8 Therefore hear H8085 now this, thou that art given to pleasures, H5719 that dwellest H3427 carelessly, H983 that sayest H559 in thine heart, H3824 I am, and none else H657 beside me; I shall not sit H3427 as a widow, H490 neither shall I know H3045 the loss of children: H7908
For G3754 all G3956 nations G1484 have drunk G4095 of G1537 the wine G3631 of the wrath G2372 of her G846 fornication, G4202 and G2532 the kings G935 of the earth G1093 have committed fornication G4203 with G3326 her, G846 and G2532 the merchants G1713 of the earth G1093 are waxed rich G4147 through G1537 the abundance G1411 of her G846 delicacies. G4764 And G2532 I heard G191 another G243 voice G5456 from G1537 heaven, G3772 saying, G3004 Come G1831 out of G1537 her, G846 my G3450 people, G2992 that G3363 ye be G4790 not G3363 partakers G4790 of her G846 sins, G266 and G2532 that G3363 ye receive G2983 not G3363 of G1537 her G846 plagues. G4127 For G3754 her G846 sins G266 have reached G190 G2853 unto G891 heaven, G3772 and G2532 God G2316 hath remembered G3421 her G846 iniquities. G92 Reward G591 her G846 even G2532 as G5613 she G846 G3778 rewarded G591 you, G5213 and G2532 double G1363 unto her G846 double G1362 according to G2596 her G846 works: G2041 in G1722 the cup G4221 which G3739 she hath filled G2767 fill G2767 to her G846 double. G1362 How much G3745 she hath glorified G1392 herself, G1438 and G2532 lived deliciously, G4763 so much G5118 torment G929 and G2532 sorrow G3997 give G1325 her: G846 for G3754 she saith G3004 in G1722 her G846 heart, G2588 I sit G2521 a queen, G938 and G2532 am G1510 no G3756 widow, G5503 and G2532 shall see G1492 no G3364 sorrow. G3997 Therefore G5124 G1223 shall G2240 her G846 plagues G4127 come G2240 in G1722 one G3391 day, G2250 death, G2288 and G2532 mourning, G3997 and G2532 famine; G3042 and G2532 she shall be utterly burned G2618 with G1722 fire: G4442 for G3754 strong G2478 is the Lord G2962 God G2316 who G3588 judgeth G2919 her. G846
They did eat, G2068 they drank, G4095 they married wives, G1060 they were given in marriage, G1547 until G891 the day G2250 that G3739 Noe G3575 entered G1525 into G1519 the ark, G2787 and G2532 the flood G2627 came, G2064 and G2532 destroyed G622 them all. G537 Likewise G3668 also G2532 as G5613 it was G1096 in G1722 the days G2250 of Lot; G3091 they did eat, G2068 they drank, G4095 they bought, G59 they sold, G4453 they planted, G5452 they builded; G3618 But G3739 G1161 the same day G2250 that Lot G3091 went G1831 out of G575 Sodom G4670 it rained G1026 fire G4442 and G2532 brimstone G2303 from G575 heaven, G3772 and G2532 destroyed G622 them all. G537
And G2532 he said, G2036 This G5124 will I do: G4160 I will pull down G2507 my G3450 barns, G596 and G2532 build G3618 greater; G3187 and G2532 there G1563 will I bestow G4863 all G3956 my G3450 fruits G1081 and G2532 my G3450 goods. G18 And G2532 I will say G2046 to my G3450 soul, G5590 Soul, G5590 thou hast G2192 much G4183 goods G18 laid up G2749 for G1519 many G4183 years; G2094 take thine ease, G373 eat, G5315 drink, G4095 and be merry. G2165 But G1161 God G2316 said G2036 unto him, G846 Thou fool, G878 this G5026 night G3571 thy G4675 soul G5590 shall be required G523 of G575 thee: G4675 then G1161 whose G5101 shall those things be, G2071 which G3739 thou hast provided? G2090
Yea also, because he transgresseth H898 by wine, H3196 he is a proud H3093 man, H1397 neither keepeth at home, H5115 who enlargeth H7337 his desire H5315 as hell, H7585 and is as death, H4194 and cannot be satisfied, H7646 but gathereth H622 unto him all nations, H1471 and heapeth H6908 unto him all people: H5971 Shall not all these take up H5375 a parable H4912 against him, and a taunting H4426 proverb H2420 against him, and say, H559 Woe H1945 to him that increaseth H7235 that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth H3513 himself with thick clay! H5671 Shall they not rise up H6965 suddenly H6621 that shall bite H5391 thee, and awake H3364 that shall vex H2111 thee, and thou shalt be for booties H4933 unto them? Because thou hast spoiled H7997 many H7227 nations, H1471 all the remnant H3499 of the people H5971 shall spoil H7997 thee; because of men's H120 blood, H1818 and for the violence H2555 of the land, H776 of the city, H7151 and of all that dwell H3427 therein.
Belshazzar H1113 the king H4430 made H5648 a great H7229 feast H3900 to a thousand H506 of his lords, H7261 and drank H8355 wine H2562 before H6903 the thousand. H506 Belshazzar, H1113 whiles he tasted H2942 the wine, H2562 commanded H560 to bring H858 the golden H1722 and silver H3702 vessels H3984 which his father H2 Nebuchadnezzar H5020 had taken H5312 out of H4481 the temple H1965 which was in Jerusalem; H3390 that the king, H4430 and his princes, H7261 his wives, H7695 and his concubines, H3904 might drink H8355 therein. Then H116 they brought H858 the golden H1722 vessels H3984 that were taken H5312 out of H4481 the temple H1965 of the house H1005 of God H426 which was at Jerusalem; H3390 and the king, H4430 and his princes, H7261 his wives, H7695 and his concubines, H3904 drank H8355 in them. They drank H8355 wine, H2562 and praised H7624 the gods H426 of gold, H1722 and of silver, H3702 of brass, H5174 of iron, H6523 of wood, H636 and of stone. H69
Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, H2087 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD H3069 of hosts: H6635 for thy day H3117 is come, H935 the time H6256 that I will visit H6485 thee. And the most proud H2087 shall stumble H3782 and fall, H5307 and none shall raise him up: H6965 and I will kindle H3341 a fire H784 in his cities, H5892 and it shall devour H398 all round about H5439 him.
And in that day H3117 did the Lord H136 GOD H3069 of hosts H6635 call H7121 to weeping, H1065 and to mourning, H4553 and to baldness, H7144 and to girding H2296 with sackcloth: H8242 And behold joy H8342 and gladness, H8057 slaying H2026 oxen, H1241 and killing H7819 sheep, H6629 eating H398 flesh, H1320 and drinking H8354 wine: H3196 let us eat H398 and drink; H8354 for to morrow H4279 we shall die. H4191
My heart H3824 panted, H8582 fearfulness H6427 affrighted H1204 me: the night H5399 of my pleasure H2837 hath he turned H7760 into fear H2731 unto me. Prepare H6186 the table, H7979 watch H6822 in the watchtower, H6844 eat, H398 drink: H8354 arise, H6965 ye princes, H8269 and anoint H4886 the shield. H4043
His ways H1870 are always H6256 grievous; H2342 thy judgments H4941 are far above H4791 out of his sight: as for all his enemies, H6887 he puffeth H6315 at them. He hath said H559 in his heart, H3820 I shall not be moved: H4131 for I shall never H1755 H1755 be in adversity. H7451
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 47
Commentary on Isaiah 47 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 47
Isa 47:1-15. The Destruction of Babylon Is Represented under the Image of a Royal Virgin Brought Down in a Moment from Her Magnificent Throne to the Extreme of Degradation.
1. in the dust—(See on Isa 3:26; Job 2:13; La 2:10).
virgin—that is, heretofore uncaptured [Herodotus, 1.191].
daughter of Babylon—Babylon and its inhabitants (see on Isa 1:8; Isa 37:22).
no throne—The seat of empire was transferred to Shushan. Alexander intended to have made Babylon his seat of empire, but Providence defeated his design. He soon died; and Seleucia, being built near, robbed it of its inhabitants, and even of its name, which was applied to Seleucia.
delicate—alluding to the effeminate debauchery and prostitution of all classes at banquets and religious rites [Curtius, 5.1; Herodotus, 1.199; Baruch, 6.43].
2. millstones—like the querns or hand-mills, found in this country, before the invention of water mills and windmills: a convex stone, made by the hand to turn in a concave stone, fitted to receive it, the corn being ground between them: the office of a female slave in the East; most degrading (Job 31:10; Mt 24:41).
uncover thy locks—rather, "take off thy veil" [Horsley]: perhaps the removal of the plaited hair worn round the women's temples is included; it, too, is a covering (1Co 11:15); to remove it and the veil is the badge of the lowest female degradation; in the East the head is the seat of female modesty; the face of a woman is seldom, the whole head almost never, seen bare (see on Isa 22:8).
make bare the leg—rather "lift up (literally, 'uncover'; as in lifting up the train the leg is uncovered) thy flowing train." In Mesopotamia, women of low rank, as occasion requires, wade across the rivers with stript legs, or else entirely put off their garments and swim across. "Exchange thy rich, loose, queenly robe, for the most abject condition, that of one going to and fro through rivers as a slave, to draw water," &c.
uncover … thigh—gather up the robe, so as to wade across.
3. not meet … as a man—rather, "I will not meet a man," that is, suffer man to intercede with me—give man an audience [Horsley]. Or, "I will not make peace with any man," before all are destroyed. Literally, "strike a league with"; a phrase arising from the custom of striking hands together in making a compact [Maurer], (see on Pr 17:18; Pr 22:26; 11:15, Margin). Or else from striking the victims sacrificed in making treaties.
4. As for—rather supply, "Thus saith our Redeemer" [Maurer]. Lowth supposes this verse to be the exclamation of a chorus breaking in with praises, "Our Redeemer! Jehovah of hosts," &c. (Jer 50:34).
5. Sit—the posture of mourning (Ezr 9:4; Job 2:13; La 2:10).
darkness—mourning and misery (La 3:2; Mic 7:8).
lady of kingdoms—mistress of the world (Isa 13:19).
6. reason for God's vengeance on Babylon: in executing God's will against His people, she had done so with wanton cruelty (Isa 10:5, &c.; Jer 50:17; 51:33; Zec 1:15).
polluted my inheritance—(Isa 43:28).
the ancient—Even old age was disregarded by the Chaldeans, who treated all alike with cruelty (La 4:16; 5:12) [Rosenmuller]. Or, "the ancient" means Israel, worn out with calamities in the latter period of its history (Isa 46:4), as its earlier stage of history is called its "youth" (Isa 54:6; Eze 16:60).
7. so that—Through thy vain expectation of being a queen for ever, thou didst advance to such a pitch of insolence as not to believe "these things" (namely, as to thy overthrow, Isa 47:1-5) possible.
end of it—namely, of thy insolence, implied in her words, "I shall be a lady for ever."
8. given to pleasures—(See on Isa 47:1). In no city were there so many incentives to licentiousness.
I am … none … beside me—(Isa 47:10). Language of arrogance in man's mouth; fitting for God alone (Isa 45:6). See Isa 5:8, latter part.
widow … loss of children—A state, represented as a female, when it has fallen is called a widow, because its king is no more; and childless, because it has no inhabitants; they having been carried off as captives (Isa 23:4; 54:1, 4, 5; Re 18:7, 8).
9. in a moment—It should not decay slowly, but be suddenly and unexpectedly destroyed; in a single night it was taken by Cyrus. The prophecy was again literally fulfilled when Babylon revolted against Darius; and, in order to hold out to the last, each man chose one woman of his family, and strangled the rest, to save provisions. Darius impaled three thousand of the revolters.
in … perfection—that is, "in full measure."
for … for—rather, "notwithstanding the … notwithstanding"; "in spite of" [Lowth]. So "for" (Nu 14:11). Babylon was famous for "expiations or sacrifices, and other incantations, whereby they tried to avert evil and obtain good" [Diodorus Siculus].
10. wickedness—as in Isa 13:11, the cruelty with which Babylon treated its subject states.
None seeth me—(Ps 10:11; 94:7). "There is none to exact punishment from me." Sinners are not safe, though seeming secret.
Thy wisdom—astrological and political (Isa 19:11, &c., as to Egypt).
perverted—turns thee aside from the right and safe path.
11. from whence it riseth—Hebrew, "the dawn thereof," that is, its first rising. Evil shall come on thee without the least previous intimation [Rosenmuller]. But dawn is not applied to "evil," but to prosperity shining out after misery (Isa 21:12). Translate, "Thou shall not see any dawn" (of alleviation) [Maurer].
put … off—rather, as Margin, "remove by expiation"; it shall be never ending.
not know—unawares: which thou dost not apprehend. Proving the fallacy of thy divinations and astrology (Job 9:5; Ps 35:8).
12. Stand—forth: a scornful challenge to Babylon's magicians to show whether they can defend their city.
laboured—The devil's service is a laborious yet fruitless one (Isa 55:2).
13. wearied—(compare Isa 57:10; Eze 24:12).
astrologers—literally, those who form combinations of the heavens; who watch conjunctions and oppositions of the stars. "Casters of the configurations of the sky" [Horsley]. Gesenius explains it: the dividers of the heavens. In casting a nativity they observed four signs:—the horoscope, or sign which arose at the time one was born; the mid-heaven; the sign opposite the horoscope towards the west; and the hypogee.
monthly prognosticators—those who at each new moon profess to tell thereby what is about to happen. Join, not as English Version, "save … from those things," &c.; but, "They that at new moons make known from (by means of) them the things that shall come upon thee" [Maurer].
14. (Isa 29:6; 30:30).
not … a coal—Like stubble, they shall burn to a dead ash, without leaving a live coal or cinder (compare Isa 30:14), so utterly shall they be destroyed.
15. Thus, &c.—Such shall be the fate of those astrologers who cost thee such an amount of trouble and money.
thy merchants, from thy youth—that is, with whom thou hast trafficked from thy earliest history, the foreigners sojourning in Babylon for the sake of commerce (Isa 13:14; Jer 51:6, 9; Na 3:16, 17) [Barnes]. Rather, the astrologers, with whom Babylon had so many dealings (Isa 47:12-14) [Horsley].
to his quarter—literally, "straight before him" (Eze 1:9, 12). The foreigners, whether soothsayers or merchants, shall flee home out of Babylon (Jer 50:16).