Isaiah 13:22 kjv
And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.
Isaiah 13:22 nkjv
The hyenas will howl in their citadels, And jackals in their pleasant palaces. Her time is near to come, And her days will not be prolonged."
Isaiah 13:22 niv
Hyenas will inhabit her strongholds, jackals her luxurious palaces. Her time is at hand, and her days will not be prolonged.
Isaiah 13:22 esv
Hyenas will cry in its towers, and jackals in the pleasant palaces; its time is close at hand and its days will not be prolonged.
Isaiah 13:22 nlt
Hyenas will howl in its fortresses,
and jackals will make dens in its luxurious palaces.
Babylon's days are numbered;
its time of destruction will soon arrive.
Isaiah 13 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 13:22 | And the wild beasts of the desert shall lie there… | Destruction of Babylon, prophetic judgment |
| Isaiah 13:19 | Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms… shall be like Sodom… | Explicit comparison to Sodom and Gomorrah |
| Jeremiah 51 | Full prophecy against Babylon, mentioning destruction | Detailed account of Babylon's fall |
| Jeremiah 50 | Also describes Babylon's judgment | Further prophecy of Babylon's devastation |
| Genesis 19 | Account of Sodom and Gomorrah's destruction | Fulfillment of the comparison |
| Revelation 18 | Fall of Babylon (a future spiritual Babylon) | Echoes the judgment upon oppressive systems |
| Luke 17:29 | Jesus mentions Lot's escape from Sodom | Emphasizes suddenness and completeness of destruction |
| Matthew 24:37 | Like the days of Noah and Lot | Portrays catastrophic, unforeseen judgment |
| Zephaniah 2:9 | Moab and the Ammonites like Sodom and Gomorrah | Theme of judgment mirroring historical events |
| Amos 4:11 | Like Sodom and Gomorrah | Further divine judgment compared to historical events |
| Isaiah 34:13-15 | Edom's desolation, becoming a haunt for wild creatures | Parallel imagery of wasteland and desolation |
| Isaiah 35:7 | The scorched earth shall become a pool… haunt of jackals | Depicts transformation from desolation to a refuge |
| Psalm 107:34 | Turns rivers into a wasteland and water into thirst | Imagery of utter desolation |
| Isaiah 21:9 | Babylon has fallen, has fallen! | Repetition highlighting finality |
| Jeremiah 50:40 | As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah | Direct scriptural link to the comparison |
| Proverbs 21:1 | The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord | God's sovereign control over rulers and nations |
| Revelation 14:8 | Babylon the great has fallen… | Prophetic fall of a great city/system |
| Nahum 3 | Prophecy against Nineveh, describing destruction | Similar prophetic patterns of judgment |
| Isaiah 13:16 | Their little ones will be dashed in pieces… | Graphic depiction of the totality of destruction |
| Isaiah 13:18 | Their houses will be given to others… | Complete confiscation and ruin |
| Deuteronomy 29:23 | Brimstone, salt, and burning… | Description of desolate land |
Isaiah 13 verses
Isaiah 13 22 Meaning
This verse describes the devastation and desolation that will come upon the city of Babylon, likening it to the destruction that befell Sodom and Gomorrah. It emphasizes the complete ruin and absence of any inhabitants, highlighting the divine judgment against it.
Isaiah 13 22 Context
This verse is part of Isaiah chapter 13, which is a prophetic oracle against Babylon. The chapter describes the imminent judgment and complete destruction of this powerful empire. It speaks of a massive military invasion and the resulting chaos and desolation. Historically, this prophecy would have resonated with the people of Judah during a time when Babylon was a formidable political and military force, posing a significant threat. The imagery of wild animals inhabiting the ruins served as a stark warning and a demonstration of God's ultimate power over even the mightiest of nations.
Isaiah 13 22 Word Analysis
- וְ: (wə) - And. A conjunction connecting clauses and indicating continuation.
- שָֽׁכְנוּ: (shakhənu) - Shall dwell, shall inhabit. From the root שׁכן (shakhán), meaning to dwell or settle. This implies habitation, but here it is used for the inhabitants being wild animals, signifying desolation.
- חַיַּ֤ת: (khayyat) - Wild beasts, beasts of the desert. Derived from חַי (khai), meaning living or alive. Refers to the fauna of arid and desolate regions, specifically those not tamed or domesticated.
- צִיִּים֙: (tsiyyim) - Deserts, desolate places, wildernesses. From the root צִיָּה (tsíyyá), meaning dryness, desert, or wasteland. Emphasizes barren and uninhabited areas.
- וּבָתֵּיהֶם֙: (ubáttêhem) - And their houses. A compound word: וּ (u-) meaning "and" and בָּתֵּי (battey) meaning "houses" (plural construct) and הֶם (hem) meaning "their". Signifies the residences of the former inhabitants.
- יְמַלְאוּ: (yəmāl'ū) - Shall fill. From the root מָלֵא (malé'), meaning to fill. Indicates a complete occupation by something new.
- יַעֲנָֽה: (ya'anáh) - Wild owls, ostriches. The meaning is debated, but generally understood as a nocturnal bird of prey or a large desert bird, signifying desolate places.
- וּשְׂעִירִ֖ים: (usə'îrim) - And wild goats, satyrs. From the root שָׂעִיר (sa'ír), meaning hairy or shaggy, referring to goat-like creatures. Often associated with demons or spirits of the wilderness in ancient Near Eastern beliefs.
- יְרַקְּדוּ: (yərākqedū) - Shall dance. From the root רָקַד (ráqad), meaning to leap or dance. Used here poetically to describe the active presence of these creatures in the ruins, contributing to the eerie atmosphere.
Words/Phrases Group Analysis:
- "wild beasts of the desert shall lie there": This collective phrase evokes a picture of utter abandonment. The typical human inhabitants are gone, replaced by creatures that thrive in desolation and emptiness.
- "and their houses shall be filled with owls": The house, a symbol of human dwelling and safety, is now occupied by owls, birds often associated with nighttime, loneliness, and the destruction of cities. The plural "houses" implies the entire city's residences.
- "and wild goats shall leap there": The imagery of wild goats dancing (or leaping) adds to the sense of uncontrolled wildness and unnatural activity in a place meant for human civilization. It underscores the complete absence of human order.
Isaiah 13 22 Bonus Section
The specific animals mentioned, such as the "owl" (יַעֲנָה - ya'anáh) and "wild goats" or "satyrs" (שְׂעִירִים - sê'îrîm), carry significant symbolic weight. The owl is often linked with death and desolate places across various cultures. The term "satyrs" (often translated as "wild goats") potentially hints at ancient Mesopotamian beliefs in desert demons or spirits inhabiting ruins, and by using this imagery, the prophecy indirectly polemicizes against such false worship by asserting that it is the true God who causes these destructions and that His judgment results in desolation rather than habitation by demonic forces. The idea of these creatures "dancing" in the ruins is a powerful personification of the emptiness and the uncanny liveliness of utter destruction.
Isaiah 13 22 Commentary
Isaiah 13:22 vividly paints a picture of total desolation following God's judgment upon Babylon. The absence of people means the land is reclaimed by the wild. Instead of the sounds of human activity, the haunting cries of desert animals and birds will echo through the ruins. This verse emphasizes the completeness of the destruction; not only are the buildings left standing, but they are now occupied by creatures associated with the untamed and the desolate, symbolizing the eradication of human presence and order. The reference to Sodom and Gomorrah (mentioned in the previous verse, 13:21) further solidifies the extent of the judgment as one of complete obliteration and transformation into a wasteland.