What does Isaiah 13:7 mean?
As with who are arrogant in their self-reliance, facing one's own destruction at the hands of others is a shock. It's terrifying. It is not something those who dwell in that arrogance see coming. Isaiah is describing the massive armies that the Lord will bring together against Babylon at some future point in history. He will wield them as His weapons and obliterate the entire land of the Babylonians (Isaiah 13:3–5). The prophet has commanded these once-proud future rulers and people to "wail" at what will soon happen to them on the day of God's judgment (Isaiah 13:6).The people of Babylon will act exactly as the Lord indicates here. The courage of their hearts will fail. Their hands will go limp. They see clearly in this moment that what they were relying on will blow away like dust. Their rulers, their gods, their power is simply nothing compared to the forces God has arrayed against them.
Isaiah 13:1–22 contains Isaiah's prophecy from the Lord. This is against the dominant power of Babylon, which would arise after the defeat of the Assyrians. The Lord will assemble and consecrate an international army to attack and obliterate the powerful city-state of Babylon. The people will tremble in fear as the Lord executes His judgment out of His great wrath toward the arrogant and ruthless Babylonians. The population will be slaughtered without mercy and the land left desolate. When it's over, only wild animals will walk the streets of the once-splendid city.
Chapter 13 begins a new section in the book of Isaiah, which focuses on prophecies against other nations besides Israel. It begins by describing the Lord's destruction of the city-state of Babylon. This will come after it has become a dominating power in the world. The Lord will assemble a multi-nation army to attack the city and leave the land completely desolate. All who flee will be hunted and killed. The Medes will slaughter even pregnant women and children without mercy. When it is all over, only wild animals will occupy the once luxurious center of human achievement and sophistication.
