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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights the astonishing rise of the Chaldeans from obscurity to a world-dominating power, emphasizing that their very existence as a nation was a construct of Assyrian policy, a people formerly so insignificant that they "were not." This points to God's sovereign hand not only in the fall of nations but also in the unexpected origins and ascensions of those who would become instruments of His judgment.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophecy has been detailing the impending judgment on the wealthy city of Tyre, emphasizing its arrogance and its reliance on global trade. Now, the prophet shifts focus to the Chaldeans, a people previously of little significance, highlighting how Assyria established them in cities but ultimately led to their destruction. This example serves as a stark warning to Tyre, illustrating that even powerful empires and rising nations can be instruments of God's judgment and can themselves be brought to ruin.
How can a people 'not be' and yet build empires and destroy cities? This verse unveils the surprising origins of a mighty empire.
The prophecy introduces the Chaldeans, a people previously unknown and seemingly insignificant. The text states, "this people was not," meaning they had no established nation, no recognized power, and were likely a nomadic or tribal group living in the wilderness.
From Nothing to Power
Why does Isaiah point to the Chaldeans as the force that will destroy Tyre? It's a divine plan with a purpose.
Isaiah doesn't just describe the rise of the Chaldeans; he connects their emergence directly to Tyre's impending doom.
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This verse highlights the rise of the Chaldeans (Babylonians) from a little-known people to a dominant world power, emphasizing their role as instruments of God's judgment, even against the mighty city of Tyre.
c. 8th century BC
Assyrians establish Babylon
The Assyrians, likely under kings like Ninus, consolidate their power and establish or expand Babylon, settling nomadic Chaldean tribes there. This lays the groundwork for future Babylonian empires.
722–609 BC
Assyrian rule over Babylonia
Babylonia is under varying degrees of Assyrian control. Assyrian kings like Sargon, Sennacherib, and Esarhaddon conquer and reconquer Babylonian cities, sometimes reducing them to ruin, as part of their imperial ambitions.
c. 626–609 BC
Babylonian independence and rise
Babylon reasserts its independence from Assyria, culminating in the fall of the Assyrian Empire. The Chaldeans, now in control of Babylon, begin to form their own powerful empire.
605–562 BC— this verse
Nebuchadnezzar II's reign
Nebuchadnezzar II, a Chaldean king, expands the Babylonian empire, conquering vast territories including Judah and besieging Tyre. This marks the peak of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar II destroys Jerusalem and exiles many of its people to Babylon, fulfilling prophecies about the consequences of Israel's disobedience.
This passage echoes Isaiah's prophecy by directly naming the Chaldeans (Babylonians) as oppressors of God's people, further illustrating their destructive role in history.
Daniel 2:32-33These verses describe a powerful empire symbolized by a statue with a head of gold and chest of silver, often interpreted as Babylon and its successors, connecting the rise and fall of empires mentioned in Isaiah with prophetic vision.
Ezekiel 26:15-18Like Isaiah, Ezekiel vividly describes the utter destruction of Tyre, detailing the lament of the nations and the lasting impact of its downfall, reinforcing the severity of divine judgment on proud cities.
Isaiah 13:17-20This passage directly precedes the mention of Chaldea in Isaiah, describing the Medes as instruments of God's wrath against Babylon, showing a consistent theme of empires rising and falling as agents of divine will.
barnesIsaiah 23:13: "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."
Behold the land of the Chaldeans - This is a very important verse, as it expresses the source from where these calamities were coming upon Tyre; and as it states some historical facts of great interest respecting the rise of Babylon. In the previous verses the prop…
bensonIsaiah 23:13: "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."
Isaiah 23:13 . Behold the land of the Chaldeans, &c. — This verse, in which there is much obscurity, will admit of different interpretations. One adopted by Dr. Lightfoot and some others, is to this purpose. Behold, how easily the land of the Chaldeans was destroye…
The verse highlights the astonishing rise of the Chaldeans from obscurity to a world-dominating power, emphasizing that their very existence as a nation was a construct of Assyrian policy, a people formerly so insignificant that they "were not." This points to God's sovereign hand not only in the fall of nations but also in the unexpected origins and ascensions of those who would become instruments of His judgment.
The prophecy has been detailing the impending judgment on the wealthy city of Tyre, emphasizing its arrogance and its reliance on global trade. Now, the prophet shifts focus to the Chaldeans, a people previously of little significance, highlighting how Assyria established them in cities but ultimately led to their destruction. This example serves as a stark warning to Tyre, illustrating that even powerful empires and rising nations can be instruments of God's judgment and can themselves be brought to ruin.
The prophecy has been detailing the impending judgment on the wealthy city of Tyre, emphasizing its arrogance and its reliance on global trade. Now, the prophet shifts focus to the Chaldeans, a people previously of little significance, highlighting how Assyria established them in cities but ultimately led to their destruction. This example serves as a stark warning to Tyre, illustrating that even powerful empires and rising nations can be instruments of God's judgment and can themselves be brought to ruin.
"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." — The verse highlights the astonishing rise of the Chaldeans from obscurity to a world-dominating power, emphasizing that their very existence as a nation was a construct of Assyrian policy, a people f…
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Last reviewed October 2026