2 Nephi 23

THE SECOND BOOK OF NEPHI

CHAPTER 23

Destruction of Babylon is a type of destruction at Second Coming—It shall be a day of wrath and vengeance—Babylon (the world) shall fall forever—Compare Isaiah 13. Between 559 and 545 B.C.

1 aThe burden of bBabylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

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

3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my amighty ones, for mine anger is not upon them that rejoice in my highness.

4 The noise of the multitude in the mountains like as of a great people, a tumultuous noise of the akingdoms of nations bgathered together, the Lord of Hosts mustereth the hosts of the battle.

5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, yea, the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

6 Howl ye, for the aday of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, every man’s heart shall amelt;

8 And they shall be afraid; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

9 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall adestroy the sinners thereof out of it.

10 For the astars of heaven and the bconstellations thereof shall not give their clight; the dsun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

11 And I will apunish the world for evil, and the bwicked for their iniquity; I will cause the arrogancy of the cproud to cease, and will lay down the haughtiness of the terrible.

12 I will make a aman more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

13 Therefore, I will ashake the heavens, and the earth shall bremove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of Hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up; and they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own aland.

15 Every one that is proud shall be thrust through; yea, and every one that is ajoined to the wicked shall fall by the sword.

16 Their achildren also shall be bdashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled and their wives ravished.

17 Behold, I will stir up the aMedes against them, which shall not regard silver and gold, nor shall they delight in it.

18 Their bows shall also dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no apity on the fruit of the womb; their eyes shall not spare children.

19 And aBabylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew bSodom and Gomorrah.

20 It shall never be ainhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

21 But awild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.

22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces; and her time is near to come, and her day shall not be prolonged. For I will destroy her speedily; yea, for I will be merciful unto my people, but the wicked shall perish.