Isaiah 13:11 I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will end the haughtiness of the arrogant and lay low the pride of the ruthless.

◄ Isaiah 13:11 ►

New International Version
I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless.

New Living Translation
“I, the LORD, will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their sin. I will crush the arrogance of the proud and humble the pride of the mighty.

English Standard Version
I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless.

Berean Standard Bible
I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will end the haughtiness of the arrogant and lay low the pride of the ruthless.

King James Bible
And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

New King James Version
“I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

New American Standard Bible
So I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their wrongdoing; I will also put an end to the audacity of the proud And humiliate the arrogance of the tyrants.

NASB 1995
Thus I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless.

NASB 1977
Thus I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud, And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless.

Legacy Standard Bible
Thus I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the pride of the arrogant And bring low the lofty pride of the ruthless.

Amplified Bible
In this way I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their wickedness [their sin, their injustice, their wrongdoing]; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud And will abase the arrogance of the tyrant.

Christian Standard Bible
I will punish the world for its evil, and wicked people for their iniquities. I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant and humiliate the insolence of tyrants.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I will bring disaster on the world, and their own iniquity, on the wicked. I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant and humiliate the insolence of tyrants.

American Standard Version
And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity: and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

Contemporary English Version
I will punish this evil world and its people because of their sins. I will crush the horrible pride of those who are cruel.

English Revised Version
And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their wrongdoing. I will put an end to arrogant people and humble the pride of tyrants.

Good News Translation
The LORD says, "I will bring disaster on the earth and punish all wicked people for their sins. I will humble everyone who is proud and punish everyone who is arrogant and cruel.

International Standard Version
I'll punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I'll put an end to the pomposity of the arrogant, and overthrow the insolence of tyrants.

Majority Standard Bible
I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will end the haughtiness of the arrogant and lay low the pride of the ruthless.

NET Bible
I will punish the world for its evil, and wicked people for their sin. I will put an end to the pride of the insolent, I will bring down the arrogance of tyrants.

New Heart English Bible
I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity. I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will humble the haughtiness of the terrible.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

World English Bible
I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity. I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will humble the arrogance of the terrible.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
“And I have appointed evil on the world, "" And on the wicked their iniquity, "" And have caused the excellence of the proud to cease, "" And I make the excellence of the terrible low.

Young's Literal Translation
And I have appointed on the world evil, And on the wicked their iniquity, And have caused to cease the excellency of the proud, And the excellency of the terrible I make low.

Smith's Literal Translation
And I appointed evil over the habitable globe, and upon the unjust their iniquity; and I caused to cease the pride of the arrogant, and I will humble the pride of the terrible.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will visit the evils of the world, and against the wicked for their iniquity: and I will make the pride of infidels to cease, and will bring down the arrogancy of the mighty.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I will act against the evils of the world, and against the impious for their iniquity. And I will cause the pride of the unfaithful to cease, and I will bring down the arrogance of the strong.

New American Bible
Thus I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their guilt. I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant, the insolence of tyrants I will humble.

New Revised Standard Version
I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant, and lay low the insolence of tyrants.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will bring low the haughtiness of the mighty.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
I shall order evil against the world and against the wicked; their evil I shall obliterate; the pride of the proud and the majesty of the mighty I shall lay low

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And I will visit upon the world their evil, And upon the wicked their iniquity; And I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, And will lay low the haughtiness of the tyrants.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I will command evils for the whole world, and will visit their sins on the ungodly: and I will destroy the pride of transgressors, and will bring low the pride of the haughty.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

An Oracle Concerning Babylon
…10For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The rising sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light. 11I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will end the haughtiness of the arrogant and lay low the pride of the ruthless. 12I will make man scarcer than pure gold, and mankind rarer than the gold of Ophir.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Revelation 18:8
Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and grief and famine—and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”

Jeremiah 25:31
The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth because the LORD brings a charge against the nations. He brings judgment on all mankind and puts the wicked to the sword,’” declares the LORD.

Zephaniah 1:17-18
I will bring such distress on mankind that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung. / Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth.

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?”

Ezekiel 30:3
For the day is near, the Day of the LORD is near. It will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations.

Joel 2:1-2
Blow the ram’s horn in Zion; sound the alarm on My holy mountain! Let all who dwell in the land tremble, for the Day of the LORD is coming; indeed, it is near— / a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like the dawn overspreading the mountains a great and strong army appears, such as never was of old, nor will ever be in ages to come.

Malachi 4:1
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble; the day is coming when I will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of Hosts. “Not a root or branch will be left to them.”

Matthew 24:29-30
Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ / 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.

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.

Jeremiah 50:31-32
“Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts, “for your day has come, the time when I will punish you. / The arrogant one will stumble and fall with no one to pick him up. And I will kindle a fire in his cities to consume all those around him.”

Amos 5:18-20
Woe to you who long for the Day of the LORD! What will the Day of the LORD be for you? It will be darkness and not light. / It will be like a man who flees from a lion, only to encounter a bear, or who enters his house and rests his hand against the wall, only to be bitten by a snake. / Will not the Day of the LORD be darkness and not light, even gloom with no brightness in it?

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,

Isaiah 2:12
For the Day of the LORD of Hosts will come against all the proud and lofty, against all that is exalted—it will be humbled—

Obadiah 1:15
For the Day of the LORD is near for all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your recompense will return upon your own head.

2 Peter 3:10
But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.

Treasury of Scripture

And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

I will punish

Isaiah 14:21
Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.

Isaiah 24:4-6
The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish…

Jeremiah 51:34-38
Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out…

and I will cause

Isaiah 2:17
And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

Isaiah 5:15
And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled:

Isaiah 14:12-16
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! …

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Abase Appointed Arrogance Arrogancy Arrogant Cause Cease Cruel End Evil Haughtiness Haughty Humble Iniquity Lay Power Pride Proud Punish Punishment Ruthless Sinners Terrible Tyrants Violent Visit Wicked World Wrongdoing

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Isaiah 13

1. God musters the armies of his wrath
6. He threatens to destroy Babylon by the Medes
19. The desolation of Babylon

Study Bible

Book ◦ Chapter

I will punish the world for its evil
This phrase indicates a divine judgment that is universal in scope. The term "world" suggests that God's judgment is not limited to Israel but extends to all nations. This reflects the biblical theme of God's sovereignty over all creation, as seen in Genesis 18:25, where God is described as the Judge of all the earth. The concept of punishment for evil is consistent with the biblical principle of divine retribution, as seen in Romans 1:18, where God's wrath is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness.

and the wicked for their iniquity.
The "wicked" refers to those who live in opposition to God's laws and moral order. Iniquity denotes a deep-seated moral corruption and rebellion against God. This phrase underscores the personal accountability of individuals for their actions, a theme echoed in Ezekiel 18:20, where each person is responsible for their own sin. The emphasis on iniquity highlights the seriousness of sin and its consequences, aligning with the biblical teaching that sin separates humanity from God (Isaiah 59:2).

I will end the haughtiness of the arrogant
Haughtiness and arrogance are often associated with pride, which is consistently condemned in Scripture. Proverbs 16:18 warns that pride precedes destruction. This phrase suggests a divine intervention to humble those who exalt themselves, reflecting the biblical principle that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). The historical context of Isaiah includes the pride of nations like Babylon, which is a primary focus of judgment in this chapter.

and lay low the pride of the ruthless.
The "ruthless" are those who oppress and exploit others without compassion. This phrase indicates that God will bring down those who use their power to harm others, aligning with the biblical theme of justice for the oppressed (Psalm 72:4). The pride of the ruthless is often linked to their reliance on their own strength and resources, rather than on God. This is reminiscent of the downfall of tyrants throughout biblical history, such as Pharaoh in Exodus, who was brought low by God's mighty acts.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Isaiah
A major prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah is the author of the book bearing his name. He prophesied during the reigns of several kings of Judah and is known for his messages of both judgment and hope.

2. Babylon
Although not mentioned directly in this verse, the context of Isaiah 13 is a prophecy against Babylon. Babylon symbolizes human pride and rebellion against God.

3. The World
Refers to the collective nations and peoples who are living in opposition to God's will and righteousness.

4. The Wicked
Individuals or groups characterized by their sinful actions and rebellion against God.

5. The Arrogant and Ruthless
Those who are prideful and oppressive, often using their power to harm others.

Teaching Points

God's Justice
God is just and will hold the world accountable for its evil. This serves as a reminder that no sin goes unnoticed by God.

The Danger of Pride
Pride is a significant sin that leads to downfall. Believers are called to humility, recognizing their dependence on God.

The Certainty of Judgment
God's judgment is certain and serves as a warning to turn away from wickedness and seek righteousness.

Hope in God's Sovereignty
Even in judgment, there is hope because God is sovereign and His plans are ultimately for the good of those who love Him.

Call to Repentance
This passage calls individuals to examine their lives, repent of sin, and align themselves with God's will.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 11. - I will punish the world for their evil. Here the prophecy certainly goes beyond the destruction of Babylon, and becomes a general warning to the wicked of all court-tries. Each country is to feel that its turn will come. Punishment will fall especially on the unjust, the proud, and the haughty (comp. Isaiah 1:28; Isaiah 2:11-17, etc.).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

I will punish
וּפָקַדְתִּ֤י (ū·p̄ā·qaḏ·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6485: To visit, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit

the world
תֵּבֵל֙ (tê·ḇêl)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8398: The earth, the globe, its inhabitants, a particular land

[for its] evil,
רָעָ֔ה (rā·‘āh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

and
וְעַל־ (wə·‘al-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the wicked
רְשָׁעִ֖ים (rə·šā·‘îm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person

for their iniquity.
עֲוֺנָ֑ם (‘ă·wō·nām)
Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5771: Iniquity, guilt, punishment for iniquity

I will end
וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי֙ (wə·hiš·bat·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7673: To repose, desist from exertion

the haughtiness
גְּא֣וֹן (gə·’ō·wn)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1347: Arrogance, majesty, ornament

of the arrogant
זֵדִ֔ים (zê·ḏîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 2086: Insolent, presumptuous

and humiliate
אַשְׁפִּֽיל׃ (’aš·pîl)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 8213: To be or become low, to be abased

the pride
וְגַאֲוַ֥ת (wə·ḡa·’ă·waṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 1346: Arrogance, majesty, ornament

of tyrants.
עָרִיצִ֖ים (‘ā·rî·ṣîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 6184: Awe-inspiring, terror-striking

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OT Prophets: Isaiah 13:11 I will punish the world for their (Isa Isi Is)