Assyria was the big world power in the time of Isaiah, whereas Babylon only came into power about 100 years later, under Nebuchadnezzar. Some commentators believe that Isaiah could not have written these two chapters, and that they were written long after Isaiah’s time. The reasons for this include that Babylon was not yet a powerful nation in Isaiah’s time, and that the Medes were not enemies of Babylon at that time, but rather their allies against the Assyrians.

Other scholars believe that, while Isaiah did write these chapters, they did not originally refer to Babylon but rather to Assyria. According to these scholars, a later writer may have substituted Babylonia for Assyria in Isaiah 13-14.

The title in Isaiah 13:1, however, expressly mentions both Babylon and Isaiah, and there is no reason to believe this was not part of the original text. Furthermore, many of Isaiah’s prophecies were not based in the history of his own time. Through the Spirit, he received prophecies of eras that he did not experience himself but would later become a reality, such as the world power being transferred from Assyria to Babylon.