ANALYSIS OF Isaiah 13; Isaiah 14:1 The thirteenth chapter of Isaiah commences a new prophecy, and, according to the division of Vitringa, a new book or part of his prophecies. The first book, according to him, extending from Isaiah 1 to the close of Isaiah 12:1, is occupied with a series of propheci... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BURDEN OF BABYLON - Or, the burden “respecting,” or “concerning” Babylon. This prophecy is introduced in a different manner from those which have preceded. The terms which Isaiah employed in the commencement of his previous prophecies, were vision (see the note at Isaiah 1:1), or word Isaiah 2:1... [ Continue Reading ]
LIFT YE UP A BANNER - A military ensign or standard. The vision opens here; and the first thing which the prophet hears, is the solemn command of God addressed to the nations as subject to him, to rear the standard of war, and to gather around it the mighty armies which were to be employed in the de... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE COMMANDED - This is the language of God in reference to those who were about to destroy Babylon. “He” claimed the control and direction of all their movements; and though the command was not understood by “them” as coming from him, yet it was by his direction, and in accordance with his plan... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NOISE OF A MULTITUDE IN THE MOUNTAINS - The prophet here represents himself as hearing the confused tumult of the nations assembling to the standard reared on the mountains Isaiah 13:2. This is a highly beautiful figure - a graphic and vivid representation of the scene before him. Nations are se... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY COME - That is, ‘Yahweh and the weapons of his indignation’ - the collected armies come. The prophet sees these assembled armies with Yahweh, as their leader, at their head. FROM A FAR COUNTRY - The country of the Medes and Persians. These nations, indeed, bordered on Babylonia, but still they... [ Continue Reading ]
HOWL YE - Ye inhabitants of Babylon, in view of the approaching destruction. THE DAY OF THE LORD - The time when Yahweh will inflict vengeance on you draws near (see the note at Isaiah 2:12; compare Isaiah 13:9). AS A DESTRUCTION FROM THE ALMIGHTY - Not as a desolation from man, but as destruction... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE SHALL ALL HANDS BE FAINT - This is designed to denote the consternation and alarm of the people. They would be so terrified and alarmed that they would have no courage, no hope, and no power to make resistance. They would abandon their plans of defense, and give themselves up to despair (c... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL BE IN PAIN AS A WOMAN THAT TRAVAILETH - This comparison is often used in the Scriptures to denote the deepest possible pain and sorrow, as well as the suddenness with which any calamity comes upon a people Psalms 48:6; Isaiah 21:3; Isaiah 42:14; Jeremiah 6:24; Jeremiah 13:21; Jeremiah 22:... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DAY OF THE LORD COMETH - See Isaiah 13:6. CRUEL - (אכזרי _'ak__e__zārı̂y_). This does not mean that “God” is cruel, but that the ‘day of Yahweh’ that was coming should be unsparing and destructive to them. It would be the exhibition of “justice,” but not of “cruelty;” and the word stands oppos... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE STARS OF HEAVEN - This verse cannot be understood literally, but is a metaphorical representation of the calamities that were coming upon Babylon The meaning of the figure evidently is, that those calamities would be such as would be appropriately denoted by the sudden extinguishment of the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL PUNISH THE WORLD - By the ‘world’ here is evidently meant the Babylonian empire, in the same way as ‘all the world’ in Luke 2:1, means Judea; and in Acts 11:28, means the Roman empire. Babylonia, or Chaldea, was the most mighty empire then on earth, and might be said to comprehend the who... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL MAKE A MAN ... - I will so cut off and destroy the men of Babylon, that a single man to defend the city will be more rare and valuable than fine gold. The expression indicates that there would be a great slaughter of the people of Babylon. THAN FINE GOLD - Pure, unalloyed gold. The word used... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE I WILL SHAKE THE HEAVENS - A strong, but common figure of speech in the Scriptures, to denote great commotions, judgments, and revolutions. The figure is taken from the image of a furious storm and tempest, when the sky, the clouds, the heavens, appear to be in commotion; compare 1 Samuel... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL BE - Babylon shall be. AS THE CHASED ROE - Once so proud. lofty, arrogant, and self-confident; it shall be as the trembling gazelle, or the timid deer pursued by the hunter, and panting for safety. The word (צבי _ts__e__bı̂y_) denotes a deer of the most delicate frame; the species that... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY ONE THAT IS FOUND - In Babylon, or that is overtaken in fleeing from it. This is a description of the capture of the city, and of the slaughter that would ensue, when the invaders would spare neither age nor sex. EVERY ONE THAT IS JOINED UNTO THEM - Their allies and friends. There shall be a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR CHILDREN ALSO SHALL BE DASHED TO PIECES - This is a description of the horrors of the capture of Babylon; and there can be none more frightful and appalling than that which is here presented. That this is done in barbarous nations in the time of war, there can be no doubt. Nothing was more com... [ Continue Reading ]
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. THE MEDES - This is one of the places in which the prophet specified, “by name,” the instrument of... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR BOWS ALSO - Bows and arrows were the usual weapons of the ancients in war; and the Persians were particularly skilled in their use. According to Xenophon, Cyrus came to Babylon with a great number of archers and slingers (Cyrop. ii. 1). SHALL DASH THE YOUNG MEN ... - That is, they shall dash... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BABYLON, THE GLORY OF KINGDOMS - That is, the capital or chief ornament of many nations. Appellations of this kind, applied to Babylon, abound in the Scriptures. In Daniel 4:30, it is called ‘great Babylon;’ in Isaiah 14:4, it is called ‘the golden city;’ in Isaiah 47:5, ‘the lady of kingdoms;’... [ Continue Reading ]
IT SHALL NEVER BE INHABITED - This has been completely fulfilled. It is now, and has been for centuries, a scene of wide desolation, and is a heap of ruins, and there is every indication that it will continue so to be. From Rauwolff’s testimony it appears, that in the sixteenth century ‘there was no... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WILD BEASTS OF THE DESERT SHALL LIE THERE - Hebrew, (ציים _tsı̂yı̂ym_). This word denotes properly those animals that dwell in dry and desolate places, from צי _tsı̂y_ “a waste, a desert.” The ancient versions have differed considerably in the interpretation. The Septuagint in different places r... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WILD BEASTS OF THE ISLANDS - (איים _'ı̂yı̂ym_); see the notes at Isaiah 11:11; Isaiah 41:1, on the word rendered ‘islands.’ The word denotes islands, or coasts, and as those coasts and islands were unknown and unexplored, the word seems to have denoted unknown and uninhabited regions in gene... [ Continue Reading ]