.(AA)
9 See, the day(AB) of the Lord is coming
—a cruel(AC) day, with wrath(AD) and fierce anger(AE)—
to make the land desolate
and destroy the sinners within it.
10 The stars of heaven and their constellations
will not show their light.(AF)
The rising sun(AG) will be darkened(AH)
and the moon will not give its light.(AI)
11 I will punish(AJ) the world for its evil,
the wicked(AK) for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty(AL)
and will humble(AM) the pride of the ruthless.(AN)
12 I will make people(AO) scarcer than pure gold,
more rare than the gold of Ophir.(AP)
13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble;(AQ)
and the earth will shake(AR) from its place
at the wrath(AS) of the Lord Almighty,
in the day of his burning anger.(AT)
14 Like a hunted(AU) gazelle,
like sheep without a shepherd,(AV)
they will all return to their own people,
they will flee(AW) to their native land.(AX)
15 Whoever is captured will be thrust through;
all who are caught will fall(AY) by the sword.(AZ)
16 Their infants(BA) will be dashed to pieces before their eyes;
their houses will be looted and their wives violated.(BB)
17 See, I will stir up(BC) against them the Medes,(BD)
who do not care for silver
and have no delight in gold.(BE)
18 Their bows(BF) will strike down the young men;(BG)
they will have no mercy(BH) on infants,
nor will they look with compassion on children.(BI)
19 Babylon,(BJ) the jewel of kingdoms,(BK)
the pride and glory(BL) of the Babylonians,[b]
will be overthrown(BM) by God
like Sodom and Gomorrah.(BN)
20 She will never be inhabited(BO)
or lived in through all generations;
there no nomads(BP) will pitch their tents,
there no shepherds will rest their flocks.
21 But desert creatures(BQ) will lie there,
jackals(BR) will fill her houses;
there the owls(BS) will dwell,
and there the wild goats(BT) will leap about.
22 Hyenas(BU) will inhabit her strongholds,(BV)
jackals(BW) her luxurious palaces.
Her time is at hand,(BX)
and her days will not be prolonged.(BY)
14 The Lord will have compassion(BZ) on Jacob;
once again he will choose(CA) Israel
and will settle them in their own land.(CB)
Foreigners(CC) will join them
and unite with the descendants of Jacob.
2 Nations will take them
and bring(CD) them to their own place.
And Israel will take possession of the nations(CE)
and make them male and female servants in the Lord’s land.
They will make captives(CF) of their captors
and rule over their oppressors.(CG)
3 On the day the Lord gives you relief(CH) from your suffering and turmoil(CI) and from the harsh labor forced on you,(CJ) 4 you will take up this taunt(CK) against the king of Babylon:(CL)
How the oppressor(CM) has come to an end!
How his fury[c] has ended!
5 The Lord has broken the rod(CN) of the wicked,(CO)
the scepter(CP) of the rulers,
6 which in anger struck down peoples(CQ)
with unceasing blows,
and in fury subdued(CR) nations
with relentless aggression.(CS)
7 All the lands are at rest and at peace;(CT)
they break into singing.(CU)
8 Even the junipers(CV) and the cedars of Lebanon
gloat over you and say,
“Now that you have been laid low,
no one comes to cut us down.”(CW)
9 The realm of the dead(CX) below is all astir
to meet you at your coming;
it rouses the spirits of the departed(CY) to greet you—
all those who were leaders(CZ) in the world;
it makes them rise from their thrones—
all those who were kings over the nations.(DA)
10 They will all respond,
they will say to you,
“You also have become weak, as we are;
you have become like us.”(DB)
11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave,(DC)
along with the noise of your harps;(DD)
maggots are spread out beneath you
and worms(DE) cover you.(DF)
12 How you have fallen(DG) from heaven,
morning star,(DH) son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!(DI)
13 You said in your heart,
“I will ascend(DJ) to the heavens;
I will raise my throne(DK)
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,(DL)
on the utmost heights(DM) of Mount Zaphon.[d]
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;(DN)
I will make myself like the Most High.”(DO)
15 But you are brought down(DP) to the realm of the dead,(DQ)
to the depths(DR) of the pit.(DS)
16 Those who see you stare at you,
they ponder your fate:(DT)
“Is this the man who shook(DU) the earth
and made kingdoms tremble,
17 the man who made the world a wilderness,(DV)
who overthrew(DW) its cities
and would not let his captives go home?”(DX)
18 All the kings of the nations lie in state,
each in his own tomb.(DY)
19 But you are cast out(DZ) of your tomb
like a rejected branch;
you are covered with the slain,(EA)
with those pierced by the sword,(EB)
those who descend to the stones of the pit.(EC)
Like a corpse trampled underfoot,
20 you will not join them in burial,(ED)
for you have destroyed your land
and killed your people.
Let the offspring(EE) of the wicked(EF)
never be mentioned(EG) again.
21 Prepare a place to slaughter his children(EH)
for the sins of their ancestors;(EI)
they are not to rise to inherit the land
and cover the earth with their cities.
22 “I will rise up(EJ) against them,”
declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will wipe out Babylon’s name(EK) and survivors,
her offspring and descendants,(EL)”
declares the Lord.
23 “I will turn her into a place for owls(EM)
and into swampland;
I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,(EN)”
declares the Lord Almighty.(EO)
24 The Lord Almighty has sworn,(EP)
“Surely, as I have planned,(EQ) so it will be,
and as I have purposed, so it will happen.(ER)
25 I will crush the Assyrian(ES) in my land;
on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke(ET) will be taken from my people,
and his burden removed from their shoulders.(EU)”
26 This is the plan(EV) determined for the whole world;
this is the hand(EW) stretched out over all nations.
27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed,(EX) and who can thwart him?
His hand(EY) is stretched out, and who can turn it back?(EZ)
A Prophecy Against the Philistines
28 This prophecy(FA) came in the year(FB) King Ahaz(FC) died:
29 Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,(FD)
that the rod that struck you is broken;
from the root of that snake will spring up a viper,(FE)
its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.(FF)
30 The poorest of the poor will find pasture,
and the needy(FG) will lie down in safety.(FH)
But your root I will destroy by famine;(FI)
it will slay(FJ) your survivors.(FK)
31 Wail,(FL) you gate!(FM) Howl, you city!
Melt away, all you Philistines!(FN)
A cloud of smoke comes from the north,(FO)
and there is not a straggler in its ranks.(FP)
32 What answer shall be given
to the envoys(FQ) of that nation?
“The Lord has established Zion,(FR)
and in her his afflicted people will find refuge.(FS)”
A Prophecy Against Moab(FT)
15 A prophecy(FU) against Moab:(FV)
Ar(FW) in Moab is ruined,(FX)
destroyed in a night!
Kir(FY) in Moab is ruined,
destroyed in a night!
2 Dibon(FZ) goes up to its temple,
to its high places(GA) to weep;
Moab wails(GB) over Nebo(GC) and Medeba.
Every head is shaved(GD)
and every beard cut off.(GE)
3 In the streets they wear sackcloth;(GF)
on the roofs(GG) and in the public squares(GH)
they all wail,(GI)
prostrate with weeping.(GJ)
4 Heshbon(GK) and Elealeh(GL) cry out,
their voices are heard all the way to Jahaz.(GM)
Therefore the armed men of Moab cry out,
and their hearts are faint.
5 My heart cries out(GN) over Moab;(GO)
her fugitives(GP) flee as far as Zoar,(GQ)
as far as Eglath Shelishiyah.
They go up the hill to Luhith,
weeping as they go;
on the road to Horonaim(GR)
they lament their destruction.(GS)
6 The waters of Nimrim are dried up(GT)
and the grass is withered;(GU)
the vegetation is gone(GV)
and nothing green is left.(GW)
7 So the wealth they have acquired(GX) and stored up
they carry away over the Ravine of the Poplars.
8 Their outcry echoes along the border of Moab;
their wailing reaches as far as Eglaim,
their lamentation as far as Beer(GY) Elim.
9 The waters of Dimon[e] are full of blood,
but I will bring still more upon Dimon[f]—
a lion(GZ) upon the fugitives of Moab(HA)
and upon those who remain in the land.
16 Send lambs(HB) as tribute(HC)
to the ruler of the land,
from Sela,(HD) across the desert,
to the mount of Daughter Zion.(HE)
2 Like fluttering birds
pushed from the nest,(HF)
so are the women of Moab(HG)
at the fords(HH) of the Arnon.(HI)
3 “Make up your mind,” Moab says.
“Render a decision.
Make your shadow like night—
at high noon.
Hide the fugitives,(HJ)
do not betray the refugees.
4 Let the Moabite fugitives stay with you;
be their shelter(HK) from the destroyer.”
The oppressor(HL) will come to an end,
and destruction will cease;(HM)
the aggressor will vanish from the land.
5 In love a throne(HN) will be established;(HO)
in faithfulness a man will sit on it—
one from the house[g] of David(HP)—
one who in judging seeks justice(HQ)
and speeds the cause of righteousness.
6 We have heard of Moab’s(HR) pride(HS)—
how great is her arrogance!—
of her conceit, her pride and her insolence;
but her boasts are empty.
7 Therefore the Moabites wail,(HT)
they wail together for Moab.
Lament and grieve
for the raisin cakes(HU) of Kir Hareseth.(HV)
8 The fields of Heshbon(HW) wither,(HX)
the vines of Sibmah(HY) also.
The rulers of the nations
have trampled down the choicest vines,(HZ)
which once reached Jazer(IA)
and spread toward the desert.
Their shoots spread out(IB)
and went as far as the sea.[h](IC)
9 So I weep,(ID) as Jazer weeps,
for the vines of Sibmah.
Heshbon and Elealeh,(IE)
I drench you with tears!(IF)
The shouts of joy(IG) over your ripened fruit
and over your harvests(IH) have been stilled.
10 Joy and gladness are taken away from the orchards;(II)
no one sings or shouts(IJ) in the vineyards;
no one treads(IK) out wine at the presses,(IL)
for I have put an end to the shouting.
11 My heart laments for Moab(IM) like a harp,(IN)
my inmost being(IO) for Kir Hareseth.
12 When Moab appears at her high place,(IP)
she only wears herself out;
when she goes to her shrine(IQ) to pray,
it is to no avail.(IR)
13 This is the word the Lord has already spoken concerning Moab. 14 But now the Lord says: “Within three years,(IS) as a servant bound by contract(IT) would count them,(IU) Moab’s splendor and all her many people will be despised,(IV) and her survivors will be very few and feeble.”(IW)
A Prophecy Against Damascus
17 A prophecy(IX) against Damascus:(IY)
“See, Damascus will no longer be a city
but will become a heap of ruins.(IZ)
2 The cities of Aroer(JA) will be deserted
and left to flocks,(JB) which will lie down,(JC)
with no one to make them afraid.(JD)
3 The fortified(JE) city will disappear from Ephraim,
and royal power from Damascus;
the remnant of Aram will be
like the glory(JF) of the Israelites,”(JG)
declares the Lord Almighty.
4 “In that day(JH) the glory(JI) of Jacob will fade;
the fat of his body will waste(JJ) away.
5 It will be as when reapers harvest the standing grain,
gathering(JK) the grain in their arms—
as when someone gleans heads of grain(JL)
in the Valley of Rephaim.(JM)
6 Yet some gleanings will remain,(JN)
as when an olive tree is beaten,(JO)
leaving two or three olives on the topmost branches,
four or five on the fruitful boughs,”
declares the Lord, the God of Israel.
7 In that day(JP) people will look(JQ) to their Maker(JR)
and turn their eyes to the Holy One(JS) of Israel.
8 They will not look to the altars,(JT)
the work of their hands,(JU)
and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles[i](JV)
and the incense altars their fingers(JW) have made.
9 In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth.(JX) And all will be desolation.
10 You have forgotten(JY) God your Savior;(JZ)
you have not remembered the Rock,(KA) your fortress.(KB)
Therefore, though you set out the finest plants
and plant imported vines,(KC)
11 though on the day you set them out, you make them grow,
and on the morning(KD) when you plant them, you bring them to bud,
yet the harvest(KE) will be as nothing(KF)
in the day of disease and incurable(KG) pain.(KH)
12 Woe to the many nations that rage(KI)—
they rage like the raging sea!(KJ)
Woe to the peoples who roar(KK)—
they roar like the roaring of great waters!(KL)
13 Although the peoples roar(KM) like the roar of surging waters,
when he rebukes(KN) them they flee(KO) far away,
driven before the wind like chaff(KP) on the hills,
like tumbleweed before a gale.(KQ)
14 In the evening, sudden(KR) terror!(KS)
Before the morning, they are gone!(KT)
This is the portion of those who loot us,
the lot of those who plunder us.
A Prophecy Against Cush
18 Woe(KU) to the land of whirring wings[j]
along the rivers of Cush,[k](KV)
2 which sends envoys(KW) by sea
in papyrus(KX) boats over the water.
Go, swift messengers,
to a people tall and smooth-skinned,(KY)
to a people feared far and wide,
an aggressive(KZ) nation of strange speech,
whose land is divided by rivers.(LA)
3 All you people of the world,(LB)
you who live on the earth,
when a banner(LC) is raised on the mountains,
you will see it,
and when a trumpet(LD) sounds,
you will hear it.
4 This is what the Lord says to me:
“I will remain quiet(LE) and will look on from my dwelling place,(LF)
like shimmering heat in the sunshine,(LG)
like a cloud of dew(LH) in the heat of harvest.”
5 For, before the harvest, when the blossom is gone
and the flower becomes a ripening grape,
he will cut off(LI) the shoots with pruning knives,
and cut down and take away the spreading branches.(LJ)
6 They will all be left to the mountain birds of prey(LK)
and to the wild animals;(LL)
the birds will feed on them all summer,
the wild animals all winter.
7 At that time gifts(LM) will be brought to the Lord Almighty
from a people tall and smooth-skinned,(LN)
from a people feared(LO) far and wide,
an aggressive nation of strange speech,
whose land is divided by rivers(LP)—
the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the Lord Almighty.(LQ)
A Prophecy Against Egypt
19 A prophecy(LR) against Egypt:(LS)
See, the Lord rides on a swift cloud(LT)
and is coming to Egypt.
The idols of Egypt tremble before him,
and the hearts of the Egyptians melt(LU) with fear.
2 “I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian—
brother will fight against brother,(LV)
neighbor against neighbor,
city against city,
kingdom against kingdom.(LW)
3 The Egyptians will lose heart,(LX)
and I will bring their plans(LY) to nothing;(LZ)
they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead,
the mediums and the spiritists.(MA)
4 I will hand the Egyptians over
to the power of a cruel master,
and a fierce king(MB) will rule over them,”
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.
5 The waters of the river will dry up,(MC)
and the riverbed will be parched and dry.(MD)
6 The canals will stink;(ME)
the streams of Egypt will dwindle and dry up.(MF)
The reeds(MG) and rushes will wither,(MH)
7 also the plants(MI) along the Nile,
at the mouth of the river.
Every sown field(MJ) along the Nile
will become parched, will blow away and be no more.(MK)
8 The fishermen(ML) will groan and lament,
all who cast hooks(MM) into the Nile;
those who throw nets on the water
will pine away.
9 Those who work with combed flax(MN) will despair,
the weavers of fine linen(MO) will lose hope.
10 The workers in cloth will be dejected,
and all the wage earners will be sick at heart.
11 The officials of Zoan(MP) are nothing but fools;
the wise counselors(MQ) of Pharaoh give senseless advice.(MR)
How can you say to Pharaoh,
“I am one of the wise men,(MS)
a disciple of the ancient kings”?
12 Where are your wise men(MT) now?
Let them show you and make known
what the Lord Almighty
has planned(MU) against Egypt.
13 The officials of Zoan(MV) have become fools,
the leaders of Memphis(MW) are deceived;
the cornerstones(MX) of her peoples
have led Egypt astray.
14 The Lord has poured into them
a spirit of dizziness;(MY)
they make Egypt stagger in all that she does,
as a drunkard staggers(MZ) around in his vomit.
15 There is nothing Egypt can do—
head or tail, palm branch or reed.(NA)
16 In that day(NB) the Egyptians will become weaklings.(NC) They will shudder with fear(ND) at the uplifted hand(NE) that the Lord Almighty raises against them. 17 And the land of Judah will bring terror to the Egyptians; everyone to whom Judah is mentioned will be terrified,(NF) because of what the Lord Almighty is planning(NG) against them.
18 In that day(NH) five cities(NI) in Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance(NJ) to the Lord Almighty. One of them will be called the City of the Sun.[l](NK)
19 In that day(NL) there will be an altar(NM) to the Lord in the heart of Egypt,(NN) and a monument(NO) to the Lord at its border. 20 It will be a sign and witness(NP) to the Lord Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior(NQ) and defender, and he will rescue(NR) them. 21 So the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge(NS) the Lord. They will worship(NT) with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and keep them.(NU) 22 The Lord will strike(NV) Egypt with a plague;(NW) he will strike them and heal them. They will turn(NX) to the Lord, and he will respond to their pleas and heal(NY) them.
23 In that day(NZ) there will be a highway(OA) from Egypt to Assyria.(OB) The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship(OC) together. 24 In that day(OD) Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria,(OE) a blessing[m](OF) on the earth. 25 The Lord Almighty will bless(OG) them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people,(OH) Assyria my handiwork,(OI) and Israel my inheritance.(OJ)”
A Prophecy Against Egypt and Cush
20 In the year that the supreme commander,(OK) sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod(OL) and attacked and captured it— 2 at that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz.(OM) He said to him, “Take off the sackcloth(ON) from your body and the sandals(OO) from your feet.” And he did so, going around stripped(OP) and barefoot.(OQ)
3 Then the Lord said, “Just as my servant(OR) Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years,(OS) as a sign(OT) and portent(OU) against Egypt(OV) and Cush,[n](OW) 4 so the king(OX) of Assyria will lead away stripped(OY) and barefoot the Egyptian captives(OZ) and Cushite(PA) exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared(PB)—to Egypt’s shame.(PC) 5 Those who trusted(PD) in Cush(PE) and boasted in Egypt(PF) will be dismayed and put to shame.(PG) 6 In that day(PH) the people who live on this coast will say, ‘See what has happened(PI) to those we relied on,(PJ) those we fled to for help(PK) and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?(PL)’”
A Prophecy Against Babylon
21 A prophecy(PM) against the Desert(PN) by the Sea:
Like whirlwinds(PO) sweeping through the southland,(PP)
an invader comes from the desert,
from a land of terror.
2 A dire(PQ) vision has been shown to me:
The traitor betrays,(PR) the looter takes loot.
Elam,(PS) attack! Media,(PT) lay siege!
I will bring to an end all the groaning she caused.
3 At this my body is racked with pain,(PU)
pangs seize me, like those of a woman in labor;(PV)
I am staggered by what I hear,
I am bewildered(PW) by what I see.
4 My heart(PX) falters,
fear makes me tremble;(PY)
the twilight I longed for
has become a horror(PZ) to me.
5 They set the tables,
they spread the rugs,
they eat, they drink!(QA)
Get up, you officers,
oil the shields!(QB)
6 This is what the Lord says to me:
“Go, post a lookout(QC)
and have him report what he sees.
7 When he sees chariots(QD)
with teams of horses,
riders on donkeys
or riders on camels,(QE)
let him be alert,
fully alert.”
8 And the lookout[o](QF) shouted,
“Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower;
every night I stay at my post.
9 Look, here comes a man in a chariot(QG)
with a team of horses.
And he gives back the answer:
‘Babylon(QH) has fallen,(QI) has fallen!
All the images of its gods(QJ)
lie shattered(QK) on the ground!’”
10 My people who are crushed on the threshing floor,(QL)
I tell you what I have heard
from the Lord Almighty,
from the God of Israel.
A Prophecy Against Edom
11 A prophecy against Dumah[p]:(QM)
Someone calls to me from Seir,(QN)
“Watchman, what is left of the night?
Watchman, what is left of the night?”
12 The watchman replies,
“Morning is coming, but also the night.
If you would ask, then ask;
and come back yet again.”
A Prophecy Against Arabia
13 A prophecy(QO) against Arabia:(QP)
You caravans of Dedanites,(QQ)
who camp in the thickets of Arabia,
14 bring water for the thirsty;
you who live in Tema,(QR)
bring food for the fugitives.
15 They flee(QS) from the sword,(QT)
from the drawn sword,
from the bent bow
and from the heat of battle.
16 This is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a servant bound by contract(QU) would count it, all the splendor(QV) of Kedar(QW) will come to an end. 17 The survivors of the archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.(QX)” The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.(QY)
A Prophecy About Jerusalem
22 A prophecy(QZ) against the Valley(RA) of Vision:(RB)
What troubles you now,
that you have all gone up on the roofs,(RC)
2 you town so full of commotion,
you city of tumult(RD) and revelry?(RE)
Your slain(RF) were not killed by the sword,(RG)
nor did they die in battle.
3 All your leaders have fled(RH) together;
they have been captured(RI) without using the bow.
All you who were caught were taken prisoner together,
having fled while the enemy was still far away.
4 Therefore I said, “Turn away from me;
let me weep(RJ) bitterly.
Do not try to console me
over the destruction of my people.”(RK)
5 The Lord, the Lord Almighty, has a day(RL)
of tumult and trampling(RM) and terror(RN)
in the Valley of Vision,(RO)
a day of battering down walls(RP)
and of crying out to the mountains.
6 Elam(RQ) takes up the quiver,(RR)
with her charioteers and horses;
Kir(RS) uncovers the shield.
7 Your choicest valleys(RT) are full of chariots,
and horsemen are posted at the city gates.(RU)
8 The Lord stripped away the defenses of Judah,
and you looked in that day(RV)
to the weapons(RW) in the Palace of the Forest.(RX)
9 You saw that the walls of the City of David
were broken through(RY) in many places;
you stored up water
in the Lower Pool.(RZ)
10 You counted the buildings in Jerusalem
and tore down houses(SA) to strengthen the wall.(SB)
11 You built a reservoir between the two walls(SC)
for the water of the Old Pool,(SD)
but you did not look to the One who made it,
or have regard(SE) for the One who planned(SF) it long ago.
12 The Lord, the Lord Almighty,
called you on that day(SG)
to weep(SH) and to wail,
to tear out your hair(SI) and put on sackcloth.(SJ)
13 But see, there is joy and revelry,(SK)
slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep,
eating of meat and drinking of wine!(SL)
“Let us eat and drink,” you say,
“for tomorrow we die!”(SM)
14 The Lord Almighty has revealed this in my hearing:(SN) “Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned(SO) for,” says the Lord, the Lord Almighty.
15 This is what the Lord, the Lord Almighty, says:
“Go, say to this steward,
to Shebna(SP) the palace(SQ) administrator:(SR)
16 What are you doing here and who gave you permission
to cut out a grave(SS) for yourself(ST) here,
hewing your grave on the height
and chiseling your resting place in the rock?
17 “Beware, the Lord is about to take firm hold of you
and hurl(SU) you away, you mighty man.
18 He will roll you up tightly like a ball
and throw(SV) you into a large country.
There you will die
and there the chariots(SW) you were so proud of
will become a disgrace to your master’s house.
19 I will depose you from your office,
and you will be ousted(SX) from your position.(SY)
20 “In that day(SZ) I will summon my servant,(TA) Eliakim(TB) son of Hilkiah. 21 I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash(TC) around him and hand your authority(TD) over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah. 22 I will place on his shoulder(TE) the key(TF) to the house of David;(TG) what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.(TH) 23 I will drive him like a peg(TI) into a firm place;(TJ) he will become a seat[q] of honor(TK) for the house of his father. 24 All the glory of his family will hang on him: its offspring and offshoots—all its lesser vessels, from the bowls to all the jars.
25 “In that day,(TL)” declares the Lord Almighty, “the peg(TM) driven into the firm place will give way; it will be sheared off and will fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut down.” The Lord has spoken.(TN)
A Prophecy Against Tyre
23 A prophecy against Tyre:(TO)
Wail,(TP) you ships(TQ) of Tarshish!(TR)
For Tyre is destroyed(TS)
and left without house or harbor.
From the land of Cyprus
word has come to them.
2 Be silent,(TT) you people of the island
and you merchants(TU) of Sidon,(TV)
whom the seafarers have enriched.
3 On the great waters
came the grain of the Shihor;(TW)
the harvest of the Nile[r](TX) was the revenue of Tyre,(TY)
and she became the marketplace of the nations.
4 Be ashamed, Sidon,(TZ) and you fortress of the sea,
for the sea has spoken:
“I have neither been in labor nor given birth;(UA)
I have neither reared sons nor brought up daughters.”
5 When word comes to Egypt,
they will be in anguish(UB) at the report from Tyre.(UC)
6 Cross over to Tarshish;(UD)
wail, you people of the island.
7 Is this your city of revelry,(UE)
the old, old city,
whose feet have taken her
to settle in far-off lands?
8 Who planned this against Tyre,
the bestower of crowns,
whose merchants(UF) are princes,
whose traders(UG) are renowned in the earth?
9 The Lord Almighty planned(UH) it,
to bring down(UI) her pride in all her splendor
and to humble(UJ) all who are renowned(UK) on the earth.
10 Till[s] your land as they do along the Nile,
Daughter Tarshish,
for you no longer have a harbor.
11 The Lord has stretched out his hand(UL) over the sea
and made its kingdoms tremble.(UM)
He has given an order concerning Phoenicia
that her fortresses be destroyed.(UN)
12 He said, “No more of your reveling,(UO)
Virgin Daughter(UP) Sidon, now crushed!
“Up, cross over to Cyprus;(UQ)
even there you will find no rest.”
13 Look at the land of the Babylonians,[t](UR)
this people that is now of no account!
The Assyrians(US) have made it
a place for desert creatures;(UT)
they raised up their siege towers,(UU)
they stripped its fortresses bare
and turned it into a ruin.(UV)
15 At that time Tyre(UZ) will be forgotten for seventy years,(VA) the span of a king’s life. But at the end of these seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute:
16 “Take up a harp, walk through the city,
you forgotten prostitute;(VB)
play the harp well, sing many a song,
so that you will be remembered.”
17 At the end of seventy years,(VC) the Lord will deal with Tyre. She will return to her lucrative prostitution(VD) and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth.(VE) 18 Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the Lord;(VF) they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her profits will go to those who live before the Lord,(VG) for abundant food and fine clothes.(VH)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 13:6 Hebrew Shaddai
- Isaiah 13:19 Or Chaldeans
- Isaiah 14:4 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
- Isaiah 14:13 Or of the north; Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.
- Isaiah 15:9 Dimon, a wordplay on Dibon (see verse 2), sounds like the Hebrew for blood.
- Isaiah 15:9 Dimon, a wordplay on Dibon (see verse 2), sounds like the Hebrew for blood.
- Isaiah 16:5 Hebrew tent
- Isaiah 16:8 Probably the Dead Sea
- Isaiah 17:8 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah
- Isaiah 18:1 Or of locusts
- Isaiah 18:1 That is, the upper Nile region
- Isaiah 19:18 Some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls, Symmachus and Vulgate; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text City of Destruction
- Isaiah 19:24 Or Assyria, whose names will be used in blessings (see Gen. 48:20); or Assyria, who will be seen by others as blessed
- Isaiah 20:3 That is, the upper Nile region; also in verse 5
- Isaiah 21:8 Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac; Masoretic Text A lion
- Isaiah 21:11 Dumah, a wordplay on Edom, means silence or stillness.
- Isaiah 22:23 Or throne
- Isaiah 23:3 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls Sidon, / who cross over the sea; / your envoys 3 are on the great waters. / The grain of the Shihor, / the harvest of the Nile,
- Isaiah 23:10 Dead Sea Scrolls and some Septuagint manuscripts; Masoretic Text Go through
- Isaiah 23:13 Or Chaldeans
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.