Isaiah 47
DOYLY— sit on the ground: there is no throne, &c.] See the notes on chap. iii. 26; iii. 2.
Isaiah 47:2
- Take the milestones, and grind meal.] See notes on Exod. xi. 5; xii. 29.
— make bare the leg,—pass over the rivers.] See notes on chap. iii. 17; and xxiii. 7.
Isaiah 47:3
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— I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.] Thou shalt feel the most dreadful effects of my fury; I will take no common and imperfect vengeance; namely, as that of a man. W. Lowth.
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— I have—given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; God charges the Babylonians, though employed by Himself to chastise his people, with cruelty in regard to them: they exceeded the bounds of justice and humanity in oppressing and destroying them; and though they were really executing the righteous decree of God, yet, as far as it regarded themselves, they were only indulging their own ambition and violence. Zechariah sets this matter in the same light, chap. i. 15: see too Isaiah x. 5—12. Bp. Lowth. See notes on chap. x. 7. 12.
Isaiah 47:5
- I have even from the beginning declared it to thee;] God ordained a succession of Prophets to foretell the most remarkable events that should happen to the Jews, on purpose to prevent their ascribing them to idols. W. Lowth. —my molten image. See the note on chap. xl. 19. 6. Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? An old translation gives the sense of the words more perspicuously; “Thou heardest it (before); and behold it is come to pass: and shall not ye yourselves confess the same?” W. Lowth.
Isaiah 47:7
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And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: &c.] Babylon is described here, and in the words full of insolence and blasphemy that follow, (ver. 8,) as fancying herself exempt from the calamities of fortune, and arrogating that self-sufficiency to herself which belongs to none but God. Mystical Babylon is in the passage of Revelation, referred to in the margin, described as guilty of the same pride and carnal security. W. Lowth.
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They are created now, and not from the beginning.] What immediately follows should rather be translated, “nor before this day hast thou heard them.” Dr. Wells.
Isaiah 47:8
8.—yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened.] Rather, “nor was thine ear opened, of old, or from the beginning.” W. Lowth. —called a transgressor from the womb.] That is, Thou wast addicted to idolatry from thy very infancy, from the time when thou hvedst in Egypt. Compare this verse and ver. 9. 11, with Ezek. xx. 8, 9. W. Lowth.
Isaiah 47:9
- But these two things shall come to thee—the loss of children, and widowhood:] Babylon, having for many
years been mistress of the East, and domineered over the countries round about, could ill brook the subjection her people were fallen under, the removal of the seat of government to Shushan by the Persians, and consequent diminution of the grandeur, pride, and wealth, of the city. In the beginning therefore of Darius Hystaspes’ reign, taking advantage of the revolution and troubles of the Persian government, the Babylonians broke out into open rebellion. Unable to cope with his army in the field, they turned their thoughts wholly to support themselves in the siege; and took a most desperate and barbarous resolution, by which the prophecy in this verse was signally fulfilled; for, drawing together all their women and children, to make their provisions last longer, they agreed to cut off all unnecessary mouths, and each man choosing out one of his wives, and a servant for domestic purposes, they strangled all the rest, wives, sisters, daughters, and young children, useless for the wars. Dean Prideaux.
— for the multitude of thy sorceries, &c.] By “sorceries” may be either meant those forbidden arts of divination mentioned more particularly ver. 13, or, in general, wicked schemes of worldly policy, by which potent kingdoms are wont to undermine and oppress the weaker. W. Lowth.
At Babylon, (see ver. 13,) astrology, divination, and the interpretation of dreams, were fashionable studies with men of rank; they carried about with them pocket astronomical tables, which they consulted, as well as astrologers, on every affair of moment. Richardson. They are told here, that neither by their politicks, sorceries, astronomy, nor any part of their wisdom, shall they foresee or prevent their ruin. Bp. Wilson.
The intent of prophecy. Before CHRIST about 712. viewers of the hearings. give knowledge concerning the months. souls. tude of thy counsels. Let now the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.
Isaiah 47:10
- Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; &c.] Not with such a furious heat as is requisite to melt down silver, for then thou wouldest have been utterly consumed: see Jer. xxx. 11; Ezek. xxii. 20. I have taken this method to purge thee from thy dross, and render thee a chosen people to myself: or the latter