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

1This is a message about Babylon that God revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz: On a bare hill raise a signal flag, shout to them, wave your hand, so they might enter the gates of the princes! 3I have given orders to my chosen soldiers; I have summoned the warriors through whom I will vent my anger, my boasting, arrogant ones. 4There is a loud noise on the mountains – it sounds like a large army! There is great commotion among the kingdoms – nations are being assembled! The Lord who commands armies is mustering forces for battle.

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 lifts a signal flag for a distant nation, he whistles for it to come from the far regions of the earth. Look, they come quickly and swiftly.
• Isaiah 11:12He will lift a signal flag for the nations; he will gather Israel’s dispersed people and assemble Judah’s scattered people from the four corners of the earth.
• Isaiah 18:3All you who live in the world, who reside on the earth, you will see a signal flag raised on the mountains; you will hear a trumpet being blown.
• Jeremiah 50:2“Announce the news among the nations! Proclaim it! Signal for people to pay attention! Declare the news! Do not hide it! Say: ‘Babylon will be captured. Bel will be put to shame. Marduk will be dismayed. Babylon’s idols will be put to shame. Her disgusting images will be dismayed.
• Jeremiah 51:27“Raise up battle flags throughout the lands. Sound the trumpets calling the nations to do battle. Prepare the nations to do battle against Babylonia. Call for these kingdoms to attack her: Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a commander to lead the attack. Send horses against her like a swarm of locusts.
• Jeremiah 51:25The Lord says, “Beware! I am opposed to you, Babylon! You are like a destructive mountain that destroys all the earth. I will unleash my power against you; I will roll you off the cliffs and make you like a burned-out mountain.
• Isaiah 10:32This very day, standing in Nob, they shake their fist at Daughter Zion’s mountain – at the hill of Jerusalem.
• Isaiah 11:15The Lord will divide the gulf of the Egyptian Sea; he will wave his hand over the Euphrates River and send a strong wind, he will turn it into seven dried-up streams, and enable them to walk across in their sandals.
• Isaiah 45:1This is what the Lord says to his chosen one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold in order to subdue nations before him, and disarm kings, to open doors before him, so gates remain unclosed:
• Jeremiah 51:58This is what the Lord who rules over all says, “Babylon’s thick wall will be completely demolished. Her high gates will be set on fire. The peoples strive for what does not satisfy. The nations grow weary trying to get what will be destroyed.”

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