*H The burden of Babylon which Isaias the son of Amos saw.
Ver. 1. Burden. That is, a prophecy against Babylon. Ch. — Nimrod began the kingdom. Gen. x. Belus and Ninus brought it to great eminence. But after 1240 years, Babylon was taken by Cyrus. W. — Isaias delivered the seven following chapters in the first year of Ezechias. C. xiv. 28.
*H Upon the dark mountain lift ye up a banner, exalt the voice, lift up the hand, and let the rulers go into the gates.
Ver. 2. Mountain of Media, whence Darius came. It was usual to erect a signal, (c. xxx. 17. Jer. vi. 1.) to call troops together. C.
*H I have commanded my sanctified ones, and have called my strong ones in my wrath, them that rejoice in my glory.
Ver. 3. Sanctioned. The Medes and Persians were appointed by God to punish Babylon. W.
*H The noise of a multitude in the mountains, as it were of many people, the noise of the sound of kings, of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts hath given charge to the troops of war.
Ver. 4. Kings. Darius styles himself king of the Medes and Persians. Dan. vi. 12. Many princes and nations composed his army.
*H To them that come from a country afar off, from the end of heaven: the Lord and the instruments of his wrath, to destroy the whole land.
Ver. 5. Heaven. Where it seems to touch the horizon. Thus the countries beyond the Euphrates are often designated.
*H Howl ye, for the day of the Lord is near: it shall come as a destruction from the Lord.
Ver. 6. Near. Though one hundred and seventy-two years distant.
*H And shall be broken. Gripings and pains, shall take hold of them, they shall be in pain as a woman in labour. Every one shall be amazed at his neighbour, their countenances shall be as faces burnt.
Ver. 8. Burnt. Black with despair. Nah. ii. 10. and Joel ii. 6.
*H Behold, the day of the Lord shall come, a cruel day, and full of indignation, and of wrath, and fury, to lay the land desolate, and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
Ver. 9. Desolate. This was effected in the course of many centuries. C. — The building of Seleucia caused Babylon to be deserted. Pliny vi. 27. — Hence we know not at present where it was situated.
*H For the stars of heaven, and their brightness shall not display their light: the sun shall be darkened in his rising, and the moon shall not shine with her light.
Ver. 10. Stars. This is not to be taken literally, but only implies that the people shall be in as much consternation (C.) as if the world were at an end. v. 13. H. Grot. Mat. xxiv. 27. Apoc. vi. 12. Jer. iv. 23.
* Footnote * Ezechiel 32 : 7
And I will cover the heavens, when thou shalt be put out, and I will make the stars thereof dark: I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.* Footnote * Joel 2 : 10
At their presence the earth hath trembled, the heavens are moved: the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars have withdrawn their shining.* Footnote * Joel 3 : 15
The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars have withdrawn their shining.* Footnote * Matthew 24 : 29
And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be moved.* Footnote * Mark 13 : 24
But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light.* Footnote * Luke 21 : 25
And there shall be signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea, and of the waves:*H And I will visit the evils of the world, and against the wicked for their iniquity: and I will make the pride of infidels to cease, and will bring down the arrogancy of the mighty.
Ver. 11. World. The vices of all nations were concentrated at Babylon. C.
*H A man shall be more precious than gold, yea a man than the finest of gold.
Ver. 12. Precious. Rare, (W.) or sought after for destruction. v. 17.
*H For this I will trouble the heaven: and the earth shall be moved out of her place, for the indignation of the Lord of hosts, and for the day of his fierce wrath.
Ver. 13. Heaven. With thunders.
*H And they shall be as a doe fleeing away, and as a sheep: and there shall be none to gather them together: every man shall turn to his own people, and every one shall flee to his own land.
Ver. 14. Land. Baltassar shall be abandoned by his allies. Crœsus had been already defeated, before Cyrus invested Babylon.
* Footnote * Psalms 136 : 9
Blessed be he that shall take and dash thy little ones against the rock.*H Behold I will stir up the Medes against them, who shall not seek silver, nor desire gold:
Ver. 17. Medes. Who had set themselves at liberty about twenty years before this. They were not solicitous about gold. Ezec. vii. 19. Soph. i. 18.
*H And that Babylon, glorious among kingdoms, the famous pride of the Chaldeans, shall be even as the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha.
Ver. 19. Gomorrha. Towards the end of the Macedonian empire. C. — The Persians kept wild beasts in it. S. Jer. — The palace of Nabuchodonosor subsisted in the days of Benjamin, (C.) but could not be approached on account of serpents. Tudel. p. 70.
* Footnote * Genesis 19 : 24
And the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrha brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven.*H It shall no more be inhabited for ever, and it shall not be founded unto generation and generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch his tents there, nor shall shepherds rest there.
Ver. 20. Tents. To dwell, (C.) or to traffic. Theod. — Another city was built, but not so large, nor in the same place. W.
*H But wild beasts shall rest there, and their houses shall be filled with serpents, and ostriches shall dwell there, and the hairy ones shall dance there:
Ver. 21. Beasts. Heb. tsiim, "fishermen." — Serpents. Heb. ochim. Sept. "echo," (H.) or "reeds." Babylon was built on a marshy situation, and Cyrus having let out the waters of the Euphrates, they could never be effectually stopped. — Ostriches. Or swans. — Hairy. Goats. C. xxxiv. 14. C.
*H And owls shall answer one another there, in the houses thereof, and sirens in the temples of pleasure.
Ver. 22. Owls. Or jackals, which resemble foxes, and going in packs, will devour the largest creatures. Bochart. Parkhurst in aje. H. — But S. Jer. explains it of birds. Job xxviii. 7. Lev. xiv. — Sirens, fabulously supposed to be sweet singing women with wings. — Thannim denotes some great sea monsters, such as whales or sea calves. C.