What does Isaiah 13:15 mean?
As Isaiah looks beyond his time to what were then future events, he sees the doomed city-state of Babylon producing a flood of refugees fleeing from its borders. These evacuees will run for their hometowns and native peoples, trying to escape the slaughter (Isaiah 13:14). This calls to mind images from more recent times, of waves of refugees making their way across empty country with what few possessions they can carry.In the instance Isaiah predicted, the armies that have come to destroy Babylon will not allow refugees to survive. They will hunt down those who run. Any they find will be put to death. Some of this may be vengeance and blood lust. It is also intended to keep the conquered enemy beat down and unable to rebuild into a powerful nation. Babylon's judgment from the Lord will be severe, in keeping with the severity of the nation's sins (Isaiah 13:11).