Isa 13:1
13:1 The {a} burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz
     saw.

     (a) That is, the great calamity which was prophesied to
         come on Babel, a grievous burden which they were not
         able to bear. In these twelve chapters following he
         speaks of the plagues with which God would smite the
         strange nations (whom they knew) to declare that God
         chastised the Israelites as his children and these
         others as his enemies: and also that if God does not
         spare these who are ignorant, they must not think
         strange if he punishes them who have knowledge of his
         Law, and do not keep it.

Isa 13:2
13:2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice
     to them, shake the {b} hand, that they may go into the
     gates of the nobles.

     (b) That is, the Medes and Persians.

Isa 13:3
13:3 I have commanded my {c} sanctified ones, I have also called
     my mighty ones for my anger, [even] them that rejoice in my
     {d} highness.

     (c) That is, prepared and appointed to execute my
         judgments.
     (d) Who willingly go about to the work to which I appoint
         them, but how the wicked do this, read @Isa 10:6.

Isa 13:5
13:5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven,
     [even] the LORD, and the {e} weapons of his indignation, to
     destroy the whole land.

     (e) The army of the Medes and the Persians against Babylon.

Isa 13:6
13:6 Wail {f} ye; for the day of the LORD [is] at hand; it shall
     come as a destruction from the Almighty.

     (f) You Babylonians.

Isa 13:8
13:8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold
     of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth:
     they shall be amazed one at another; their faces [shall be
     as] {g} flames.

     (g) The Babylonians anger and grief will be so much that
         their faces will burn as fire.

Isa 13:10
13:10 For the {h} stars of heaven and its constellations shall
      not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his
      going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to
      shine.

      (h) They who are overcome will think that all the
          powers of heaven and earth are against them,
          @Eze 32:7, Joe 3:15, Mt 24:29.

Isa 13:11
13:11 And I will punish the {i} world for [their] evil, and the
      wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance
      of the {k} proud to cease, and will lay low the
      haughtiness of the terrible.

      (i) He compares Babylon to the whole world because they so
          esteemed themselves by reason of their great empire.
      (k) He notes the principal vice, to which they are most
          given as are all that abound in wealth.

Isa 13:12
13:12 I will make a {l} man more rare than fine gold; even a man
      than the golden wedge of Ophir.

      (l) He notes the great slaughter that will be, seeing the
          enemy will neither for gold or silver spare a man's
          life as in @Isa 13:17.

Isa 13:14
13:14 And {m} it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that
      no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own
      people, and flee every one to his own land.

      (m) Meaning the power of Babylon with their hired
          soldiers.

Isa 13:16
13:16 Their {n} children also shall be dashed to pieces before
      their eyes; their houses shall be plundered, and their
      wives ravished.

      (n) This was not accomplished when Cyrus took Babylon, but
          after the death of Alexander the great.

Isa 13:20
13:20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in
      from generation to generation: neither shall the {o}
      Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make
      their fold there.

      (o) Who used to go from country to country to find pasture
          for their beasts, but they will find none.

Isa 13:21
13:21 But {p} wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and
      their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls
      shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.

      (p) Who were either wild beasts or fools, or wicked
          spirits, by which Satan deluded man, as by the
          fairies, goblins, and such like fantasies.



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