Isaiah 13:5

5 They come from far-off countries, they pour in across the horizon. It's God on the move with the weapons of his wrath, ready to destroy the whole country.

Isaiah 13:5 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 13:5

They come from a far country, from the end of heaven
The east, as Kimchi observes; the Targum is, from the ends of the earth; the furthermost parts of it, as Persia and Media were: the former is bounded on the south side by the main ocean; and the latter, part of it by the Caspian sea; and between Babylon and these kingdoms lay the large kingdom of Assyria; so that this army might be truly said to come from a far country: [even] the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation;
the Medes and Persians, who were the instruments of his wrath and vengeance against Babylon; just as Assyria is called the rod of his anger, ( Isaiah 10:5 ) with these he is said to come, because this army was of his gathering, mustering, ordering, and directing, in his providence; the end and design of which was, to destroy the whole land;
not the whole world, as the Septuagint render it; but the whole land of Chaldea, of which Babylon was the metropolis. The Targum is,

``to destroy all the wicked of the earth.''

Isaiah 13:5 In-Context

3 I've taken charge of my special forces, called up my crack troops. They're bursting with pride and passion to carry out my angry judgment."
4 Thunder rolls off the mountains like a mob huge and noisy - Thunder of kingdoms in an uproar, nations assembling for war. God-of-the-Angel-Armies is calling his army into battle formation.
5 They come from far-off countries, they pour in across the horizon. It's God on the move with the weapons of his wrath, ready to destroy the whole country.
6 Wail! God's Day of Judgment is near - an avalanche crashing down from the Strong God!
7 Everyone paralyzed in the panic,
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.