CHAP. XLVII. V. 1-3. Babylon (as the capital of the Chaldean empire, which succeeded to the Assyrian,) had probably never been subdued before Cyrus took it. The city is therefore represented, under the emblem of a virgin in great distress, who is called "the daughter of Babylon," or "of the Chaldeans." Instead of being seated, as heretofore, upon a throne, ruling over other cities and nations, and being "called tender and delicate," as exempted from hardships and calamities; she was V. 5. 'Silence and darkness are opposed to now required to come down from her exalted 'that noise and gaiety, which is seen in rich station, and sit upon the bare ground, as an 'and populous cities. Lowth . ( Marg . Ref . k, 1. abject slave; and to grind corn with those hand-- Notes , 7-10. 13:19-22. Jer. 25:10. Rev. 18: mills, that were in use before the invention of 4-8,21-24.) water-mills and wind-mills. This was the V. 6. I have laid open my inheritance to
lowest and most laborious of menial services: and often reserved as a punishment for slaves, who offended their masters. ( Marg . Ref . f.) Nay, she must be driven bare-headed, with dishevelled locks, and almost naked, before the victor, in order to ford the rivers, through which the captives were driven like herds of cattle; and as uncovered to be examined for sale, after the indecent and inhuman manner; in which negroes are now exposed like cattle, in the places where the slave-trade is carried on. ( Note , 20:2-4.) For the Lord would not meet her with the compassion or the weakness of a man, who might be resisted or appeased; but to take righteous vengeance on her as the Almighty God. Or, "I will not admit man to intercede for her;" as some explain the clause. -What is spoken of Babylon, under the emblem of a woman, must be understood of the
'the insults of idolaters, and suffered them to 'profane the city and sanctuary, which was 'called by my name.' Lowth . - The Chaldeans, intent on gratifying their own ambition, rapacity, and indignant revenge, and perhaps enmity to the God of Israel, most cruelly entreated the Jews, when they got them into their power; not knowing or regarding the design of God, in thus giving his worshippers into their hands: so that, while they accomplished his righteous purposes without intending it, they brought down deserved judgments on themselves. ( Notes , 10:5-14. Jer . 25:12. 51:33 -37. Hos . 1:4,5. Zech . 1:14-17.)
V. 7-10. Notwithstanding these predictions against Babylon, the king and his nobles were confident that their dominion and prosperity were firmly and permanently established; they neither laid their own crimes, and the
11 Therefore shall evil come upon thee; gers, the star-gazers, the monthly prog
thou shalt not know * from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; & thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know.
12 Stand h now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast labored from thy youth, if so be thou shalt be able to profit; if so be thou mayest prevail.
13 Thou art wearied in the multitude
of thy counsels.
* Let now the
f 37:36. Ex. 12:29,30. Neh. 4:11. Rev. 3:3.
* Heb. the morning thereof. g Ps. 50:22. Jer. 51:39-42. Dan. 5:25-30. 1 Thes. 5:3. Rev. 18:9,10.
† Heb. expiate. Matt. 18:34. Luke 12:59.
59,10. 8:19. 19:3.44:25. Ex. 7:
nosticators, stand up and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.
14 Behold they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver || themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.
15 Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast labored, even thy merchants from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save
astrolo-thee.
11. 8:7,18,19. 9:11. Jer. 2:28. Dan. 5:7-9. Nah. 3:4. Acts 13:8-12. 2 Thes. 2:9-12. Rev. 17:4-6.
i 57:10. Ez. 24:12. Hab. 2:13. k 44:25. Dan. 2:2,10. 5:7,8,15, 16,30.
Heb. viewers of the heavens.
words of God, to heart, nor considered what the end of their greatness would be. ( Notes , Dan . 4:28-33. 5:18-24. 1 Thes. 5:1-3.) The inhabitants were given up to pleasures and dissipation; and arrogantly concluded that no city or empire ever had been, was, or would
Heb. that gave knowledge concerning the months.
1 40-24. 41:2. Ex. 15:7. Ps. 83:13-15. Joel 2:5. Ob. 18. Nah. 1:10. Mal. 4:1.
|| Heb. their souls. Matt. 10:28.
men, which they could discover by making observations on them: and they seem to have published every month their prognostications, as some almanac-makers now do their yearly predictions, about the weather and other matters. But the Lord declared, that they should
be, like their own; and they expressed this sen-all weary themselves in vain, in their counsels
timent, in language similar to that, by which JEHOVAH declared his own eternal Deity. (45: 5,6.)-The loss of empire, and the destruction of the inhabitants, are, to cities possessed of dominion, like widowhood and loss of children. Babylon thought herself perfectly secure from these afflictions: but the Lord declared, that they would come upon her in one day, in a moment, most suddenly, and in their perfection, "for," or notwithstanding "the multitude of her sorceries" and enchantments. The Chaldeans trusted much to these practices, and disregarded the all-seeing eye of Israel's God; but the permanent prosperity, with which she was flattered by the sorcerers and wise men, would not be vouchsafed her. ( Notes , 11 -15. 19:2--4. Nah . 3:4—6. Rev. 18:4-8.)
V. 11. Neither the politicians, nor the sooth
sayers, of Babylon could discover, could discover, from what
quarter evil would come upon them; nor when it approached could they retard it: nay, at last it would come on them suddenly, when they had no apprehension of it. Cyrus surprised the city, when the inhabitants were asleep, or in their drunken revels, and entirely without fear of the impending ruin. ( Notes , Dan . 5:25 -31.)
to secure Babylon; nay, themselves should be as stubble to the fire of his indignation, by which they should be totally consumed without any remains. And in this catastrophe, all those, who had before dealt with them for such information; or the merchants and hired soldiers from other countries, who had traded with them and helped them would desert them, go to their respective habitations or employments, and leave them to shift for themselves. All these predictions, concerning Babylon, relate also to the New Testament-Babylon, the chief seat of Antichrist. ( Marg . Ref. Notes , Jer . 51:9. Rev. 18:9-20.)
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
The Lord invariably abases the proud, in proportion as they exalt themselves. Those
who are most delicate and luxurious, and giv en up to self-indulgence and dissipation, are commonly most unfeeling, towards such as are subjected to them; often shewing no respect to old age or infirmities, and deeming no bardship too great to impose on those who are least able to endure them. But they may probably be recompensed by others, as severe and hard-hearted as themselves: while labor and fatiguing usage, with scorn and cruelty will be dreadful to them, in proportion to thein former excessive effeminacy. ( Notes , 3:1626.)-Those distinctions in society, by which some are exalted above others, as if of another species, will be of short continuance: kings and nobles will not be such for ever; nor will God any more regard sex than rank, in those
To put it off .] "To expiate it." Marg . The desolation, which is denounced, as coming upon the New Testament-Babylon, still more suddenly and awfully, shall not be expiated, by any of the superstitious devices, or sacrifices of its priests and rulers. ( Note , 1 Sam . 3:14.) V. 12-15. ( Note , 57:9,10.) The Lord here challenged the Chaldeans, to oppose their wisest counsels, or most powerful enchant-who rebel against him. But they, who are
ments, against the execution of his predictions: let them persist in them, and do their utmost, and see whether they could prevail in the contest. Babylon had always been renowned for these arts, and the Chaldeans diligently studied and practised them. Even their wise men and counsellors were chiefly diviners and astrologers. ( Notes , Dan . 1:17-20. 2:2-13, 4:4-7. 5:5-9.) They expected, or pretended to expect, information, and direction, from the motions of the heavenly bodies; and supposed the stars to have great influence on the affairs of
made "kings and priests unto our God," shall be distinguished for ever: for "their Redeemer is the LORD of hosts, the Holy One of Israel;" and when the most honorable of the wicked shall be silent in darkness, or only vent their anguish in "wailing and gnashing of teeth," the believer's redemption will be completed. -God is often pleased to permit wicked men to prevail against his people, in order to correct and purify them by tribulation: and he permits his inheritance, his professed ser vants, to be polluted and treated as heathens