1 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.

4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.

5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

6 Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:

8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

9 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.

15 Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.

16 Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.

17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.

18 Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eyes shall not spare children.

19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.

22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.

Commentary

Verse 1

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The armies of God's wrath.
The threatenings of God's word press heavily upon the wicked, and are a sore burden, too heavy for them to bear. The persons brought together to lay Babylon waste, are called God's sanctified or appointed ones; designed for this service, and made able to do it. They are called God's mighty ones, because they had their might from God, and were now to use it for him. They come from afar. God can make those a scourge and ruin to his enemies, who are farthest off, and therefore least dreaded.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
The burden - This title is commonly given to sad prophecies, which indeed are grievous burdens to them on whom they are laid. Babylon - Of the city and empire of Babylon by Cyrus.
McArther Bible Commentary
These eleven chapters group together prophecies against foreign nations, much the same as those in Jeremiah 46-51 and Ezekiel 25-32.
Bible Cross References
Matthew 1:11 Revelation 14:8 2 Kings 9:25 Isaiah 1:1 Isaiah 13:19 Isaiah 14:4 Isaiah 14:28 Isaiah 15:1 Isaiah 17:1 Isaiah 19:1 Isaiah 20:2 Isaiah 21:1 Isaiah 47:1 Jeremiah 23:33 Jeremiah 24:1 Jeremiah 50:1 Ezekiel 12:10 Nahum 1:1 Habakkuk 1:1 Malachi 1:1

Verse 2

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The armies of God's wrath.
The threatenings of God's word press heavily upon the wicked, and are a sore burden, too heavy for them to bear. The persons brought together to lay Babylon waste, are called God's sanctified or appointed ones; designed for this service, and made able to do it. They are called God's mighty ones, because they had their might from God, and were now to use it for him. They come from afar. God can make those a scourge and ruin to his enemies, who are farthest off, and therefore least dreaded.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
A banner - To gather soldiers together. Mountain - Whence it may be discerned at a considerable distance. Withal he seems to intimate, that their enemies should come from the mountainous country of Media. Them - To the Medes. Shake - Beckon to them with your hand, that they may come to this service, that they may go and fight against Babylon, and take it, and so enter in to the palaces of the king, and his princes.
McArther Bible Commentary
Lift up a banner. As in Isa 5:26, the Lord summoned foreign armies to conquer Babylon in all her greatness.
Bible Cross References
Psalm 60:4 Isaiah 5:26 Isaiah 10:32 Isaiah 19:16 Isaiah 31:9 Isaiah 45:1 Jeremiah 50:2 Jeremiah 50:41 Jeremiah 51:12 Jeremiah 51:25 Jeremiah 51:27 Jeremiah 51:58

Verse 3

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The armies of God's wrath.
The threatenings of God's word press heavily upon the wicked, and are a sore burden, too heavy for them to bear. The persons brought together to lay Babylon waste, are called God's sanctified or appointed ones; designed for this service, and made able to do it. They are called God's mighty ones, because they had their might from God, and were now to use it for him. They come from afar. God can make those a scourge and ruin to his enemies, who are farthest off, and therefore least dreaded.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Sanctified ones - The Medes and Persians, so called, because they were set apart by God, for this holy work of executing his just vengeance. Mighty ones - Those whom I have made mighty for this work. Highness - Or, as others render it, in my glory, in the doing of that work which tends to the advancement of my glory. Tho' the Medes had no regard to God, but only to their own ends.
McArther Bible Commentary
I have commanded … called. The Lord told of His gathering of armies to overcome Babylon. My anger. God's anger had turned away from Israel (Isa 12:1) and toward this oppressive foreign power.
Bible Cross References
Isaiah 5:26 Jeremiah 25:9 Jeremiah 51:46 Jeremiah 51:53 Joel 3:11 Zephaniah 1:7

Verse 4

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The armies of God's wrath.
The threatenings of God's word press heavily upon the wicked, and are a sore burden, too heavy for them to bear. The persons brought together to lay Babylon waste, are called God's sanctified or appointed ones; designed for this service, and made able to do it. They are called God's mighty ones, because they had their might from God, and were now to use it for him. They come from afar. God can make those a scourge and ruin to his enemies, who are farthest off, and therefore least dreaded.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Nations - The Medes and Persians and other nations, which served under them in this war.
McArther Bible Commentary
The Lord of hosts musters the army. Lit. "the Lord of armies musters the army." See note at Isa 1:9. This anticipated the end-time coming of the Lord to crush the final Babylon and to dash His enemies in pieces and establish a kingdom over all nations (Rev 19:11-16).
Bible Cross References
Isaiah 5:26 Isaiah 5:30 Isaiah 17:12 Isaiah 48:14 Jeremiah 21:4 Joel 2:11 Joel 3:14

Verse 5

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The armies of God's wrath.
The threatenings of God's word press heavily upon the wicked, and are a sore burden, too heavy for them to bear. The persons brought together to lay Babylon waste, are called God's sanctified or appointed ones; designed for this service, and made able to do it. They are called God's mighty ones, because they had their might from God, and were now to use it for him. They come from afar. God can make those a scourge and ruin to his enemies, who are farthest off, and therefore least dreaded.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Thy come - From the ends of the earth under heaven, which is not to be understood strictly. The weapons - The Medes and Persians, who were but a rod in God's hand, and the instruments of his anger. Land - Of Babylon.
McArther Bible Commentary
From the end of heaven. The fall of Babylon to the Medes was merely a short-term glimpse of the ultimate fall of Babylon at the hands of the universal forces of God (Rev 18:2).
Bible Cross References
2 Samuel 1:27 Isaiah 5:26 Isaiah 7:18 Isaiah 10:5 Isaiah 24:1 Isaiah 26:20 Isaiah 30:27 Isaiah 34:2 Isaiah 48:14 Isaiah 66:14 Jeremiah 8:19 Jeremiah 50:25 Ezekiel 22:31

Verse 6

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The conquest of Babylon.
We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, and haughty, and terrible, are quite dispirited when trouble comes. Their faces shall be scorched with the flame. All comfort and hope shall fail. The stars of heaven shall not give their light, the sun shall be darkened. Such expressions are often employed by the prophets, to describe the convulsions of governments. God will visit them for their iniquity, particularly the sin of pride, which brings men low. There shall be a general scene of horror. Those who join themselves to Babylon, must expect to share her plagues, (Revelation 18:4). All that men have, they would give for their lives, but no man's riches shall be the ransom of his life. Pause here and wonder that men should be thus cruel and inhuman, and see how corrupt the nature of man is become. And that little infants thus suffer, which shows that there is an original guilt, by which life is forfeited as soon as it is begun. The day of the Lord will, indeed, be terrible with wrath and fierce anger, far beyond all here stated. Nor will there be any place for the sinner to flee to, or attempt an escape. But few act as though they believed these things.
McArther Bible Commentary
the day of the Lord is at hand! Cf. verse Isa 13:9. The prophecy looked beyond the more immediate conquest of the city by the Medes to a greater day of the Lord and anticipated the final destruction of Babylon by the personal intervention of the Messiah. See note on Isa 2:12.
Bible Cross References
James 5:1 Isaiah 2:12 Isaiah 10:3 Isaiah 10:25 Isaiah 13:9 Isaiah 14:23 Isaiah 34:2 Isaiah 34:8 Isaiah 47:11 Isaiah 61:2 Isaiah 65:14 Jeremiah 51:8 Ezekiel 13:5 Ezekiel 30:2 Ezekiel 30:3 Daniel 5:9 Daniel 5:26 Joel 1:15 Amos 5:18 Zechariah 14:1

Verse 7

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The conquest of Babylon.
We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, and haughty, and terrible, are quite dispirited when trouble comes. Their faces shall be scorched with the flame. All comfort and hope shall fail. The stars of heaven shall not give their light, the sun shall be darkened. Such expressions are often employed by the prophets, to describe the convulsions of governments. God will visit them for their iniquity, particularly the sin of pride, which brings men low. There shall be a general scene of horror. Those who join themselves to Babylon, must expect to share her plagues, (Revelation 18:4). All that men have, they would give for their lives, but no man's riches shall be the ransom of his life. Pause here and wonder that men should be thus cruel and inhuman, and see how corrupt the nature of man is become. And that little infants thus suffer, which shows that there is an original guilt, by which life is forfeited as soon as it is begun. The day of the Lord will, indeed, be terrible with wrath and fierce anger, far beyond all here stated. Nor will there be any place for the sinner to flee to, or attempt an escape. But few act as though they believed these things.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Amazed - To see so impregnable a city as Babylon, so easily and unexpectedly taken. Flames - Heb. faces of flame, inflamed with rage and torment.
McArther Bible Commentary
heart will melt. Courage was to vanish (Isa 19:1; Eze 21:7; Nah 2:10).
Bible Cross References
Joshua 2:11 Psalm 58:7 Isaiah 19:1 Jeremiah 51:30 Ezekiel 7:17 Ezekiel 21:7 Nahum 2:10

Verse 8

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The conquest of Babylon.
We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, and haughty, and terrible, are quite dispirited when trouble comes. Their faces shall be scorched with the flame. All comfort and hope shall fail. The stars of heaven shall not give their light, the sun shall be darkened. Such expressions are often employed by the prophets, to describe the convulsions of governments. God will visit them for their iniquity, particularly the sin of pride, which brings men low. There shall be a general scene of horror. Those who join themselves to Babylon, must expect to share her plagues, (Revelation 18:4). All that men have, they would give for their lives, but no man's riches shall be the ransom of his life. Pause here and wonder that men should be thus cruel and inhuman, and see how corrupt the nature of man is become. And that little infants thus suffer, which shows that there is an original guilt, by which life is forfeited as soon as it is begun. The day of the Lord will, indeed, be terrible with wrath and fierce anger, far beyond all here stated. Nor will there be any place for the sinner to flee to, or attempt an escape. But few act as though they believed these things.
McArther Bible Commentary
in pain as a woman in childbirth. The comparison of labor pains is often a figure to describe human sufferings in the period just before the final deliverance of Israel (Isa 21:3; Isa 26:17-18; Isa 66:7 ff.; Jer 4:31; Jer 13:21; Jer 22:23; Hos 13:13; Mic 4:10; Mic 5:2-3; Mat 24:8; 1Th 5:3). Usually, it was the suffering of Israel, but here it pictured the misery of Babylon.
Bible Cross References
John 16:21 2 Kings 19:26 Psalm 48:6 Isaiah 21:3 Isaiah 26:17 Jeremiah 4:31 Jeremiah 13:21 Jeremiah 46:5 Jeremiah 48:41 Jeremiah 49:22 Jeremiah 49:24 Jeremiah 51:30 Ezekiel 20:47 Hosea 13:13 Joel 2:6 Nahum 2:10

Verse 9

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The conquest of Babylon.
We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, and haughty, and terrible, are quite dispirited when trouble comes. Their faces shall be scorched with the flame. All comfort and hope shall fail. The stars of heaven shall not give their light, the sun shall be darkened. Such expressions are often employed by the prophets, to describe the convulsions of governments. God will visit them for their iniquity, particularly the sin of pride, which brings men low. There shall be a general scene of horror. Those who join themselves to Babylon, must expect to share her plagues, (Revelation 18:4). All that men have, they would give for their lives, but no man's riches shall be the ransom of his life. Pause here and wonder that men should be thus cruel and inhuman, and see how corrupt the nature of man is become. And that little infants thus suffer, which shows that there is an original guilt, by which life is forfeited as soon as it is begun. The day of the Lord will, indeed, be terrible with wrath and fierce anger, far beyond all here stated. Nor will there be any place for the sinner to flee to, or attempt an escape. But few act as though they believed these things.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Behold - Divers words are heaped together, to signify the extremity of his anger.
McArther Bible Commentary
day of the Lord. Cf. verse Isa 13:6; Isa 2:12. See Introduction to Joel: Historical and Theological Themes. destroy its sinners. This occurs when Messiah returns in judgment of all living on earth. In this case the prophet moves forward to the Babylon which is the final evil world city to be destroyed with all its inhabitants (see Rev. 17; 18).
Bible Cross References
Isaiah 9:19 Isaiah 13:6 Ezekiel 13:5 Joel 1:15 Joel 2:31 Nahum 1:8 Zechariah 14:1

Verse 10

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The conquest of Babylon.
We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, and haughty, and terrible, are quite dispirited when trouble comes. Their faces shall be scorched with the flame. All comfort and hope shall fail. The stars of heaven shall not give their light, the sun shall be darkened. Such expressions are often employed by the prophets, to describe the convulsions of governments. God will visit them for their iniquity, particularly the sin of pride, which brings men low. There shall be a general scene of horror. Those who join themselves to Babylon, must expect to share her plagues, (Revelation 18:4). All that men have, they would give for their lives, but no man's riches shall be the ransom of his life. Pause here and wonder that men should be thus cruel and inhuman, and see how corrupt the nature of man is become. And that little infants thus suffer, which shows that there is an original guilt, by which life is forfeited as soon as it is begun. The day of the Lord will, indeed, be terrible with wrath and fierce anger, far beyond all here stated. Nor will there be any place for the sinner to flee to, or attempt an escape. But few act as though they believed these things.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Constellations - Which consist of many stars, and therefore give a greater sight. Darkened - All things shall look darkly and dismally; men shall have no comfort or hope. Going forth - As soon as he rises. As soon as they have any appearance or hope of amendment, they shall be instantly disappointed.
McArther Bible Commentary
stars … sun … moon. Scripture frequently associates cosmic upheavals with the period of tribulation just before Christ's return (Isa 24:23; Eze 32:7-8; Joe 2:10, Joe 2:30-31; Amo 8:9; Mat 24:29; Mar 13:24-25; Luk 21:25; Rev 6:12-14).
Bible Cross References
Matthew 24:29 Mark 13:24 Luke 21:25 Acts 2:20 Revelation 6:12 Revelation 6:13 Revelation 8:12 Job 9:7 Ecclesiastes 12:2 Isaiah 5:30 Isaiah 24:23 Isaiah 47:5 Isaiah 50:3 Ezekiel 32:7 Joel 2:10 Joel 2:31 Amos 5:20 Amos 8:9 Nahum 1:8 Zechariah 14:6

Verse 11

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The conquest of Babylon.
We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, and haughty, and terrible, are quite dispirited when trouble comes. Their faces shall be scorched with the flame. All comfort and hope shall fail. The stars of heaven shall not give their light, the sun shall be darkened. Such expressions are often employed by the prophets, to describe the convulsions of governments. God will visit them for their iniquity, particularly the sin of pride, which brings men low. There shall be a general scene of horror. Those who join themselves to Babylon, must expect to share her plagues, (Revelation 18:4). All that men have, they would give for their lives, but no man's riches shall be the ransom of his life. Pause here and wonder that men should be thus cruel and inhuman, and see how corrupt the nature of man is become. And that little infants thus suffer, which shows that there is an original guilt, by which life is forfeited as soon as it is begun. The day of the Lord will, indeed, be terrible with wrath and fierce anger, far beyond all here stated. Nor will there be any place for the sinner to flee to, or attempt an escape. But few act as though they believed these things.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
The world - The Babylonish empire, which is called the world, as the Roman empire afterwards was, because it was extended to a great part of the world.
McArther Bible Commentary
arrogance. The same sin of pride that led to Israel's judgment (Isa 5:21; Isa 9:9) will cause Babylon's downfall (Isa 47:5, Isa 47:7-8; Rev 18:7).
Bible Cross References
Job 40:12 Proverbs 8:13 Isaiah 2:11 Isaiah 3:11 Isaiah 11:4 Isaiah 14:5 Isaiah 22:14 Isaiah 23:9 Isaiah 24:21 Isaiah 25:3 Isaiah 26:21 Isaiah 29:5 Isaiah 29:20 Isaiah 65:7 Jeremiah 48:29 Daniel 5:22 Daniel 5:23 Habakkuk 2:4

Verse 12

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The conquest of Babylon.
We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, and haughty, and terrible, are quite dispirited when trouble comes. Their faces shall be scorched with the flame. All comfort and hope shall fail. The stars of heaven shall not give their light, the sun shall be darkened. Such expressions are often employed by the prophets, to describe the convulsions of governments. God will visit them for their iniquity, particularly the sin of pride, which brings men low. There shall be a general scene of horror. Those who join themselves to Babylon, must expect to share her plagues, (Revelation 18:4). All that men have, they would give for their lives, but no man's riches shall be the ransom of his life. Pause here and wonder that men should be thus cruel and inhuman, and see how corrupt the nature of man is become. And that little infants thus suffer, which shows that there is an original guilt, by which life is forfeited as soon as it is begun. The day of the Lord will, indeed, be terrible with wrath and fierce anger, far beyond all here stated. Nor will there be any place for the sinner to flee to, or attempt an escape. But few act as though they believed these things.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
More precious - The city and nation shall be so depopulated.
McArther Bible Commentary
more rare. Because of this visitation, human mortality will be extremely high, but not total. God will spare a faithful remnant.
Bible Cross References
1 Kings 9:28 Job 28:16 Psalm 45:9 Isaiah 4:1 Isaiah 6:11 Isaiah 6:12

Verse 13

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The conquest of Babylon.
We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, and haughty, and terrible, are quite dispirited when trouble comes. Their faces shall be scorched with the flame. All comfort and hope shall fail. The stars of heaven shall not give their light, the sun shall be darkened. Such expressions are often employed by the prophets, to describe the convulsions of governments. God will visit them for their iniquity, particularly the sin of pride, which brings men low. There shall be a general scene of horror. Those who join themselves to Babylon, must expect to share her plagues, (Revelation 18:4). All that men have, they would give for their lives, but no man's riches shall be the ransom of his life. Pause here and wonder that men should be thus cruel and inhuman, and see how corrupt the nature of man is become. And that little infants thus suffer, which shows that there is an original guilt, by which life is forfeited as soon as it is begun. The day of the Lord will, indeed, be terrible with wrath and fierce anger, far beyond all here stated. Nor will there be any place for the sinner to flee to, or attempt an escape. But few act as though they believed these things.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Therefore - A poetical and prophetical description of great horrors and confusions, as if heaven and earth were about to meet together.
McArther Bible Commentary
shake the heavens … earth will move. These upheavals are associated with the ones in verse Isa 13:10 (Joe 2:10; Hag 2:6; Rev 6:12-14; cf. Isa 2:19, Isa 2:21; Isa 24:1, Isa 24:19-20; Isa 34:4; Isa 51:6).
Bible Cross References
Job 9:6 Psalm 18:7 Psalm 88:16 Isaiah 2:19 Isaiah 9:19 Isaiah 23:11 Isaiah 24:1 Isaiah 24:18 Isaiah 24:19 Isaiah 34:4 Isaiah 51:6 Lamentations 1:12 Nahum 1:6 Haggai 2:6

Verse 14

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The conquest of Babylon.
We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, and haughty, and terrible, are quite dispirited when trouble comes. Their faces shall be scorched with the flame. All comfort and hope shall fail. The stars of heaven shall not give their light, the sun shall be darkened. Such expressions are often employed by the prophets, to describe the convulsions of governments. God will visit them for their iniquity, particularly the sin of pride, which brings men low. There shall be a general scene of horror. Those who join themselves to Babylon, must expect to share her plagues, (Revelation 18:4). All that men have, they would give for their lives, but no man's riches shall be the ransom of his life. Pause here and wonder that men should be thus cruel and inhuman, and see how corrupt the nature of man is become. And that little infants thus suffer, which shows that there is an original guilt, by which life is forfeited as soon as it is begun. The day of the Lord will, indeed, be terrible with wrath and fierce anger, far beyond all here stated. Nor will there be any place for the sinner to flee to, or attempt an escape. But few act as though they believed these things.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
It - Babylon. A roe - Fearful in itself, especially when it is pursued by the hunter. A sheep - In a most forlorn condition. Every man - Those soldiers of other nations, whom she had hired to assist her.
McArther Bible Commentary
gazelle … sheep. Humans are frightening to the shy gazelle, but indispensable to the helpless sheep. The Babylonians will find the Lord as their enemy and lose Him as their shepherd. All they can do is flee the land.
Bible Cross References
Matthew 9:36 Mark 6:34 1 Peter 2:25 1 Kings 22:17 Isaiah 21:15 Jeremiah 25:12 Jeremiah 50:16 Jeremiah 51:9 Nahum 3:18

Verse 15

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The conquest of Babylon.
We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, and haughty, and terrible, are quite dispirited when trouble comes. Their faces shall be scorched with the flame. All comfort and hope shall fail. The stars of heaven shall not give their light, the sun shall be darkened. Such expressions are often employed by the prophets, to describe the convulsions of governments. God will visit them for their iniquity, particularly the sin of pride, which brings men low. There shall be a general scene of horror. Those who join themselves to Babylon, must expect to share her plagues, (Revelation 18:4). All that men have, they would give for their lives, but no man's riches shall be the ransom of his life. Pause here and wonder that men should be thus cruel and inhuman, and see how corrupt the nature of man is become. And that little infants thus suffer, which shows that there is an original guilt, by which life is forfeited as soon as it is begun. The day of the Lord will, indeed, be terrible with wrath and fierce anger, far beyond all here stated. Nor will there be any place for the sinner to flee to, or attempt an escape. But few act as though they believed these things.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Found - In Babylon, at the taking of it.
McArther Bible Commentary
thrust through … captured … dashed to pieces… plundered … ravished. The prophet, for the moment, returned to the immediate future when the Medes committed all those cruel atrocities in captured Babylon. For more brutal acts, see verse Isa 13:18.
Bible Cross References
Isaiah 14:19 Isaiah 21:15 Jeremiah 50:25 Jeremiah 51:3 Jeremiah 51:4 Jeremiah 51:22

Verse 16

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The conquest of Babylon.
We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, and haughty, and terrible, are quite dispirited when trouble comes. Their faces shall be scorched with the flame. All comfort and hope shall fail. The stars of heaven shall not give their light, the sun shall be darkened. Such expressions are often employed by the prophets, to describe the convulsions of governments. God will visit them for their iniquity, particularly the sin of pride, which brings men low. There shall be a general scene of horror. Those who join themselves to Babylon, must expect to share her plagues, (Revelation 18:4). All that men have, they would give for their lives, but no man's riches shall be the ransom of his life. Pause here and wonder that men should be thus cruel and inhuman, and see how corrupt the nature of man is become. And that little infants thus suffer, which shows that there is an original guilt, by which life is forfeited as soon as it is begun. The day of the Lord will, indeed, be terrible with wrath and fierce anger, far beyond all here stated. Nor will there be any place for the sinner to flee to, or attempt an escape. But few act as though they believed these things.
Bible Cross References
Psalm 137:8 Psalm 137:9 Isaiah 13:18 Isaiah 14:21 Isaiah 47:9 Jeremiah 51:22 Lamentations 5:11 Hosea 10:14 Nahum 3:10 Zechariah 14:2

Verse 17

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The conquest of Babylon.
We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, and haughty, and terrible, are quite dispirited when trouble comes. Their faces shall be scorched with the flame. All comfort and hope shall fail. The stars of heaven shall not give their light, the sun shall be darkened. Such expressions are often employed by the prophets, to describe the convulsions of governments. God will visit them for their iniquity, particularly the sin of pride, which brings men low. There shall be a general scene of horror. Those who join themselves to Babylon, must expect to share her plagues, (Revelation 18:4). All that men have, they would give for their lives, but no man's riches shall be the ransom of his life. Pause here and wonder that men should be thus cruel and inhuman, and see how corrupt the nature of man is become. And that little infants thus suffer, which shows that there is an original guilt, by which life is forfeited as soon as it is begun. The day of the Lord will, indeed, be terrible with wrath and fierce anger, far beyond all here stated. Nor will there be any place for the sinner to flee to, or attempt an escape. But few act as though they believed these things.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Medes - Under whom he comprehends the Persians. Not delight - Which is to be understood comparatively. They shall more eagerly pursue the destruction of the people, than the getting of spoil.
McArther Bible Commentary
Medes. This people from an area southwest of the Caspian Sea, north of Persia, east of Assyria, and northeast of Babylon later allied themselves with the Babylonians to conquer Assyria c. 610 B.C. and later with the Persians to cause the fall of Babylon (539 B.C.).
Bible Cross References
2 Kings 17:6 Proverbs 6:34 Proverbs 6:35 Jeremiah 25:25 Jeremiah 50:3 Jeremiah 50:30 Jeremiah 50:42 Jeremiah 51:11 Daniel 5:26 Daniel 5:28

Verse 18

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
The conquest of Babylon.
We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, and haughty, and terrible, are quite dispirited when trouble comes. Their faces shall be scorched with the flame. All comfort and hope shall fail. The stars of heaven shall not give their light, the sun shall be darkened. Such expressions are often employed by the prophets, to describe the convulsions of governments. God will visit them for their iniquity, particularly the sin of pride, which brings men low. There shall be a general scene of horror. Those who join themselves to Babylon, must expect to share her plagues, (Revelation 18:4). All that men have, they would give for their lives, but no man's riches shall be the ransom of his life. Pause here and wonder that men should be thus cruel and inhuman, and see how corrupt the nature of man is become. And that little infants thus suffer, which shows that there is an original guilt, by which life is forfeited as soon as it is begun. The day of the Lord will, indeed, be terrible with wrath and fierce anger, far beyond all here stated. Nor will there be any place for the sinner to flee to, or attempt an escape. But few act as though they believed these things.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Bows - Under which are comprehended, other weapons of war. Dash - Or, shalt pierce the young men through, as the Chaldee, renders it.
Bible Cross References
2 Kings 8:12 2 Chronicles 36:17 Psalm 127:3 Isaiah 5:28 Isaiah 13:16 Isaiah 47:9 Jeremiah 5:16 Jeremiah 6:23 Jeremiah 18:21 Jeremiah 50:30 Jeremiah 50:42 Jeremiah 51:22 Ezekiel 9:5 Ezekiel 9:10

Verse 19

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
Its final desolation.
Babylon was a noble city; yet it should be wholly destroyed. None shall dwell there. It shall be a haunt for wild beasts. All this is fulfilled. The fate of this proud city is a proof of the truth of the Bible, and an emblem of the approaching ruin of the New Testament Babylon; a warning to sinners to flee from the wrath to come, and it encourages believers to expect victory over every enemy of their souls, and of the church of God. The whole world changes and is liable to decay. Wherefore let us give diligence to obtain a kingdom which cannot be moved; and in this hope let us hold fast that grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Glory - Which once was the most noble of all the kingdoms. Beauty - The beautiful seat of the Chaldean monarchy shall be totally and irrecoverably destroyed.
McArther Bible Commentary
From the near future, Isaiah returned to the distant future. The ultimate fulfillment of these prophecies of Babylon's desolation will come in conjunction with Babylon's rebuilding and utter destruction when Christ returns (Rev 14:8; Isa 18:2). Obviously, Isaiah was unable to see the many centuries that separated Babylon's fall to the Medes from the destruction of the final Babylon by God (see Rev. 17-18).
Bible Cross References
Romans 9:29 Revelation 18:11 Revelation 18:19 Genesis 19:24 Genesis 19:25 Deuteronomy 29:23 Isaiah 13:1 Isaiah 21:9 Isaiah 47:5 Isaiah 48:14 Jeremiah 25:12 Jeremiah 49:18 Jeremiah 50:40 Jeremiah 51:26 Jeremiah 51:29 Jeremiah 51:62 Daniel 4:30 Amos 4:11

Verse 20

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
Its final desolation.
Babylon was a noble city; yet it should be wholly destroyed. None shall dwell there. It shall be a haunt for wild beasts. All this is fulfilled. The fate of this proud city is a proof of the truth of the Bible, and an emblem of the approaching ruin of the New Testament Babylon; a warning to sinners to flee from the wrath to come, and it encourages believers to expect victory over every enemy of their souls, and of the church of God. The whole world changes and is liable to decay. Wherefore let us give diligence to obtain a kingdom which cannot be moved; and in this hope let us hold fast that grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Inhabited - After the destruction threatened shall be fully accomplished. Arabian - Who dwelt in tents, and wandered from place to place, where they could find pasture.
McArther Bible Commentary
never be inhabited. Though nothing like its glorious past, the site of Babylon has never been void of inhabitants. A city or town of one type or another has always existed there, so this prophecy must point toward a yet future desolation.
Bible Cross References
2 Chronicles 17:11 Song of Solomon 1:7 Isaiah 14:23 Isaiah 21:1 Isaiah 34:10 Jeremiah 49:33 Jeremiah 50:39 Jeremiah 51:29 Jeremiah 51:37 Jeremiah 51:43

Verse 21

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
Its final desolation.
Babylon was a noble city; yet it should be wholly destroyed. None shall dwell there. It shall be a haunt for wild beasts. All this is fulfilled. The fate of this proud city is a proof of the truth of the Bible, and an emblem of the approaching ruin of the New Testament Babylon; a warning to sinners to flee from the wrath to come, and it encourages believers to expect victory over every enemy of their souls, and of the church of God. The whole world changes and is liable to decay. Wherefore let us give diligence to obtain a kingdom which cannot be moved; and in this hope let us hold fast that grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Satyrs - The learned agree, that these are frightful and solitary creatures.
McArther Bible Commentary
wild beasts … jackals. This is the utter devastation referred to in Isa 21:9 and further described in Rev 18:2 (cf. Isa 34:11-17; Jer 51:37).
Bible Cross References
Revelation 18:2 Isaiah 23:13 Isaiah 32:14 Isaiah 34:11 Isaiah 34:14 Jeremiah 50:39 Micah 1:8 Zephaniah 2:14

Verse 22

Matthew Henry's Concise Bible Commentary
Its final desolation.
Babylon was a noble city; yet it should be wholly destroyed. None shall dwell there. It shall be a haunt for wild beasts. All this is fulfilled. The fate of this proud city is a proof of the truth of the Bible, and an emblem of the approaching ruin of the New Testament Babylon; a warning to sinners to flee from the wrath to come, and it encourages believers to expect victory over every enemy of their souls, and of the church of God. The whole world changes and is liable to decay. Wherefore let us give diligence to obtain a kingdom which cannot be moved; and in this hope let us hold fast that grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Prolonged - Beyond the time appointed by God.
McArther Bible Commentary
near to come. As already noted in verse Isa 13:6, once Babylon becomes great, her days are numbered.
Bible Cross References
Psalm 44:19 Isaiah 25:2 Isaiah 32:14 Isaiah 34:13 Isaiah 35:7 Isaiah 43:20 Jeremiah 9:11 Jeremiah 48:16 Lamentations 4:3 Micah 1:8