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Isaiah 13:14
ESV And like a hunted gazelle, or like sheep with none to gather them, each will turn to his own people, and each will flee to his own land.
NIV Like a hunted gazelle, like sheep without a shepherd, they will all return to their own people, they will flee to their native land.
NASB And it will be that, like a hunted gazelle, Or like sheep with no one to gather them, Each of them will turn to his own people, And each of them will flee to his own land.
CSB Like wandering gazelles and like sheep without a shepherd, each one will turn to his own people, each one will flee to his own land.
NLT Everyone in Babylon will run about like a hunted gazelle, like sheep without a shepherd. They will try to find their own people and flee to their own land.
KJV And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.

What does Isaiah 13:14 mean?

Large, metropolitan cities attract new citizens from everywhere. They come from small towns and villages and even other nations. The big cities have more jobs, more excitement, and more opportunities. They draw the ambitious and the needy. In this passage, Isaiah is describing the destruction which would come on the impressive city-state of Babylon long after his prophecy was recorded. The Lord promises to gather a massive, multi-nation army to cut down Babylon with His fierce anger (Isaiah 13:3–4). When that army attacks the city, the people will scatter to the wind. Isaiah now writes that they will attempt to run back to their hometowns and their own people. They won't make it.

Those attacking Babylon will want to completely wipe it out to keep the nation from rising again. They do not want to leave the opportunity for Babylon to oppress the world once more. They will hunt down all who flee like hunters who track their prey or wolves who take down unprotected sheep. The refugees of smoldering Babylon will become easy targets for the armies of the world.

It's important to understand that the armies whom the Lord summoned to end Babylon are not acting as His mindless robots. Yet they do not understand they are there by God's will. They have come with the object of all warfare of the time: to wipe out an enemy. In this case, a powerful enemy. The Lord's judgment will be carried out by cruel and ruthless soldiers from many nations.
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