A Judgment against Babylon
1The burdenof Babylon,which Isaiahthe sonof Amozdid see.
2Lift ye upa bannerupon the highmountain,exaltthe voiceunto them, shakethe hand,that they may gointo the gatesof the nobles.
3I have commandedmy sanctified ones,I have also calledmy mighty onesfor mine anger,[even] them that rejoicein my highness.
4The noiseof a multitudein the mountains,like asof a greatpeople;a tumultuousnoiseof the kingdomsof nationsgathered together:the LORDof hostsmustereththe hostof the battle.
5They comefrom a farcountry,from the endof heaven,[even] the LORD,and the weaponsof his indignation,to destroythe whole land.
6Howlye; for the dayof the LORD[is] at hand;it shall comeas a destructionfrom the Almighty.
7Therefore shall all handsbe faint,and every man'sheartshall melt:
8And they shall be afraid:pangsand sorrowsshall take holdof them; they shall be in painas a woman that travaileth:they shall be amazedoneat another;their faces[shall be as] flames.
9Behold, the dayof the LORDcometh,cruelboth with wrathand fierceanger,to laythe landdesolate:and he shall destroythe sinnersthereof out of it.
10For the starsof heavenand the constellationsthereof shall not givetheir light:the sunshall be darkenedin his going forth,and the moonshall not cause her lightto shine.
11And I will punishthe worldfor [their] evil,and the wickedfor their iniquity;and I will cause the arrogancyof the proudto cease,and will lay lowthe haughtinessof the terrible.
12I will make a manmore preciousthan fine gold;even a manthan the golden wedgeof Ophir.
13Therefore I will shakethe heavens,and the earthshall removeout of her place,in the wrathof the LORDof hosts,and in the dayof his fierceanger.
14And it shall be as the chasedroe,and as a sheepthat no man taketh up:they shall every manturnto his own people,and fleeevery oneinto his own land.
15Every one that is foundshall be thrust through;and every one that is joined[unto them] shall fallby the sword.
16Their childrenalso shall be dashed to piecesbefore their eyes;their housesshall be spoiled,and their wivesravished{08675;07693:08735}.
17Behold, I will stir upthe Medesagainst them, which shall not regardsilver;and [as for] gold,they shall not delightin it.
18[Their] bowsalso shall dashthe young mento pieces;and they shall have no pityon the fruitof the womb;their eyeshall not sparechildren.
19And Babylon,the gloryof kingdoms,the beautyof the Chaldees'excellency,shall be as when GodoverthrewSodomand Gomorrah.
20It shall neverbe inhabited,neither shall it be dweltin from generationto generation:neither shall the Arabianpitch tentthere; neither shall the shepherdsmake their foldthere.
21But wild beasts of the desertshall liethere; and their housesshall be fullof doleful creatures;and owlsshall dwellthere, and satyrsshall dancethere.
22And the wild beasts of the islandsshall cryin their desolate houses,and dragonsin [their] pleasantpalaces:and her time[is] nearto come,and her daysshall not be prolonged.
