Isaiah 13:2-5

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Isaiah 13:2 sn The Lord is speaking here (see v. 3).
2. Isaiah 13:3 tn Heb “my consecrated ones,” i.e., those who have been set apart by God for the special task of carrying out his judgment.
3. Isaiah 13:3 tn Heb “my warriors with respect to my anger.”
4. Isaiah 13:3 tn Heb “the boasting ones of my pride”; cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV “my proudly exulting ones.”
5. Isaiah 13:4 sn In vv. 4-10 the prophet appears to be speaking, since the Lord is referred to in the third person. However, since the Lord refers to himself in the third person later in this chapter (see v. 13), it is possible that he speaks throughout the chapter.
6. Isaiah 13:4 tn Heb “a sound, a roar, [is] on the mountains, like many people.”
7. Isaiah 13:4 tn Heb “a sound, tumult of kingdoms.”
8. Isaiah 13:5 tn Heb “from the end of the sky.”
9. Isaiah 13:5 tn Or “anger”; cf. KJV, ASV “the weapons of his indignation.”
10. Isaiah 13:5 tn Or perhaps, “land” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NLT). Even though the heading and subsequent context (see v. 17) indicate Babylon’s judgment is in view, the chapter has a cosmic flavor suggesting that the coming judgment is universal in scope. Perhaps Babylon’s downfall occurs in conjunction with a wider judgment, or the cosmic style is poetic hyperbole used to emphasize the magnitude and importance of the coming event.