Isaiah 13:1-22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 13:8

And they shall be afraid ,.... Troubled, dismayed, frightened, at the sudden taking of the city, and at the sight of Cyrus's troops marching up into the very heart of it, and to the king's palace: pangs and sorrow shall take hold of them ; as convulsions, pains in the bowels, &c.; more fully explained in the next clause: they shall be in pain, as a woman that travaileth ; that is in labour, and ready to bring forth her child, whose pains are very sharp, and agonies great; the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 13:9

Behold, the day of the Lord cometh ,.... Or "is come" F5 בא "venit", Piscator; "veniens", Montanus. ; said in Isaiah 13:6 to be at hand, but now it is represented in prophecy as already come: cruel both with wrath and fierce anger ; which, whether referred to "the Lord", or to "the day", the sense is the same; the day may be said to be cruel, and full of wrath and fury, because of the severity and fierceness of the Lord's anger, exercised upon the Babylonians in it; and he may... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 13:10

For the stars of heaven ,.... This and what follows are to be understood, not literally, but figuratively, as expressive of the dismalness and gloominess of the dispensation, of the horror and terror of it, in which there was no light, no comfort, no relief, nor any hope of any; the heavens and all the celestial bodies frowning upon them, declaring the displeasure of him that dwells there: and the constellations thereof shall not give their light ; which are assemblages of stars, or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 13:11

And I will punish the world for their evil ,.... Not the whole world, but the kingdom of Babylon, so called because of its large extent, and the number of its inhabitants, just as the Roman empire is called the whole world, Luke 2:1 "evil" may be meant, either of the evil of sin, which was the cause of punishment, or else of the evil of punishment itself; and the sense be this, I will visit, or, in a way of visitation, I will bring evil, or evils, upon the world; so the Targum, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 13:12

I will make a man more precious than fine gold ,.... Which may denote either the scarcity of men in Babylon, through the slaughter made of them; so things that are scarce and rare are said to be precious, 1 Samuel 3:1 or the resolution of the Medes to spare none, though ever so much gold were offered to them, they being not to be bribed therewith, Isaiah 13:17 or that such should be the fear of men, that they would not be prevailed upon to take up arms to defend themselves or their king,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 13:13

Therefore will I shake the heavens ,.... Some think this was literally fulfilled at the taking of Babylon, when the heavens were shook with dreadful thunders and lightnings; as well as what is said above of the sun, moon, and stars, not giving their light; and so is likewise what follows, and the earth shall remove out of her place ; and that there was a violent shock by an earthquake at the same time; but rather all this is to be understood figuratively, as expressive of the great... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 13:14

And it shall be as the chased roe ,.... That is, Babylon, and the inhabitants thereof, shall be like a roe when hunted by the dogs; which is a very fearful creature, and at the sight and noise of the dogs flies here and there for safety; just so should be the most courageous of the Babylonians, when their city should be taken. The Syriac version renders it, "they shall be"; and the Septuagint and Arabic versions, "they that are left shall be as the fleeing roe", such who fall not by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 13:15

Every one that is found shall be thrust through ,.... With a sword, spear, or lance, and be slain; that is, everyone that is found in the city of Babylon; and so the Targum adds, "and everyone that is found in it shall be slain;' so Kimchi, in the midst of it, or without; in the street, as Jarchi. The orders of Cyrus F8 Xenophon. Cyropaedia, l. 7. sect. 23. were, that those that were found without (in the streets) should be slain; and to proclaim in the Syriac language, that those... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 13:16

Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes ,.... Upon the ground, or against the wall, as was foretold should be, Psalm 137:8 and in way of retaliation for what they did to the Jews, 2 Chronicles 36:17 and this was to be done "before their eyes", in the sight of the inhabitants, which must make it the more distressing and afflicting; and, as Kimchi observes, this phrase is to be applied to the following clauses: their houses shall be spoiled ; plundered of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 13:17

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 the sons of Japheth, Genesis 10:2 as Josephus observes F9 Antiqu. Jud. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 1. ; under these the Persians are included, though they are only mentioned, because Cyrus was sent by Cyaxares king of Media on this expedition against Babylon, and was made by him general of the... read more

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