Isaiah 13:16

16 And their children will be dashed into pieces before their eyes; their houses will be plundered, and their wives will be raped.

Isaiah 13:16 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 13:16

Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their
eyes
Upon the ground, or against the wall, as was foretold should be, ( Psalms 137:8 Psalms 137:9 ) and in way of retaliation for what they did to the Jews, ( 2 Chronicles 36:17 ) and this was to be done "before their eyes", in the sight of the inhabitants, which must make it the more distressing and afflicting; and, as Kimchi observes, this phrase is to be applied to the following clauses: their houses shall be spoiled;
plundered of the substance, wealth, and riches in them, by the Persian soldiers: and their wives ravished;
by the same, and both before their eyes, and after that slain, in like manner as they had ravished the women in Zion, ( Lamentations 5:11 ) .

Isaiah 13:16 In-Context

14 And this shall happen: like a hunted gazelle or sheep {with none to gather them}, they will each turn to his [own] people, and they will each flee to his [own] land.

15 Everyone who is found will be pierced through, and everyone who is carried away will fall by the sword.

16 And their children will be dashed into pieces before their eyes; their houses will be plundered, and their wives will be raped.

17 Look! I [am] stirring the Medes up against them, who do not value silver and do not delight in gold.

18 And [their] bows will shatter young men. And they will not show mercy on [the] fruit of [the] womb; their eyes will not look compassionately on children.

Footnotes

• [a] The reading tradition (Qere) softens this to "slept with"