the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
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Updated Bible Version
Isaiah 13:1
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The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz beheld.
The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.
This is the burthen of Babylon, whiche Esai the sonne of Amos did see.
The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.
The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.
The burden of Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw:
God showed Isaiah son of Amoz this message about Babylon:
The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the sonne of Amoz did see.
The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
This is ye heuy burthe of Babilo, which Esaye the sonne of Amos dyd se.
The Message on Babylon. Isaiah son of Amoz saw it:
The [mournful, inspired] oracle (a burden to be carried) concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw [in a prophetic vision]:
The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
The word of the Lord about Babylon which Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw.
The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.
This is a message about Babylon that God revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz:
This is the message that I was given about Babylon:
This is a prophecy about Bavel, which Yesha‘yahu the son of Amotz saw:
The burden of Babel, which Isaiah the sonne of Amoz did see.
THE prophecy concerning the fall of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.
The burden of Bavel, which Yesha`yahu the son of Amotz did see.
The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
Isaiah son of Amoz received this message concerning the destruction of Babylon:
The special word about Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw:
THE VISION WHICH ESAIAS SON OF AMOS SAW AGAINST BABYLON.
The burden of which Babylon, Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
This is an oracle concerning Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz received:
The oracle concerning Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw.
The oracle on Babylon, - of which Isaiah, son of Amoz had vision: -
The burden of Babylon which Isaias the son of Amos saw.
The oracle of Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw:
The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.
The pronouncement concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw:
God showed Isaiah son of Amoz this message about Babylon:
This is a message about Babylon, which Isaiah son of Amoz received from God.
An oracle against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw:
The birthun of Babiloyne, which birthun Ysaie, the sone of Amos, siy.
The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.
The burden of Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz hath seen:
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
am 3292, bc 712
burden: Isaiah 14:28, Isaiah 15:1, Isaiah 17:1, Isaiah 19:1, Isaiah 21:1, Isaiah 21:11, Isaiah 21:13, Isaiah 22:1, Isaiah 22:25, Isaiah 23:1, Jeremiah 23:33-38, Ezekiel 12:10, Nahum 1:1, Habakkuk 1:1, Zechariah 9:1, Zechariah 12:1, Malachi 1:1
of Babylon: Isaiah 14:4-23, Isaiah 21:1-10, Isaiah 43:14, Isaiah 44:1, Isaiah 44:2, Isaiah 47:1-15, Jeremiah 25:12-26, Jeremiah 50:1 - Jeremiah 51:23, Daniel 5:28 - Daniel 6:28, Revelation 17:1 - Revelation 18:24
which Isaiah: Isaiah 1:1
Reciprocal: Genesis 11:9 - Babel 2 Kings 9:25 - the Lord 2 Kings 20:12 - Babylon Psalms 79:6 - upon Psalms 87:4 - Babylon Psalms 137:8 - who art Isaiah 2:1 - saw Isaiah 39:1 - king Jeremiah 5:10 - ye up Jeremiah 9:26 - Egypt Jeremiah 25:26 - drink Jeremiah 27:7 - until Lamentations 1:21 - thou wilt Ezekiel 28:26 - when I Daniel 5:26 - God Habakkuk 2:7 - they Zephaniah 3:15 - he hath Zechariah 5:7 - talent
Cross-References
Isn't the whole land before you? separate yourself, I pray you, from me. If [you will take] the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if [you take] the right hand, then I will go to the left.
And Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur. And he sojourned in Gerar.
And [Abraham] planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and there called on the name of Yahweh, the Everlasting God.
So Joshua smote all the land, the hill-country, and the South, and the lowland, and the slopes, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but he completely destroyed all that breathed, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded.
And they shall divide it into seven portions: Judah shall abide in his border on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their border on the north.
And Achish said, Isn't it true, you made a raid today? And David said, Against the South of Judah, and against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.
and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah, at Beer-sheba.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
The burden of Babylon,.... That is, a prophecy concerning Babylon, as the word is rendered, Proverbs 31:1. The Septuagint and Arabic versions translate it "the vision"; it signifies a taking up w a speech against it, and pronouncing a heavy sentence on it, such an one as should sink it into utter destruction; which will be the case of mystical Babylon, when it shall be as a millstone cast into the sea, never to be brought up again, Revelation 18:21. The Targum is,
"the burden of the cup of cursing to give Babylon to drink:''
after some prophecies concerning the Messiah and his kingdom, and the church's song of praise for salvation by him, others are delivered out concerning the enemies of the people of God, and their destruction, and begin with Babylon the chief of these enemies, and into whose hands the people of Israel would be delivered for a while; wherefore this prophecy is given forth, in order to lay a foundation for comfort and relief, when that should be their case; by which it would appear that they should have deliverance from them by the same hand that should overthrow them:
which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see: by a spirit of prophecy; for this he saw not with his bodily eyes, though it was as clear and certain to him as if he had. The Targum is,
"which Isaiah the son of Amoz prophesied.''
w משא a נשא "tollere".
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
The burden of Babylon - Or, the burden “respecting,” or “concerning” Babylon. This prophecy is introduced in a different manner from those which have preceded. The terms which Isaiah employed in the commencement of his previous prophecies, were vision (see the note at Isaiah 1:1), or word Isaiah 2:1. There has been considerable diversity of opinion in regard to the meaning of the word ‘burden,’ which is here employed. The Vulgate renders it, Onus - ‘Burden,’ in the sense of load. The Septuagint Ὅρασις Horasis - ‘Vision.’ The Chaldee, ‘The burden of the cup of malediction which draws near to Babylon.’ The Hebrew word משׂא mas's'â', from נשׂא nâs'â', to lift, to raise up, to bear, to bear away, to suffer, to endure”), means properly that which is borne; that which is heavy; that which becomes a burden; and it is also applied to a gift or present, as that which is borne to a man 2 Chronicles 17:11.
It is also applied to a proverb or maxim, probably from the “weight” and “importance” of the sentiment condensed in it Proverbs 30:1; Proverbs 31:1. It is applied to an oracle from God 2 Kings 4:25. It is often translated ‘burden’ Isaiah 15:1-9; Isaiah 19:1; Isaiah 21:11, Isaiah 21:13; Isaiah 22:1; Isaiah 23:1; Isaiah 30:6; Isaiah 46:1; Jeremiah 23:33-34, Jeremiah 23:38; Nehemiah 1:1; Zechariah 1:1; Zechariah 12:1; Malachi 1:1. By comparing these places, it will be found that the term is applied to those oracles or prophetic declarations which contain sentiments especially weighty and solemn; which are employed chiefly in denouncing wrath and calamity; and which, therefore, are represented as weighing down, or oppressing the mind and heart of the prophet. A similar useage prevails in all languages. We are all familiar with expressions like this. We speak of news or tidings of so melancholy a nature as to weigh down, to sink, or depress our spirits; so heavy that we can scarcely bear up under it, or endure it. And so in this case, the view which the prophet had of the awful judgments of God and of the calamities which were coming upon guilty cities and nations, was so oppressive, that it weighed down the mind and heart as a heavy burden. Others, however, suppose that it means merely a message or prophecy which is taken up, or borne, respecting a place, and that the word indicates nothing in regard to the nature of the message. So Rosenmuller, Gesenius, and Cocceius, understand it. But it seems some the former interpretation is to be preferred. Grotins renders it, ‘A mournful prediction respecting Babylon.’
Did see - Saw in a vision; or in a scenical representation. The various events were made to pass before his mind in a vision, and he was permitted to see the armies mustered; the consternation of the people; and the future condition of the proud city. This verse is properly the title to the prophecy.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
CHAPTER XIII
God mustereth the armies of his wrath against the inhabitants
of Babylon, 1-6.
The dreadful consequences of this visitation, and the terror
and dismay of those who are the objects of it, 7-16.
The horrid cruelties that shall be indicted upon the
Babylonians by the Medes, 17, 18.
Total and irrecoverable desolation of Babylon, 19-22.
This and the following chapter, - striking off the five last verses of the latter, which belong to a quite different subject, - contain one entire prophecy, foretelling the destruction of Babylon by the Medes and Persians; delivered probably in the reign of Ahaz, (see Vitringa, i. 380,) about two hundred years before its accomplishment. The captivity itself of the Jews at Babylon, which the prophet does not expressly foretell, but supposes, in the spirit of prophecy, as what was actually to be effected, did not fully take place till about one hundred and thirty years after the delivery of this prophecy: and the Medes, who are expressly mentioned Isaiah 13:17, as the principal agents in the overthrow of the Babylonian monarchy, by which the Jews were released from that captivity, were at this time an inconsiderable people; having been in a state of anarchy ever since the fall of the great Assyrian empire, of which they had made a part, under Sardanapalus; and did not become a kingdom under Deioces till about the seventeenth of Hezekiah.
The former part of this prophecy is one of the most beautiful examples that can be given of elegance of composition, variety of imagery, and sublimity of sentiment and diction, in the prophetic style; and the latter part consists of an ode of supreme and singular excellence.
The prophecy opens with the command of God to gather together the forces which he had destined to this service, Isaiah 13:2-3. Upon which the prophet immediately hears the tumultuous noise of the different nations crowding together to his standard; he sees them advancing, prepared to execute the Divine wrath, Isaiah 13:4-5. He proceeds to describe the dreadful consequences of this visitation, the consternation which will seize those who are the objects of it; and, transferring unawares the speech from himself to God, Isaiah 13:11, sets forth, under a variety of the most striking images, the dreadful destruction of the inhabitants of Babylon which will follow, Isaiah 13:11-16, and the everlasting desolation to which that great city is doomed, Isaiah 13:17-22.
The deliverance of Judah from captivity, the immediate consequence of this great revolution, is then set forth, without being much enlarged upon, or greatly amplified, Isaiah 14:1; Isaiah 14:2. This introduces, with the greatest ease and the utmost propriety, the triumphant song on that subject, Isaiah 14:4-28. The beauties of which, the various images, scenes, persons introduced, and the elegant transitions from one to another, I shall here endeavour to point out in their order, leaving a few remarks upon particular passages of these two chapters to be given after these general observations on the whole.
A chorus of Jews is introduced, expressing their surprise and astonishment at the sudden downfall of Babylon; and the great reverse of fortune that had befallen the tyrant, who, like his predecessors, had oppressed his own, and harassed the neighbouring kingdoms. These oppressed kingdoms, or their rulers, are represented under the image of the fir trees and the cedars of Libanus, frequently used to express any thing in the political or religious world that is super-eminently great and majestic: the whole earth shouteth for joy; the cedars of Libanus utter a severe taunt over the fallen tyrant, and boast their security now he is no more
The scene is immediately changed, and a new set of persons is introduced. The regions of the dead are laid open, and Hades is represented as rousing up the shades of the departed monarchs: they rise from their thrones to meet the king of Babylon at his coming; and insult him on his being reduced to the same low estate of impotence and dissolution with themselves. This is one of the boldest prosopopoeias that ever was attempted in poetry; and is executed with astonishing brevity and perspicuity, and with that peculiar force which in a great subject naturally results from both. The image of the state of the dead, or the infernum poeticum of the Hebrews, is taken from their custom of burying, those at least of the higher rank, in large sepulchral vaults hewn in the rock. Of this kind of sepulchres there are remains at Jerusalem now extant; and some that are said to be the sepulchres of the kings of Judah. See Maundrell, p. 76. You are to form to yourself an idea of an immense subterranean vault, a vast gloomy cavern, all round the sides of which there are cells to receive the dead bodies; here the deceased monarchs lie in a distinguished sort of state, suitable to their former rank, each on his own couch, with his arms beside him, his sword at his head, and the bodies of his chiefs and companions round about him. See Ezekiel 32:27. On which place Sir John Chardin's MS. note is as follows: "En Mingrelie ils dorment tous leurs epees sous leurs tetes, et leurs autres armes a leur cote; et on les enterre de mesme, leurs armes posees de cette facon." In Mingrelia they always sleep with their swords under their heads, and their other arms by their sides; and they bury their dead with their arms placed in the same manner. These illustrious shades rise at once from their couches, as from their thrones; and advance to the entrance of the cavern to meet the king of Babylon, and to receive him with insults on his fall.
The Jews now resume the speech; they address the king of Babylon as the morning-star fallen from heaven, as the first in splendour and dignity in the political world, fallen from his high state; they introduce him as uttering the most extravagant vaunts of his power and ambitious designs in his former glory. These are strongly contrasted in the close with his present low and abject condition.
Immediately follows a different scene, and a most happy image, to diversify the same subject, to give it a new turn, and an additional force. Certain persons are introduced who light upon the corpse of the king of Babylon, cast out and lying naked on the bare ground, among the common slain, just after the taking of the city; covered with wounds, and so disfigured, that it is some time before they know him. They accost him with the severest taunts; and bitterly reproach him with his destructive ambition, and his cruel usage of the conquered; which have deservedly brought him this ignominious treatment, so different from that which those of his rank usually meet with, and which shall cover his posterity with disgrace.
To complete the whole, God is introduced, declaring the fate of Babylon, the utter extirpation of the royal family, and the total desolation of the city; the deliverance of his people, and the destruction of their enemies; confirming the irreversible decree by the awful sanction of his oath.
I believe it may with truth be affirmed, that there is no poem of its kind extant in any language, in which the subject is so well laid out, and so happily conducted, with such a richness of invention, with such variety of images, persons, and distinct actions, with such rapidity and ease of transition, in so small a compass, as in this ode of Isaiah. For beauty of disposition, strength of colouring, greatness of sentiment, brevity, perspicuity, and force of expression, it stands, among all the monuments of antiquity, unrivalled. - L.
NOTES ON CHAP. XIII.
Verse Isaiah 13:1. The burden of Babylon — The prophecy that foretells its destruction by the Medes and Persians: see the preceding observations.
