Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Isaiah · Chapter 47
CHAP. XLVII.
COme down, and sit in the dust, O virgin, daughter of Babylon, &c. In these Vers. 1.and the next words it is shewed, that Babylon the head-City of the world, and now as a beautifull virgin in her chiefest glory, should become as a poor Captive debased with the lowest debasement, and grinding at a mill, which Jerom saith, some apply to spiritual Babylon, Rome, for by this name Peter in Hieronym. Vers. 3.his Epistle calleth Rome. Whereas it is added, Thy nakednesse shall be seen, it is meant, that she should be prostituted to the will of others, as an whore; in which sense the uncovering of a womans shame is often used Levit. 18. and this is taken by Jerom as added to grinding at a mill for explanation; so Samson is said to be made to grinde by the Philistims, when they had put out his eyes, by lying with their women to get stout and strong men. But this is only a vain fancy both there and here, if none other words had been added but those of grinding; but here the Prophet intending to set forth the slavish condition of Babylon, not only being put to so hard and base a work as grinding at a mill, but also in continuing his Allegory of a virgin her being forced and ravished as it were by her enemies, and so spoiled of her virginity, and turned into the base condition of a common whore; he doth to shew this use a further expression, Ʋncover thy lock, make bare thy thigh, uncover thy hip, thy nakednesse shall be Vers. 2. Calvin.uncovered, &c. Here is a description, saith Calvin, of a people in all manner of misery, being before curiously deckt as a fair and rich Virgin of Noble descent, her locks curled, and her body cloathed with most gorgeous apparell from top to toe; but now her hair hanging neglected and she being stript naked, no not the privy parts, which nature tels should be kept secret and covered, being spared, and thus forced to go through the waters all filthy and squalidous into Captivity. And in speaking of the waters he alludeth to the situation of Babylon, compassed about with great rivers. Thy nakednesse shall then be uncovered, and thy shame seen; that is, as whilst the body is curiously Vers. 3.deckt the blemishes thereof are not seen, but strip it naked and then the deformity appeareth; so a state being in honour the blemishes thereof are hidden by the outward cover of worldly prosperity and glory, cruelty is but justice, oppressing of others, valour; pride glory, and covetousness worthiness to the greater strengthening of the state: But strip it of wealth and power, and bring it under, and then these shamefull vices are seen and talked of by every one, as they are to their shame that are thus blemished. I will take revenge and will not meet man. Some, as a man, whose force may be resisted. Vulg. Man shall not resist me: But Hebr. it is in the first person, I will not meet, or occurre, or come against man. Some, I will not be met by man, although any should come out to intercede when I am about to take revenge, but will proceed. The first is best and least coact: I will not as a man oppose her, but as God Almighty, so that she shall not be able to withstand these my terrible judgements, when the time of execution is come. I that now bid Babylon come down, will make my word powerfull to bring her down: As at the first I said, Let there be light, and Let the waters gather together, &c. and it was so: and as from time to time I speak of any Nation, Be plucked up rooted out, and destroyed: And I am in none of these as a man, whose words are but winde.Jer. 18. 7.
As for our redeemer the Lord of hosts is his name. Having hitherto spoken of Vers. 4.the miseries of Babylon, of which also he goes on to speak, vers. 5. he answers a question that might be made here by reason of the last words of vers. 3. I will not come against her as a man. Why, what art thou then? Ans. Our redeemer, who will redeem us out of Captivity when this is done, is the Lord of hosts, with whom no armies or hosts in the world are able to deal; therefore it shall certainly be so. And because it shall be so, Sit in darknesse, O daughter of the Vers. 5.Caldees; Babylon being so called, because built by the Caldees: That is, abide in misery, expecting no more dominion over Nations.
I was wroth with my people, and have polluted mine inheritance. If any man Vers. 6.shall say in Babylons behalf, Why is she thus threatned, seeing she hath done nothing against Judah but what God appointed her to do? Ans. She exceeded the measure, as not understanding by what means and for what cause she prevailed. God gave his people into her hands, and made her Lady over their Land, thus polluting or making it common to other Nations, which was the Lords inheritance peculiarly, and his peoples; and this he did but for a time in his wrath, because they had greatly sinned. But the Caldees taking no notice of this that the Lord did it, and that for their correction, not their destruction, proudly tyrannized over them as their vassals, brought thus under by their own strength, not sparing from cruel and contemptuous usage, the very ancient, who by the law of nature are venerable in all Nations. A warning to Victorers at any time subduing the faithfull, to take heed of pride by Note. ascribing victory to themselves (for God gives it to whomsoever it happens) and exceeding measure in the cruel and spitefull usage of the vanquished, especially of the ancient.
Thou saiest, I shall be a lady for ever, &c. Here the security of Babylon is set forth, notwithstanding her ill deserts threatning terrible judgements to come Vers. 7, 8.upon her, she yet feared nothing, either widdowhood or losse of children; but he threatneth her with both in one day, for her sorceries and inchantments so greatly abounding. And this was fulfilled when Babylon being taken by Cyrus, her people were slain, none being suffered any more to inhabit there; and her King at the same time, viz. Belshazzar, Dan. 5. for he was, as it were, her husband, and the people her children: Thus also Jerom. And full of sorceries Hieron.and inchantments she was, because full of Wizzards and Astrologers, deeming themselves to be the wisest men in the world, as being able to see into, not only things present, but to come long after, by the constellations, whereupon I have touched before, chap 44. 25.
Thou hast trusted in thy wickednesse, &c. Here he cals that which the Caldee Vers. 10.Astrologers counted wisdom, wickednesse: They could see no evil coming upon them by the starres, and therefore feared none; for which he saith, Thy wisdom hath deceived thee. And vers. 11. Evil shall come upon thee and thou shalt Vers. 11.not know. If not, let them prove it otherwise by saving thee and themselves, vers. 12, 13. which he sheweth that they should not be able to do, because, as fire burneth the stubble, so should Gods judgements consume them, vers. 14. and then it is added, There shall be no coal to warm at, whereby he meaneth that they should be consumed as straw to ashes, not as wood that must be longer Vers. 14.in burning to coals; whereby both the suddennesse of their destruction is set forth, and their utter destruction, nothing combustible remaining to Babylon after this any more, as there did not to Sodom or Gomorrah, which were turned to ashes. Jerom saith, that the Hebrews by a coal not remaining to the Astrologers, Hieronym.understood a coal or spark to give the least light; but it is not said, coal to give light, but to warm them, fire to sit before, Hebr.
Thus shall they be to thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, &c. Vulg. Thus they are made to thee in whom thou hast laboured, thy merchants. That Vers. 15.is, Thy Astrologers are become, as then shall appear, evil negotiatours for thee, changing thee from better to worse, and so leaving thee finally to destruction. And he speaks of their labouring about Astrologers, because they had Calvin.that art in esteem, and laboured therefore to promote it, and to increase their number; and he compareth them to Merchants, because as they, so Astrologers had all crafty waies to beguile those that had to do with them.