The Burden against Babylon

1The burden of Babel, which Isaiah the sonne of Amoz did see.

2Lift vp a standard vpon the hie mountaine: lift vp the voyce vnto them: wagge the hand, that they may goe into the gates of the nobles.

3I haue commanded them, that I haue sanctified: and I haue called ye mightie to my wrath, and them that reioyce in my glorie.

4The noyse of a multitude is in the mountaines, like a great people: a tumultuous voyce of the kingdomes of the nations gathered together: the Lorde of hostes nombreth the hoste of the battell.

5They come from a farre countrey, from the end of the heauen: euen the Lord with the weapons of his wrath to destroy the whole land.

6Howle you, for the day of the Lorde is at hande: it shall come as a destroier from the Almightie.

7Therefore shal all hands be weakened, and all mens hearts shall melt,

8And they shalbe afraid: anguish and sorowe shal take them, and they shal haue paine, as a woman that trauaileth: euery one shall be amased at his neighbour, and their faces shalbe like flames of fire.

9Beholde, the day of the Lorde commeth, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger to lay the land wast: and he shall destroy the sinners out of it.

10For the starres of heauen and the planets thereof shall not giue their light: the sunne shalbe darkened in his going foorth, and the moone shal not cause her light to shine.

11And I will visite the wickednes vpon the worlde, and their iniquitie vpon the wicked, and I wil cause the arrogancie of the proud to cease, and will cast downe the pride of tyrants.

12I will make a man more precious then fine golde, euen a man aboue the wedge of golde of Ophir.

13Therefore I will shake the heauen, and the earth shall remooue out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hostes, and in the day of his fierce anger.

14And it shall be as a chased doe, and as a sheepe that no man taketh vp. euery man shall turne to his owne people, and flee eche one to his owne lande.

15Euery one that is founde, shall be striken through: and whosoeuer ioyneth himselfe, shal fal by the sworde.

16Their children also shall be broken in pieces before their eyes: their houses shall be spoiled, and their wiues rauished.

17Beholde, I will stirre vp the Medes against them, which shall not regarde siluer, nor be desirous of golde.

18With bowes also shall they destroy ye children, and shall haue no compassion vpon the fruit of the wombe, and their eies shall not spare the children.

19And Babel the glorie of kingdomes, the beautie and pride of the Chaldeans, shall be as the destruction of God in Sodom and Gomorah.

20It shall not bee inhabited for euer, neither shall it be dwelled in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch his tents there, neither shall the shepheardes make their foldes there.

21But Ziim shal lodge there, and their houses shal be ful of Ohim: Ostriches shal dwel there, and the Satyrs shall dance there.

22And Iim shall crie in their palaces, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and the time thereof is readie to come, and the daies thereof shall not be prolonged.