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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Isaiah 47: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationIsaiah 47
47
Judgement on Babylon
1 #
Is 13.1—14.23; Jer 50.1; 51.64 The LORD says,
“Babylon, come down from your throne,
and sit in the dust on the ground.
You were once like a virgin, a city unconquered,
but you are soft and delicate no longer!
You are now a slave!
2Turn the millstone! Grind the flour!
Off with your veil! Strip off your fine clothes!
Lift up your skirts to cross the streams!#47.2 cross the streams: This probably refers to going into exile.
3People will see you naked;
they will see you humbled and shamed.
I will take vengeance, and no one will stop me.”
4The holy God of Israel sets us free —
his name is the LORD Almighty.
5The LORD says to Babylon,
“Sit in silence and darkness;
no more will they call you the queen of nations!
6I was angry with my people;
I treated them as no longer mine:
I put them in your power,
and you showed them no mercy;
even the aged you treated harshly.
7You thought you would always be a queen,
and did not take these things to heart
or think how it all would end.
8 #
Rev 18.7–8
“Listen to this, you lover of pleasure,
you that think you are safe and secure.
You claim you are as great as God —
that there is no one else like you.
You thought that you would never be a widow
or suffer the loss of your children.
9But in a moment, in a single day,
both of these things will happen.
In spite of all the magic you use,
you will lose your husband and children.
10“You felt sure of yourself in your evil;
you thought that no one could see you.
Your wisdom and knowledge led you astray,
and you said to yourself, ‘I am God —
there is no one else like me.’
11Disaster will come upon you,
and none of your magic can stop it.
Ruin will come on you suddenly —
ruin you never dreamt of!
12Keep all your magic spells and charms;
you have used them since you were young.
Perhaps they will be of some help to you;
perhaps you can frighten your enemies.
13You are powerless in spite of the advice you get.
Let your astrologers come forward and save you —
those people who study the stars,
who map out the zones of the heavens
and tell you from month to month
what#47.13 Some ancient translations what; Hebrew from what. is going to happen to you.
14“They will be like bits of straw,
and a fire will burn them up!
They will not even be able to save themselves —
the flames will be too hot for them,
not a cosy fire to warm themselves by.
15That is all the good they will do you —
those astrologers you've consulted all your life.
They all will leave you and go their own way,
and none will be left to save you.”
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.