The Meaning of Isaiah 13:2 Explained

Isaiah 13:2

KJV: Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

YLT: 'On a high mountain lift ye up an ensign, Raise the voice to them, wave the hand, And they go in to the openings of nobles.

Darby: Lift up a banner upon a bare mountain, raise the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.

ASV: Set ye up an ensign upon the bare mountain, lift up the voice unto them, wave the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Lift ye up  a banner  upon the high  mountain,  exalt  the voice  unto them, shake  the hand,  that they may go  into the gates  of the nobles. 

What does Isaiah 13:2 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 13

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

What do the individual words in Isaiah 13:2 mean?

On the mountain high Lift up a banner Raise your voice to them Wave your hand that they may enter the gates of the nobles
עַ֤ל הַר־ נִשְׁפֶּה֙ שְֽׂאוּ־ נֵ֔ס הָרִ֥ימוּ ק֖וֹל לָהֶ֑ם הָנִ֣יפוּ יָ֔ד וְיָבֹ֖אוּ פִּתְחֵ֥י נְדִיבִֽים

הַר־  the  mountain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
נִשְׁפֶּה֙  high 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁפָה  
Sense: to sweep bare, scrape.
שְֽׂאוּ־  Lift  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
נֵ֔ס  a  banner 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֵס  
Sense: something lifted up, standard, signal, signal pole, ensign, banner, sign, sail.
הָרִ֥ימוּ  Raise 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: יָרוּם 
Sense: to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted.
ק֖וֹל  your  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
לָהֶ֑ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
הָנִ֣יפוּ  Wave 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: הֲנָפָה 
Sense: to move to and fro, wave, besprinkle.
יָ֔ד  your  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וְיָבֹ֖אוּ  that  they  may  enter 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
פִּתְחֵ֥י  the  gates 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: פֶּתַח  
Sense: opening, doorway, entrance.
נְדִיבִֽים  of  the  nobles 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: נָדִיב  
Sense: inclined, willing, noble, generous.