13:1 1 This is a message about Babylon that God revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz: 2
13:19 Babylon, the most admired 3 of kingdoms,
the Chaldeans’ source of honor and pride, 4
will be destroyed by God
just as Sodom and Gomorrah were. 5
“Look how the oppressor has met his end!
Hostility 7 has ceased!
23:13 Look at the land of the Chaldeans,
these people who have lost their identity! 8
The Assyrians have made it a home for wild animals.
They erected their siege towers, 9
demolished 10 its fortresses,
and turned it into a heap of ruins. 11
1 sn Isa 13-23 contains a series of judgment oracles against various nations. It is likely that Israel, not the nations mentioned, actually heard these oracles. The oracles probably had a twofold purpose. For those leaders who insisted on getting embroiled in international politics, these oracles were a reminder that Judah need not fear foreign nations or seek international alliances for security reasons. For the righteous remnant within the nation, these oracles were a reminder that Israel’s God was indeed the sovereign ruler of the earth, worthy of his people’s trust.
2 tn Heb “The message [traditionally, “burden”] [about] Babylon which Isaiah son of Amoz saw.”
3 tn Or “most beautiful” (NCV, TEV).
4 tn Heb “the beauty of the pride of the Chaldeans.”
5 tn Heb “and Babylon…will be like the overthrow by God of Sodom and Gomorrah.” On מַהְפֵּכַת (mahpekhat, “overthrow”) see the note on the word “destruction” in 1:7.
6 tn Heb “you will lift up this taunt over the king of Babylon, saying.”
7 tc The word in the Hebrew text (מַדְהֵבָה, madhevah) is unattested elsewhere and of uncertain meaning. Many (following the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa) assume a dalet-resh (ד-ר) confusion and emend the form to מַרְהֵבָה (marhevah, “onslaught”). See HALOT 548 s.v. II *מִדָּה and HALOT 633 s.v. *מַרְהֵבָה.
8 tn Heb “this people [that] is not.”
9 tn For the meaning of this word, see HALOT 118 s.v. *בַּחוּן.
10 tn Or “laid bare.” For the meaning of this word, see HALOT 889 s.v. ערר.
11 sn This verse probably refers to the Assyrian destruction of Babylon.