Isaiah 13:5
New International Version
They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens— the LORD and the weapons of his wrath— to destroy the whole country.

New Living Translation
They come from distant countries, from beyond the farthest horizons. They are the LORD’s weapons to carry out his anger. With them he will destroy the whole land.

English Standard Version
They come from a distant land, from the end of the heavens, the LORD and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

Berean Standard Bible
They are coming from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens—the LORD and the weapons of His wrath—to destroy the whole country.

King James Bible
They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

New King James Version
They come from a far country, From the end of heaven— The LORD and His weapons of indignation, To destroy the whole land.

New American Standard Bible
They are coming from a distant country, From the farthest horizons, The LORD and the weapons of His indignation, To destroy the whole land.

NASB 1995
They are coming from a far country, From the farthest horizons, The LORD and His instruments of indignation, To destroy the whole land.

NASB 1977
They are coming from a far country From the farthest horizons, The LORD and His instruments of indignation, To destroy the whole land.

Legacy Standard Bible
They are coming from a far country, From the end of the sky, Yahweh and His instruments of indignation, To wreak destruction on the whole land.

Amplified Bible
They are coming from a distant country, From the end of heaven [the farthest horizon]— The LORD and the weapons of His indignation— To destroy the whole land.

Christian Standard Bible
They are coming from a distant land, from the farthest horizon — the LORD and the weapons of his wrath — to destroy the whole country.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They are coming from a far land, from the distant horizon— the LORD and the weapons of His wrath— to destroy the whole country.

American Standard Version
They come from a far country, from the uttermost part of heaven, even Jehovah, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

Contemporary English Version
From a distant land the LORD is coming fierce and furious--he brings his weapons to destroy the whole earth.

English Revised Version
They come from a far country, from the uttermost part of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
His army is coming from a distant land, from the ends of heaven. The LORD is coming with the weapons of his fury to destroy the whole world.

Good News Translation
They are coming from far-off countries at the ends of the earth. In his anger the LORD is coming to devastate the whole country.

International Standard Version
They're coming from a faraway land, from the distant horizon— the LORD and the weapons of his anger— to destroy the entire land."

Majority Standard Bible
They are coming from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens?the LORD and the weapons of His wrath?to destroy the whole country.

NET Bible
They come from a distant land, from the horizon. It is the LORD with his instruments of judgment, coming to destroy the whole earth.

New Heart English Bible
They come from a far country, from the uttermost part of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

Webster's Bible Translation
They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

World English Bible
They come from a far country, from the uttermost part of heaven, even Yahweh, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
They are coming in from a far-off land, "" From the end of the heavens, "" YHWH and the instruments of His indignation, "" To destroy all the land.

Young's Literal Translation
They are coming in from a land afar off, From the end of the heavens, Jehovah and the instruments of His indignation, To destroy all the land.

Smith's Literal Translation
Coming from a land from afar, from the extremity of the heavens, Jehovah and the vessels of his wrath to overthrow all the earth.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
To them that come from a country afar off, from the end of heaven: tile Lord and the instruments of his wrath, to destroy the whole land.

Catholic Public Domain Version
to those who are arriving from a far off land, from the heights of the heavens. It is the Lord and the instruments of his fury, so that he may bring ruin to all the earth.

New American Bible
They come from a far-off country, and from the end of the heavens, The LORD and the instruments of his wrath, to destroy all the land.

New Revised Standard Version
They come from a distant land, from the end of the heavens, the LORD and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole earth.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Warriors are coming from afar, and from the end of heaven, even the LORD and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Warriors are coming from a distance and from the ends of Heaven, LORD JEHOVAH and the weapons of his wrath to destroy all the Earth
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
They come from a far country, From the end of heaven, Even the LORD, and the weapons of His indignation, To destroy the whole earth.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
to come from a land afar off, from the utmost foundation of heaven; the Lord and his warriors are coming to destroy all the world.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
An Oracle Concerning Babylon
4Listen, a tumult on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations gathered together! The LORD of Hosts is mobilizing an army for war. 5They are coming from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens— the LORD and the weapons of His wrath— to destroy the whole country. 6Wail, for the Day of the LORD is near; it will come as destruction from the Almighty.…

Cross References
Joel 2:11
The LORD raises His voice in the presence of His army. Indeed, His camp is very large, for mighty are those who obey His command. For the Day of the LORD is great and very dreadful. Who can endure it?

Jeremiah 50:25
The LORD has opened His armory and brought out His weapons of wrath, for this is the work of the Lord GOD of Hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.

Revelation 19:15
And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

Zephaniah 1:14-16
The great Day of the LORD is near—near and coming quickly. Listen, the Day of the LORD! Then the cry of the mighty will be bitter. / That day will be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, / a day of horn blast and battle cry against the fortified cities, and against the high corner towers.

Matthew 24:30-31
At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. / And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Ezekiel 38:21-23
And I will summon a sword against Gog on all My mountains, declares the Lord GOD, and every man’s sword will be against his brother. / I will execute judgment upon him with plague and bloodshed. I will pour out torrents of rain, hailstones, fire, and sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. / I will magnify and sanctify Myself, and I will reveal Myself in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9
and to grant relief to you who are oppressed and to us as well. This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels / in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. / They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might,

Revelation 6:15-17
Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. / And they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. / For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?”

Jeremiah 51:20-23
“You are My war club, My weapon for battle. With you I shatter nations; with you I bring kingdoms to ruin. / With you I shatter the horse and rider; with you I shatter the chariot and driver. / With you I shatter man and woman; with you I shatter the old man and the youth; with you I shatter the young man and the maiden. ...

Joel 3:9-16
Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for war; rouse the mighty men; let all the men of war advance and attack! / Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, ‘I am strong!’ / Come quickly, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves. Bring down Your mighty ones, O LORD. ...

Revelation 16:14
These are demonic spirits that perform signs and go out to all the kings of the earth, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.

Zechariah 14:3-5
Then the LORD will go out to fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. / On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half the mountain moving to the north and half to the south. / You will flee by My mountain valley, for it will extend to Azal. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3
For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. / While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

Isaiah 34:2
The LORD is angry with all the nations and furious with all their armies. He will devote them to destruction; He will give them over to slaughter.

Revelation 14:19-20
So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and gathered the grapes of the earth, and he threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. / And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and the blood that flowed from it rose as high as the bridles of the horses for a distance of 1,600 stadia.


Treasury of Scripture

They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

from a far

Isaiah 13:17
Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.

Jeremiah 50:3,9
For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast…

Jeremiah 51:11,27,28
Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple…

and the weapons

Jeremiah 51:20
Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;

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Afar Country Destroy Destruction Distant Earth End Ends Far Faraway Farthest Heaven Heavens Indignation Instruments Lands Part Uttermost Weapons Whole
Isaiah 13
1. God musters the armies of his wrath
6. He threatens to destroy Babylon by the Medes
19. The desolation of Babylon














They are coming
This phrase indicates a movement or approach, suggesting an impending action or event. In the Hebrew context, the verb used here often implies a purposeful journey or mission. Historically, this can be seen as a prophetic vision of invading forces, possibly the Medes and Persians, who would come against Babylon. Spiritually, it can also be interpreted as a divine orchestration, where God uses nations as instruments of His will.

from faraway lands
The phrase emphasizes the distant origin of the invaders, highlighting the vast reach of God's influence and control over the nations. In the ancient Near Eastern context, this would have been understood as a formidable threat, as distant lands were often associated with unknown and powerful forces. This also underscores the idea that no place is beyond God's sovereignty.

from the ends of the heavens
This expression poetically describes the vastness and universality of God's dominion. In Hebrew thought, the heavens were seen as the realm of divine activity, and this phrase suggests that the coming judgment is not merely a terrestrial event but one orchestrated from the highest authority. It reflects the belief that God's plans encompass all creation.

the LORD
The use of "the LORD" (Yahweh) here is significant, as it identifies the source of the coming judgment. Yahweh is the covenant name of God, emphasizing His faithfulness and righteousness. This serves as a reminder that the events to unfold are not random acts of violence but are under the direct command of a just and holy God.

and the weapons of His wrath
This phrase indicates that the invaders are instruments in God's hands, used to execute His judgment. The "weapons" symbolize the means by which God enacts His justice. In the broader biblical narrative, God's wrath is always portrayed as a response to sin and rebellion, and His use of "weapons" signifies the seriousness of His judgment.

to destroy the whole country
The term "destroy" conveys totality and completeness, indicating the thoroughness of the impending judgment. Historically, this prophecy was fulfilled in the fall of Babylon, which was known for its pride and idolatry. The "whole country" signifies that no part of the nation would be spared, reflecting the comprehensive nature of divine justice. This serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and the ultimate accountability all nations and individuals have before Him.

(5) They come from a far country . . .--The same phrase is used of Cyrus in Isaiah 46:11, and in Isaiah 39:3 of Babylon itself in relation to Jerusalem. The "end of heaven" represents the thoughts of Isaiah's time, the earth as an extended plain, and the skies rising like a great vault above. The phrase represents (Deuteronomy 4:32; Psalm 19:6), as it were, the ultima Thule of discovery. For the "whole land," the Hebrew noun hovers, as often elsewhere, between the meanings of "earth," or "country." The LXX. favours the former meaning.

Verse 5. - They come from a far country (comp. Isaiah 46:11). Both Media and Persia were "far countries" to the Hebrews, Persia especially. There is no indication that they knew of any countries more remote towards the East. Hence the expression which follows, "from the end of heaven" - the heaven being supposed to end where the earth ended. Isaiah, like the other sacred writers, conforms his language on cosmical subjects to the opinions of his day. Even the Lord. With a most effective anthropomorphism, Jehovah is made to march with the army that he has mustered (ver. 4) against the land that has provoked his wrath - i.e. Babylonia. The weapons (comp. Isaiah 10:15; Jeremiah 1:25; 51:20). To destroy the whole land. Many critics would render ha-arets by "the earth" here. It may be granted that the language of the prophecy goes beyond the occasion in places (especially vers. 11 and 13), and passes from Babylon to that wicked world of which Babylon is a type; but, where the context permits, it seems better to restrict than to expand the meaning of the words employed.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They are coming
בָּאִ֛ים (bā·’îm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

from faraway
מֶרְחָ֖ק (mer·ḥāq)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4801: Remoteness, a distant place, from afar

lands,
מֵאֶ֥רֶץ (mê·’e·reṣ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

from the ends
מִקְצֵ֣ה (miq·ṣêh)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7097: End, extremity

of the heavens—
הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם (haš·šā·mā·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

and the weapons
וּכְלֵ֣י (ū·ḵə·lê)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3627: Something prepared, any apparatus

of His wrath—
זַעְמ֔וֹ (za‘·mōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2195: Froth at the mouth, fury

to destroy
לְחַבֵּ֖ל (lə·ḥab·bêl)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2254: To wind tightly, to bind, a pledge, to pervert, destroy, to writhe in pain

the whole
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

country.
הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 13:5 They come from a far country (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 13:4
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