Isaiah 23:13
New International Version
Look at the land of the Babylonians, this people that is now of no account! The Assyrians have made it a place for desert creatures; they raised up their siege towers, they stripped its fortresses bare and turned it into a ruin.

New Living Translation
Look at the land of Babylonia— the people of that land are gone! The Assyrians have handed Babylon over to the wild animals of the desert. They have built siege ramps against its walls, torn down its palaces, and turned it to a heap of rubble.

English Standard Version
Behold the land of the Chaldeans! This is the people that was not; Assyria destined it for wild beasts. They erected their siege towers, they stripped her palaces bare, they made her a ruin.

Berean Standard Bible
Look at the land of the Chaldeans—a people now of no account. The Assyrians destined it for the desert creatures; they set up their siege towers and stripped its palaces. They brought it to ruin.

King James Bible
Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.

New King James Version
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans, This people which was not; Assyria founded it for wild beasts of the desert. They set up its towers, They raised up its palaces, And brought it to ruin.

New American Standard Bible
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans—this is the people that did not exist; Assyria allocated it for desert creatures—they erected their siege towers, they stripped its palaces, they made it a ruin.

NASB 1995
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans— this is the people which was not; Assyria appointed it for desert creatures— they erected their siege towers, they stripped its palaces, they made it a ruin.

NASB 1977
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans—this is the people which was not; Assyria appointed it for desert creatures— they erected their siege towers, they stripped its palaces, they made it a ruin.

Legacy Standard Bible
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans—this is the people which was not; Assyria established it for desert creatures—they erected their siege towers, they stripped its palaces, they made it a ruin.

Amplified Bible
Now look at the land of the Chaldeans (Babylonia)—this is the people which was not; the Assyrians allocated Tyre for desert creatures—they set up their siege towers, they stripped its palaces, they made it a ruin.

Christian Standard Bible
Look at the land of the Chaldeans — a people who no longer exist. Assyria destined it for desert creatures. They set up their siege towers and stripped its palaces. They made it a ruin.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Look at the land of the Chaldeans— a people who no longer exist. Assyria destined it for desert creatures. They set up their siege towers and stripped its palaces. They made it a ruin.

American Standard Version
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans: this people was not; the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness; they set up their towers; they overthrew the palaces thereof; they made it a ruin.

Contemporary English Version
Look what the Assyrians have done to Babylonia! They have attacked, destroying every palace in the land. Now wild animals live among the ruins.

English Revised Version
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans; this people is no more; the Assyrian hath appointed it for the beasts of the wilderness: they set up their towers, they overthrew the palaces thereof; he made it a ruin.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Look at the land of the Babylonians. These people will be gone. Assyria gave this land to the desert animals. Assyria set up battle towers, stripped palaces bare, and turned these places into ruins.

Good News Translation
(It was the Babylonians, not the Assyrians, who let the wild animals overrun Tyre. It was the Babylonians who put up siege towers, tore down the fortifications of Tyre, and left the city in ruins. )

International Standard Version
"Look at the land of the Chaldeans! This is a people that no longer exist; Assyria destined her for desert creatures. They raised up her siege towers, they stripped her fortresses bare and turned her into a ruin.

Majority Standard Bible
Look at the land of the Chaldeans?a people now of no account. The Assyrians destined it for the desert creatures; they set up their siege towers and stripped its palaces. They brought it to ruin.

NET Bible
Look at the land of the Chaldeans, these people who have lost their identity! The Assyrians have made it a home for wild animals. They erected their siege towers, demolished its fortresses, and turned it into a heap of ruins.

New Heart English Bible
Look, the land of the Chaldeans, these people who have become nothing. The Assyrians have made it a home for wild animals. They set up their siege towers, they tore down her palaces, they made her a ruin.

Webster's Bible Translation
Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up its towers, they raised up its palaces; and he brought it to ruin.

World English Bible
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans. This people didn’t exist. The Assyrians founded it for those who dwell in the wilderness. They set up their towers. They overthrew its palaces. They made it a ruin.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans—this people was not, "" Asshur founded it for desert-dwellers, "" They raised its watchtowers, "" They lifted up her palaces—He has appointed her for a ruin!

Young's Literal Translation
Lo, the land of the Chaldeans -- this people was not, Asshur founded it for the Ziim, They raised its watch-towers, They lifted up her palaces, -- He hath appointed her for a ruin!

Smith's Literal Translation
Behold the land of the Chaldees; this people was not; Assur founded it for the inhabitants of the desert: they set up its watch-towers, they raised up its fortresses, he set it for ruins.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold the land of the Chaldeans, there was not such a people, the Assyrian founded it: they have led away the strong ones thereof into captivity, they have destroyed the houses thereof, they have brought it to ruin.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans: never before was there such a people! Assur founded it. They have led away its strong ones into captivity. They have dug under its houses. They have left it in ruins.

New American Bible
Look at the land of the Chaldeans, the people that has ceased to be. Assyria founded it for ships, raised its towers, Only to tear down its palaces, and turn it into a ruin.

New Revised Standard Version
Look at the land of the Chaldeans! This is the people; it was not Assyria. They destined Tyre for wild animals. They erected their siege towers, they tore down her palaces, they made her a ruin.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this is the people, and not the Assyrians, who destroyed it; they appointed spies who spied on her palaces, and they brought it to ruin.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Behold, land of The Chaldeans, this is the people that was not the Assyrian; he made it for The Spirit, and he has raised up spies. They spied on her palaces and they made it a ruin
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans--this is the people that was not, when Asshur founded it for shipmen--they set up their towers, they overthrew the palaces thereof; it is made a ruin.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And if thou depart to the land of the Chaldeans, this also is laid waste by the Assyrians, for her wall is fallen.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Fall of Tyre
12He said, “You shall rejoice no more, O oppressed Virgin Daughter of Sidon. Get up and cross over to Cyprus—even there you will find no rest.” 13Look at the land of the Chaldeans— a people now of no account. The Assyrians destined it for the desert creatures; they set up their siege towers and stripped its palaces. They brought it to ruin. 14Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for your harbor has been destroyed!…

Cross References
Ezekiel 26:7-14
For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, with cavalry and a great company of troops. / He will slaughter the villages of your mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works against you, build a ramp to your walls, and raise his shields against you. / He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and tear down your towers with his axes. ...

Jeremiah 25:22
all the kings of Tyre and Sidon; the kings of the coastlands across the sea;

Zechariah 9:3-4
Tyre has built herself a fortress; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets. / Behold, the Lord will impoverish her and cast her wealth into the sea, and she will be consumed by fire.

Amos 1:9-10
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Tyre, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they delivered up a whole congregation of exiles to Edom and broke a covenant of brotherhood. / So I will send fire upon the walls of Tyre to consume its citadels.”

Psalm 72:10
May the kings of Tarshish and distant shores bring tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.

1 Kings 9:26-28
King Solomon also assembled a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea. / And Hiram sent his servants, sailors who knew the sea, to serve in the fleet with Solomon’s servants. / They sailed to Ophir and imported gold from there—420 talents—and delivered it to Solomon.

2 Chronicles 9:21
For the king had the ships of Tarshish that went with Hiram’s servants, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

Genesis 10:10-12
His kingdom began in Babylon, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. / From that land he went forth into Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, / and Resen, which is between Nineveh and the great city of Calah.

Nahum 3:1-7
Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without prey. / The crack of the whip, the rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and bounding chariot! / Charging horseman, flashing sword, shining spear; heaps of slain, mounds of corpses, dead bodies without end—they stumble over their dead— ...

Revelation 18:17-19
For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!” Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance / and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. “What city was ever like this great city?” they will exclaim. / Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.”

Matthew 11:21-22
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. / But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

Luke 10:13-14
Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. / But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.

Acts 12:20
Now Herod was in a furious dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they convened before him. Having secured the support of Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their region depended on the king’s country for food.

Ezekiel 27:25-36
The ships of Tarshish carried your merchandise. And you were filled with heavy cargo in the heart of the sea. / Your oarsmen have brought you onto the high seas, but the east wind will shatter you in the heart of the sea. / Your wealth, wares, and merchandise, your sailors, captains, and shipwrights, your merchants and all the warriors within you, with all the other people on board, will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall. ...

Isaiah 14:23
“I will make her a place for owls and for swamplands; I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of Hosts.


Treasury of Scripture

Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.

land

Isaiah 13:19
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

Genesis 11:28,31
And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees…

Job 1:17
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

the Assyrian

Genesis 2:14
And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.

Genesis 10:10,11
And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar…

Genesis 11:9
Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

for them

Psalm 72:9
They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.

and he

Ezekiel 26:7
For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people.

Ezekiel 29:18
Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it:

Jump to Previous
Account Appointed Asshur Assyria Assyrian Assyrians Babylonians Bare Beasts Chaldeans Chalde'ans Desert Destined Destroyed Dwell Dwellers Erected Exist Fortresses Founded Overthrew Palaces Raised Razed Ruin Shipmen Siege Stripped Thereof Towers Turned Tyre Wild Wilderness Ziim
Jump to Next
Account Appointed Asshur Assyria Assyrian Assyrians Babylonians Bare Beasts Chaldeans Chalde'ans Desert Destined Destroyed Dwell Dwellers Erected Exist Fortresses Founded Overthrew Palaces Raised Razed Ruin Shipmen Siege Stripped Thereof Towers Turned Tyre Wild Wilderness Ziim
Isaiah 23
1. The miserable overthrow of Tyre
15. Her restoration and unfaithfulness














Look at the land of the Chaldeans
The phrase invites the reader to observe the fate of the Chaldeans, a people known for their advanced civilization and influence in ancient Mesopotamia. The Chaldeans, often associated with Babylon, were once a dominant force. The Hebrew root for "look" (הִנֵּה, hinneh) is an imperative, urging immediate attention and reflection. This serves as a reminder of the transient nature of human power and glory, emphasizing the sovereignty of God over nations.

a people now of no account
This phrase underscores the dramatic fall from prominence that the Chaldeans experienced. Historically, the Chaldeans were known for their contributions to astronomy and mathematics, yet here they are described as insignificant. The Hebrew word for "no account" (לֹא, lo) signifies negation or absence, highlighting the complete reversal of their fortunes. This serves as a cautionary tale about pride and the fleeting nature of earthly achievements.

The Assyrians made it a place for desert creatures
The Assyrians, known for their military prowess and expansionist policies, are depicted as the agents of destruction. The transformation of a once-thriving land into a habitat for "desert creatures" (צִיִּים, tsiyyim) symbolizes desolation and abandonment. This imagery is consistent with the prophetic theme of divine judgment against nations that oppose God's will. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of defying divine authority.

they raised up their siege towers
Siege towers were formidable military structures used in ancient warfare to breach city walls. The Assyrians' use of such technology underscores their might and strategic capabilities. The Hebrew verb for "raised up" (קוּם, qum) conveys the idea of establishing or setting up, indicating deliberate and calculated action. This reflects the relentless nature of Assyrian conquests and serves as a metaphor for the inevitable downfall of those who rely solely on human strength.

stripped its palaces
The act of stripping palaces signifies thorough plundering and humiliation. Palaces, symbols of wealth and power, being laid bare, represents the complete subjugation of the Chaldeans. The Hebrew root for "stripped" (עָרָה, arah) implies exposure and vulnerability. This serves as a vivid illustration of the futility of trusting in material wealth and the ultimate triumph of divine justice.

and turned it into a ruin
The transformation into a "ruin" (מַפֵּלָה, mapelah) signifies utter devastation and the end of a civilization's glory. This final state of desolation is a powerful testament to the consequences of pride and rebellion against God. The prophetic message is clear: no nation, regardless of its power or achievements, can withstand the judgment of the Almighty. This serves as a call to humility and repentance, recognizing God's ultimate authority over the affairs of humanity.

(13) Behold, the land of the Chaldeans.--Heb., land of Kasdim. The prophet points to the destruction of one power that had resisted Assyria as an example of what Tyre might expect. The Assyrian inscriptions record the conquests referred to. Sargon relates his victory over the "perverse and rebellious Chaldaeans," who had rebelled under Merodach-baladan (Records of the Past, vii. 41, 45). Towns were pillaged, 80,570 men carried away captive from a single city. Sennacherib (ibid., p. 59) boasts of having plundered Babylon itself, and all the "strong cities and castles of the land of the Chaldaeans"; and again, of having crushed another revolt under Suzab the Babylonian (ibid., i. 47-49). The words that follow on this survey are better rendered: This people is no more: Asshur appointeth it for the desert beasts. They set up their towers, they destroy its palaces. The "towers are those of the Assyrian besiegers attacking Babylon; the palaces, those of the attacked. The words have, however, often been interpreted as pointing to the origin and migration of the Chaldaeans, as having had scarcely any national existence till Assyria had brought them into the plains of the Euphrates. The English version seems based upon this interpretation of the passage. It is obvious, however, that such a fragment of ethnological history does not cohere well with the context, and gives a less satisfactory meaning. It is doubtful, too, whether the supposed history itself rests on any adequate evidence.

Verse 13. - Behold the land of the Chaldeans (comp. Isaiah 13:19; Isaiah 47:1, 5; Isaiah 48:14, 20). Like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, Isaiah knows the people as Chahleans (Kasdim), the capital as Babylon. Kaldi, in the inscriptions, is a rare word, and the name of a not very important tribe. Yet Berosus uses the term to designate the whole nation. This people was not; rather, is not; i.e. "is no more a people" - "has ceased to exist." Sargon conquered Babylon in B.C. 710, and made himself king, ruling it, together with Assyria, until B.C. 705, when it rebelled and recovered its independence. Sennacherib reconquered it in B.C. 704, and again in B.C. 700, when he made his eldest son viceroy. Esarhaddon ruled over both countries, as did Asshur-bani-pal. Though later (about B.C. 620-610) Babylon reasserted her independence, and became a great empire, yet Isaiah was justified, at almost any period of his life after B.C. 710, in speaking of her as non-existent. Till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness. There is no "till" in the original. The clause is separate and independent, not connected grammatically with the preceding. Nor does it assert that the Assyrians "founded" Babylon for any one, but only that they "established" it, or "appointed" it to be a habitation for "the beasts of the desert" (comp. Isaiah 13:21; Isaiah 34:14; Jeremiah 1:39, etc.). The prophet views the Assyrians as intending to reduce Babylon to ruins, and leave it waste and uninhabited. The towers thereof; i.e. the siege-towers requisite for reducing so strong a city. They raised up; rather, they made bare (cf. Habakkuk 3:9). He brought it to ruin. "He" is "the Assyrian." The case of Babylon is adduced to increase the alarm of Tyro, by reminding the inhabitants of what the Assyrians had done to a town greater and stronger than their own. The allusion is probably to certain severities of Sargon's in B.C. 710, which, however, are rhetorically exaggerated. It was never the policy of the Assyrians to depopulate or destroy Babylon.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Look at
הֵ֣ן ׀ (hên)
Interjection
Strong's 2005: Lo! behold!

the land
אֶ֣רֶץ (’e·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

of the
זֶ֤ה (zeh)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

Chaldeans—
כַּשְׂדִּ֗ים (kaś·dîm)
Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3778: Chaldeans -- a region of southern Babylon and its inhab

a people
הָעָם֙ (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

now
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

of no account.
הָיָ֔ה (hā·yāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

The Assyrians
אַשּׁ֖וּר (’aš·šūr)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 804: Ashshur

destined it
יְסָדָ֣הּ (yə·sā·ḏāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3245: To set, to found, to sit down together, settle, consult

for the desert creatures;
לְצִיִּ֑ים (lə·ṣî·yîm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6728: Wild beast of the desert, that dwell in inhabiting the wilderness

they set up
הֵקִ֣ימוּ (hê·qî·mū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

their siege towers
בַחוּנָ֗יו (ḇa·ḥū·nāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 971: A watch-tower of besiegers

and stripped
עֹרְרוּ֙ (‘ō·rə·rū)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6209: To bare, to demolish

its palaces.
אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ (’ar·mə·nō·w·ṯe·hā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 759: A citadel

They brought it
שָׂמָ֖הּ (śā·māh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

to ruin.
לְמַפֵּלָֽה׃ (lə·map·pê·lāh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4654: Something fallen, a ruin


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 23:13 Behold the land of the Chaldeans (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 23:12
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