John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 13:19
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms ,.... The first and most ancient kingdom, Genesis 10:10 and now, at the time of its fall, the largest and most extensive; wherefore of the image Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream, which was a representation of several kingdoms, this was the head, the head of gold, Daniel 2:31 so Babylon is called the "lady of kingdoms", Isaiah 47:5 the word here used for "glory" is the same with that which is rendered a "roe", Isaiah 13:14 . Babylon was once as a... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 13:19-22
The great havoc and destruction which it was foretold should be made by the Medes and Persians in Babylon here end in the final destruction of it. 1. It is allowed that Babylon was a noble city. It was the glory of kingdoms and the beauty of the Chaldees? excellency; it was that head of gold (Dan. 2:37, 38); it was called the lady of kingdoms (Isa. 47:5), the praise of the whole earth (Jer. 51:41), like a pleasant roe (so the word signifies); but it shall be as a chased roe, Isa. 13:14. The... read more