Isaiah 47
47
An Ode to the Fall of Babylon
1“Get down from your throne and sit in the dust, O Miss Babylon!
Sit on the ground where you belong,
not on a throne, O Miss Chaldea!
For you will never be described again as ‘delicate and dainty.’ # 47:1 Or “pampered and spoiled.”
2Take off your pretty veil; # 47:2 Or “your flowing tresses.”
take two millstones and grind grain. # 47:2 Grinding with millstones was considered the lowest of menial work, usually done by slaves. See Ex. 11:5.
Lift your skirt, bare your legs, and wade through the rivers.
3Your humiliating nakedness will be uncovered,
your shame exposed and seen by all. # 47:3 It is true that Babylon has fallen historically, but we can understand that the “Babylonian system” in the church is also falling. Old concepts are crumbling and being swept away (see 2 Cor. 10:3–6) as God exposes our impurity. Yet the Redeemer stands ready to restore and revive those with hungry, passionate hearts for God.
I will take vengeance and let no one intercede for you.” # 47:3 The Hebrew meaning of this clause is uncertain.
4We have a Redeemer. Yahweh is his name,
the Commander of Angel Armies, the Holy One of Israel!
5“Sit silently and go away into the darkness, O Miss Chaldea!
For you will no longer be called the Mistress of Kingdoms.
6I became angry with my people,
so I wounded # 47:6 Or “defiled,” which comes from a root word meaning “to pierce” or “to wound.” my special ones.
I handed them over to you, and you took them captive.
You showed them no mercy;
you even made the elderly suffer under your heavy yoke.
7You thought,
‘I will be the Mistress of Kingdoms forever.’
But you never considered what you were doing
or reflected on how all this would end.
8“So now, listen to this, you pampered lover of pleasure,
who sits smug and secure and says in her heart,
‘I am, and there is no one like me!
I will never have to live as a widow
or suffer the loss of my children.’
9Suddenly both of these losses will overtake you in one day,
for you will lose your husband and your children.
Despite your many magic spells and your powerful sorceries,
you will be overwhelmed by these tragedies in full measure!
10You felt so smug and secure in your wickedness.
You thought, ‘No one sees me.’
Your idea of ‘wisdom’ and self-professed ‘knowledge’
has led you astray, saying in your heart,
‘I am! There is none like me!’
11An avalanche of evil will come upon you
that no magic spell will be able to avert.
Great disaster is about to fall upon you
that you will not be able to ward off!
Total devastation will strike you suddenly.
It will happen so swiftly you won’t even see it coming!
12“So go ahead—keep trusting in your sorceries
and the witchcraft you’ve practiced since your youth.
Perhaps you might succeed!
Perhaps you’ll scare away your impending doom!
13You must be fatigued with so much counsel!
Let the stargazers and astrologers take their stand.
See if they can help you now!
Let them make their monthly predictions.
Maybe they can reveal what
is about to come upon you.
14Look at them!
They’re nothing but straw for the consuming fire.
They can’t even rescue themselves from the power of the flame.
And this is not some cozy fire
that you sit beside to keep yourself warm!
15These traders, with whom you have dealt since your youth,
will do nothing but disappoint you.
Each has wandered off to his own way—
there is no one left to rescue you!”
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationIsaiah 47
47
The Fall of Babylon
1“Go down and sit in the dust,#Is 3:26; Jr 48:18
Virgin Daughter Babylon.#Ps 137:8; Jr 50:42; 51:33; Zch 2:7
Sit on the ground without a throne,
Daughter Chaldea!
For you will no longer be called pampered and spoiled.
2Take millstones and grind flour;#Ex 11:5; Jb 31:10; Mt 24:41
remove your veil,
strip off your skirt, bare your thigh,
wade through the streams.
3Your nakedness will be uncovered,
and your disgrace will be exposed.#Jr 13:26; Lm 1:8; Ezk 16:37; Nah 3:5
I will take vengeance;
I will spare no one.”#47:3 Hb obscure
4The Holy One of Israel is our Redeemer;#Is 41:14; 43:14
The Lord of Armies is his name.
5“Daughter Chaldea,
sit in silence#Is 23:2; Jr 8:14; Lm 2:10; 3:2,28 and go into darkness.
For you will no longer be called mistress of kingdoms.
6I was angry with my people;
I profaned my possession,
and I handed them over to you.
You showed them no mercy;
you made your yoke very heavy on the elderly.
7You said, ‘I will be the queen forever.’
You did not take these things to heart
or think about their outcome.
8“So now hear this, lover of luxury,
who sits securely,#Zph 2:15
who says to herself,
‘I am, and there is no one else.
I will never be a widow
or know the loss of children.’#Rv 18:7
9These two things will happen to you
suddenly, in one day:
loss of children and widowhood.
They will happen to you in their entirety,
in spite of your many sorceries#Is 47:13; Nah 3:4; Rv 18:23
and the potency of your spells.
10You were secure in your wickedness;
you said, ‘No one sees me.’#Ps 139:3,11
Your wisdom and knowledge
led you astray.
You said to yourself,
‘I am, and there is no one else.’
11But disaster will happen to you;
you will not know how to avert it.
And it will fall on you,
but you will be unable to ward it off.#47:11 Or to atone for it
Devastation will happen to you suddenly
and unexpectedly.#Is 13:6; Jr 51:8,43; Lk 17:27; 1Th 5:3
12So take your stand with your spells
and your many sorceries,
which you have wearied yourself with from your youth.
Perhaps you will be able to succeed;
perhaps you will inspire terror!
13You are worn out with your many consultations.
So let the astrologers stand and save you —
those who observe the stars,#Is 8:19; 44:25; 47:9; Dn 2:2,10
those who predict monthly
what will happen to you.
14Look, they are like stubble;#Is 5:24; Nah 1:10; Mal 4:1
fire burns them.#Is 10:17; Jr 51:30–32,58
They cannot rescue themselves
from the power of the flame.
This is not a coal for warming themselves,
or a fire to sit beside!
15This is what they are to you —
those who have wearied you
and have traded with you from your youth —
each wanders on his own way;
no one can save you.
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