Isaiah 47:1-2

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 47:1-6

In these verses God by the prophet sends a messenger even to Babylon, like that of Jonah to Nineveh: ?The time is at hand when Babylon shall be destroyed.? Fair warning is thus given her, that she may by repentance prevent the ruin and there may be a lengthening of her tranquility. We may observe here, I. God's controversy with Babylon. We will begin with that, for there all the calamity begins; she has made God her enemy, and then who can befriend her: Let her know that the righteous Judge,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 47:1

Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon ,.... The kingdom of Babylon is meant, as the Targum paraphrases it; or the Babylonish monarchy, called a virgin, because it had never been subdued and conquered from the first setting of it up, until it was by Cyrus; so Herodotus F3 Clio, sive l. 1. c. 191. says, this was the first time that Babylon was taken; and also because of the beauty and glory of it: but now it is called to come down from its height and excellency,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 47:2

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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 47:1

Come down, and set in the dust "Descend, and sit on the dust" - See note on Isaiah 3:26 , and on Isaiah 52:2 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 47:1

.— Come down, and sit in the dust; i.e. "descend to the lowest depth of humiliation" (comp. Isaiah 3:26 and Job 2:8 ). O virgin daughter of Babylon . The "virgin daughter of Babylon" is the Babylonian people as distinct from the city (comp. Isaiah 23:12 ). "Virgin" does not mean "unconquered;'' for Babylon had been taken by the Assyrians some half-dozen times. Sit on the ground : there is no throne; rather, sit on the ground throneless , or without a throne. Hitherto the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 47:1-2

Humiliation the Divine judgment on pride. The point here, according to some, is that Babylon loudly boasted about her never having been captured; so she called herself, and was called, a "virgin" city. The figure suggests all the delicacy, all the luxuriousness, all the pride, of the Eastern princess. "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." The humiliation of Babylon is presented in precise accordance with the circumstances and sentiments of a grand and proud... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 47:1-15

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 47:1-4 ); the second of three ( Isaiah 47:5-7 ); the third of four ( Isaiah 47:8-11 ); and the fourth also of four ( Isaiah 47:12-15 ). The speaker is either Jehovah (see Isaiah 47:3 , ad fin. ) or "a chorus of celestial beings" (Cheyne), bent on expressing their sympathy with Israel read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 47:1-15

The fall of ancient states a warning to modern ones. History has been defined as "philosophy teaching by examples." It is only on the supposition that there are lessons to be learnt from them that historical inquiries or historical records can be regarded as of any value or importance. In a certain sense it is no doubt true to say that "history never repeats itself." The exact circumstances, even of those historical events which most nearly resemble each other, are always in many respects... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 47:1-15

The fall of Babylon. This is a scoffing song at the overthrow of Babylon. It is divided into four nearly equal stanzas. Luxury, ambition, and the practice of magic—the one sin worse than the others—were prevalent at Babylon. Each of these is lashed in the first three stanzas. There is a climax, the scorn of the prophet reaching its highest point in the last stanza (Ewald). Spiritually considered, the picture may represent the course of "this present world" in its godless pride. I. ... read more

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