Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; as destruction from the Almighty it will come!
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse uses a clever wordplay that's easily missed: "destruction" (shod) from "the Almighty" (Shaddai). This isn't just saying God is powerful; it hints that the very name of God, "Shaddai," itself relates to His power to destroy, creating a powerful connection between the source of judgment and the judgment itself. It emphasizes that this destruction is not accidental but a direct act of divine power, making it absolute and unavoidable.
Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; as destruction from the Almighty it will come!
English Standard Version (ESV)
This chapter, which is a prophecy against Babylon, opens with a vivid call to lamentation for its impending doom. Isaiah foretells a massive military invasion, emphasizing that this devastating judgment is not merely human in origin but a direct act of God's power. The prophecy continues by describing the overwhelming fear and incapacitation that will grip the Babylonians as they face this divine retribution.
When you hear 'the day of the LORD,' what comes to mind? Usually, it's judgment. But this phrase carries so much more weight than just punishment.
A Day of Divine Intervention
The "day of the LORD" is a significant concept throughout the Old Testament, and here in Isaiah 13:6, it refers to a specific time when God will powerfully intervene in human history to enact judgment and execute His will.
The verse doesn't just say destruction is coming; it specifies its source. This detail is crucial for understanding the magnitude of what's about to happen.
The Unstoppable Force of Shaddai
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The phrase "destruction from the Almighty" is incredibly powerful. It underscores that this isn't just any military defeat or natural disaster; it's a judgment originating from the highest power.
Understand the original words
yom YHWH · Hebrew Noun Phrase
A phrase describing a future time of divine judgment and intervention in human history where God settles accounts with the wicked and vindicates His people. It is often characterized by cosmic disturbances and the manifestation of God’s holiness and justice.
Shaddai · Hebrew Noun
A title for God emphasizing His omnipotence, sovereign power, and ability to sustain or destroy all creation. It often highlights His role as the God of the covenant who possesses all authority over heaven and earth.
shod · Hebrew Noun
The act of bringing something to ruin or emptiness, often as a result of divine judgment for sin. Biblically, it signifies the removal of God's blessing or the consequence of defying the Creator's order.
Isaiah's prophecy of the 'day of the LORD' against Babylon, though delivered centuries earlier, directly foretells a specific historical event – its conquest by the Medes and Persians under Cyrus. This context highlights how the prophets spoke of both immediate judgments and future eschatological events using similar language.
c. 740 BC— this verse
Isaiah Receives Prophetic Vision
Isaiah receives a prophetic vision concerning the impending judgment on Babylon, which would be carried out by the Medes and Persians.
c. 626-589 BC
Reign of Nebuchadnezzar II
During this period, Babylon rose to imperial power under Nebuchadnezzar II, conquering Judah and exiling its people. This reign marked Babylon's peak influence.
550 BC
Rise of the Medes and Persians
Cyrus the Great unites the Medes and Persians, creating a powerful empire that would eventually challenge and conquer Babylon.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy. This event marked the end of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
This passage directly echoes Isaiah 13:6, using the same phrase 'the day of the LORD is near' and describing it as a time of destruction, highlighting the shared prophetic theme of divine judgment.
Jeremiah 50:31This verse speaks of the 'day of vengeance' against Babylon, reinforcing the idea presented in Isaiah 13:6 that this 'day of the LORD' is specifically a time of divine retribution for their actions.
Ezekiel 30:3This passage describes the 'day of the LORD' coming like a cloud, emphasizing the impending and overwhelming nature of God's judgment, similar to how Isaiah portrays it as 'destruction from the Almighty'.
Luke 21:25-26Jesus speaks of signs in the heavens and the earth, and men 'fainting with fear and apprehension of what is coming on the world.' This connects to the sense of dread and helplessness described in Isaiah 13:6 as a consequence of the day of the LORD.
Revelation 6:17This New Testament passage describes the wrath of the Lamb, where people hide in fear because 'the great day of their wrath has come.' This parallels the prophetic declaration in Isaiah 13:6 about the terrifying and unstoppable nature of the day of the LORD.
barnesIsaiah 13:6: "Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty."
Howl ye - Ye inhabitants of Babylon, in view of the approaching destruction. The day of the Lord - The time when Yahweh will inflict vengeance on you draws near (see the note at Isaiah 2:12; compare Isaiah 13:9). As a destruction from the Almighty - Not as a desolation from man, but as destruction sent from him who has all power in heaven and on earth. Destruction meditated by man might…
pooleIsaiah 13:6: "Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty."
It shall come as a destruction; or rather, a destruction or devastation shall come, as the LXX. and vulgar Latin render it. For this was not as a destruction, but was a destruction indeed. And the particle as is not seldom used to express, not the likeness, but the reality of the thing, as John 1:14 . From the Almighty; who fighteth for your adversaries, and against you, and therefore y…
This verse uses a clever wordplay that's easily missed: "destruction" (shod) from "the Almighty" (Shaddai). This isn't just saying God is powerful; it hints that the very name of God, "Shaddai," itself relates to His power to destroy, creating a powerful connection between the source of judgment and the judgment itself. It emphasizes that this destruction is not accidental but a direct act of divine power, making it absolute and unavoidable.
This chapter, which is a prophecy against Babylon, opens with a vivid call to lamentation for its impending doom. Isaiah foretells a massive military invasion, emphasizing that this devastating judgment is not merely human in origin but a direct act of God's power. The prophecy continues by describing the overwhelming fear and incapacitation that will grip the Babylonians as they face this divine retribution.
This chapter, which is a prophecy against Babylon, opens with a vivid call to lamentation for its impending doom. Isaiah foretells a massive military invasion, emphasizing that this devastating judgment is not merely human in origin but a direct act of God's power. The prophecy continues by describing the overwhelming fear and incapacitation that will grip the Babylonians as they face this divine retribution.
"Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; as destruction from the Almighty it will come!" — This verse uses a clever wordplay that's easily missed: "destruction" (shod) from "the Almighty" (Shaddai). This isn't just saying God is powerful; it hints that the very name of God, "Shaddai," itse…
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Last reviewed October 2026