1Ausspruch über Babel, welchen Jesaja, der Sohn Amoz', geschaut hat. 2Erhebet ein Panier auf kahlem Berge, rufet ihnen zu mit lauter Stimme, schwinget die Hand, daß sie einziehen in die Tore der Edlen! 3Ich habe meine Geheiligten entboten, auch meine Helden gerufen zu meinem Zorne, meine stolz Frohlockenden. 4Horch! ein Getümmel auf den Bergen, wie von einem großen Volke; horch! ein Getöse von Königreichen versammelter Nationen: Jehova der Heerscharen mustert ein Kriegsheer, 5aus fernem Lande Gekommene, vom Ende des Himmels, - Jehova und die Werkzeuge seines Grimmes, um das ganze Land zu verderben. 6Heulet, denn nahe ist der Tag Jehovas; er kommt wie eine Verwüstung vom Allmächtigen. 7Darum werden alle Hände erschlaffen, und jedes Menschenherz wird zerschmelzen. 8Und sie werden bestürzt sein, Wehen und Schmerzen werden sie ergreifen, sie werden sich winden gleich einer Gebärenden; einer starrt den anderen an, ihre Angesichter glühen. 9Siehe, der Tag Jehovas kommt grausam, und Grimm und Zornglut, um die Erde zur Wüste zu machen; und ihre Sünder wird er von derselben vertilgen. 10Denn die Sterne des Himmels und seine Gestirne werden ihr Licht nicht leuchten lassen; die Sonne wird finster sein bei ihrem Aufgang, und der Mond wird sein Licht nicht scheinen lassen. 11Und ich werde an dem Erdkreis heimsuchen die Bosheit, und an den Gesetzlosen ihre Missetat; und ich werde ein Ende machen dem Hochmut der Stolzen und die Hoffart der Gewalttätigen erniedrigen. 12Ich will den Sterblichen kostbarer machen als gediegenes Gold, und den Menschen als Gold von Ophir. 13Darum werde ich die Himmel erzittern machen, und die Erde wird aufbeben von ihrer Stelle: beim Grimme Jehovas der Heerscharen und am Tage seiner Zornglut. 14Und es wird sein wie mit einer verscheuchten Gazelle und wie mit einer Herde, die niemand sammelt: ein jeder wird sich zu seinem Volke wenden, und ein jeder in sein Land fliehen. 15Wer irgend gefunden wird, wird durchbohrt werden; und wer irgend erhascht wird, wird durchs Schwert fallen. 16Und ihre Kinder werden vor ihren Augen zerschmettert, ihre Häuser geplündert und ihre Weiber geschändet werden. 17Siehe, ich erwecke wider sie die Meder, welche Silber nicht achten und an Gold kein Gefallen haben. 18Und ihre Bogen werden Jünglinge niederstrecken, und über die Leibesfrucht werden sie sich nicht erbarmen, ihr Auge wird der Kinder nicht schonen. 19Und Babel, die Zierde der Königreiche, der Stolz des Hochmuts der Chaldäer, wird gleich sein der Umkehrung Sodoms und Gomorras durch Gott. 20Es wird in Ewigkeit nicht bewohnt werden, und keine Niederlassung mehr sein von Geschlecht zu Geschlecht; und der Araber wird dort nicht zelten, und Hirten werden dort nicht lagern lassen. 21Aber Wüstentiere werden dort lagern, und Uhus ihre Häuser füllen; und Strauße werden dort wohnen und Böcke dort hüpfen; 22und wilde Hunde werden heulen in seinen Palästen und Schakale in den Lustschlössern. Und seine Zeit steht nahe bevor, und seine Tage werden nicht verlängert werden.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE THIRTEENTH THROUGH TWENTY-THIRD CHAPTERS CONTAIN PROPHECIES AS TO FOREIGN NATIONS.--THE THIRTEENTH, FOURTEENTH, AND TWENTY-SEVENTH CHAPTERS AS TO BABYLON AND ASSYRIA. (Isa. 13:1-22)
burden--weighty or mournful prophecy [GROTIUS]. Otherwise, simply, the prophetical declaration, from a Hebrew root to put forth with the voice anything, as in
Num 23:7 [MAURER].
of Babylon--concerning Babylon.
2 Lift . . . banner-- (
Isa 5:26;
Isa 11:10).
the high mountain--rather, "a bare (literally, "bald," that is, without trees) mountain"; from it the banner could be seen afar off, so as to rally together the peoples against Babylon.
unto them--unto the Medes (
Isa 13:17), the assailants of Babylon. It is remarkable that Isaiah does not foretell here the Jews' captivity in Babylon, but presupposes that event, and throws himself beyond, predicting another event still more future, the overthrow of the city of Israel's oppressors. It was now one hundred seventy-four years before the event.
shake . . . hand--beckon with the hand--wave the hand to direct the nations to march against Babylon.
nobles--Babylonian. Rather, in a bad sense, tyrants; as in
Isa 14:5, "rulers" in parallelism to "the wicked"; and
Job 21:28 [MAURER].
3 sanctified ones--the Median and Persian soldiers solemnly set apart by Me for the destruction of Babylon, not inwardly "sanctified," but designated to fulfil God's holy purpose (
Jer 51:27-
Jer 51:28;
Joel 3:9,
Joel 3:11; where the Hebrew for prepare war is "sanctify" war).
for mine anger--to execute it.
rejoice in my highness--"Those who are made to triumph for My honor" [HORSLEY]. The heathen Medes could not be said to "rejoice in God's highness" MAURER translates, "My haughtily exulting ones" (
Zeph 3:11); a special characteristic of the Persians [HERODOTUS,1.88]. They rejoiced in their own highness, but it was His that they were unconsciously glorifying.
4 the mountains--namely, which separate Media and Assyria, and on one of which the banner to rally the hosts is supposed to be reared.
tumultuous noise--The Babylonians are vividly depicted as hearing some unwonted sound like the din of a host; they try to distinguish the sounds, but can only perceive a tumultuous noise.
nations--Medes, Persians, and Armenians composed Cyrus' army.
5 They--namely, "Jehovah," and the armies which are "the weapons of His indignation."
far country--Media and Persia, stretching to the far north and east.
end of heaven--the far east (
Ps 19:6).
destroy--rather, "to seize" [HORSLEY].
6 day of the Lord--day of His vengeance on Babylon (
Isa 2:12). Type of the future "day of wrath" (
Rev 6:17).
destruction--literally, "a devastating tempest."
from the Almighty--not from mere man; therefore irresistible. "Almighty," Hebrew, Shaddai.
7 faint . . . melt--So
Jer 50:43; compare
Josh 7:5. Babylon was taken by surprise on the night of Belshazzar's impious feast (
Dan 5:30). Hence the sudden fainting and melting of hearts.
8 pangs--The Hebrew means also a "messenger." HORSLEY, therefore, with the Septuagint translates, "The heralds (who bring word of the unexpected invasion) are terrified." MAURER agrees with English Version, literally, "they shall take hold of pangs and sorrows."
woman . . . travaileth-- (
1Thess 5:3).
amazed--the stupid, bewildered gaze of consternation.
faces . . . flames--"their visages have the livid hue of flame" [HORSLEY]; with anguish and indignation.
9 cruel--not strictly, but unsparingly just; opposed to mercy. Also answering to the cruelty (in the strict sense) of Babylon towards others (
Isa 14:17) now about to be visited on itself.
the land--"the earth" [HORSLEY]. The language of
Isa 13:9-
Isa 13:13 can only primarily and partially apply to Babylon; fully and exhaustively, the judgments to come, hereafter, on the whole earth. Compare
Isa 13:10 with
Matt 24:29;
Rev 8:12. The sins of Babylon, arrogancy (
Isa 13:11;
Isa 14:11;
Isa 47:7-
Isa 47:8), cruelty, false worship (
Jer 50:38), persecution of the people of God (
Isa 47:6), are peculiarly characteristic of the Antichristian world of the latter days (
Dan 11:32-
Dan 11:37;
Rev 17:3,
Rev 17:6;
Rev 18:6-
Rev 18:7,
Rev 18:9-
Rev 18:14,
Rev 18:24).
10 stars, &c.--figuratively for anarchy, distress, and revolutions of kingdoms (
Isa 34:4;
Joel 2:10;
Ezek 32:7-
Ezek 32:8;
Amos 8:9;
Rev 6:12-
Rev 6:14). There may be a literal fulfilment finally, shadowed forth under this imagery (
Rev 21:1).
constellations--Hebrew, "a fool," or "impious one"; applied to the constellation Orion, which was represented as an impious giant (Nimrod deified, the founder of Babylon) chained to the sky. See on
Job 38:31.
11 world--the impious of the world (compare
Isa 11:4).
arrogancy--Babylon's besetting sin (
Dan 4:22,
Dan 4:30).
the terrible--rather, tyrants [HORSLEY].
12 man . . . precious--I will so cut off Babylon's defenders, that a single man shall be as rare and precious as the finest gold.
13 Image for mighty revolutions (
Isa 24:19;
Isa 34:4;
Hab 3:6,
Hab 3:10;
Hag 2:6-
Hag 2:7;
Rev 20:11).
14 it--Babylon.
roe--gazelle; the most timid and easily startled.
no man taketh up--sheep defenseless, without a shepherd (
Zech 13:7).
every man . . . to his own people--The "mingled peoples" of foreign lands shall flee out of her (
Jer 50:16,
Jer 50:28,
Jer 50:37;
Jer 51:9).
15 found--in the city.
joined--"intercepted" [MAURER]. "Every one that has withdrawn himself," namely, to hide in the houses [GESENIUS].
16 (
Ps 137:8-
Ps 137:9).
17 Medes-- (
Isa 21:2;
Jer 51:11,
Jer 51:28). At that time they were subject to Assyria; subsequently Arbaces, satrap of Media, revolted against the effeminate Sardanapalus, king of Assyria, destroyed Nineveh, and became king of Media, in the ninth century B.C.
not regard silver--In vain will one try to buy his life from them for a ransom. The heathen XENOPHON (Cyropćdia, 5,1,10) represents Cyrus as attributing this characteristic to the Medes, disregard of riches. A curious confirmation of this prophecy.
18 bows--in the use of which the Persians were particularly skilled.
19 glory of kingdoms-- (
Isa 14:4;
Isa 47:5;
Jer 51:41).
beauty of . . . excellency--Hebrew, "the glory of the pride" of the Chaldees; it was their glory and boast.
as . . . Gomorrah--as utterly (
Jer 49:18;
Jer 50:40;
Amos 4:11). Taken by Cyrus, by clearing out the canal made for emptying the superfluous waters of the Euphrates, and directing the river into this new channel, so that he was able to enter the city by the old bed in the night.
20 Literally fulfilled.
neither . . . Arabian pitch tent--Not only shall it not be a permanent residence, but not even a temporary resting-place. The Arabs, through dread of evil spirits, and believing the ghost of Nimrod to haunt it, will not pass the night there (compare
Isa 13:21).
neither . . . shepherds--The region was once most fertile; but owing to the Euphrates being now no longer kept within its former channels, it has become a stagnant marsh, unfit for flocks; and on the wastes of its ruins (bricks and cement) no grass grows.
21 wild beasts--Hebrew, tsiyim, animals dwelling in arid wastes. Wild cats, remarkable for their howl [BOCHART].
doleful creatures--"howling beasts," literally, "howlings" [MAURER].
owls--rather, "ostriches"; a timorous creature, delighting in solitary deserts and making a hideous noise [BOCHART].
satyrs--sylvan demi-gods--half man, half goat--believed by the Arabs to haunt these ruins; probably animals of the goat-ape species [VITRINGA]. Devil-worshippers, who dance amid the ruins on a certain night [J. WOLFF].
22 wild beasts of the islands--rather, "jackals"; called by the Arabs "sons of howling"; an animal midway between a fox and a wolf [BOCHART and MAURER].
cry--rather, "answer," "respond" to each other, as wolves do at night, producing a most dismal effect.
dragons--serpents of various species, which hiss and utter dolorous sounds. Fable gave them wings, because they stand with much of the body elevated and then dart swiftly. MAURER understands here another species of jackal.
her time . . . near--though one hundred seventy-four years distant, yet "near" to Isaiah, who is supposed to be speaking to the Jews as if now captives in Babylon (
Isa 14:1-
Isa 14:2).
"It moves in lengthened elegiac measure like a song of lamentation for the dead, and is full of lofty scorn" [HERDER].
a pledge to assure the captives in Babylon that He who, with such ease, overthrew the Assyrian, could likewise effect His purpose as to Babylon. The Babylonian king, the subject of this prediction, is Belshazzar, as representative of the kingdom (Dan. 5:1-31).