Isaiah 47:1

King James Version (KJV)

Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

Come down, and set in the dust "Descend, and sit on the dust" - See note on Isaiah 3:26, and on Isaiah 52:2; (note).

Was this helpful?

Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

Come down - Descend from the throne; or from the seat of magnificence and power. The design of this verse has already been stated in the analysis. It is to foretell that Babylon would be humbled, and that she would be reduced from her magnificence and pride to a condition of abject wretchedness. She is therefore represented as a proud female accustomed to luxury and ease, suddenly brought to the lowest condition, and compelled to perform the most menial services.

And sit in the dust - To sit on the ground, and to cast dust on the head, is a condition often referred to in the Scriptures as expressive of humiliation and of mourning Joshua 8:6; Job 2:12; Job 10:9; Psalm 22:15; Lamentations 3:29. In this manner also, on the medals which were struck by Titus and Vespasian to commemorate the capture of Jerusalem, Jerusalem is represented under the image of a female sitting on the ground under a palm-tree, with the inscription Judaea capta (see the notes at Isaiah 3:26). The design here is, to represent Babylon as reduced to the lowest condition, and as having great occasion of grief.

O virgin daughter of Babylon - It is common in the Scriptures to speak of cities under the image of a virgin, a daughter, or a beautiful woman (see the notes at Isaiah 1:8; Isaiah 37:22; compare Lamentations 1:15; Jeremiah 31:21; Jeremiah 46:11). Kimchi supposes that the term ‹virgin‘ is here given to Babylon, because it had remained to that time uncaptured by any foreign power; but the main purpose is doubtless to refer to Babylon as a beautiful and splendid city, and as being distinguished for delicacy, and the prevalence of what was regarded as ornamental. Gesenius supposes that the words ‹virgin daughter of Babylon,‘ denote not Babylon itself, but Chaldea, and that the whole land or nation is personified. But the common interpretation, and one evidently more in accordance with the Scripture usage, is to refer it to the city itself.

There is no throne - Thou shalt be reduced from the throne; or the throne shall be taken away. That is, Babylon shall be no longer the seat of empire, or the capital of kingdoms. How truly this was fulfilled, needs not to be told to those who are familiar with the history of Babylon. Its power was broken when Cyrus conquered it; its walls were reduced by Darius; Seleucia rose in its stead, and took away its trade and a large portion of its inhabitants, until it was completely destroyed, so that it became for a long time a question where it had formerly stood (see the notes at Isaiah 16:1-14)

Thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate - A place to which luxuries flow, amid where they abound. The allusion is to a female that bad been delicately and tenderly brought up, and that would be reduced to the lowest condition of servitude, and even of disgrace. It is possible that there may be an allusion here to the effeminacy and the consequent corruption of morals which prevailed in Babylon, and which made it a place sought with greediness by those who wished to spend their time in licentious pleasures. The corruption of Babylon, consequent on its wealth and magnificence, was almost proverbial, and was unsurpassed by any city of ancient times. The following extract from Curtius (v. 1), which it would not be proper to translate, will give some idea of the prevailing state of morals:

‹Nihil urbis ejus corruptius moribus, nihil ad irritandas illiciendasque immodicas voluptates instructius. Liberos conjugesque cum hospitibus stupro coire, modo pretium flagitii detur, parentes maritique patituntur. Babylonii maxime in vinum, et quae ebrietatem sequuntur effusi sunt. Foeminarum conviva ineuntium, in principio modestus est habitus, dein summa quaeque amicula exuunt paulatimque pudorem profanant; ad ultimum (horror auribusest) ima corporum velamenta projiciunt. Nee meretricum hoc dedecus est, sed matronarum virginumque apud quas comitas habetur vulgati corporis vilitas.‘

See also the description of a loathsome, disgusting, and abominable custom which prevailed nowhere else, even in the corrupt nations of antiquity, except Babylon, in Herod. i. 199. I cannot transcribe this passage. The description is too loathsome, and would do little good. Its substance is expressed in a single sentence, πασᾶν γυναῖκα ἐπιχωρίην … μιχθὴναι ἀνδρὶ ξείνῳ pasan gunaika epichōriēn … michthēnai andri cheinō It adds to the abomination of this custom that it was connected with the rites of religion, and was a part of the worship of the gods! Strabo, speaking of this custom (iii. 348), says, Ἔθος κατά τι λόγιον ξένῳ μίγνυσθαι Ethos kata ti logion chenō mignusthai See also Baruch 6:43, where the same custom is alluded to. For an extended description of the wealth and commerce of Babylon, see an article in the Amer. Bib. Rep. vol. vii. pp. 364-390.

Was this helpful?

Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

Babylon is represented under the emblem of a female in deep distress. She was to be degraded and endure sufferings; and is represented sitting on the ground, grinding at the handmill, the lowest and most laborious service. God was righteous in his vengeance, and none should interpose. The prophet exults in the Lord of hosts, as the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel. God often permits wicked men to prevail against his people; but those who cruelly oppress them will be punished.

Was this helpful?

SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

1. Virgin daughter. Compare “virgin, the daughter of Zion” (Isa. 37:22), “of Egypt” (Jer. 46:11). In contrast, Babylon was a harlot (cf. Rev. 17:1, 5). The prostitutes connected with ancient Oriental temples were often spoken of as “sacred virgins,” but they were neither virgin nor holy. Babylon boasted of her religion, which outwardly appeared a thing of glory and beauty, but inwardly was an abomination. Compare Rev. 17:4. The prophet here unmasks the “virgin daughter” and reveals her shame. Instead of sitting on a throne she is to take her place where she belongs, in the dust of the earth, a symbol of mourning and desolation (cf. Isa. 3:26).

Careful readers of the book of Revelation have noted the great similarity between much of its symbolism and the language of certain passages in the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. It is apparent that John, guided by Inspiration, borrowed extensively from the language of the prophets of old, in order to set forth the future experiences of the church in terms that would be familiar and meaningful to the careful reader of the OT. Oppression by, and the subsequent desolation of, literal Babylon provided John with a pictorial description of the oppression of God’s remnant people by mystical Babylon and of the eventual desolation of the latter. The symbolism and the language of the book of Revelation become more clear and meaningful when studied in the light of what the prophets of old wrote concerning events of their era. Various aspects of the punishment of literal Babylon as set forth in Isa. 47 are thus of value in connection with a study of the punishment of mystical Babylon, presented in Rev. 16 to 19. Note the following:

Isaiah 47	Revelation 16 to 19
1. “Sit in the dust” (v. 1).	1. “Cast dust on their heads” (18:19).
2. “Called tender and delicate” (v. 1). “Given to pleasures . . . dwellest carelessly” (v. 8).	2. “Lived deliciously” (18:7). “Things which were dainty and goodly” (18:14).
3. “Take the millstones” (v. 2).	3. ‘Took up a stone like a great millstone” (18:21).
4. “I will take ven-geance” (v. 3).	4. “Great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath” (16:19). “Reward her even as she rewarded you” (18:6). “Strong is the Lord God who judgeth her” (18:8). “He hath judged the great whore” (19:2).
5. “The lady of kingdoms” (v. 5). “I shall be a lady for ever” (v. 7). “I am, and none else be side me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children” (v. 8).	5. “That great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth” (17:18). “I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow” (18:7).
6. “Thou didst shew them no mercy . . . very heavily laid thy yoke” (v. 6).	6. “I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints” (17:6). “In her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth” (18:24).
7. “In a moment in one day” (v. 9).	7. “In one day . . . in one hour” (18:8, 10, 17, 19).
8. “The multitude of thy sorceries” (v. 9).	8. “The wine of the wrath of her fornication” (18:3). “By thy sorceries were all nations deceived” (18:23).
9. “Therefore shall evil come upon thee . . . thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly” (v. 11).	9. “Make her desolate and naked . . . eat her flesh” (17:16). “Her plagues” (18:4, 8). In the cup which she hath filled to her double . . . torment and sorrow give her . . . death, and mourning, and famine” (18:6-8).
10. “The flame” (v. 14).	10. “Burn her with fire” (17:16). “She shall be utterly burned with fire” (18:8). “The smoke of her burning” (18:9).
11. “Thy merchants” (v. 15).	11. “The merchants . . . were made rich by her” (18:15). “Thy merchants were the great men of the earth” (18:23).

See also on Isa. 13; 14; 23; Jer. 25:12; 50:1; Eze. 26:13.

Was this helpful?

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered

A PHP Error was encountered