Isaiah 47

Come down and sit in the dust, virgin daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, daughter of the Chaldeans. For you will no longer be called tender and delicate. Wesley: Down—From thy throne. Virgin—So called, because she was tender and delicate. No throne—For thee. The empire is taken from thee, and translated to the Persians. Called—Be so.

She comes down from the throne; virgin names her tender and delicate, not chaste; the empire is taken and translated to the Persians; she will no longer be called tender and delicate. Come down, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit without a throne, daughter of the Chaldeans; throne gone to the Persians.

Come down and sit in the dust, virgin daughter of Babylon. Calvin: explains the counsel of God—overthrow of Babylon and deliverance of the people connected; Babylon’s rank was a grave for the Jews. Imperative Come down more forceful, as from the judgment-seat (Jer 1:10). Virgin daughter: not modest or chaste, but brought up softly, never forced by enemies (as formerly of Sidon). His Venice comparison illustrates; the subject stays Babylon.

Come down is the judgment-seat’s sentence; virgin is soft upbringing, not chastity; overthrow of Babylon and Israel’s deliverance are one counsel. Wesley concurs: Babylon; throne gone; tender and delicate no more.

Take the millstones and grind flour. Remove your veil, lift up your skirt, uncover your legs, and wade through the rivers. Wesley: Millstones—Thou shalt be brought to the basest slavery, which grinding at the mill was esteemed. For this work was not performed by horses, as now it is, but by the labour of slaves and captives. Grind—Grind bread-corn into meal for thy master’s use. Uncover—Take off the ornaments wherewith such women as were of good quality used to cover and dress their heads. These are predictions of what they should be forced to do or suffer. Thigh—Gird up thy garments close and short about thee, that thou mayest be fit for travelling on foot, and for passing over those rivers, through which thou wilt be constrained to wade, in the way to the land of thy captivity.

Mill-slavery, not horse-mills; grind meal for a master; ornaments off; garments girt short to wade rivers toward captivity. Millstones; grind flour; veil and robe off; legs uncovered; pass through the rivers.

Take the millstones and grind flour. Calvin: great change—highest honor to lowest disgrace. Millstones: marks of degrading slavery; meanest slaves shut up in a mill. Unbind curled locks; uncover limbs to cross rivers.

From throne to mill; curled locks unbound; limbs uncovered to wade. Wesley says as much: mill-slavery; ornaments off; rivers crossed on the way down.

Your nakedness will be uncovered. Yes, your shame will be seen. I will take vengeance, and will spare no one. Wesley: Uncovered—Either for want of raiment to cover it; or rather, by thine enemies in way of scorn and contumely. As a man—With moderation and gentleness, as those men who have not quite put off humanity use to do.

Nakedness uncovered by enemies in scorn; he will not meet her as a man—with moderation and gentleness; no humanity left in the stroke. Where they meet: nakedness uncovered; disgrace seen; I will take vengeance; no mercy. He will take vengeance; he will spare no one.

Your nakedness will be uncovered. Yes, your shame will be seen. I will take vengeance, and will spare no one. Calvin: baseness discovered when wealth’s veils are removed (Demosthenes on cities—illustration). I will take vengeance and will not meet a man: some supply “as a man”—you do not deal with man whose attack you can resist; others “I will not allow a man to meet me” as intercessor. Calvin prefers the former as smoother; either way the Lord will destroy the Babylonians and there will be no room for mercy.

Veils of wealth fall; vengeance meets no man; no room for mercy. Wesley reads it the same way: nakedness uncovered; vengeance; no mercy. I will take vengeance; I will spare no one.

Our Redeemer, the LORD of Armies is his name, is the Holy One of Israel. From v. 3: As a man—with moderation and gentleness he will not meet her; I will take vengeance, and will spare no one. So here: Our Redeemer, the LORD of Armies is his name, is the Holy One of Israel, the same who takes that vengeance.

The Redeemer named here is the Holy One who in v. 3 takes vengeance and will not meet as a man. Our Redeemer, the LORD of Armies is his name; the Holy One of Israel.

Our Redeemer, the LORD of Armies is his name, is the Holy One of Israel. Calvin: Our Redeemer—punishment of Babylon is for the salvation of his people (Isa 45:4). Holy One of Israel: not in vain he chose this people. The Redeemer is the LORD of Armies.

Babylon’s fall is Israel’s redemption; he chose this people not in vain; Jehovah of Armies is his name. Wesley concurs: Our Redeemer, the LORD of Armies; the Holy One of Israel.

Sit in silence, and go into darkness, daughter of the Chaldeans. For you shall no longer be called the mistress of kingdoms. Wesley: Silent—Thro’ grief and shame, as mourners use to do. The lady—The chief and glory of all kingdoms.

Silence is grief and shame of mourners; she is no more the lady, the chief and glory of all kingdoms.

Sit in silence, and go into darkness, daughter of the Chaldeans. Calvin: Sit silent—shame; contrast with her former loud commands over the East. Lady of kingdoms no more; Babylonian monarchy very widely extended.

Silence after loud command; the widely extended monarchy is lady no more. Wesley reads it the same way: Sit in silence; darkness; mistress/lady of kingdoms no more.

I was angry with my people. I profaned my inheritance and gave them into your hand. You showed them no mercy. You laid a very heavy yoke on the aged. Wesley: Polluted—I cast them away as an unclean thing. Into thine hand—To punish them. No mercy—Thou hast exceeded the bounds of thy commission. The ancient—Who besides their common calamity were afflicted with the miseries of old age, and therefore did require both pity and reverence.

He gave them into Babylon’s hand to punish them; she exceeded the bounds of that commission; the aged required pity and reverence and got a heavy yoke. I was angry with my people; I handed them over to you, and you showed them no mercy; you laid a heavy yoke on the aged. I was angry; And gave them into your hand.

I was angry with my people. I profaned my inheritance and gave them into your hand. You showed them no mercy. You laid a very heavy yoke on the aged. Calvin: I was angry with my people—anticipation; captivity is God’s scourge; he who struck will heal. Babylonians seized the occasion for cruelty, as if one became the executioner of a child a father had put into his hands to be chastised. Hence they have no right to be proud. I profaned my heritage: not a change of purpose so as to cast away the covenant; still his people; anger in Scripture refers to us who provoke, not to an emotion that stops his love; elect do not perish. How could they go beyond the limit God assigned? Not in their power actually to go beyond the limit, but he looked at their cruelty—they endeavored utterly to ruin those who had surrendered (Zech 1:15; James 2:13). On the old man: they did not spare even the aged.

Scourge then heal; executioner of a child; not actually beyond the assigned limit, but cruelty of intent counted; covenant not cast away; elect do not perish. Common ground with Wesley: I was angry with my people; I handed them over to you, and you showed them no mercy; you laid a heavy yoke on the aged. He who struck will heal; anger is not a change of purpose.

You said, “I will be a princess forever,” so that you didn’t lay these things to your heart, nor did you remember the results. Wesley: These things—Thy cruel usages of my people, and the heavy judgments which thou hadst reason to expect for them. Nor remember—Thou didst not consider what might and was likely to befal thee afterward.

The forever-mistress boast refused to lay the cruel usages and coming judgments to heart; she did not consider what might befal her afterward. Both traditions hear: I will be a princess forever; these things not laid to heart; their end not remembered.

You said, “I will be a princess forever.” Calvin: Thou saidst I shall for ever be a mistress—haughtiness of perpetual dominion; children of this world intoxicated by prosperity. Say = conclude in one’s own mind. Didst not remember her end: the end of Jerusalem, the Church; they mock calamities of good men. Do—Jerusalem under the yoke of v. 6.

Perpetual-dominion boast; end of Jerusalem not remembered; prosperity intoxicated them. Wesley says as much: I will be a princess forever; these things not laid to heart; their end forgotten.

Now therefore hear this, you who are given to pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, “I am, and there is no one else besides me. I won’t sit as a widow, neither will I know the loss of children.” Wesley: I am—Independent, and self-sufficient. None—Which is not either subject to me, or far inferior to me in power and glory. Shall not sit—I shall never want either a king or people to defend me.

I am is independent self-sufficiency; none besides is none subject or none equal in power and glory; she will never want king or people. Lover of pleasures; sit securely; I am, and there is no one else besides me; not a widow, no loss of children.

Now therefore hear this, you who are given to pleasures, who sit securely. Calvin: delicate woman. I am, and there is none besides me: only God can truly say I AM (Ex 3:14); Babylon by this made war with God. I won’t sit as a widow.

The delicate secure woman claims I AM, the name that is God’s alone; the boast is war with God. Wesley concurs: I am, and there is no one else besides me; not a widow; lover of pleasures sitting securely.

These two things will come to you in a moment in one day: the loss of children and widowhood. They will come on you in their full measure, in the multitude of your sorceries, and the great abundance of your enchantments. Wesley: Perfection—In the highest degree.

The two things come in a moment, in one day, in the highest degree—loss of children and widowhood—despite the sorceries.

These two things will come to you in a moment in one day. Calvin: two things suddenly—widowhood and childlessness in perfection. For/in the multitude of divinations: either cause or notwithstanding; Calvin: they trusted such delusions and dreaded nothing.

Widowhood and childlessness in perfection, suddenly; they trusted the delusions and dreaded nothing. Wesley says as much: two things in a moment; loss of children and widowhood in full/perfection; sorceries.

You have trusted in your wickedness. You have said, “No one sees me”; your wisdom and your knowledge has perverted you. You have said in your heart, “I am, and there is no one else besides me.” Wesley: Trusted—Confidently expecting to preserve thyself by these and other wicked arts. None seeth—My counsels are so deeply laid. Perverted—Hath misled thee into the way of perdition. None seeth—Which is repeated, to denote their intolerable self-confidence.

Trusted wicked arts to preserve herself; no one sees—counsels deeply laid; wisdom perverted her into perdition; the none-seeth and I-am repeated for intolerable self-confidence. Both readings: felt secure in wickedness; No one sees me; wisdom led astray; I am, and there is no one else besides me.

You have trusted in your wickedness. You have said, “No one sees me.” Calvin: Trustedst in thy malice—fraud and oppression by which they enlarged the kingdom; great kingdoms are great robberies. Thou saidst, No one seeth me. I, and there is none beside me: blasphemies repeated.

Security in malice; empire as robbery; no one sees; the I-am blasphemy said again. Wesley concurs: felt secure in wickedness; No one sees me; I am, and there is no one else besides me.

Therefore disaster will come on you. You won’t know when it dawns. Mischief will fall on you. You won’t be able to put it away. Desolation will come on you suddenly, which you don’t understand. Wesley: Therefore—This agrees with the history. Babylon being surprized by Cyrus, when they were in deep security.

The evil, disaster, and ruin match the history—Babylon surprized by Cyrus in deep security; they cannot charm it away or atone. Shared loudly with Calvin: Cyrus surprise in deep security; ruin suddenly. Ruin shall come suddenly as he said; they know nothing of it because he said they would not.

Therefore disaster will come on you. You won’t know when it dawns. Mischief will fall on you. You won’t be able to put it away. Desolation will come on you suddenly, which you don’t understand. Calvin: sudden destruction when they say Peace (1 Thess 5:3); Daniel 5:30—Babylon taken in a night. Shared with Wesley’s Cyrus surprise in deep security. Historic.

Peace, then a night; Daniel 5:30; they cannot charm or atone. Shared loudly with Wesley: Cyrus surprise in deep security; ruin suddenly. Ruin comes suddenly as he said.

Stand now with your enchantments and with the multitude of your sorceries, in which you have labored from your youth, as if you might profit, as if you may inspire terror. Wesley: Stand—Persist in these practices. Laboured—From the beginning of thy kingdom. For the Chaldeans in all ages were famous for the practice of these arts.

Persist in the arts; laboured from the beginning of the kingdom; Chaldeans famous in all ages for them; the perhaps is taunt. Stand fast in enchantments and many sorceries; labored from youth; perhaps succeed, perhaps inspire terror.

Stand now with your enchantments and with the multitude of your sorceries. Calvin: Stand now amidst thy divinations—do as thou art wont; in the end the event will instruct. Alludes to augurs remaining unmoved till a sign is seen.

Keep standing as the augurs stand; the event will instruct; perhaps is taunt. Common ground with Wesley: Stand fast in the old Chaldean arts; labored from youth.

You are worn out with all your counsels; let the astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly forecasters stand up now and save you from what is coming on you. Wesley: Wearied—Thou hast spent thy time and strength in going from one to another, and all to no purpose.

Time and strength spent going from counselor to counselor, all to no purpose; let the astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly prognosticators stand up and save—they cannot. Wearied with many counsels; dividers of the heavens; star-gazers; new-moon prognosticators.

You are worn out with all your counsels; let the astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly forecasters stand up now and save you from what is coming on you. Calvin: Wearied in the multitude of counsels. Binders of the heavens / astrologers / monthly prognosticators. Judicial astrology versus prophets; fatal necessity of stars would extinguish divine predictions.

Binders of the heavens, astrologers, monthly prognosticators wearied and unable to save; the stars’ necessity would cancel prophecy, and it will not. Wesley says as much: wearied with many counsels; they cannot save.

Behold, they are like stubble. The fire will burn them. They won’t deliver themselves from the power of the flame. It won’t be a coal to warm at or a fire to sit before! From v. 13: Wearied—Thou hast spent thy time and strength in going from one to another, and all to no purpose. So here: Behold, they are like stubble. The fire will burn them—the same wearied counselors won’t deliver themselves from the flame. Paraphrase from v. 15: Thus—Such comfortless and helpless creatures.

The wearied counselors of v. 13 are stubble, not a hearth; no coal to warm, no fire to sit before; they cannot deliver themselves. The fire will burn them. They won’t deliver themselves; no coal, no fire to sit before.

Behold, they are like stubble. The fire will burn them. They won’t deliver themselves from the power of the flame. It won’t be a coal to warm at or a fire to sit before! Calvin: they shall be as stubble; fire consumes; not wood for heat but useless stubble.

Not a hearth-fire but consuming flame; useless stubble, no coal to warm, no fire to sit before. Wesley concurs: stubble; fire consumes; they cannot deliver themselves.

Such to you labored in will be like this: those who have trafficked with you from your youth will each wander in his own way. There will be no one to save you. Wesley: Thus—Such comfortless and helpless creatures. They—Merchants who came from several countries to trade with Babylon. And the verse may be thus rendered; Thus (vain and unprofitable) shall they (thy sorcerers) with whom thou hast laboured be unto thee: also thy merchants shall wander every one to his own quarter.

Comfortless, helpless; sorcerers vain and unprofitable; merchants from several countries wander each to his own quarter; no one to save. Those with whom you labored from youth; they wander each his own way; there will be no one to save you.

Such to you labored in will be like this: those who have trafficked with you from your youth will each wander in his own way. There will be no one to save you. Calvin: traffickers/dealers; chiefly the diviners; from thy youth. Every one to his quarter: flight, with allusion to quarters of the heavens they divide. None shall save thee.

The dealers are chiefly the diviners; flight to the quarters they used to divide; none shall save thee. Wesley says as much: labored from youth; they wander each his own way; no one to save.