Isaiah 47:1-9

1 Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground, without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for thou shalt no longer be called tender and delicate.

2 Take the millstones and grind meal; uncover thy locks, remove the shoes from thy feet, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.

3 Thy nakedness shall be uncovered and thy shame shall be seen; I will take vengeance, and I will not help any man.

4 As for our redeemer, the LORD of the hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.

5 Sit, be silent, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for thou shalt no longer be called, The lady of kingdoms.

6 I was wroth with my people; I have profaned my inheritance and given them into thine hand; thou didst show them no mercy; upon the ancient thou hast very heavily laid thy yoke.

7 And thou didst say, I shall be a lady for ever. Until now thou hast not laid these things to heart, neither didst thou remember thy latter end.

8 Therefore now hear this, thou delicate one, that dost sit in confidence and say in thine heart, I am, and no one else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I be fatherless.

9 But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day; the loss of thy fathers and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries and for the great abundance of thine enchantments.

Isaiah 47:1-9 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.