Comments on Isaiah 47

     This chapter closes off the chapters 40-47 block, and
pronounces a curse of destruction against Babylon.  In chapter 39
we heard Isaiah speak a curse against Jerusalem where Babylon would
sack it as a result of the inhabitant's rebellion against the Lord. 
Here at the end of the block, we have the Lord telling us Babylon 
will be annihilated.  In the previous two chapters we heard of 
Cyrus king of Persia who was to free Judah from Babylon, but we 
know from history at that time Zion was not established and that
Babylon was not smashed with populace led away as humiliated
slaves.  The result is we have a chapter which is ripe for 
eschatological interpretation.

     This chapter also closely parallels a number of other passages
in Isaiah.  In describing Babylon the account from chapter 14 of
the king of Babylon, the description of the king of Assyria from
chapter 10, and the various descriptions of apostate Israel are
employed.  The result is a composite character who is defined based
on behavior and not politics.  Note in this chapter that "Babylon" 
is references but there are no geographical or political 
characterizations.  "Babylon" is only characterized by social, 
cultural, and behavioral descriptors.  Thus, "Babylon" here takes 
on the shape of not a specific political nation or ethnic group 
against which the Lord is leveling His malediction, but rather a 
culturally normative group of people who engage in the behaviors 
presented.

     In general, this chapter uses the same style and rhetoric which
appears in the oracles against Gentile nations appearing in ch. 13-21, 
Jer. 46-51, and Ezek. 25-32.  Especially compare ch. 13, the burden 
of Babylon, which contains a number of similar statements (the 
pronouncement in ch. 13 is blatantly eschatological per 14:1-3).  

     The text of the chapter can be arranged in the following
pattern:

  A - Sit - Statement  (v. 1-4)
    B - Sit - Reason (v. 5-7)
  A - Secure - Statement  (v. 8-9)
    B - Secure - Reason (v. 10-13)
  A - Burned - Statement (v. 14)
    B - Burned - Reason (v. 15)

v1  The tender and delicate, luxurious and refined maiden who is the
glory of the kingdoms of the world is forced into servitude and
menial tasks.  Formerly she ordered others about so she could enjoy
a life of ease.  Now she is forced into servitude and abject 
humiliation by being stripped of her finery, made to wear servant 
garb.  Contrast this with Zion's adornment in 49:18.  Also contrast 
what has happened here to Babylon with what happens to Zion in 51:9-
52:2 (esp. 52:1 where Zion is summoned to arise from the dust 
arrayed in beautiful robes indicative of an eschatological reversal 
of fortune between Babylon and Zion) under similar circumstances.  
Additionally, compare this attack against Babylon with an earlier 
attack on Israel in 3:13-4:1.

v1a "in the dust", cp. 26:1-6, esp. v. 5 for the meaning of this
statement.

v1b "Fair Maiden Babylon", other interpreters render this "virgin
daughter of Babylon".  This translation is typically reinforced by
an interpretation of it making reference to the helpless and
particularly vulnerable condition of young unmarried women in times
of war.  I would tend to favor the JPS rendering as the image of v.
1 is that of a stately and regal one being forced to retire into
obscurity (consider the series of parallels in v. 1 where she is
described as regal, fair, tender and dainty).  It isn't until the
next verse the theme of plunder and captivity are introduced where
the symbol of a vulnerable young woman would be more contextual. 
As noted in the comments on 7:14 the Hebrew term for "virgin" is
equally applicable to a "young woman".

     Others present the symbolism of "virgin" as being indicative
of being unconquered.  In support of this interpretation see 37:22
and 33:1.

v2d "Wade through the rivers", a reference to being exported into
captivity to foreign nations.  Rivers commonly form political
boundaries, so when one goes into exile or foreign captivity one 
will probably have to cross rivers on forced march.  Which implies
wading through them.

v3d "And let no man intercede", probably has reference to the
events in v. 9-12 where the Lord will ignore their astrology and
magical arts.  This is indicative of the Lord's unwillingness to 
spare the wicked, as well as the complete lack of an intercessor 
on Babylon's behalf (as Israel has had numerous intercessors 
after the example of Moses, e.g., Judges).  The Lord provided
Israel with Judges because of the covenant relationship.  As
Babylon has no covenant relationship with the Lord, they have no
hope of His providing an intercessor.  In fact, this text 
suggests He is going out of the way to be sure they cannot have
one.

v5  Formerly Babylon was the center of attention of all the 
Gentile nations because of her wealth and glamour.  Now she will 
be thrust into obscurity and go from being the center of 
attention to being ignored and unwanted.

v6-7  The AB states, "Babylon was the agent of Yahweh's judgement 
of Israel, as Assyria had been his agent in the eight century B.C.;
see 2 Kings 17:1-23; Isa. 10:5-6; Amos 5:14.  Like Assyria (Isa.
10:7-15), Babylon has refused to recognize that its power came from
Yahweh.  Effectively it has arrogated divinity to itself.  Now
Babylon too must experience judgment.  Its false security, not
unlike the false security of pre-exilic Israel (Isa. 28:14-15; Jer.
7:4-11; Mic. 3:11-12), will be shattered."

v6a-d  Compare 39:6 and 43:28.

v7-9  Quoted in Rev. 18:7-8. 

v7c  Some translators render this verse to have "these things" be
a reference to the Lord's people in v. 6a.  The JPS obviously
favors the position that it is referring rather to the concept of
the sovereignty of the Lord.

v8 Babylon is characterized as egocentric, complacent, self-
indulgent and over-confident.  Note that all of these
characterizations are behavior based and not political or ethnic. 
The statement of "I am, there is none but me" echo the comments of
the king of Babylon in 14:13-14 and the divinity claims by the Lord
in the numerous legalistic confrontations between the Lord and the
idols in ch. 40-47, for a particularly similar statement see 46:9
(also cp. Zeph. 2:15).  The proclamation of "I am" on the part of
Babylon is probably intended to be indicative of a blasphemous
nature as the Lord's name is "I AM", cf. Exod. 3:14.  In this set
of characterizations, Babylon is portrayed as the complete
antithesis of Zion.  Zion is to be selfless, charitable and sacred.

     For additional condemnations of self-indulgent living at the
expense of others compare 3:16-17, 5:8-13, 32:9-13, Amos 4:1-3,
Hab. 2.

v9-13  Isaiah presents Babylon as the epitome of idolatry with 
their well developed arts of prognostication and their heavy
investment in the "science" of astrology-astronomy.   Compare the
series of 3 questions posed to Israel in chapter 40 concerning
idolatry and especially the in 40:25-26 which attacks astrology. 
Also with regard to the astrology and conjuring arts, cp. 44:25.
On this subject on v. 10-12 the WB states:

     There is absolutely no suggestion of mockery.  Rather--
     and for the time this was a magnificent achievement--
     he saw the connection between Babylon's absolute power 
     and her intellectual eminence:

       Your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray,
       so that you said in your heart, 'I, and no other!'

     This is probably the first occasion in world-history 
     when the way of making power absolute was not 
     conceived in material terms such as armies, armaments, 
     and financial resources, but in terms of the 
     intellectual substructures of power.  The literature of 
     the neo-Babylonian empire furnishes us with knowledge 
     of the diversity and profusion of Mesopotamia's 
     intellectual and religious life during the period to 
     let us understand this. [Isaiah] mentions sorceries,
     enchantments, expiatory rites, and astrology.  
     Nowadays we are prejudiced against all this...however 
     the extant documents from Mesopotamia give us some 
     idea of the immense intellectual efforts expended both 
     to influence the present by means of a plethora of
     magical formulae, and to safeguard the future, or 
     control it to one's advantage, by means of a whole body 
     of knowledge devoted to prediction, and, in particular, 
     to astrology.  As we know, the widespread preoccupation 
     with astrology also led to very considerable knowledge 
     in astronomy."  

Now, compare this with 2 Ne. 9:27-29.

v9  In a very short time period Babylon will go from being extremely
prosperous to totally destitute.  She will be turned into a widow
with no children, and thus no support or protection.  Babylon's
cunning arts will not prevent her from being made destitute.  Note 
the general subject of chapters 54 and 56 is the absorption of the
nations into Israel with 54:1-6 being the opposite condition for
Zion as occurred to Babylon.  With the destruction of the wicked on
the Day of the Lord, the surviving more righteous remnant will
resort to Zion and become Israel.  Thus, Babylon will be left
without remnant, a childless widow.  For other references to
bereavement and widowhood in Isaiah, cp. 3:16-4:6, 22:1-3, 32:6-12.

v10c "science", a reference to various mystical arts of divination,
prognostication and astrology.

v11b "charm away", the AB renders this "conjure away" and states,
"a word cognate to Akkadian 'sahiru', 'conjurer'.  The rites were
intended to block the activities of a malevolent demon....[and
indicative of] the hope placed by the Mesopotamian peoples in the
ability of the sorcerer to protect them from harm."  Note the JPS
footnote offers the emendation to "bribe".  This is based on
emending the Hebrew "sahrah" to "sahdah", contrast Israel to this
verse in 43:3 and 45:13.

v12 appears to be a mocking of the arm of flesh techniques of
astrology and divination.  The reference to possibly finding
strength is reminiscent of 40:28:31 and 44:12.  That the person has
resorted to these activities from their youth to no avail is
probably intended to show that the people are immature in their
approach and cling to things that are not effective.

v14  The consuming fire here is portrayed as not some comfortable
fire you could sit next to and control, but a ravaging destructive
blaze that consumes all in its path.  This kind of symbolism
equating the Lord's anger with a blazing inferno is common to
Isaiah and the other OT prophets as well.  Compare 1:25, 27-31
where a similar set of statements are made concerning Israel's
idolatry.  There, the burning is accompanied by the foundation of
Zion as well.  For references to the burning and consumption, cp.
5:25 and 34:6-10.

v15  The prognosticators the Babylonians have relied upon have
abandoned them in the hour of need.  They are either unwilling or
unable to assist them against the Lord.  This verse quoted in 
Rev. 18:3.