Isaiah 13:4

Noise of a multitude. Literally, “noise of tumult.”

The mountains. In Hebrew ch. 13 is poetic, and Isaiah probably uses “mountains” in a simple poetic sense. It is improbable that these are symbolic “mountains” because this is not a symbolic prophecy.

Mustereth the host. Compare Jer. 50:9, 10, 14, 29-31; Eze. 38:14-16; Joel 3:1,2, 9-17; Zeph. 3:8; Zech. 14:2, 3; Rev. 16:13, 14; 17:14, 17; 19:11-21. The host is mustered for the battle against Babylon. It should be remembered that Isa. 13 is entitled “the burden of Babylon” (v. 1), and that in its entirety the chapter is a literal prediction of the fall and desolation of literal Babylon. But NT writers have presented the fall of literal Babylon as a figure of the fall of mystical Babylon (see Rev. 14:8; 17:16; 18:4; 19:2). Therefore, the description here given of the fall of literal Babylon may also be considered descriptive of the fall of mystical Babylon insofar as Inspiration has made application of the details to the fall of mystical Babylon. Concerning the dual fulfillment of certain predictions, see on Deut. 18:15; see also p. 35.

Of the battle. That is, “to battle,” or “for battle.”