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Commentary Critical and Explanatory

Isaiah 13:17

Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.

Behold, I will stir up the Medes - (; ; .) At that time they were subject to Assyria; subsequently Arbaces, satrap of Media, revolted against the effeminate Sardanapalus, king of Assyria, destroyed Nineveh, and became King of Media, in the ninth century B.C.

Which shall not regard silver - in vain will one try to buy his life from them for a ransom The pagan Which shall not regard silver - in vain will one try to buy his life from them for a ransom. The pagan Xenophon ('Cyropaedia,' ; ) represents Cyrus as attributing this characteristic to the Medes, disregard of riches. A curious confirmation of this prophecy.

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See also Isaiah 13:17 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Isaiah 13:17. _WHICH SHALL NOT REGARD SILVER_ - "Who shall hold silver of no account"] That is, who shall not be induced, by large offers of gold and silver for ransom, to spare the lives of th...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    BEHOLD, I WILL STIR UP - I will cause them to engage in this enterprise. This is an instance of the control which God claims over the nations, and of his power to excite and direct them as he pleases....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    2. THE JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS AND THE FUTURE DAY OF JEHOVAH (13-27) CHAPTER 13 The Burden of Babylon 1. _Jehovah's call to the judgment of Babylon (Isaiah 13:1)_ 2. _The day of Jehovah: When Babylo...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    ISAIAH 13:1 TO ISAIAH 14:23. THE UTTER RUIN OF BABYLON AND TRIUMPHAL ODE OVER HER MONARCH'S DEATH. Historical conditions are here presupposed entirely different from those of Isaiah's time. The subjec...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    MEDES. Here only "Medes". in Isaiah 21:2, "Persians and Medes. "In Isaiah 45:1 Cyrus named. The order is chronological....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The description of the character of the invaders, perhaps even the mention of their name, is of the nature of a climax to the terrors of the picture....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _the Medes_ This Iranian people first became a leading power in Asia when it divided with the Chaldæans the spoils of the Assyrian Empire (b.c. 606), but it was not till the rise of the great conquero...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    BEHOLD, I WILL STIR UP THE MEDES— Here follows the second part of this prophesy; in which, what the prophet had foretold principally in figure, is here plainly related; and is easily divided, as it co...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    c. PROLONGATION OF JUDGMENT TEXT: Isaiah 13:17-22 17 Behold I will stir up the Medes against them, who shall not regard silver, and as for gold, they shall not delight in it, 18 And their bows sh...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    1. BURDEN] The corresponding verb means 'to lift up' (_a_) a load, (_b_) the voice (cp. Isaiah 3:7; Isaiah 42:2; Isaiah 42:11), used of Balaam lifting up his voice in oracular utterance ...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    The invaders of Babylon are here first mentioned by name, though the prophet has had them in mind from Isaiah 13:2. The MEDES had settled in the district SW. of the Caspian Sea, and are mentioned in A...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISAIAH: GOD CONTROLS THE NATIONS GOD’S PLANS FOR JUDAH, ASSYRIA AND EGYPT ISAIAH CHAPTER S 10 TO 20 _NORMAN HILLYER_ CHAPTER 13 The next major division of the Book of Isaiah is Chapter s 13 to...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    The *Medes came from the country that is today called Iran (Persia). They joined forces with the army from Persia in the attack that destroyed Babylon in the year 539 *BC....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    BEHOLD, I WILL STIR UP THE MEDES. — The Hebrew form _Madai_ meets us in Genesis 10:2, among the descendants of Japheth. Modern researches show them to have been a mixed people, Aryan conquerors having...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    הִנְנִ֛י מֵעִ֥יר עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם אֶת ־מָדָ֑י אֲשֶׁר...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    BOOK 5 PROPHECIES NOT RELATING TO ISAIAH'S TIME In the first thirty-nine Chapter s of the Book of Isaiah-the half which refers to the prophet's own career and the politics contemporary with that - we...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    We now commence the second circle of the first division of our book, in which are contained Isaiah's prophecies concerning the nations and the world. The first describes the doom of Babylon. Whereas t...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Medes. Who had set themselves at liberty about twenty years before this. They were not solicitous about gold, Ezechiel vii. 19., and Sophonias i. 18._...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    In these verses we have a continuation of the subject concerning the destruction of Babylon, with the effects to be wrought by it on all the people. And, what is very observable, so hardened against a...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    17._Behold I raise up against them the Medes. _The Prophet, having predicted the destruction of the Babylonians, describes also the authors, or says that God will be the author; and at the same time h...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 13 AND 14. With chapter 12 one division of the whole book closes. That which commences with chapter 13 continues to the end of chapter 27, which describes th...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BEHOLD, I WILL STIR UP THE MEDES AGAINST THEM,.... The Babylonians; this explains who are meant by the sanctified and mighty ones, Isaiah 13:3 the Medes were a people that descended from Medai, one of...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and [as for] gold, they shall not delight in it. Ver. 17. _Behold I will stir up the Medes._] Together with the Persians...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Behold_, &c. Here follows the second part of this prophecy, in which the calamity which the prophet had foretold, principally in figure, is plainly related and set forth in its causes and consequence...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, the Medo-Persians being the world power which conquered Babylon, WHICH SHALL NOT REGARD SILVER; AND AS FOR GOLD, THEY SHALL NOT DELIGHT IN IT, that is, i...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    AGAINST BABYLON IN PARTICULAR...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    6-18 We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, and haughty, and terrible, are quite dispirited when trouble comes. The...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THE MEDES; under whom he comprehends the Persians, who were their neighbours and confederates in this expedition. THEY SHALL NOT DELIGHT IN IT; which is to be understood comparatively. They shall more...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Isaiah 13:17 up H5782 (H8688) Medes H4074 regard H2803 (H8799) silver H3701 gold H2091 delight H2654 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    A VIVID PICTURE OF BABYLON'S FUTURE AND ITS END (ISAIAH 13:17). Having depicted the destruction of Babylon in apocalyptic terms Isaiah brings it down to earth. He partly does it in terms of the Medes....

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Prophecy concerning last days, when punishment will be visited upon the nations, and Israel shall pass through the Great Tribulation. CHARACTERS: God, Isaiah. CONCLUSION: Men have their da...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    In the thirteen Chapter s which follow, the prophet, like a watchman, raises his voice, and denounces woes against all the surrounding nations, and finally against his own country. Isaiah 13:1. _The b...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them_ THE MEDES The Medes care not for gold, but for blood, though it be the blood of boys and infants. (_Sir E. Strachey, Bart._) THE MEDES AND GOLD “Ye...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 13:17 THE MEDES conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. (see Jeremiah 51:11;...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    THE LOVE OF MONEY Isaiah 13:17. _The Medes … shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it_. I. One of the most universal and powerful of all passions is the love of money....

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE BURDEN OF BABYLON. The series of prophecies which commences with this chapter and continues to the close of Isaiah 23:1; is connected together by the word _massa_, burden. It has been a...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now as we move into chapter 13 and he speaks of the burden of Babylon which Isaiah saw, you remember that we mentioned when we started the prophecy of Isaiah that in many of the prophecies, there was...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Daniel 5:28; Isaiah 13:3; Isaiah 21:2; Isaiah 41:25; Jeremiah 50:9;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Medes — Under whom he comprehends the Persians. Not delight — Which is to be understood comparatively. They shall more eagerly pursue the destruction of the people, than the getting of spoil....

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