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 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 13:19 | "And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans' pride, | Isa 13:1-22 (Context of judgment) |
| Isa 14:22 | "For I will rise up against them," declares the LORD Almighty, | Isa 14:1-23 (Pronouncement against Assyria, parallel) |
| Jer 50:39 | "But deserts and wastelands her dwellings shall be; | Jer 50:1-46 (Prophecy against Babylon) |
| Jer 51:62 | "Also you shall say, 'O Babylon, you shall sink, and not | Jer 51:1-64 (Further prophecy against Babylon) |
| Jer 51:43 | Her cities are a desolation, a dry land and a waste, | Jer 51:1-64 (Description of Babylon's ruin) |
| Jer 2:15 | The young lions roar at him; they show their fierceness, | Jer 2:1-37 (Idols bring desolation) |
| Ezek 32:13 | "I will also make many people tremble because of you, | Ezek 32:1-32 (Judgment on Egypt) |
| Amos 4:10 | "I have sent plagues among you as in Egypt, | Amos 4:1-13 (Judgment and deliverance) |
| Amos 5:16 | Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord: | Amos 5:1-27 (Lament and call to repentance) |
| Zeph 2:15 | This is the rejoicing city that lived carelessly, | Zeph 2:1-15 (Judgment on Nineveh) |
| Luke 11:24 | "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through | Luke 11:1-54 (Demonic possession) |
| Rev 18:2 | And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is | Rev 18:1-24 (Fall of Babylon) |
| Rev 17:5 | And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: | Rev 17:1-18 (Mystery Babylon) |
| Rev 18:22 | "And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flutists and | Rev 18:1-24 (Desolation of Babylon) |
| Isa 34:11 | But the pelican and the bittern shall possess it; the owl and the | Isa 34:1-17 (Judgment on Edom) |
| Isa 34:13 | Thorns shall come up in its palaces, nettles and thistles in its | Isa 34:1-17 (Desolation of Edom) |
| Isa 35:7 | The mirage shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of | Isa 35:1-10 (Restoration of Zion) |
| Jer 49:33 | And Hazor shall become a dwelling for jackals, an | Jer 49:1-39 (Judgment on Kedar) |
| Mal 4:1 | "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, | Mal 4:1-6 (Day of the Lord) |
| Joel 1:20 | The beasts of the field cry also to you, for the streams of water | Joel 1:1-20 (Day of the Lord's devastation) |
| Ps 107:33-34 | He turns rivers into a wilderness, and the water of the springs | Ps 107:1-43 (God’s power over nature) |
Isaiah 13 verses
Isaiah 13 20 Meaning
Isaiah 13:20 speaks of a future desolation where the once-flourishing land will become a wasteland, inhabited by wild animals rather than humans. This judgment is pronounced upon Babylon.
Isaiah 13 20 Context
This verse is part of a larger prophecy against Babylon, which begins in Isaiah chapter 13. The chapter describes a devastating invasion and the utter destruction of the city. This judgment is presented as an act of God against sin and arrogance. The immediate context of Isaiah 13:20 is the culmination of the prophecy of Babylon's downfall, emphasizing its complete transformation from a vibrant metropolis to a desolate wilderness. Historically, this prophecy would have resonated with the Jewish people during their Babylonian captivity, offering a message of hope for their eventual liberation and a prophetic denunciation of their oppressors.
Isaiah 13 20 Word analysis
- וְהָיָה (və·hā·yāh): "And it shall be." A common conjunctive particle introducing a statement of future consequence or a result.
- בָּבֶל (bā·ḇel): "Babylon." The ancient Mesopotamian city, a powerful empire that conquered and exiled the people of Judah.
- נוֹתֵי (nō·ṯê): "hauntings" or "dwelling places." This refers to wild creatures that would inhabit the ruins. Derived from the root נוּעַ (nu'a) meaning to wander or shake, suggesting wild, unsettled beings.
- יַעֲנָה (ya·‘ă·nāh): "a screech owl" or "night creature." Often associated with desolate places.
- וּשְׂעִירִים (ū·śə·‘î·rîm): "and satyrs" or "wild goats." Creatures of the wilderness, further emphasizing desolation.
- תִּשְׁכֹּן (tiš·kōn): "shall dwell." indicating a permanent habitation, not a temporary one.
- שָׁמָּה (šām·māh): "there." Pointing to the specific location of Babylon.
- אִילְמֹת (ʼîl·mōṯ): "dwellings for wild animals" or "haunts for beasts." Reinforces the idea of the place becoming wild.
- וּבָתֵּי (ū·ḇā·ṯê): "and houses."
- הַֽחַיּוֹת (ha·ḥay·yōwṯ): "of the beasts" or "living creatures."
- שָׁם (šām): "there."
- צְעָקָה (ṣə·‘ā·qāh): "shrieking" or "crying out." The sounds of wild animals replacing human voices.
- וְלֵיל (wə·lêl): "and night."
- יִקְרְאוּ (yiq·rə·’ū): "shall call." Suggests the vocalizations of these wild inhabitants.
- יָשְׁבֵיהָ (yā·šə·ḇê·hā): "its inhabitants." Refers back to the people who formerly lived there.
Words Group Analysis:
- "hauntings, a screech owl, and satyrs" – This cluster of terms vividly depicts the complete absence of human life and the dominance of wild, unsettling creatures. The selection of specific animals like the screech owl and satyrs evokes a sense of darkness, emptiness, and fear, highlighting the depth of the desolation.
- "dwellings for wild animals and houses" – This phrase directly contrasts the former human habitations ("houses") with the future dwelling places of wild creatures ("dwellings for wild animals"), underscoring the utter reversal of its former status.
- "shrieking, and night they shall call" – This emphasizes the auditory aspect of the desolation. Human sounds of celebration or industry are replaced by the cries of wild beasts in the darkness, signifying a place devoid of orderly human activity and full of eerie sounds.
Isaiah 13 20 Bonus section
The imagery of wild animals inhabiting ruined cities is common throughout the Bible, often serving as a signifier of God's judgment and the complete removal of human presence. Scholars often connect this verse to archaeological findings that describe the gradual decline and eventual abandonment of the ancient city of Babylon, though the prophetic timescale can extend beyond immediate historical events to include the ultimate fall of oppressive empires. The association of these animals, particularly satyrs or "wild goats," with desolate places in ancient Near Eastern thought adds to the weight of this pronouncement, indicating a place cursed and forsaken.
Isaiah 13 20 Commentary
Isaiah 13:20 paints a stark picture of absolute desolation following divine judgment. Babylon, the magnificent "glory of kingdoms" (Isa 13:19), will cease to be a human dwelling place. Instead, it will become a domain for wild, untamed creatures like owls and satyrs. This is a recurring theme in prophetic literature: the judgment on a wicked nation leads to its complete ruin, making it uninhabitable for humans and instead a haunt for wild animals. This transformation signifies not only the end of its political power but also a fundamental return to a primal, wild state. The verse emphasizes the finality of God's judgment, transforming a place of human pride and activity into a silent, eerie wilderness. It serves as a potent warning against human arrogance and rebellion against God's authority.