NLT 1 Isaiah son of Amoz received this message concerning the destruction of Babylon: NIV 1 A prophecy against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw: NLT 2 “Raise a signal flag on a bare hilltop. Call up an army against Babylon. Wave your hand to encourage them as they march into the palaces of the high and mighty. NIV 2 Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates of the nobles. NLT 3 I, the LORD, have dedicated these soldiers for this task. Yes, I have called mighty warriors to express my anger, and they will rejoice when I am exalted.” NIV 3 I have commanded those I prepared for battle; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath— those who rejoice in my triumph. NLT 4 Hear the noise on the mountains! Listen, as the vast armies march! It is the noise and shouting of many nations. The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has called this army together. NIV 4 Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The LORD Almighty is mustering an army for war. NLT 5 They come from distant countries, from beyond the farthest horizons. They are the LORD ’s weapons to carry out his anger. With them he will destroy the whole land. NIV 5 They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens— the LORD and the weapons of his wrath— to destroy the whole country. NLT 6 Scream in terror, for the day of the LORD has arrived— the time for the Almighty to destroy. NIV 6 Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. NLT 7 Every arm is paralyzed with fear. Every heart melts, NIV 7 Because of this, all hands will go limp, every heart will melt with fear. NLT 8 and people are terrified. Pangs of anguish grip them, like those of a woman in labor. They look helplessly at one another, their faces aflame with fear. NIV 8 Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame. NLT 9 For see, the day of the LORD is coming— the terrible day of his fury and fierce anger. The land will be made desolate, and all the sinners destroyed with it. NIV 9 See, the day of the LORD is coming —a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger— to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. NLT 10 The heavens will be black above them; the stars will give no light. The sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will provide no light. NIV 10 The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. NLT 11 “I, the LORD, will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their sin. I will crush the arrogance of the proud and humble the pride of the mighty. NIV 11 I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. NLT 12 I will make people scarcer than gold— more rare than the fine gold of Ophir. NIV 12 I will make people scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir. NLT 13 For I will shake the heavens. The earth will move from its place when the LORD of Heaven’s Armies displays his wrath in the day of his fierce anger.” NIV 13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the LORD Almighty, in the day of his burning anger. NLT 14 Everyone in Babylon will run about like a hunted gazelle, like sheep without a shepherd. They will try to find their own people and flee to their own land. NIV 14 Like a hunted gazelle, like sheep without a shepherd, they will all return to their own people, they will flee to their native land. NLT 15 Anyone who is captured will be cut down— run through with a sword. NIV 15 Whoever is captured will be thrust through; all who are caught will fall by the sword. NLT 16 Their little children will be dashed to death before their eyes. Their homes will be sacked, and their wives will be raped. NIV 16 Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses will be looted and their wives violated. NLT 17 “Look, I will stir up the Medes against Babylon. They cannot be tempted by silver or bribed with gold. NIV 17 See, I will stir up against them the Medes, who do not care for silver and have no delight in gold. NLT 18 The attacking armies will shoot down the young men with arrows. They will have no mercy on helpless babies and will show no compassion for children.” NIV 18 Their bows will strike down the young men; they will have no mercy on infants, nor will they look with compassion on children. NLT 19 Babylon, the most glorious of kingdoms, the flower of Chaldean pride, will be devastated like Sodom and Gomorrah when God destroyed them. NIV 19 Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the pride and glory of the Babylonians,will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. NLT 20 Babylon will never be inhabited again. It will remain empty for generation after generation. Nomads will refuse to camp there, and shepherds will not bed down their sheep. NIV 20 She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; there no nomads will pitch their tents, there no shepherds will rest their flocks. NLT 21 Desert animals will move into the ruined city, and the houses will be haunted by howling creatures. Owls will live among the ruins, and wild goats will go there to dance. NIV 21 But desert creatures will lie there, jackals will fill her houses; there the owls will dwell, and there the wild goats will leap about. NLT 22 Hyenas will howl in its fortresses, and jackals will make dens in its luxurious palaces. Babylon’s days are numbered; its time of destruction will soon arrive. NIV 22 Hyenas will inhabit her strongholds, jackals her luxurious palaces. Her time is at hand, and her days will not be prolonged.
NIV 1 A prophecy against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw: NIV 2 Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates of the nobles. NIV 3 I have commanded those I prepared for battle; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath— those who rejoice in my triumph. NIV 4 Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The LORD Almighty is mustering an army for war. NIV 5 They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens— the LORD and the weapons of his wrath— to destroy the whole country. NIV 6 Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. NIV 7 Because of this, all hands will go limp, every heart will melt with fear. NIV 8 Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame. NIV 9 See, the day of the LORD is coming —a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger— to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. NIV 10 The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. NIV 11 I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. NIV 12 I will make people scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir. NIV 13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the LORD Almighty, in the day of his burning anger. NIV 14 Like a hunted gazelle, like sheep without a shepherd, they will all return to their own people, they will flee to their native land. NIV 15 Whoever is captured will be thrust through; all who are caught will fall by the sword. NIV 16 Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses will be looted and their wives violated. NIV 17 See, I will stir up against them the Medes, who do not care for silver and have no delight in gold. NIV 18 Their bows will strike down the young men; they will have no mercy on infants, nor will they look with compassion on children. NIV 19 Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the pride and glory of the Babylonians,will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. NIV 20 She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; there no nomads will pitch their tents, there no shepherds will rest their flocks. NIV 21 But desert creatures will lie there, jackals will fill her houses; there the owls will dwell, and there the wild goats will leap about. NIV 22 Hyenas will inhabit her strongholds, jackals her luxurious palaces. Her time is at hand, and her days will not be prolonged.