Isaiah 47:8

Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children: HEAR NOW THIS, THOU (THAT ART) GIVEN TO PLEASURES - (note, .) In no city were there so many incentives to licentiousness. THAT SAYEST IN THINE HEART, I (AM), AND NONE ELSE BESIDES ME - (.) Language of blasphemous arrogance in man's mouth; fitting for God alone (). See , latter part. I SHALL NOT SIT (AS) A WIDOW, NEITHER SHALL I KNOW THE LOSS OF CHILDREN. A state, represented as a female...

8._And now hear this, thou delicate woman. _The Prophet again threatens the destruction of Babylon, and employs appropriate words for strengthening the hearts of believers, that the prosperity of the Babylonians may not stupify and lead them to despondency; and yet he does not address Babylon in order to produce an impression upon her, but to comfort believers. He adds, that she was intoxicated with pleasures; for prosperity, being the gift of God, ought not in itself to be condemned, but it is well known how prone the children of the world are, to pass from luxury to insolence. _Who saith in her heart. _He now explains what is meant by the word to say, of which we spoke in the exposition of the preceding verse, namely, that one convinces himself and believes that it will be thus and thus, as proud and insolent men commonly do, although they often conceal it through pretended modesty, a...

7-15 Let us beware of acting and speaking as Babylon did; of trusting in tyranny and oppression; of boasting as to our abilities, relying on ourselves, and ascribing success to our own prudence and wisdom; lest we partake of her plagues. Those in the height of prosperity, are apt to fancy themselves out of the reach of adversity. It is also common for sinners to think they shall be safe, because they think to be secret in wicked ways. But their security shall be their ruin. Let us draw from such passages as the foregoing, those lessons of humility and trust in God which they convey. If we believe the word of God, we may know how it will be with the righteous and the wicked to all eternity. We may learn how to escape the wrath to come, to glorify God, to have peace through life, hope in death, and everlasting happiness. Let us then stand aloof from all delusions....

THEREFORE HEAR NOW THIS - The prophet proceeds, in this verse and the following, to detail more particularly the sins of Babylon, and to state the certainty of the punishment which would come upon her. In the previous verses, the denunciation of punishment had been figurative. It had been represented under the image of a lady delicately trained and nurtured, doomed to the lowest condition of life, and compelled to stoop to the most menial offices. Here the prophet uses language without figure, and states directly her crimes, and her doom. THAT ART GIVEN TO PLEASURES - Devoted to dissipation, and to the effeminate pleasures which luxury engenders (see the notes at Isaiah 47:1). Curtius, in his History of Babylon as it was in the times of Alexander (v. 5. 36), Herodotus (i. 198), and Strabo Georg. xvi.), have given a descri

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...

THEREFORE HEAR NOW THIS, THOU THAT ART GIVEN TO PLEASURES,.... To carnal lusts and pleasures; gratifying her sensual appetite; indulging herself in everything that was agreeable to the senses; abounding in delicacies, and living deliciously; as is said of mystical Babylon, Revelation 18:4, particularly given to venereal pleasures. Curtius says g, "no city was more corrupt in its manners, or furnished to irritate or allure to immoderate pleasures. Parents and husbands suffered their children and wives to prostitute themselves to strangers, so that they had but a price.'' Yea, every woman was obliged by a law to do this once in life, and that in a public manner, in the temple of Venus; the impurities of which are at large described by Herodotus h and Strabo i: THAT DWELLETH CARELESSLY; in great confidence and security, being fearless of danger

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

CARELESSLY. confidently. NONE ELSE BESIDE ME. Babylon and Rome claim the Divine attributes, as used in these Chapter s. Compare Isaiah 45:6; Isaiah 45:14; Isaiah 46:9. NONE. See note on Isaiah 5:8. CHILDREN. sons....

I SHALL BE A LADY FOR EVER— If we consider that the city of Babylon had no less than a hundred gates made of solid brass; that its walls were 350 feet in height, and 87 in thickness; and that six chariots could go abreast upon them; that it was defended by the river Euphrates, and that it was 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. So she vainly gloried in the verses before us; but the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah plainly and particularly foretold the destruction of this city. They lived towards the declension of the kingdom of Judah; and as they predicted the captivity of the Jews, so they likewise foretold the fall of their enemies; and they speak with such assurance of the event, that they describe a...