Major Prophets · Chapter 47 of 66

Isaiah 47

Isaiah pronounces judgment on Babylon, personified as a proud virgin daughter dethroned and forced into the dust and slave labor. Once God's instrument against Israel, she showed no mercy and boasted, I am, and none else. Now widowhood and loss of children fall on her in a single day. Her sorceries, enchantments, and astrologers cannot save her; they are stubble before the fire, and no one will rescue her.

What happens in Isaiah 47

Isaiah addresses Babylon as a pampered virgin daughter now commanded to come down from her throne, sit in the dust, take up millstones, and grind meal like a slave, her shame exposed. God declares He will take vengeance. He had been angry with His people and gave them into Babylon's hand, but Babylon showed no mercy, laying a heavy yoke even on the aged, and arrogantly assumed she would rule as a lady forever. Because she said in her heart, I am, and none else beside me, and imagined herself safe from widowhood and loss of children, both will fall on her suddenly in a single day, despite her many sorceries and enchantments.

Isaiah taunts her to keep standing with her spells and astrologers, her stargazers and monthly prognosticators, and see if they can save her. They cannot; they are like stubble the fire burns. Her merchants and lifelong partners will wander off, and none will save her.

Isaiah 47 in context

This taunt-song announces the fall of Babylon, the empire that would carry Judah into exile and, God promised, be overthrown in turn by Cyrus of Persia. Babylon was famed for its astrology, magic, and pride as the queen of kingdoms. Isaiah exposes the emptiness of that occult wisdom and self-exalting arrogance.

The chapter reassures the exiles that their oppressor's dominance is temporary, subject to the God who uses nations for judgment yet holds them accountable for their cruelty.

Main themes of Isaiah 47

Isaiah 47 (KJV)

1Come 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. 2Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers. 3Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man. 4As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel. 5Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms. 6I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke. 7And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it. 8Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children: 9But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. 10For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me. 11Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. 12Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. 13Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. 14Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it. 15Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.

Verses to carry from Isaiah 47

“I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.”Isaiah 47:6

“Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:”Isaiah 47:8

“For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.”Isaiah 47:10

Reflection

Babylon's boast, I am, and none else, warns me how pride quietly claims a security that belongs to God alone. I can trust in my own competence, planning, or influence as though nothing could touch me. Isaiah shows every such self-made safety to be stubble before the fire, and calls me back to depend on God alone.

A prayer from Isaiah 47