[1] The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw. [2] On
a bare hill raise a signal, cry aloud to them; wave the hand for them to
enter the gates of the nobles. [3] I myself have commanded my consecrated
ones, have summoned my mighty men to execute my anger, my proudly exulting
ones. [4] Hark, a tumult on the mountains as of a great multitude! Hark, an
uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathering together! The LORD of hosts is
mustering a host for battle. [5] They come from a distant land, from the
end of the heavens, the LORD and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy
the whole earth. [6] Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; as destruction
from the Almighty it will come! [7] Therefore all hands will be feeble, and
every man's heart will melt, [8] and they will be dismayed. Pangs and agony
will seize them; they will be in anguish like a woman in travail. They will
look aghast at one another; their faces will be aflame. [9] Behold, the day
of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the earth a
desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. [10] For the stars of the
heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be
dark at its rising and the moon will not shed its light. [11] I will punish
the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an
end to the pride of the arrogant, and lay low the haughtiness of the
ruthless. [12] I will make men more rare than fine gold, and mankind than
the gold of Ophir. [13] Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the
earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the LORD of hosts in
the day of his fierce anger. [14] And like a hunted gazelle, or like sheep
with none to gather them, every man will turn to his own people, and every
man will flee to his own land. [15] Whoever is found will be thrust
through, and whoever is caught will fall by the sword. [16] Their infants
will be dashed in pieces before their eyes; their houses will be plundered
and their wives ravished. [17] Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against
them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold. [18] Their
bows will slaughter the young men; they will have no mercy on the fruit of
the womb; their eyes will not pity children. [19] And Babylon, the glory of
kingdoms, the splendor and pride of the Chalde'ans, will be like Sodom and
Gomor'rah when God overthrew them. [20] It will never be inhabited or dwelt
in for all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there, no shepherds
will make their flocks lie down there. [21] But wild beasts will lie down
there, and its houses will be full of howling creatures; there ostriches
will dwell, and there satyrs will dance. [22] Hyenas will cry in its
towers, and jackals in the pleasant palaces; its time is close at hand and
its days will not be prolonged.