Isaiah 13 20

Isaiah 13:20 kjv

It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

Isaiah 13:20 nkjv

It will never be inhabited, Nor will it be settled from generation to generation; Nor will the Arabian pitch tents there, Nor will the shepherds make their sheepfolds there.

Isaiah 13:20 niv

She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; there no nomads will pitch their tents, there no shepherds will rest their flocks.

Isaiah 13:20 esv

It will never be inhabited or lived in for all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there; no shepherds will make their flocks lie down there.

Isaiah 13:20 nlt

Babylon will never be inhabited again.
It will remain empty for generation after generation.
Nomads will refuse to camp there,
and shepherds will not bed down their sheep.

Isaiah 13 verses

Isaiah 13 20 meaning

Isaiah 13:20 proclaims the absolute and perpetual desolation of Babylon. It declares that the city will be permanently uninhabited, never to be settled again, by anyone, for all future generations. This verse emphasizes the finality and irreversible nature of God's judgment upon the proud empire.

Isaiah 13 20 Context

Isaiah chapter 13, titled "The burden of Babylon," prophesies the complete destruction and desolation of Babylon, the mighty Mesopotamian empire. Although Babylon's peak as an empire, known for its brutal conquest and the exile of Judah, was centuries after Isaiah's immediate ministry, the prophet, under divine inspiration, saw its future. This prophecy serves as a dire warning to Babylon, which would become known for its unparalleled power, immense wealth, idolatry, and arrogance. Historically, Babylon would fall to the Persians, never to rise to its former glory. The verse also functions as a powerful polemic against the contemporary belief in the invincibility of great empires and the efficacy of their patron deities, asserting the supreme sovereignty of Yahweh, the God of Israel, over all nations and their destinies.

Isaiah 13 20 Word analysis

• It: Refers directly to Babylon (Hebrew: Babel), the subject of the entire oracle in Isa 13.

• will never again: This phrase emphasizes absolute cessation. The Hebrew לֹא־תֵשֵׁב עוֹד (lo'-teshev 'od) combines the strong negative particle לֹא (lo', "no" or "not") with עוֹד ('od, "again" or "anymore"), creating an emphatic declaration of irreversible non-existence of habitation.

• be inhabited: The Hebrew verb is תֵשֵׁב (teshev), from the root יָשַׁב (yashab), meaning "to sit, dwell, reside, settle, inhabit." It implies a permanent establishment of dwelling. The prophecy is against any form of human residency or establishment.

• or dwelt in: The Hebrew verb תִשְׁכּוֹן (tishkon), from the root שָׁכַן (shakan), also means "to dwell, abide, settle." While similar to yashab, the use of both verbs (yashab and shakan) in conjunction is a literary device to underscore the comprehensive nature of the desolation, signifying that no one will dwell there in any manner, neither permanently nor temporarily. This doubles the emphasis on non-habitation.

• from generation to generation: The Hebrew is לָנֶצַח וָדוֹר וָדוֹר (lanetsach vador vador), which translates more literally as "forever and generation and generation." לָנֶצַח (lanetsach) means "forever" or "eternally." The repetition וָדוֹר וָדוֹר ("and generation and generation") intensifies the sense of unending time. This denotes an eternal, unbroken period of desolation, implying the city will never recover or be rebuilt to its former state throughout human history.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "It will never again be inhabited or dwelt in": This powerful double negation highlights the totality and irreversibility of Babylon's doom. No permanent settlements, no temporary residences – absolutely no human presence will be established there again. The two distinct verbs for dwelling amplify this pronouncement, ensuring no loophole for even partial re-establishment.
  • "from generation to generation": This phrase guarantees the permanence of the judgment. It signifies that the desolation is not for a period, however long, but an everlasting condition, stretching through all future human eras. God's decree over Babylon is a historical and enduring verdict.

Isaiah 13 20 Bonus section

The specific details in Isaiah 13:20 about Babylon's perpetual desolation stand out because many ancient cities, even after major defeats, were eventually re-inhabited, rebuilt, or resettled to some degree. However, ancient Babylon has remained largely a ruin, failing to regenerate as a vibrant city in subsequent historical eras. This prophecy served as a critical message of hope for Judah, ensuring that their captor would face its just, ultimate demise, demonstrating that no earthly empire, no matter how powerful, is beyond the sovereign judgment of the Lord God. In a broader biblical context, this verse contributes to the overarching narrative of God's final triumph over all forms of evil and rebellion, finding its echo in the New Testament's prophetic "fall of Babylon" (Revelation) as a symbol of all ungodly systems brought to desolation.

Isaiah 13 20 Commentary

Isaiah 13:20 is a profound statement of divine judgment, declaring Babylon's irreversible doom. It prophesies that this once-magnificent city, the epitome of worldly power and arrogance, would become a desolate wasteland, forever uninhabited by humanity. The emphatic double negation and the two verbs for "dwelling" emphasize the absolute nature of this desolation, leaving no ambiguity regarding its finality. The declaration that this state will persist "from generation to generation" underlines the perpetual and unending nature of God's judgment. This prophecy demonstrates God's sovereignty over nations and history, fulfilling His justice against the proud and wicked, and assuring His people of ultimate deliverance from oppression. Though the city of Babylon fell to Persia, it never regained its former glory as a metropolitan center, enduring largely as ruins—a stark witness to the precision of this biblical prophecy.