Isaiah 47:5

5 Daughter of Chaldees, sit thou, be thou still, and enter into darknesses, for thou shalt no more be called the lady of realms. (Daughter of the Chaldeans, sit thou, be thou silent, and enter into the darkness, or into the shadows, for thou shalt no more be called the lady, or the queen, of many kingdoms.)

Isaiah 47:5 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 47:5

Sit thou silent
Here the speech is directed again to Babylon, which used to be a place of noise and hurry, as well as famous and much talked of all the world over; but now there should be a deep silence in it, no voice to be heard, the inhabitants being gone, and no discourse concerning it; no more talked of and celebrated for its magnificence and authority, trade and riches, but buried in oblivion. It is represented as sitting in silence, either as a mourner, or as one that is free among the dead, remembered no more: and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans;
meaning either captivity or imprisonment, prison houses being dark; or into the state of the dead, which is a state of darkness: for thou shall no more be called the lady of kingdoms;
the mistress or governess of them, as she had been, having subdued many kingdoms and nations, and added them to her monarchy, which now would be at an end. Thus mystical Babylon, or Rome, has reigned over the kings of the earth, and has been mistress over many nations; but the time is coming when she will sit in silence, and no voice will be heard in her; and when the kingdom of the beast will be full of darkness, ( Revelation 17:15 Revelation 17:18 ) ( Revelation 18:22 Revelation 18:23 ) ( 16:10 ) .

Isaiah 47:5 In-Context

3 Thy shame shall be showed, and thy shame shall be seen; I shall take vengeance, and no man shall against-stand me.
4 Our again-buyer, the Lord of hosts is his name, the Holy of Israel. (Our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.)
5 Daughter of Chaldees, sit thou, be thou still, and enter into darknesses, for thou shalt no more be called the lady of realms. (Daughter of the Chaldeans, sit thou, be thou silent, and enter into the darkness, or into the shadows, for thou shalt no more be called the lady, or the queen, of many kingdoms.)
6 I was wroth on my people, I defouled mine heritage, and I gave them in thine hand, and thou settedest not mercies to them; thou madest grievous the yoke greatly on an eld man, (I was angry with my people, I defiled my inheritance, and I gave them into thy hands, or into thy power, and thou gavest no mercy to them; thou madest the yoke greatly grievous upon an old man,)
7 and thou saidest, Without end I shall be [a] lady (and thou saidest, I shall be a lady forever); thou puttedest not these things on thine heart, neither thou bethoughtest on thy last thing.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.