The Fall of Babylon

Isaiah 13

Isaiah delivers a vision against Babylon, describing the Lord mustering a vast army of nations to bring the terrible day of the Lord, a day of darkened sun, moon, and stars, and of wrath poured out on the proud and wicked. He foretells that the Medes will overthrow Babylon so completely that it will become like Sodom and Gomorrah, forever uninhabited and haunted by wild creatures.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonA vision which Esaias son of Amos saw respecting Babylon:

BrentonThe Vision which Esaias son of Amos saw against Babylon.

GreekὍΡΑΣΙΣ ἫΝ ΕΙΔΕΝ ἩΣΑΙΑΣ ΥΙΟΣ ἈΜΩΣ ΚΑΤΑ ΒΑΒΥΛΩΝΟΣ.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonON a mount in the plain, erect a standard [saith the Lord]; raise the voice to them; beckon with the hand. Open O princes!

BrentonLift up a standard on the mountain of the plain, exalt the voice to them, beckon with the hand, open the gates, ye rulers.

GreekἘπʼ ὄρους πεδινοῦ ἄρατε σημεῖον, ὑψώσατε τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῖς, παρακαλεῖτε τῇ χειρί, ἀνοίξατε οἱ ἄρχοντες.

KJVLift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

JPSSet ye up an ensign upon the high mountain, Lift up the voice unto them, Wave the hand, that they may go Into the gates of the nobles.

ThomsonIt is I Who command. It is I, Who am leading these on. Giants are coming to execute My wrath, rejoicing and at the same time arrogant.

BrentonI give command, and I bring them: giants are coming to fulfil my wrath, rejoicing at the same time and insulting.

GreekἘγὼ συντάσσω, καὶ ἐγώ αὐτούς· γίγαντες ἔρχονται πληρῶσαι τὸν θυμόν μου χαίροντες ἅμα καὶ ὑβρίζοντες.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonA sound of many nations on the mountains! A tumultuous sound of many nations. A sound of kings and nations gathered together! the Lord of Hosts hath issued orders to a nation trained for battle.

BrentonA voice of many nations on the mountains, even like to that of many nations; a voice of kings and nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts has given command to a war-like nation,

GreekΦωνὴ ἐθνῶν πολλῶν ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων, ὁμοία ἐθνῶν πολλῶν, φωνὴ βασιλέων καὶ ἐθνῶν συνηγμένων· Κύριος σαβαὼθ ἐντέταλται ἔθνει ὁπλομάχῳ,

KJVThe noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.

JPSHark, a tumult in the mountains, Like as of a great people! Hark, the uproar of the kingdoms Of the nations gathered together! The LORD of hosts mustereth The host of the battle.

ThomsonThey are come from a far distant country—from the extreme abutment of heaven—the Lord and His trained warriors, to destroy all that inhabited land.

Brentonto come from a land afar off, from the utmost foundation of heaven; the Lord and his warriors are coming to destroy all the world.

Greekἔρχεσθαι ἐκ γῆς πόῤῥωθεν ἀπʼ ἄκρου θεμελίου τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Κύριος καὶ οἱ ὁπλομάχοι αὐτοῦ, καταφθεῖραι πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην.

KJVThey come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

JPSThey come from a far country, From the end of heaven, Even the LORD, and the weapons of His indignation, To destroy the whole earth.

ThomsonRaise the mournful cry! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and destruction from God will come:

BrentonHowl ye, for the day of the Lord is near, and destruction from God shall arrive.

GreekὈλολύζετε, ἐγγὺς γὰρ ἡμέρα Κυρίου, καὶ συντριβὴ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἥξει.

KJVHowl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

JPSHowl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; As destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

Thomsontherefore every hand shall be enfeebled; and every man’s heart shall be dismayed.

BrentonTherefore every hand shall become powerless, and every soul of man shall be dismayed.

GreekΔιάτοῦτο πᾶσα χεὶρ ἐκλυθήσεται, καὶ πᾶσα ψυχὴ ἀνθρώπου δειλιάσει.

KJVTherefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:

JPSTherefore shall all hands be slack, And every heart of man shall melt.

ThomsonThe men in power shall be confounded; and pangs shall seize them, like those of a woman in travail. And they shall bewail their calamities, one to another, and be amazed; and their countenances will quiver like a flame.

BrentonThe elders shall be troubled, and pangs shall seize them, as of a woman in travail: and they shall mourn one to another, and shall be amazed, and shall change their countenance as a flame.

GreekΤαραχθήσονται οἱ πρέσβεις, καὶ ὠδῖνες αὐτοὺς ἕξουσιν, ὡς γυναικὸς τικτούσης· καὶ συμφοράσουσιν ἕτερος πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον, καὶ ἐκστήσονται, καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν ὡς φλὸξ μεταβαλοῦσιν.

KJVAnd they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

JPSAnd they shall be affrighted; Pangs and throes shall take hold of them; They shall be in pain as a woman in travail; They shall look aghast one at another; Their faces shall be faces of flame.

ThomsonFor behold the remediless day of the Lord is coming—a day of wrath and indignation, to make the empire a desolation; and to destroy the sinners out of it.

BrentonFor behold! the day of the Lord is coming which cannot be escaped, a day of wrath and anger, to make the world desolate, and to destroy sinners out of it.

GreekἸδοὺ γὰρ ἡμέρα Κυρίου ἔρχεται ἀνίατος, θυμοῦ καὶ ὀργῆς, θεῖναι τὴν οἰκουμένην ἔρημον, καὶ τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἀπολέσαι ἐξ αὐτῆς.

KJVBehold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

JPSBehold, the day of the LORD cometh, Cruel, and full of wrath and fierce anger; To make the earth a desolation, And to destroy the sinners thereof out of it,

ThomsonFor the stars of heaven—even Orion and the whole host of heaven, shall not give light; even that of the rising sun shall be darkened; and the moon shall not give her light.

BrentonFor the stars of heaven, and Orion, and all the host of heaven, shall not give their light; and it shall be dark at sunrise, and the moon shall not give her light.

GreekΟἱ γὰρ ἀστέρες τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ὁ Ὠρίων καὶ πᾶς ὁ κόσμος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, τὸ φῶς οὐ δώσουσι· καὶ σκοτισθήσεται τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατέλλοντος, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς.

KJVFor the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

JPSFor the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof Shall not give their light; The sun shall be darkened in his going forth, And the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

Thomson—

BrentonAnd I will command evils for the whole world, and will visit their sins on the ungodly: and I will destroy the pride of transgressors, and will bring low the pride of the haughty.

GreekΚαὶ ἐντελοῦμαι τῇ οἰκουμένῃ ὅλῃ κακὰ, καὶ τοῖς ἀσεβέσι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν· καὶ ἀπολῶ ὕβριν ἀνόμων, καὶ ὕβριν ὑπερηφάνων ταπεινώσω.

KJV—

JPS—

Thomsonso that those left shall be more precious than tried gold and a man more precious than the ore of Souphir.

BrentonAnd they that are left shall be more precious than gold tried in the fire; and a man shall be more precious than the stone that is in Suphir.

GreekΚαὶ ἔσονται οἱ καταλελειμμένοι ἔντιμοι μᾶλλον ἢ τὸ χρυσίον τὸ ἄπυρον· καὶ ἄνθρωπος μᾶλλον ἔντιμος ἔσται ἢ ὁ λίθος ὁ ἐν Σουφείρ.

KJVI will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

JPSI will make man more rare than fine gold, Even man than the pure gold of Ophir.

ThomsonFor the heaven shall be filled with wrath; and the earth shaken from its foundations; at the fierce anger of the Lord of Hosts,

BrentonFor the heaven shall be enraged, and the earth shall be shaken from her foundation, because of the fierce anger of the Lord of hosts, in the day in which his wrath shall come on.

GreekὉ γὰρ οὐρανὸς θυμωθήσεται, καὶ ἡ γῆ σεισθήσεται ἐκ τῶν θεμελίων αὐτῆς, διὰ θυμὸν ὀργῆς Κυρίου σαβαὼθ, ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ᾗ ἂν ἐπέλθῃ ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ.

KJVTherefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

JPSTherefore I will make the heavens to tremble, And the earth shall be shaken out of her place, For the wrath of the LORD of hosts, And for the day of His fierce anger.

Thomsonon the day when His wrath shall come: and those left shall be like a chased roe and wandering sheep; and there shall be none to collect them together; so that they may return every man to his place, when every one shall be seeking his own country.

BrentonAnd they that are left shall be as a fleeing fawn, and as a stray sheep, and there shall be none to gather them: so that a man shall turn back to his people, and a man shall flee to his own land.

GreekΚαὶ ἔσονται οἱ καταλελειμμένοι ὡς δορκάδιον φεῦγον, καὶ ὡς πρόβατον πλανώμενον, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ συνάγων, ὥστε ἄνθρωπον εἰς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἀποστραφῆναι, καὶ ἄνθρωπος εἰς τὴν χώραν ἑαυτοῦ διώξεται.

KJVAnd it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.

JPSAnd it shall come to pass, that as the chased gazelle, And as sheep that no man gathereth, They shall turn every man to his own people, And shall flee every man to his own land.

ThomsonFor whosoever is taken shall be thrust through, and those collected in a body shall fall by the sword.

BrentonFor whosoever shall be taken shall be overcome; and they that are gathered together shall fall by the sword.

GreekὋς γὰρ ἂν ἁλῷ, ἡττηθήσεται, καὶ οἵτινες συνηγμένοι εἰσὶ, πεσοῦνται μαχαίρᾳ.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonAnd their infants shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; and their houses shall be plundered and their wives ravished.

BrentonAnd they shall dash their children before their eyes; and they shall spoil their houses, and shall take their wives.

GreekΚαὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν ῥάξουσιν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰς οἰκίας αὐτῶν προνομεύσουσιν, καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας αὐτῶν ἕξουσιν.

KJVTheir children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.

JPSTheir babes also shall be dashed in pieces before their eyes; Their houses shall be spoiled, And their wives ravished.

ThomsonBehold, I am raising up against you the Medes, who disregard silver and have no need of gold.

BrentonBehold, I will stir up against you the Medes, who do not regard silver, neither have they need of gold.

GreekἸδοὺ ἐπεγείρω ὑμῖν τοὺς Μήδους, οἳ ἀργύριον οὐ λογίζονται, οὐδὲ χρυσίου χρείαν ἔχουσι.

KJVBehold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.

JPSBehold, I will stir up the Medes against them, Who shall not regard silver, And as for gold, they shall not delight in it.

ThomsonThey shall break the bows of the young men, and on your infants they will have no compassion; nor will their eyes spare thee for thy children.

BrentonThey shall break the bows of the young men; and they shall have no mercy on your children; nor shall their eyes spare thy children.

GreekΤοξεύματα νεανίσκων συντρίψουσι, καὶ τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν οὐ μὴ ἐλεήσωσιν, οὐδὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς τέκνοις σου φείσονται οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν.

KJVTheir bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.

JPSAnd their bows shall dash the young men in pieces; And they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; Their eye shall not spare children.

ThomsonAnd Babylon, which is stiled Glorious by the king of the Chaldeans, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorra.

BrentonAnd Babylon, which is called glorious by the king of the Chaldeans, shall be as when God overthrew Sodoma and Gomorrha.

GreekΚαὶ ἔσται Βαβυλὼν ἣ καλεῖται ἔνδοξος ἀπὸ βασιλέως Χαλδαίων, ὃν τρόπον κατέστρεψεν ὁ Θεὸς Σόδομα καὶ Γόμοῤῥα·

KJVAnd Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

JPSAnd Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans’pride, Shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

ThomsonIt shall not be inhabited for a great length of time, nor shall it be entered for many generations. The Arabians shall not pass through it; nor shall shepherds make their folds therein.

BrentonIt shall never be inhabited, neither shall any enter into it for many generations: neither shall the Arabians pass through it; nor shall shepherds at all rest in it.

GreekΟὐ κατοικηθήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα χρόνον, οὐδὲ μὴ εἰσέλθωσιν εἰς αὐτὴν διὰ πολλῶν γενεῶν, οὐδὲ μὴ διέλθωσιν αὐτὴν Ἄραβες, οὐδὲ ποιμένες οὐ μὴ ἀναπαύσονται ἐν αὐτῇ.

KJVIt shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

JPSIt shall never be inhabited, Neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation; Neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; Neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

ThomsonBut wild beasts shall there go to rest; and the houses shall be filled with howling. There sirens shall make their abode; and there demons shall hold their revels.

BrentonBut wild beasts shall rest there; and the houses shall be filled with howling; and monsters shall rest there, and devils shall dance there,

GreekΚαὶ ἀναπαύσονται ἐκεῖ θηρία, καὶ ἐμπλησθήσονται αἱ οἰκίαι ἤχου· καὶ ἀναπαύσονται ἐκεῖ σειρῆνες, καὶ δαιμόνια ἐκεῖ ὀρχήσονται,

KJVBut wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.

JPSBut wild-cats shall lie there; And their houses shall be full of ferrets; And ostriches shall dwell there, And satyrs shall dance there.

ThomsonAnd satyrs shall inhabit there; and porcupines shall breed in the houses. He is coming quickly and will not tarry.

Brentonand satyrs shall dwell there; and hedgehogs shall make their nests in their houses. It will come soon, and will not tarry.

Greekκαὶ ὀνοκένταυροι ἐκεῖ κατοικήσουσι, καὶ νοσσοποιήσουσιν ἐχῖνοι ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις αὐτῶν. Ταχὺ ἔρχεται καὶ οὐ χρονιεῖ.

KJV—

JPS—