Isaiah 47

The Fall of Babylon

1 "Go down and sit in the dust,  * 47:1 Is 3:26; Jr 48:18

Virgin Daughter Babylon.  * 47:1 Ps 137:8; Jr 50:42; 51:33; Zch 2:7

Sit on the ground without a throne,

Daughter Chaldea!

For you will no longer be called pampered and spoiled.

2 Take millstones and grind flour;  * 47:2 Ex 11:5; Jb 31:10; Mt 24:41

remove your veil,

strip off your skirt, bare your thigh,

wade through the streams.

3 Your nakedness will be uncovered,

and your disgrace will be exposed.  * 47:3 Jr 13:26; Lm 1:8; Ezk 16:37; Nah 3:5

I will take vengeance;

I will spare no one."  * 47:3 Hb obscure

4 The Holy One of Israel is our Redeemer;  * 47:4 Is 41:14; 43:14

The Lord of Armies is his name.

5 "Daughter Chaldea,

sit in silence  * 47:5 Is 23:2; Jr 8:14; Lm 2:10; 3:2,28 and go into darkness.

For you will no longer be called mistress of kingdoms.

6 I was angry with my people;

I profaned my possession,

and I handed them over to you.

You showed them no mercy;

you made your yoke very heavy on the elderly.

7 You said, ‘I will be the queen forever.’

You did not take these things to heart

or think about their outcome.

8 "So now hear this, lover of luxury,

who sits securely,  * 47:8 Zph 2:15

who says to herself,

‘I am, and there is no one else.

I will never be a widow

or know the loss of children.’  * 47:8 Rv 18:7

9 These two things will happen to you

suddenly, in one day:

loss of children and widowhood.

They will happen to you in their entirety,

in spite of your many sorceries  * 47:9 Is 47:13; Nah 3:4; Rv 18:23

and the potency of your spells.

10 You were secure in your wickedness;

you said, ‘No one sees me.’  * 47:10 Ps 139:3,11

Your wisdom and knowledge

led you astray.

You said to yourself,

‘I am, and there is no one else.’

11 But disaster will happen to you;

you will not know how to avert it.

And it will fall on you,

but you will be unable to ward it off.  * 47:11 Or to atone for it

Devastation will happen to you suddenly

and unexpectedly.  * 47:11 Is 13:6; Jr 51:8,43; Lk 17:27; 1Th 5:3

12 So take your stand with your spells

and your many sorceries,

which you have wearied yourself with from your youth.

Perhaps you will be able to succeed;

perhaps you will inspire terror!

13 You are worn out with your many consultations.

So let the astrologers stand and save you —

those who observe the stars,  * 47:13 Is 8:19; 44:25; 47:9; Dn 2:2,10

those who predict monthly

what will happen to you.

14 Look, they are like stubble;  * 47:14 Is 5:24; Nah 1:10; Mal 4:1

fire burns them.  * 47:14 Is 10:17; Jr 51:30–32,58

They cannot rescue themselves

from the power of the flame.

This is not a coal for warming themselves,

or a fire to sit beside!

15 This is what they are to you —

those who have wearied you

and have traded with you from your youth —

each wanders on his own way;

no one can save you.