Isaiah 13 15

Isaiah 13:15 kjv

Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.

Isaiah 13:15 nkjv

Everyone who is found will be thrust through, And everyone who is captured will fall by the sword.

Isaiah 13:15 niv

Whoever is captured will be thrust through; all who are caught will fall by the sword.

Isaiah 13:15 esv

Whoever is found will be thrust through, and whoever is caught will fall by the sword.

Isaiah 13:15 nlt

Anyone who is captured will be cut down ?
run through with a sword.

Isaiah 13 verses

Isaiah 13 15 meaning

This verse vividly portrays the absolute and indiscriminate destruction awaiting those associated with the nation under divine judgment, specifically Babylon. It declares that no inhabitant or supporter will escape the impending wrath; anyone discovered will be violently impaled or stabbed, and everyone apprehended will meet their end by the sword. The text underscores the certainty, severity, and inescapable nature of God's decreed punishment.

Isaiah 13 15 Context

Isaiah 13 initiates a series of "burdens" or pronouncements of judgment against various nations, with Babylon being the first and most prominent. The chapter begins with God summoning distant nations (Medes, vv.3-5) as instruments of His wrath, setting the stage for a cosmic event termed the "Day of the Lord" (v.6). This "Day" is characterized by universal panic, terror, and despair, impacting even nature. The specific target here is Babylon, portrayed as a proud and oppressive empire destined for complete overthrow. This prophecy was delivered centuries before Babylon reached its zenith and before its eventual conquest by Cyrus the Great of Persia, fulfilling God's word through a Medo-Persian alliance. Verse 15 intensifies the imagery of this conquest, emphasizing the utter lack of mercy and escape for those associated with the condemned city. It solidifies the idea that God’s judgment will be comprehensive and final, driven by His holy character.

Isaiah 13 15 Word analysis

• "Therefore" (עַל־כֵּן al-ken): This transitional phrase introduces the consequence, signaling that what follows is the logical outcome of the widespread terror and confusion described in the preceding verses (v.14). It ties the fear to the coming judgment.

• "everyone who is found" (כָּל־הַנִּמְצָא kol-hannimtsā): Lit. "all the one being found." Nimtsā (נִמְצָא) is a Niphil participle of matsa (מָצָא), "to find." It highlights inescapable exposure; no one within the doomed populace can hide or evade detection. They are "found" regardless of their attempts to escape.

• "will be thrust through" (יִדָּקֵר yiddāqēr): The Niphil imperfect of daqar (דָּקַר), "to pierce, stab, thrust through." This vivid verb describes a brutal and violent penetration by a weapon, signifying a bloody and painful death. The Niphil passive implies the victim's powerlessness.

• "and everyone who is caught" (וְכָל־הַנִּסְפֶּה veḵol-hannispeh): Lit. "and all the one being swept away/captured." Nispeh (נִסְפֶּה) is a Niphil participle of saphah (סָפָה), "to gather, consume, bring to an end, sweep away." This term implies being apprehended, swept away in the destruction, or utterly consumed by the catastrophe, again emphasizing no possibility of evasion.

• "will fall by the sword" (יִפּוֹל בַּחֶרֶב yippōl baḥereḇ): Lit. "will fall by the sword." Yippōl (יִפּוֹל) is the Qal imperfect of naphal (נָפַל), "to fall." Baḥereḇ (בַּחֶרֶב) means "by the sword." This is a classic biblical idiom for death in battle or execution, making explicit the cause of death as military conquest.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "everyone who is found... everyone who is caught": These parallel expressions create a sense of absolute totality. They communicate that regardless of how an individual is discovered or apprehended within the city, their fate is sealed. There are no exceptions; the judgment is universal across the target population.
  • "will be thrust through... will fall by the sword": These paired violent outcomes leave no doubt about the severity and specific manner of death. One describes the piercing nature of the blow, the other the ultimate collapse by a blade, together emphasizing a merciless military slaughter as divine judgment.

Isaiah 13 15 Bonus section

• The passive voice used for daqar (thrust through) and saphah (caught/swept away) emphasizes the utter helplessness of the victims. They are acted upon by a superior force, with no agency to defend themselves or change their fate.
• This verse provides a crucial link in the "Day of the Lord" prophecies, demonstrating how this grand, eschatological motif also applies to historical judgments upon specific nations. It reveals that the Lord's "Day" is not solely a distant end-time event but a principle of divine reckoning that can manifest throughout history.
• The severity of the judgment is a direct consequence of Babylon's profound pride and the suffering it inflicted upon God's people (Jer 50:11; Isa 14:1-6). The violence prophesied is proportionate to their former cruelty.

Isaiah 13 15 Commentary

Isaiah 13:15 paints an exceptionally stark and unmerciful picture of divine judgment executed through warfare. It functions as a severe warning, specifically to Babylon, that God’s decree cannot be circumvented. The repetitive phrasing ("everyone who is found... everyone who is caught") eliminates any notion of selective escape; all are indiscriminately swept into the vortex of destruction. The language of being "thrust through" and "falling by the sword" are grim depictions of combat, highlighting a brutal, immediate, and utterly inescapable demise for the inhabitants. This prophecy serves not only as a historical forecast of Babylon's doom but also as a powerful testament to God's sovereign authority over nations, His intolerance of pride, and the certainty of His promised justice against all who oppose Him. The lack of mercy shown by the instruments of judgment (the Medes) reflects the uncompromising nature of God’s wrath.