Isaiah 13:2

Isaiah 13:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Lift 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.
• New International Version (NIV)Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates of the nobles.
• English Standard Version (ESV)On a bare hill raise a signal; cry aloud to them; wave the hand for them to enter the gates of the nobles.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Lift up a banner on the high mountain, Raise your voice to them; Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.

Context of Isaiah 13:2

1A pronouncement concerning Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw: Lift up a banner on a barren mountain. Call out to them. Signal with your hand, and they will go through the gates of the nobles. 3I have commanded my consecrated ones; yes, I have called my warriors, who celebrate my triumph, to execute my wrath. 4Listen, a commotion on the mountains, like that of a mighty people! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations being gathered together! The Lord of Armies is mobilizing an army for war.

Isaiah 13:2 word by word

עַ֤ל הַר־נִשְׁפֶּה֙ שְֽׂאוּ־נֵ֔ס הָרִ֥ימוּ ק֖וֹל לָהֶ֑ם הָנִ֣יפוּ יָ֔ד וְיָבֹ֖אוּ פִּתְחֵ֥י נְדִיבִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Lift ye upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: raiseH5375
• a bannerנֵסnês · ensignH5251
• upon the highשָׁפָהshâphâh · be bareH8192
• mountainהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
• exaltרוּםrûm · to exaltH7311
• the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• unto them, shakeנוּףnûph · to waveH5130
• the handיָדyâd · handH3027
• that they may goבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• into the gatesפֶּ֫תַחpethach · entranceH6607
• of the noblesנָדִיבnâdîyb · nobleH5081

Cross-references for Isaiah 13:2

• Isaiah 5:26He raises a signal flag for the distant nations and whistles for them from the ends of the earth. Look — how quickly and swiftly they come!
• Isaiah 11:12He will lift up a banner for the nations and gather the dispersed of Israel; he will collect the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
• Isaiah 18:3All you inhabitants of the world and you who live on the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, look! When a ram’s horn sounds, listen!
• Jeremiah 50:2Announce to the nations; proclaim and raise up a signal flag; proclaim, and hide nothing. Say, “Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is terrified.” Her idols are put to shame; her false gods, devastated.
• Jeremiah 51:27Raise a signal flag in the land; blow a ram’s horn among the nations; set apart the nations against her. Summon kingdoms against her — Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a marshal against her; bring up horses like a swarm of locusts.
• Jeremiah 51:25Look, I am against you, devastating mountain. This is the Lord’s declaration. You devastate the whole earth. I will stretch out my hand against you, roll you down from the cliffs, and turn you into a charred mountain.
• Isaiah 10:32Today the Assyrians will stand at Nob, shaking their fists at the mountain of Daughter Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
• Isaiah 11:15The Lord will divide the Gulf of Suez. He will wave his hand over the Euphrates with his mighty wind and will split it into seven streams, letting people walk through on foot.
• Isaiah 45:1The Lord says this to Cyrus, his anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and disarm kings, to open doors before him, and even city gates will not be shut:
• Jeremiah 51:58This is what the Lord of Armies says: Babylon’s thick walls will be totally demolished, and her high gates set ablaze. The peoples will have labored for nothing; the nations will weary themselves only to feed the fire.

Commentaries on Isaiah 13:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Exalt the voice - The word להם lahem, "to them," which is of no use, and rather weakens the sentence, is omitted by an ancient MS., and the Vulgate.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Lift ye up a banner - A military ensign or standard. The vision opens here; and the first thing which the prophet hears, is the solemn command of God addressed to the nations as subject to him, to rear the standard of war, and to gather around it the mighty armies which were to be employed in the destruction of the city. This command, Lift ye up a banner,‘ is addressed to the leaders of those armies to assemble them, and to prepare them for war. Upon the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2A signal flag or banner, visible from far away, was often placed on a bare hilltop as a call to battle. God opposes Babylon as the symbolic representative of all evil kingdoms.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Lift ... banner--(Is 5:26; 11:10). the high mountain--rather, "a bare (literally, "bald," that is, without trees) mountain"; from it the banner could be seen afar off, so as to rally together the peoples against Babylon. unto them--unto the Medes (Is 13:17), the assailants of Babylon. It is remarkable that Isaiah does not foretell here the Jews' captivity in Babylon, but presupposes that event, and throws himself beyond, predicting another event still…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 13:2

• Mountain

In the dictionaries

• Banner
• Glory
• Haughtiness
• Howl
• Astronomy
• Canon of the Old Testament
• Esther, the Rest of
• Evil
• Exalt
• Ezekiel

Commentaries on Isaiah 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings