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Isaiah 13 (CEV)

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¹ This is the message that I was given about Babylon: ² From high on a barren hill give a signal, shout the orders, and point the way to enter the gates of Babylon's proud rulers. ³ The LORD has commanded his very best warriors and his proud heroes to show how angry he is. ⁴ Listen to the noisy crowds on the mountains! Kingdoms and nations are joining forces. The LORD All-Powerful is bringing together an army for battle. ⁵ From a distant land the LORD is coming fierce and furious-- he brings his weapons to destroy the earth. ⁶ Cry and weep! The day is coming when the mighty LORD will bring destruction. * ⁷ All people will be terrified. Hands will grow limp; courage will melt away. ⁸ Everyone will tremble with pain like a woman giving birth; they will stare at each other with horror on their faces. ⁹ I, the LORD, will show no mercy or pity when that time comes. In my anger I will destroy the earth and every sinner who lives on it. ¹⁰ Light will disappear from the stars in the sky; the dawning sun will turn dark, and the moon will lose its glow. ¹¹ I will punish this evil world and its people because of their sins. I will crush the horrible pride of those who are cruel. ¹² Survivors will be harder to find than the purest gold. ¹³ I, the LORD All-Powerful, am terribly angry-- I will make the sky tremble and the earth shake loose. ¹⁴ Everyone will run to their homelands, just as hunted deer run, and sheep scatter when they have no shepherd. ¹⁵ Those who are captured will be killed by a sword. ¹⁶ They will see their children beaten against rocks, their homes robbed, and their wives abused. ¹⁷ The Medes can't be bought off with silver or gold, and I'm sending them to attack Babylonia. ¹⁸ Their arrows will slaughter the young men; no pity will be shown to babies and children. ¹⁹ The city of Babylon is glorious and powerful, the pride of the nation. But it will be like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah after I, the Lord, destroyed them. ²⁰ No one will live in Babylon. Even nomads won't camp nearby, and shepherds won't let their sheep rest there. ²¹ Only desert creatures, hoot owls, and ostriches will live in its ruins, and goats will leap about. ²² Hyenas and wolves will howl from Babylon's fortresses and beautiful palaces. Its time is almost up!