Isaiah 13 — Babylon and the Day of the Lord

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Come, Follow Me alignment: September 21–27 covers Isaiah 13–14; 22; 24–30; 35. This class takes Isaiah 13 as the close-reading chapter for that block.

Hebrew focus

Focus on sound-play, repeated roots, and contrasts. Verse references open the BLB Hebrew interlinear.

מַשָּׂא maśśāʾ — oracle, burden Isaiah 13:1

בָּבֶל Bāvel — Babylon Isaiah 13:1

נֵס nēs — banner, signal Isaiah 13:2

יוֹם יְהוָה yôm YHWH — the day of the LORD Isaiah 13:6

שֹׁד šōd — devastation, destruction Isaiah 13:6

שַׁדַּי Šadday — the Almighty Isaiah 13:6

גָּאוֹן gāʾôn — pride, arrogance, exaltation Isaiah 13:11

שָׁמַיִם / אֶרֶץ šāmayim / ʾereṣ — heavens / earth Isaiah 13:13

Wordplay & contrast

כְּשֹׁד מִשַּׁדַּי
ke-shōd mi-Shadday — “like devastation from the Almighty.” Isaiah places shōd beside Shadday, producing a memorable sound-play.

Also watch the reversal of גָּאוֹן (“pride/exaltation”): Babylon's apparent glory is set against the Lord's humbling judgment.

Rashi on Isaiah 13 — Sefaria Come, Follow Me — Isaiah 13–14; 22; 24–30; 35

Prepare for Oct 1 — Isaiah 49

Read the whole chapter once for the servant's mission and once for Zion's response.
Mark every place where the servant is identified with Israel and every place where the servant acts on behalf of Israel.
Notice the movement from womb → sword/arrow → light → mother/child → engraved palms.

← Isaiah 6 — The Throne Vision Isaiah 49 — Servant, Gathering, and Remembering →