New International Version
Isaiah 13:19
19Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the pride and glory of the Babylonians, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah.
Isaiah 13:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Babylon, the most glorious of kingdoms, the flower of Chaldean pride, will be devastated like Sodom and Gomorrah when God destroyed them.
Context of Isaiah 13:19
17See, I will stir up against them the Medes, who do not care for silver and have no delight in gold. 18Their bows will strike down the young men; they will have no mercy on infants, nor will they look with compassion on children. Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the pride and glory of the Babylonians, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. 20She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; there no nomads will pitch their tents, there no shepherds will rest their flocks. 21But desert creatures will lie there, jackals will fill her houses; there the owls will dwell, and there the wild goats will leap about.
Read all of Isaiah 13Isaiah 13:19 word by word
וְהָיְתָ֤ה בָבֶל֙ צְבִ֣י מַמְלָכ֔וֹת תִּפְאֶ֖רֶת גְּא֣וֹן כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים כְּמַהְפֵּכַ֣ת אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶת־סְדֹ֖ם וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894
- the gloryצְבִיtsebîy · beautyH6643
- of kingdomsמַמְלָכָהmamlâkâh · kingdomH4467
- the beautyתִּפְאָרָהtiph'ârâh tiph'ereth · beautyH8597
- of the Chaldees’כַּשְׂדִּיםkaώdîy kaώdîymâh · ChaldeaH3778
- excellencyגָּאוֹןgâ'ôn · prideH1347
- shall be as when Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- overthrewמַהְפֵּכָהmahpêkâh · overthrowH4114
- Sodomסְדֹםsedôm · SodomH5467
- and Gomorrahעֲמֹרָה‛ămôrâh · GomorrahH6017
Cross-references for Isaiah 13:19
- Isaiah 14:4you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended!
- Jeremiah 51:41“How Sheshak will be captured, the boast of the whole earth seized! How desolate Babylon will be among the nations!
- Daniel 2:37Your Majesty, you are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory;
- Daniel 4:30he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”
- Genesis 19:24Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens.
- Deuteronomy 29:23The whole land will be a burning waste of salt and sulfur—nothing planted, nothing sprouting, no vegetation growing on it. It will be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboyim, which the Lord overthrew in fierce anger.
- Jeremiah 49:18As Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown, along with their neighboring towns,” says the Lord, “so no one will live there; no people will dwell in it.
- Jeremiah 50:40As I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah along with their neighboring towns,” declares the Lord, “so no one will live there; no people will dwell in it.
- Zephaniah 2:9Therefore, as surely as I live,” declares the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, “surely Moab will become like Sodom, the Ammonites like Gomorrah— a place of weeds and salt pits, a wasteland forever. The remnant of my people will plunder them; the survivors of my nation will inherit their land.”
Commentaries on Isaiah 13:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19And Babylon - The great city of Babylon was at this time rising to its height of glory, while the Prophet Isaiah was repeatedly denouncing its utter destruction. From the first of Hezekiah to the first of Nebuchadnezzar, under whom it was brought to the highest degree of strength and splendor, are about one hundred and twenty years. I will here very briefly mention some particulars of the greatness of the place, and note the several steps by which this…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms - That is, the capital or chief ornament of many nations. Appellations of this kind, applied to Babylon, abound in the Scriptures. In Daniel 4:30, it is called great Babylon;‘ in Isaiah 14:4, it is called the golden city;‘ in Isaiah 47:5, the lady of kingdoms;‘ in Jeremiah 51:13, it is, spoken of as abundant in treasures;‘ and, in Jeremiah 51:41, as the praise of the whole earth.‘ All these expressions are designed to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-22Verses 19-22 Babylon was a noble city; yet it should be wholly destroyed. None shall dwell there. It shall be a haunt for wild beasts. All this is fulfilled. The fate of this proud city is a proof of the truth of the Bible, and an emblem of the approaching ruin of the New Testament Babylon; a warning to sinners to flee from the wrath to come, and it encourages believers to expect victory over every enemy of their souls, and of the church of God. The whole…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-22This image of Babylon as a forever haunted ruin contrasts with its greatness at its height (see Daniel 4:29–30).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. glory of kingdoms--(Is 14:4; 47:5; Jr 51:41). beauty of ... excellency--Hebrew, "the glory of the pride" of the Chaldees; it was their glory and boast. as ... Gomorrah--as utterly (Jr 49:18; 50:40; Am 4:11). Taken by Cyrus, by clearing out the canal made for emptying the superfluous waters of the Euphrates, and directing the river into this new channel, so that he was able to enter the city by the old bed in the night.Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 13:19
In the dictionaries
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
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