Isaiah 13:5

5 [They are] coming from a distant land, from the end of the heavens, Yahweh and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy {the whole earth}.

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 myself I have commanded my consecrated ones, I have also summoned my mighty warriors concerning my anger, the {ones who exalt over} my majesty.

4 A sound, a noise [is] on the mountains, [the] likeness [of] many people! A sound of [the] roar of [the] kingdoms, of nations gathering! Yahweh of hosts [is] mustering an army for battle.

5 [They are] coming from a distant land, from the end of the heavens, Yahweh and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy {the whole earth}.

6 Wail, for the day of Yahweh [is] near; it will come like destruction from Shaddai!

7 Therefore all hands will grow slack, and every human heart will melt,

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "all of the land/earth"