Isaiah 47:1-8

Daughter Babylon dethroned

1 Go down and sit in the dust, virgin Daughter Babylon! Sit on the ground without a throne, Daughter Chaldea, because they will no longer call you tender and pampered.

2 Take the millstones and grind flour! Remove your veil, strip off your robe, expose your thighs, wade through the rivers!

3 Your nakedness will be exposed, and your disgrace will be seen. I will take vengeance; no one will intervene.

4 Our redeemer has spoken; the LORD of heavenly forces is his name, the holy one of Israel.

5 Sit silent and go into darkness, Daughter Chaldea, because they will no longer call you Queen of Kingdoms.

6 I was enraged with my people; I made my inheritance impure and put them under your power. You took no pity on them. You made your yoke heavy even on the elderly.

7 You said, "I'm forever; I'm the eternal mistress." You didn't stop and think; you didn't consider the outcome.

8 So listen to this, luxuriant one who sits secure, who says in her heart, I'm utterly unique; I'll never sit as a widow; I'll never know childlessness:

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Isaiah 47:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 47

This chapter is a prophecy of the destruction of Babylon, and of the Chaldeans, and declares the causes of it. The mean, low, ignominious, and miserable condition Babylon and the Chaldeans should be brought into by the Lord, the Redeemer of his people, is described, Isa 47:1-5, the causes of it are their cruelty to the Jews, Isa 47:6, their pride, voluptuousness, and carnal security, Isa 47:7,8 their sorceries and enchantments, and trust in their own wisdom, Isa 47:9,10, wherefore their destruction should come suddenly upon them, and they should not be able to put it off, Isa 47:11, their magic art, and judiciary astrology, which they boasted of, by them they could neither foresee nor withstand their ruin, which would be of no avail unto them, Isa 47:12-14, nor their merchants either, Isa 47:15.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Footnotes 1

[a]. Syr, cf Vulg; MT I won’t meet a man