13:1 The a burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz
saw.
(a) That is, the great calamity which was prophesied to
come on Babel, a grievous burden which they were not
able to bear. In these twelve chapters following he
speaks of the plagues with which God would smite the
strange nations (whom they knew) to declare that God
chastised the Israelites as his children and these
others as his enemies: and also that if God does not
spare these who are ignorant, they must not think
strange if he punishes them who have knowledge of his
Law, and do not keep it.
13:2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice
to them, shake the b hand, that they may go into the
gates of the nobles.
(b) That is, the Medes and Persians.
13:3 I have commanded my c sanctified ones, I have also called
my mighty ones for my anger, [even] them that rejoice in my
d highness.
(c) That is, prepared and appointed to execute my
judgments.
(d) Who willingly go about to the work to which I appoint
them, but how the wicked do this, read (Isa 10:6).
13:5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven,
[even] the LORD, and the e weapons of his indignation, to
destroy the whole land.
(e) The army of the Medes and the Persians against Babylon.
13:6 Wail f ye; for the day of the LORD [is] at hand; it shall
come as a destruction from the Almighty.
(f) You Babylonians.
13:8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold
of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth:
they shall be amazed one at another; their faces [shall be
as] g flames.
(g) The Babylonians anger and grief will be so much that
their faces will burn as fire.
13:10 For the h stars of heaven and its constellations shall
not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his
going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to
shine.
(h) They who are overcome will think that all the
powers of heaven and earth are against them,
(Eze 32:7, Joe 3:15, Mt 24:29).
13:11 And I will punish the i world for [their] evil, and the
wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance
of the k proud to cease, and will lay low the
haughtiness of the terrible.
(i) He compares Babylon to the whole world because they so
esteemed themselves by reason of their great empire.
(k) He notes the principal vice, to which they are most
given as are all that abound in wealth.
13:12 I will make a l man more rare than fine gold; even a man
than the golden wedge of Ophir.
(l) He notes the great slaughter that will be, seeing the
enemy will neither for gold or silver spare a man's
life as in (Isa 13:17).
13:14 And m it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that
no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own
people, and flee every one to his own land.
(m) Meaning the power of Babylon with their hired
soldiers.
13:16 Their n children also shall be dashed to pieces before
their eyes; their houses shall be plundered, and their
wives ravished.
(n) This was not accomplished when Cyrus took Babylon, but
after the death of Alexander the great.
13:20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in
from generation to generation: neither shall the o
Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make
their fold there.
(o) Who used to go from country to country to find pasture
for their beasts, but they will find none.
13:21 But p wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and
their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls
shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.
(p) Who were either wild beasts or fools, or wicked
spirits, by which Satan deluded man, as by the
fairies, goblins, and such like fantasies.
