Isaiah 47NKJV
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Isaiah47

New King James Version

1“Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; Sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called Tender and delicate.

2Take the millstones and grind meal. Remove your veil, Take off the skirt, Uncover the thigh, Pass through the rivers.

3Your nakedness shall be uncovered, Yes, your shame will be seen; I will take vengeance, And I will not arbitrate with a man.”

4As for our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is His name, The Holy One of Israel.

5“Sit in silence, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; For you shall no longer be called The Lady of Kingdoms.

6I was angry with My people; I have profaned My inheritance, And given them into your hand. You showed them no mercy; On the elderly you laid your yoke very heavily.

7And you said, ‘I shall be a lady forever,’ So that you did not take these things to heart, Nor remember the latter end of them.

8“Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, Who dwell securely, Who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, Nor shall I know the loss of children’;

9But these two things shall come to you In a moment, in one day: The loss of children, and widowhood. They shall come upon you in their fullness Because of the multitude of your sorceries, For the great abundance of your enchantments.

10“For you have trusted in your wickedness; You have said, ‘No one sees me’; Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you; And you have said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me.’

11Therefore evil shall come upon you; You shall not know from where it arises. And trouble shall fall upon you; You will not be able to put it off. And desolation shall come upon you suddenly, Which you shall not know.

12“Stand now with your enchantments And the multitude of your sorceries, In which you have labored from your youth— Perhaps you will be able to profit, Perhaps you will prevail.

13You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels; Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, And the monthly prognosticators Stand up and save you From what shall come upon you.

14Behold, they shall be as stubble, The fire shall burn them; They shall not deliver themselves From the power of the flame; It shall not be a coal to be warmed by, Nor a fire to sit before!

15Thus shall they be to you With whom you have labored, Your merchants from your youth; They shall wander each one to his quarter. No one shall save you.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Isaiah 47.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: God's judgments on Babylon. (1-6). Carelessness and confidence shall not prevent the evil. (7-15).

vv1-6

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.

vv7-15

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.

Cross References

Isaiah 47
v8Revelation 18:7thematic

Mystic Babylon directly mimics the historical Babylon's boast: 'I sit a queen, and am no widow.'

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v4Jeremiah 50:34thematic

Parallels Israel's bold acclamation of her strong Redeemer (Jehovah of hosts) against her Babylonian oppressors.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v6Zechariah 1:15thematic

God was but a little displeased, but the heathen nations helped forward the affliction without mercy.

Supported by JFB

v8Zephaniah 2:15thematic

The exact same arrogant self-deification ('I am, and there is none besides me') applied to Nineveh.

Supported by John Calvin, JFB

v2Job 31:10thematic

Grinding at the millstones is highlighted as the most humiliating labor reserved for slaves.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v6Jeremiah 50:11thematic

God judges the Chaldeans because they rejoiced and were glad while destroying His heritage.

Supported by JFB

Like Babylon, Jerusalem sinned because she 'remembereth not her last end' (latter end).

Supported by John Calvin, JFB

v10Psalms 10:11thematic

Depicts the wicked man's practical atheism: 'He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten...'

Supported by JFB

The posture of mourning and extreme degradation is sitting in silence on the ground.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v2Matthew 24:41thematic

Illustrates the daily ancient task of 'two women grinding at the mill' referenced in Isaiah's judgment.

Supported by JFB

v2Exodus 11:5thematic

Refers to the ultimate societal contrast from the king to 'the maidservant behind the mill.'

Supported by Matthew Poole

v5Isaiah 13:19thematic

Contrasts Babylon's title 'lady of kingdoms' with her ultimate ruin as 'the glory of kingdoms.'

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

Laments that the Chaldeans showed no mercy to the elderly, hanging princes and dishonoring elders.

Supported by JFB

God desires wisdom that considers 'their latter end,' which Babylon foolishly ignored.

Supported by John Calvin

v9Daniel 5:30fulfillment

The sudden, single-night fulfillment of Babylon's catastrophic downfall under Belshazzar.

Supported by JFB