Isaiah · Chapter 47

V. 1. Down-From thy throne. Virgin-So, called, because she was tender and delicate. No throne-For thee. The empire is taken from thee, and translated to the Persians. Called-Be so.

Verse 1. Come down, and set in the dust— “Descend, and sit on the dust”] See Clarke’s note on “Isaiah 3:26”, and on “Isaiah 52:2”.

Verses 1, 2. Come down — From thy throne; and sit in the dust — As a mourner for thy approaching calamities; O virgin daughter of Babylon — Thou that art tender and delicate like a virgin. Sit on the ground — In a condition the most abject and degraded. There is no throne — Namely, for thee. Imperial power is taken from thee, and translated to the Persians. Thou shalt no more be called tender — Thou shalt be reduced to the greatest hardships and miseries. Take the millstones — Thou shalt be subjected to the basest kind of slavery, which grinding at the mill was esteemed; for that work was most generally performed by slaves. The reader will observe, “they used hand-mills: water-mills were not invented till a little before the time of Augustus Cesar: wind-mills long after. It was not only the work of slaves to grind corn, but the hardest work; and often inflicted upon them as a severe punishment. And in the East it was the work of female slaves, Exodus 11:5, and 12:29; (in the version of the LXX.;) Matthew 24:41. And it is the same to this day. ‘Women alone,’ says Shaw, p. 297, ‘are employed to grind their corn.’ ‘They are the female slaves,’ says Sir. J. Chardin, ‘that are generally employed in the East at those hand-mills: it is extremely laborious, and esteemed the lowest employment in the house.’” — Bishop Lowth. Uncover thy locks — Take off the ornaments wherewith such women as were of good quality used to cover and dress their heads. These are predictions of what they should be forced to do or suffer. Make bare the leg, &c. — Gird up thy garments close and short about thee, that thou mayest be fit for travelling on foot, and for passing over those rivers through which thou wilt be constrained to wade in the way to the land of thy captivity.

1. Virgin daughter — The proud city figured as a royal damsel (denoting city and inhabitants) stripped of her rich clothing, degraded from her lofty rank, and made a gazing stock of shame. For same figures see chap. xxiii, 12; 37:22. Chaldeans — This is the name of the peoples composing the strong nation which once occupied the city and territory of Babylon; a people from among whom Abraham was originally called. Tender and delicate — Her queenly dignity is to be abolished forever. Under the Persians the seat of empire was removed to Susa. For description of the capture of Babylon, see HERODOTUS, 1:191.

V. 2. Millstones-Thou shalt be brought to the basest slavery, which grinding at the mill was esteemed. For this work was not performed by horses, as now it is, but by the labour of slaves and captives. Grind-Grind bread-corn into meal for thy master’s use. Uncover-Take off the ornaments wherewith such women as were of good quality, used to cover and dress their heads. These are predictions of what they should be forced to do or suffer. Thigh-Gird up thy garments close and short about thee, that thou mayest be fit for travelling on foot, and for passing over those rivers, through which thou wilt be constrained to wade, in the way to the land of thy captivity.

Verse 2. Take the millstones, and grind meal— “Take the mill, and grind corn”] It was the work of slaves to grind the corn. They used hand-mills: water-mills were not invented till a little before the time of Augustus, (see the Greek epigram of Antipater, which seems to celebrate it as a new invention, Anthol. Cephalæ, 653;) wind-mills, not until long after. It was not only the work of slaves, but the hardest work; and often inflicted upon them as a severe punishment:—

Molendum in pistrino; vapulandum; habendæ compedes.

TERENT. Phorm. ii. 1. 19.

Hominem pistrino dignum.

Id. Heaut. iii. 2. 19.

To grind in the mill, to be scourged, to be put in the stocks, were punishments for slaves. Hence a delinquent was said to be a man worthy of the mill. The tread-mill, now in use in England, is a revival of this ancient usage. But in the east grinding was the work of the female slaves. See Exodus 11:5; 12:29, (in the version of the Septuagint;} Matthew 24:41; Homer, Odyss. xx. 105-108. And it is the same to this day. “Women alone are employed to grind their corn;” Shaw’s Algiers and Tunis, p. 287. “They are the female slaves, that are generally employed in the east at those hand-mills for grinding corn; it is extremely laborious, and esteemed the lowest employment in the house;” Sir J. Chardin, Harmer’s Observ. i., p. 153. The words denote that state of captivity to which the Babylonians should be reduced.

Make bare the leg, uncover the thigh] This is repeatedly seen in Bengal, where there are few bridges, and both sexes, having neither shoes nor stockings, truss up their loose garments, and walk across, where the waters are not deep. In the deeper water they are obliged to truss very high, to which there seems a reference in the third verse: Thy nakedness shall be uncovered.

Verses 1, 2. Come down — From thy throne; and sit in the dust — As a mourner for thy approaching calamities; O virgin daughter of Babylon — Thou that art tender and delicate like a virgin. Sit on the ground — In a condition the most abject and degraded. There is no throne — Namely, for thee. Imperial power is taken from thee, and translated to the Persians. Thou shalt no more be called tender — Thou shalt be reduced to the greatest hardships and miseries. Take the millstones — Thou shalt be subjected to the basest kind of slavery, which grinding at the mill was esteemed; for that work was most generally performed by slaves. The reader will observe, “they used hand-mills: water-mills were not invented till a little before the time of Augustus Cesar: wind-mills long after. It was not only the work of slaves to grind corn, but the hardest work; and often inflicted upon them as a severe punishment. And in the East it was the work of female slaves, Exodus 11:5, and 12:29; (in the version of the LXX.;) Matthew 24:41. And it is the same to this day. ‘Women alone,’ says Shaw, p. 297, ‘are employed to grind their corn.’ ‘They are the female slaves,’ says Sir. J. Chardin, ‘that are generally employed in the East at those hand-mills: it is extremely laborious, and esteemed the lowest employment in the house.’” — Bishop Lowth. Uncover thy locks — Take off the ornaments wherewith such women as were of good quality used to cover and dress their heads. These are predictions of what they should be forced to do or suffer. Make bare the leg, &c. — Gird up thy garments close and short about thee, that thou mayest be fit for travelling on foot, and for passing over those rivers through which thou wilt be constrained to wade in the way to the land of thy captivity.

Verse 2. Take the millstones and grind meal. Prepare the weekly loaf, as was anciently the custom, a work which the servants performed with handmills.

2. Grind meal — The figure here is that of servitude, with all the conditions of that state; the highest in rank, equally with the lowest, set to the meanest employments. Uncover thy locks — Rather, (Hebrews,) thy veil. In the East a token of immodest shame, except with slaves. This uncovering was a dishonouring of the person. The other phrases indicate a march of menial captives onward to exile, wading rivers and bearing burdens.

V. 3. Uncovered-Either for want of raiment to cover it; or rather, by thine enemies in way of scorn and contumely. As a man-With moderation and gentleness, as those men who have not quite put off humanity use to do.

Verse 3. I will not meet thee as a man— “Neither will I suffer man to intercede with me.”] The verb should be pointed, or written, [ygpa aphgia, in Hiphil.

Verse 3. Thy nakedness shall be uncovered — Either for want of raiment to cover it, or rather, by thine enemies in the way of scorn and contumely. I will take vengeance — Upon thee, for thy many and great injuries done to my people. I will not meet thee as a man — But like an Almighty God, whose power thou canst not resist. I will not treat thee with moderation and gentleness, as those men who have not quite put off humanity use to do, but like a lion, to tear thee to pieces: see Hosea 5:14; and 13:7, 8. Thou shalt feel the most dreadful effects of my anger, and I will show no humanity or pity toward thee. The original expression, µda [gpa al, is peculiar, and is literally, I will not meet a man, which may be an inverted sentence put for, a man shall not meet me, that is, no man shall prevent or hinder the effects of my wrath. Bishop Lowth renders it, “Neither will I suffer a man to intercede with me.”

3. I will take vengeance — This, with the words following, has many versions. It is a divine threat against Babylonia; God himself is to execute it. I will not meet thee as a man — There shall be no appeal to man about it: or, “I will appeal to no man:” (Nagelsbach:) “I will run on none out of whose way I must get myself:” (Stier:) “No man shall resist me:” (Grotius:) or, in executing vengeance “I will encounter no man:” (Rosenmuller:) that is, I will allow no man to resist me. This agrees with Grotius, and appears to be the true sense, and Noyes’s translation does not essentially vary from it: “I will make peace with none.”

Verse 4. Our Redeemer— “Our Avenger”] Here a chorus breaks in upon the midst of the subject, with a change of construction, as well as sentiment, from the longer to the shorter kind of verse, for one distich only; after which the former subject and style are resumed. See Clarke’s note on “Isaiah 45:16”.

Verse 4. As for our Redeemer, &c. — The words, as for, not being in the Hebrew text, Bishop Lowth translates this verse, “Our Avenger, Jehovah God of hosts, the Holy One of Israel, is his name.” And he observes, “Here a chorus breaks in upon the midst of the subject, with a change of construction as well as sentiment, from the longer to the shorter kind of verse; after which, the former subject and style are resumed.” The passage seems to be inserted in the midst of this prophecy against Babylon, as Jacob inserts a like passage in the midst of his blessings and prophecies concerning his sons, Genesis 49:18. It gives the reason why the judgment, here denounced, should be certainly inflicted, because he who had undertaken it was the Lord of hosts, and therefore able to effect it; and the Holy One, and the Redeemer of Israel, whom the Babylonians had cruelly oppressed, whose quarrel God would avenge upon them, and whom he had determined and promised to deliver out of their hands. If the words be considered as a pathetical exclamation, or acclamation of God’s people, they thereby ascribe to God, as their God and Redeemer, this wonderful work of breaking the staff of their oppressors: and they make their boast of, and celebrate him for, this glorious deliverance.

Ver. 4. Our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts. He who redeemed us from Egypt, will redeem us from Babylon by the Persians, and throw the yoke of servitude on our oppressors.

4. As for our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name — This appears to be antiphonal, that is, the breaking in of a chorus of voices. So Lowth and Gesenius. If Isaiah be the author, which there seems abundant reason to believe, these last twenty-seven chapters were not recited in public, but in the presence only of the prophets in the college at Jerusalem, of which Isaiah was probably the head. This accounts for the strophical character of all this poetry.

V. 5. Silent-Thro’ grief and shame, as mourners use to do. The lady-The chief and glory of all kingdoms.

Verses 5, 6. Sit thou silent — Through grief and shame, and as mourners used to do, Job 2:13. Cease thy vaunting and insolent speeches. And get thee into darkness — Thou shalt go into an obscure, disconsolate, and calamitous condition. Thou shalt no more be the lady of kingdoms — The chief and glory of all kingdoms; the most large, potent, and glorious empire of the world, as thou hast been. I was wroth with my people — “The metaphor in this verse,” says Vitringa, “is taken from a father, who, being angry with his children, delivers them up to chastisement; but his anger soon subsiding, and his affection reviving, he turns his indignation against those who had so executed his commands, as to punish immoderately and severely.” I have polluted mine inheritance — I cast them away as an unclean thing; I stained their glory; I removed them from the place of my presence and worship; I banished them into a polluted land, among unclean persons, by whom they were many ways defiled. And given them into thy hand — To punish them. Thou didst show them no mercy — Thou hast exceeded the bounds of thy commission, and, instead of that compassion which humanity teaches men to show to such as are in misery, thou didst exercise toward them the greatest cruelty. Upon the ancient — The old and feeble, whose venerable gray hairs should have been their sufficient protection; hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke — Not considering that, besides the calamity of being made captives, they were afflicted with the miseries of old age, and therefore required both thy pity and reverence. It is justly observed here by Bishop Lowth, that “God, in the course of his providence, makes use of great conquerors and tyrants, as his instruments, to execute his judgments in the earth: he employs one wicked nation to scourge another. The inflicter of the punishment may, perhaps, be as culpable as the sufferer, and may add to his guilt by indulging his cruelty in executing God’s justice. When he has fulfilled the work to which divine vengeance has ordained him, he will become himself the object of it: see Isaiah 10:5-12. God charges the Babylonians, though employed by himself to chastise his people, with cruelty in regard to them. They exceeded the bounds of justice and humanity in oppressing and destroying them; and though they were really executing the righteous decree of God, yet, as far as it regarded themselves, they were only indulging their own ambition and violence.”

5. Sit thou silent — The prophet spoke, in preceding verse, in his own person. He now speaks in God’s name. He uses imperatives. Hebraistically these are predictives, the same as, Sit thou silent: lady (or mistress) of kingdoms thou shalt no more be called.

V. 6. Polluted-I cast them away as an unclean thing. Into thine hand-To punish them. No mercy-Thou hast exceeded the bounds of thy commission. The ancient-Who besides their common calamity were afflicted with the miseries of old age, and therefore did require both pity and reverence.

Verse 6. I was wroth with my people] God, in the course of his providence, makes use of great conquerors and tyrants as his instruments to execute his judgments in the earth; he employs one wicked nation to scourge another. The inflicter of the punishment may perhaps be as culpable as the sufferer; and may add to his guilt by indulging his cruelty in executing God’s justice. When he has fulfilled the work to which the Divine vengeance has ordained him, he will become himself the object of it; see Isaiah 10:5-12. God charges the Babylonians, though employed by himself to chastise his people, with cruelty in regard to them. They exceeded the bounds of justice and humanity in oppressing and destroying them; and though they were really executing the righteous decree of God, yet, as far as it regarded themselves, they were only indulging their own ambition and violence. The Prophet Zechariah sets this matter in the same light: “I was but a little angry and they helped forward the affliction;” Zechariah 1:15.—L.

Verses 5, 6. Sit thou silent — Through grief and shame, and as mourners used to do, Job 2:13. Cease thy vaunting and insolent speeches. And get thee into darkness — Thou shalt go into an obscure, disconsolate, and calamitous condition. Thou shalt no more be the lady of kingdoms — The chief and glory of all kingdoms; the most large, potent, and glorious empire of the world, as thou hast been. I was wroth with my people — “The metaphor in this verse,” says Vitringa, “is taken from a father, who, being angry with his children, delivers them up to chastisement; but his anger soon subsiding, and his affection reviving, he turns his indignation against those who had so executed his commands, as to punish immoderately and severely.” I have polluted mine inheritance — I cast them away as an unclean thing; I stained their glory; I removed them from the place of my presence and worship; I banished them into a polluted land, among unclean persons, by whom they were many ways defiled. And given them into thy hand — To punish them. Thou didst show them no mercy — Thou hast exceeded the bounds of thy commission, and, instead of that compassion which humanity teaches men to show to such as are in misery, thou didst exercise toward them the greatest cruelty. Upon the ancient — The old and feeble, whose venerable gray hairs should have been their sufficient protection; hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke — Not considering that, besides the calamity of being made captives, they were afflicted with the miseries of old age, and therefore required both thy pity and reverence. It is justly observed here by Bishop Lowth, that “God, in the course of his providence, makes use of great conquerors and tyrants, as his instruments, to execute his judgments in the earth: he employs one wicked nation to scourge another. The inflicter of the punishment may, perhaps, be as culpable as the sufferer, and may add to his guilt by indulging his cruelty in executing God’s justice. When he has fulfilled the work to which divine vengeance has ordained him, he will become himself the object of it: see Isaiah 10:5-12. God charges the Babylonians, though employed by himself to chastise his people, with cruelty in regard to them. They exceeded the bounds of justice and humanity in oppressing and destroying them; and though they were really executing the righteous decree of God, yet, as far as it regarded themselves, they were only indulging their own ambition and violence.”

6. I was wroth with my people — Angry with his people, Jehovah suffered them to be treated as polluted. I… polluted mine inheritance — Allusion is here made to Isaiah 43:28: “Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse.” And given them into thine hand — Into the hand of the Chaldeans or Babylonians, who showed them no mercy. See 2 Chronicles 36:17. Upon the ancient — Meaning the aged ones of Israel, a class of persons for whose welfare Jehovah had usually tenderly cared.

V. 7. These things-Thy cruel usages of my people, and the heavy judgments which thou hadst reason to expect for them. Nor remember-Thou didst not consider what might and was likely to befal thee afterward.

Verse 7. So that thou didst not— “Because thou didst not”] For d[ ad, read l[ al; so two MSS., and one edition. And for, htyrja acharithah, “the latter end of it,” read Ëtyrja acharithecha, “thy latter end;” so thirteen MSS., and two editions, and the Vulgate. Both the sixth and seventh verses are wanting in one of my oldest MSS.

Verses 7, 8. Thou sayest, I shall be a lady for ever — I shall always be the chief city and mistress of the world, and shall never know any change of condition in this respect. If we consider that the city of Babylon had no less than one hundred gates made of solid brass; that its walls were two hundred feet high, and fifty broad, according to the lowest account given of them by historians, and, according to some, three hundred and fifty feet in height, and eighty-seven in thickness, so that six chariots could go abreast upon them; that it was defended by the river Euphrates, and supplied with provisions for many years; it might well be deemed impregnable: and “such a city as this might, with less vanity than any other, boast that she should continue for ever, if any thing human could continue for ever.” — Bishop Newton. Thou didst not lay these things to thy heart — Thy cruel usage of my people, and the heavy judgments which thou hadst reason to expect for them. Neither didst thou remember the latter end — Thou wast so puffed up with pride, and so infatuated with ease and pleasure, that thou didst not consider the instability of all worldly power and greatness, and what might and was likely to befall thee afterward. Therefore hear, thou that dwellest carelessly — And layest nothing to heart; that sayest, I am, and none else beside me — I am independent, self-sufficient, and unchangeable, and there is none, no people, state, or kingdom, that is not either subject, or far inferior to me in power and glory. I shall not sit as a widow — In solitude and sorrow: I shall not lose that wealth and dignity to which I am wedded. The kingdom shall never want a monarch to espouse and protect it, and be a husband to the state. Neither shall I know the loss of children — The diminution of the number of my people. I shall never want either a king or people to defend me from all dangers.

Ver. 7. Thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever. Oh virgin, how couldst thou dream of this, seeing every city within the grasp of thy wide empire has been stormed and ravished by thine invading armies. Shall the Lord visit other metropolitan cities for their sins, and never visit thee for the blood of all nations.

V. 8. I am-Independent, and self-sufficient. None-Which is not either subject to me, or far inferior to me in power and glory. Shall not sit-I shall never want either a king or people to defend me.

Verses 7, 8. Thou sayest, I shall be a lady for ever — I shall always be the chief city and mistress of the world, and shall never know any change of condition in this respect. If we consider that the city of Babylon had no less than one hundred gates made of solid brass; that its walls were two hundred feet high, and fifty broad, according to the lowest account given of them by historians, and, according to some, three hundred and fifty feet in height, and eighty-seven in thickness, so that six chariots could go abreast upon them; that it was defended by the river Euphrates, and supplied with provisions for many years; it might well be deemed impregnable: and “such a city as this might, with less vanity than any other, boast that she should continue for ever, if any thing human could continue for ever.” — Bishop Newton. Thou didst not lay these things to thy heart — Thy cruel usage of my people, and the heavy judgments which thou hadst reason to expect for them. Neither didst thou remember the latter end — Thou wast so puffed up with pride, and so infatuated with ease and pleasure, that thou didst not consider the instability of all worldly power and greatness, and what might and was likely to befall thee afterward. Therefore hear, thou that dwellest carelessly — And layest nothing to heart; that sayest, I am, and none else beside me — I am independent, self-sufficient, and unchangeable, and there is none, no people, state, or kingdom, that is not either subject, or far inferior to me in power and glory. I shall not sit as a widow — In solitude and sorrow: I shall not lose that wealth and dignity to which I am wedded. The kingdom shall never want a monarch to espouse and protect it, and be a husband to the state. Neither shall I know the loss of children — The diminution of the number of my people. I shall never want either a king or people to defend me from all dangers.

8. Carelessly — In no anxiety about efforts of Cyrus to take the city. According to Xenophon, the princes and whole court at Babylon looked with contempt on Cyrus. She said, I am, and none else besides me — Literally, I am, and the absence of me there is none. Profanely she parodies the divine saying, “I am Jehovah, and besides me there is none else.” This strain of defiance and of self-security continues to verse 11.

V. 9. Perfection-In the highest degree.

Verse 9. These two things shall come to thee in. a moment] That is, suddenly. Belshazzar was slain; thus the city became metaphorically a widow, the husband-the governor of it, being slain. In the time in which the king was slain, the Medes and Persians took the city, and slew many of its inhabitants, see Daniel 5:30, 31. When Darius took the city, he is said to have crucified three thousand of its principal inhabitants. In their perfection— “On a sudden”] Instead of בתמם bethummam, “in their perfection,” as our translation renders it, the Septuagint and Syriac read, in the copies from which they translated, פתאם pithom, suddenly; parallel to [gr rega, in a moment, in the preceding alternate member of the sentence. The concurrent testimony of the Septuagint and Syriac, favoured by the context, may be safely opposed to the authority of the present text.

For the multitude— “Notwithstanding the multitude”] brb berob. For this sense of the particle b beth, see Numbers 14:11.

Verse 9. These two things shall come to thee — The very two things that thou didst set at defiance; loss of children and widowhood — Both thy princes and thy people shall be cut off, so that thou shalt be no more a government, and no more a nation. They shall come in their perfection — In the highest degree: thy king and kingdom shall be utterly and irretrievably destroyed. This prophecy was twice fulfilled; “having been accomplished the very night that Babylon was taken, when the Persians slew the king himself and a great number of the Babylonians: it was fulfilled a second time, when that city was besieged by Darius. Being determined to hold out to the last extremity, they took all their women, and each man choosing one of them, whom he liked best, out of his own family, they strangled all the rest, that unnecessary mouths might not consume their provision. By means of this shocking expedient they sustained a siege and all the efforts of Darius for twenty months, and the city was at last taken by stratagem. As soon as Darius made himself master of the place, he ordered three thousand of the principal men to be crucified; and thus this prophecy was signally fulfilled, both by the hands of the Babylonians themselves, and by the cruelties exercised upon them by their conquerors.” — Bishop Newton. For the multitude of thy sorceries — For thy superstitious and magical practices, which were very frequent in Babylon, as we see below, (verses 12, 13,) and as has been observed before. Hebrew, in the multitude, &c., or, as Dr. Waterland renders it, “Notwithstanding the multitude of thy sorceries, and the force of thy enchantments;” notwithstanding all thy diabolical artifices, whereby thou thinkest to foresee all dangers, and to secure thyself from them.

Ver. 9. These two things shall come to thee in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood. This was partly fulfilled in the sudden manner in which Cyrus stormed Babylon. But about twenty years afterward, when the Chaldeans had gotten a little strength, taking advantage of the absence of the Persian kings, they rebelled; and on being closely besieged by Darius, when the provisions grew short, it was agreed in counsel that every man should go home, and kill all his wives, with the exception of one, and all other persons who could not be useful in defending the city. So in one night they were made widowers. From that time, Babylon was gradually deserted, and the city of Seleucia rose in grandeur. Bagdad is built on the ruins of Seleucia, at the confluence of the Euphrates and the Tigris by the canal.

V. 10. Trusted-Confidently expecting to preserve thyself by these and other wicked arts. None seeth-My counsels are so deeply laid. Perverted-Hath misled thee into the way of perdition. None seeth-Which is repeated, to denote their intolerable self-confidence.

Verses 10, 11. For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness — Thou hast thought that thy cunning and policy would still preserve thee; and hast said, None seeth me — My counsels are so deeply and craftily laid, and my designs so secretly carried on, that none can discover them or prevent their execution. And thou hast supposed that God himself either did not regard thee, or would not call thee to an account for thy wicked conduct. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge — Thy skill in the arts of human policy, or thy pretended foreknowledge of future events by astrology; hath perverted thee — Hath misled thee into the way of transgression and perdition; and thou hast said, I am, &c. — This is repeated from verse 8, to signify their intolerable arrogance and self-confidence. Therefore shall evil come upon thee — Which thou shalt neither have time nor means to provide against or to prepare for; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth — Or, rather, when it shall come; Hebrew, hrjv, the morning of it, the day, or time, of its approach. With all thy skill in astrology and fortune-telling, thou shalt neither be able to foresee the evil that is coming upon thee, nor to prevent it. This interpretation agrees with the history, Babylon being surprised by Cyrus when they were in a state of the greatest security, as is manifest both from the Scriptures and from other authentic records: see Jeremiah 51:31; Daniel 5. And desolation shall come upon thee suddenly — As a thief in the night; which thou shalt not know — Or, when thou shalt not know. Thou shalt not apprehend thy danger till it be too late. Fair warning was indeed given them, by this and other prophets of the Lord, of this desolation; but they slighted that notice, and would give no credit to it; and therefore justly was it so ordered, that they should have no other warning of it, but that partly through their own security, and partly through the swiftness and subtlety of the enemy, when it came it should be a perfect surprise to them.

Ver. 10. Thou hast trusted in thy wickedness. Babylon, like most other nations, was very religious in the time of trouble. She fled to her star-gazers and sorcerers for counsel and comfort. They all promised her deliverance and relief, and doubled her misery by deception.

10, 11. Fancying thyself secure in thy wickedness, thou sayest, None seeth me. Therefore — As a reason for the chastisement about to fall on thee. Not know… whence it riseth — That day of thy woe shall come unexpectedly; because of thy untiring defiance, thou shalt not know how or whence it so suddenly comes. It hath no dawn to thee. In astrological divining the Chaldeans were expert, but it had no availing power in their extremity. When the morn appeared the Egyptians were destroyed; at sunrise Sodom and Gomorrah were overwhelmed; so, also, Babylon had no warning of coming evil.

V. 11. Therefore-This agrees with the history. Babylon being surprized by Cyrus, when they were in deep security.

Verse 11. Thou shalt not know from whence it riseth— “Thou shalt not know how to deprecate”] hrjv shachrah; so the Chaldee renders it, which is approved by Jarchi on the place; and Michaelis Epim. in Prælect. xix.; see Psalm 78:34.

Videtur in fine hujus commatis deese verbum, ut hoc membrum prioribus respondeat. “A word appears to be wanting at the end of this clause to connect it properly with the two preceding.—SECKER.

In order to set in a proper light this judicious remark, it is necessary to give the reader an exact verbal translation of the whole verse:— “And evil shall come upon thee, thou shalt not know how to deprecate it; And mischief shall fall upon thee, thou shalt not be able to expiate it; And destruction shall come suddenly upon thee, thou shalt not know”— What? how to escape, to avoid it, to be delivered from it? perhaps hnmm tax tseth mimmennah, “they could not go out from it,” Jeremiah 11:11. I am persuaded that a phrase is here lost out of the text. But as the ancient versions retain no traces of it, and a wide field lies open to uncertain conjecture, I have not attempted to fill up the chasm, but have in the translation, as others have done before me, palliated and disguised the defect, which I cannot with any assurance pretend to supply.—L.

Verses 10, 11. For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness — Thou hast thought that thy cunning and policy would still preserve thee; and hast said, None seeth me — My counsels are so deeply and craftily laid, and my designs so secretly carried on, that none can discover them or prevent their execution. And thou hast supposed that God himself either did not regard thee, or would not call thee to an account for thy wicked conduct. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge — Thy skill in the arts of human policy, or thy pretended foreknowledge of future events by astrology; hath perverted thee — Hath misled thee into the way of transgression and perdition; and thou hast said, I am, &c. — This is repeated from verse 8, to signify their intolerable arrogance and self-confidence. Therefore shall evil come upon thee — Which thou shalt neither have time nor means to provide against or to prepare for; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth — Or, rather, when it shall come; Hebrew, hrjv, the morning of it, the day, or time, of its approach. With all thy skill in astrology and fortune-telling, thou shalt neither be able to foresee the evil that is coming upon thee, nor to prevent it. This interpretation agrees with the history, Babylon being surprised by Cyrus when they were in a state of the greatest security, as is manifest both from the Scriptures and from other authentic records: see Jeremiah 51:31; Daniel 5. And desolation shall come upon thee suddenly — As a thief in the night; which thou shalt not know — Or, when thou shalt not know. Thou shalt not apprehend thy danger till it be too late. Fair warning was indeed given them, by this and other prophets of the Lord, of this desolation; but they slighted that notice, and would give no credit to it; and therefore justly was it so ordered, that they should have no other warning of it, but that partly through their own security, and partly through the swiftness and subtlety of the enemy, when it came it should be a perfect surprise to them.

10, 11. Fancying thyself secure in thy wickedness, thou sayest, None seeth me. Therefore — As a reason for the chastisement about to fall on thee. Not know… whence it riseth — That day of thy woe shall come unexpectedly; because of thy untiring defiance, thou shalt not know how or whence it so suddenly comes. It hath no dawn to thee. In astrological divining the Chaldeans were expert, but it had no availing power in their extremity. When the morn appeared the Egyptians were destroyed; at sunrise Sodom and Gomorrah were overwhelmed; so, also, Babylon had no warning of coming evil.

V. 12. Stand-Persist in these practices. Laboured-From the beginning of thy kingdom. For the Chaldeans in all ages were famous for the practice of these arts.

Verses 12-15. Stand now with thine enchantments — Persist in these practices. Wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth — From the beginning of thy kingdom. For the Chaldeans in all ages were famous, or rather infamous, for the study and practice of these arts. Thou art wearied in thy counsels — Thou hast spent thy time and strength in going from one to another, in trying all manner of experiments, and all to no purpose. Let now the astrologers, &c., stand up — To succour thee, or to inquire for thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble — They shall have no more power to withstand the calamities coming upon them than stubble has to resist the violence of the fire. They shall not deliver themselves from the flame — And much less thee. There shall not be a coal to warm at, &c. — They shall be totally consumed, and all the comfort which thou didst expect from them shall utterly vanish. Thus shall they be unto thee — Such comfortless and helpless creatures, namely, thy sorcerers, astrologers, &c.; with whom thou hast laboured — Upon whom thou hast spent thy time, pains, and money; even thy merchants — Or negotiators, as Bishop Lowth translates ˆyrjs, with whom thou hast had so much intercourse, and so many dealings. They shall wander every one to his quarter — Or, as some interpret the meaning, “They shall wander by whatsoever ways they can to the extreme boundaries of thy empire, to save themselves from the general calamity.” None shall save thee — From thy impending ruin, but all shall leave thee to perish without help, and without hope. Observe, reader, they, and only they, are safe and happy, who, by faith and prayer, deal with one that will always be a present help in time of trouble to those that flee to him for refuge, and trust in him.

12. Wherein thou hast laboured — Namely, in astrology, magic, or sorceries, through which Babylon might attempt to thwart the divine decree.

V. 13. Wearied-Thou hast spent thy time and strength in going from one to another, and all to no purpose.

Verse 13. From these things— “What are the events”] For rvam measher, read rva hm mah asher, so the Septuagint, “what is to happen to thee.”

Verses 12-15. Stand now with thine enchantments — Persist in these practices. Wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth — From the beginning of thy kingdom. For the Chaldeans in all ages were famous, or rather infamous, for the study and practice of these arts. Thou art wearied in thy counsels — Thou hast spent thy time and strength in going from one to another, in trying all manner of experiments, and all to no purpose. Let now the astrologers, &c., stand up — To succour thee, or to inquire for thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble — They shall have no more power to withstand the calamities coming upon them than stubble has to resist the violence of the fire. They shall not deliver themselves from the flame — And much less thee. There shall not be a coal to warm at, &c. — They shall be totally consumed, and all the comfort which thou didst expect from them shall utterly vanish. Thus shall they be unto thee — Such comfortless and helpless creatures, namely, thy sorcerers, astrologers, &c.; with whom thou hast laboured — Upon whom thou hast spent thy time, pains, and money; even thy merchants — Or negotiators, as Bishop Lowth translates ˆyrjs, with whom thou hast had so much intercourse, and so many dealings. They shall wander every one to his quarter — Or, as some interpret the meaning, “They shall wander by whatsoever ways they can to the extreme boundaries of thy empire, to save themselves from the general calamity.” None shall save thee — From thy impending ruin, but all shall leave thee to perish without help, and without hope. Observe, reader, they, and only they, are safe and happy, who, by faith and prayer, deal with one that will always be a present help in time of trouble to those that flee to him for refuge, and trust in him.

Ver. 13. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. The confusion of the Chaldaic oracles greatly augmented their distress of mind. Heaven made their diviners mad.

13. Multitude of thy counsels — The whole magian school. Astrologers — Rawlinson (Monarchies, 3:425) says: “Most of the astronomical tablets discovered at Babylon are of an astrological character, recording the supposed influences of the heavenly bodies, singly, in conjunction, or in opposition, upon all sublunary affairs.” Stargazers — The zodiacal system is supposed to be in a great measure due to the Babylonians. The object of astrology was mainly to bring to light on each new moon what was to happen, by dividing the heavens into sections, watching conjunctions, oppositions, etc., of the planets, and making out the horoscope or sign which arose at the time when one was born.

Verses 12-15. Stand now with thine enchantments — Persist in these practices. Wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth — From the beginning of thy kingdom. For the Chaldeans in all ages were famous, or rather infamous, for the study and practice of these arts. Thou art wearied in thy counsels — Thou hast spent thy time and strength in going from one to another, in trying all manner of experiments, and all to no purpose. Let now the astrologers, &c., stand up — To succour thee, or to inquire for thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble — They shall have no more power to withstand the calamities coming upon them than stubble has to resist the violence of the fire. They shall not deliver themselves from the flame — And much less thee. There shall not be a coal to warm at, &c. — They shall be totally consumed, and all the comfort which thou didst expect from them shall utterly vanish. Thus shall they be unto thee — Such comfortless and helpless creatures, namely, thy sorcerers, astrologers, &c.; with whom thou hast laboured — Upon whom thou hast spent thy time, pains, and money; even thy merchants — Or negotiators, as Bishop Lowth translates ˆyrjs, with whom thou hast had so much intercourse, and so many dealings. They shall wander every one to his quarter — Or, as some interpret the meaning, “They shall wander by whatsoever ways they can to the extreme boundaries of thy empire, to save themselves from the general calamity.” None shall save thee — From thy impending ruin, but all shall leave thee to perish without help, and without hope. Observe, reader, they, and only they, are safe and happy, who, by faith and prayer, deal with one that will always be a present help in time of trouble to those that flee to him for refuge, and trust in him.

14. The prophet further says, They shall be as stubble — All the astrologers, or wise men, in whom Babylon trusted, and Babylon itself. Fire shall consume them; not, indeed, material fire, but what will be as destructive. The whole power of Babylon shall be consumed, as fire consumes stubble, and there shall be no help for them. Not… a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it — The original is somewhat obscure, but the sense appears to be: The consumption of every thing shall be so complete that not a coal nor cinder shall be left to warm one by, or to bake one’s bread before it.

V. 15. Thus-Such comfortless and helpless creatures. They-Merchants who came from several countries to trade with Babylon. And the verse may be thus rendered; Thus (vain and unprofitable) shall they (thy sorcerers) with whom thou hast laboured be unto thee: (So here is only a transposition of words, than which nothing is more usual in scripture. Then follows another matter:) also thy merchants, or they with whom thou hast traded from thy youth, shall wander every one to his own quarter.

Verse 15. To his quarter— “To his own business”] לעברו leebro. Expositors give no very good account of this word in this place. In a MS. it was at first לעבדו leabdo, to his servant or work, which is probably the true reading. The sense however is pretty much the same with the common interpretation: “Every one shall turn aside to his own business; none shall deliver thee.”

ISAIAH

Verses 12-15. Stand now with thine enchantments — Persist in these practices. Wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth — From the beginning of thy kingdom. For the Chaldeans in all ages were famous, or rather infamous, for the study and practice of these arts. Thou art wearied in thy counsels — Thou hast spent thy time and strength in going from one to another, in trying all manner of experiments, and all to no purpose. Let now the astrologers, &c., stand up — To succour thee, or to inquire for thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble — They shall have no more power to withstand the calamities coming upon them than stubble has to resist the violence of the fire. They shall not deliver themselves from the flame — And much less thee. There shall not be a coal to warm at, &c. — They shall be totally consumed, and all the comfort which thou didst expect from them shall utterly vanish. Thus shall they be unto thee — Such comfortless and helpless creatures, namely, thy sorcerers, astrologers, &c.; with whom thou hast laboured — Upon whom thou hast spent thy time, pains, and money; even thy merchants — Or negotiators, as Bishop Lowth translates ˆyrjs, with whom thou hast had so much intercourse, and so many dealings. They shall wander every one to his quarter — Or, as some interpret the meaning, “They shall wander by whatsoever ways they can to the extreme boundaries of thy empire, to save themselves from the general calamity.” None shall save thee — From thy impending ruin, but all shall leave thee to perish without help, and without hope. Observe, reader, they, and only they, are safe and happy, who, by faith and prayer, deal with one that will always be a present help in time of trouble to those that flee to him for refuge, and trust in him.

15. None shall save thee — Babylon was well situated for traffic with the north, northwest, east, and south. But all her diviners, her arts of astrology, her science, her foreigners and commerce and fertile soil, her massive walls and brazen gates — not all these combined can save her. Her cup is full, and Nemesis awaits her destruction. She never recovered her ancient greatness.