1 THE prophecy concerning the fall of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.

2 Lift up a banner on high mountains, raise the voice to them, wave the hand, that they may enter the gates of the princes.

3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have called the mighty ones in my anger, even them that became strong with my excellency.

4 The noise of tumult on the mountains, like as of many peoples; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together; the LORD of hosts is performing wonders.

5 Warriors are coming from afar, and from the end of heaven, even the LORD and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

6 Howl; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a plunder which is made suddenly.

7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt;

8 And they shall be afraid; terror and pangs shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman in travail; they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

9 Behold, the day of the LORD comes, which has no remedy, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to make the earth a desolation; and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in its rising, and the moon shall not cause its light to shine.

11 And I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will bring low the haughtiness of the mighty.

12 I will make a man more precious than gold; even a man than the gold of Ophir.

13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall be moved out of its place, in the rebuke of the LORD of hosts, in the day of his fierce anger.

14 And they shall be like gazelles when they flee, and like sheep that have no one to gather them; every man shall turn to his own people, and every one flee to his own land.

15 Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that escapes shall fall by the sword.

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

17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver, and have no delight in gold.

18 The bows of young men shall be broken in pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eyes shall not spare children.

19 And Babylon, the glory of the kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldean's excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation; neither shall the Arabians encamp there; neither shall the shepherds make their folds there.

21 But wild beasts shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and ostriches shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.

22 And the screech-owls shall cry in their palaces, and jackals in their pleasant temples; its time is soon to come, and its days shall not be prolonged.