Isaiah 47:2

Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers. TAKE THE MILLSTONES - like the querns or hand-mills found in this country before the invention of water-mills and wind-mills; a convex stone, made by the hand to turn in a concave stone fitted to receive it, the grain being ground between them: the office of a female slave in the East; most degrading (Job 31:10; Matthew 24:41). UNCOVER THY LOCKS - `take off thy veil' (tsamateek, from tsaamam, to veil). So the Septuagint and Syriac (Horsley): perhaps the removal of the plaited hair worn round the woman's temples is included; it, too, is a covering ...

2._Take millstones. _The whole of this description tends to shew that there shall be a great change among the Babylonians, so that this city, which was formerly held in the highest honor, shall be sunk in the lowest disgrace, and subjected to outrages of every kind, and thus shall exhibit a striking display of the wrath of God. These are marks of the most degrading slavery, as the meanest slaves were formerly shut up in a mill. The condition of the captives who were reduced to it must therefore have been very miserable; for, in other cases, captives sometimes received from their conquerors mild and gentle treatment. But here he describes a very wretched condition, that believers may not doubt that they shall be permitted freely to depart, when the Babylonians, who had held them prisoners, shall themselves be imprisoned. Now, though we do not read that the nobles of the kingdom were subje...

1-6 Babylon is represented under the emblem of a female in deep distress. She was to be degraded and endure sufferings; and is represented sitting on the ground, grinding at the handmill, the lowest and most laborious service. God was righteous in his vengeance, and none should interpose. The prophet exults in the Lord of hosts, as the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel. God often permits wicked men to prevail against his people; but those who cruelly oppress them will be punished....

Verse Isaiah 47:2. _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. Cephalae_, 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; habendae compedes. TERENT. _Phorm_. ii. 1. 19. Hominem pistrino dignum. _Id. Heaut_. iii. 2. 19. To grind in th

TAKE THE MILLSTONES, AND GRIND MEAL - The design of this is plain. Babylon, that had been regarded as a delicately-trained female, was to be reduced to the lowest condition of poverty and wretchedness - represented here by being compelled to perform the most menial and laborious offices, and submitting to the deepest disgrace and ignominy. There is an allusion here to the custom of grinding in the East. The mills which were there commonly used, and which are also extensively used to this day, consisted of two stones, of which the lower one was convex on the upper side, and the upper one was concave on thee lower side, so that they fitted into each other. The hole for receiving the grain was in the center of the upper stone, and in the process of grinding the lower one was fixed, and the upper one was turned round, usually by two women (see Matthew 24:41), with

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 47:1 A SONG OF TRIUMPH OVER THE FALL OF BABYLON. The song divides itself into four strophes, or stanzas—the first one of four verses (Isaiah 47:1); the second of three (Isaiah 47:5); the third of four (Isaiah 47:8); and the fourth also of four (Isaiah 47:12). The speaker is either Jehovah (see...

TAKE THE MILLSTONES, AND GRIND MEAL,.... Foretelling that the Chaldeans should be taken captives, and used as such, and sent to prison houses, where they should turn the mill, and grind corn into meal; a very servile work, and which used to be done by captives and slaves, even by female ones, Exodus 11:5. The Targum is, "go into servitude;'' of which this was a sign: UNCOVER THY LOCKS: the attire and dress of the head, by which the locks were bound up and kept together; but being taken off, would hang loose, and be dishevelled, as in captives and mourners. The Targum is, "uncover the glory of thy kingdom:'' MAKE BARE THE LEG; or the shoulder, as the Vulgate Latin version, to be scourged by the Persians: UNCOVER THE THIGH, PASS OVER THE RIVERS: they are bid to tuck up their clothes so high, that the

CHAPTER 47 A Description of the Fall of Babylon 1. _Babylon's degradation announced (Isaiah 47:1)_ 2. _Israel acknowledges the redeemer (Isaiah 47:4)_ 3. _Retribution for Babylon (Isaiah 47:5)_ 4. _The destruction swift and sure (Isaiah 47:8) _ In chapter 14 a similar description of Babylon and the fall of the king of Babylon is recorded. All has its meaning for the future....

A TAUNT-SONG OF TRIUMPH ON THE FALL OF BABYLON. Isaiah 47:1. Babylon, erroneously personified as a virgin, as if never before captured, is bidden descend from the effeminate ease of her throne to the menial task of grinding the hand-mill. The garments of a secluded princess she must lay aside, to wade through the fords. For Yahweh's vengeance is inexorable, and she who queened it over the kingdoms of the earth must go into the darkness of captivity. When Yahweh, angry with His people, suffered His land to be profaned by the invader, and His people to be taken captive to Babylon, she treated them with cruelty, thinking ever to maintain her proud position, unaware that this was Yahweh's doing and that He would control its issue. ISAIAH 47:8. But though she lives in voluptuous ease and, sere

GRIND MEAL: the work of slaves (Exodus 11:5.Matthew 24:41; Matthew 24:41). meal. Put by Figure of speech, for the corn from which meal is ground. UNCOVER THY LOCKS. remove thy veil. MAKE BARE THE LEG. lift up thy skirts or train....