Isaiah 47:9

9 Both of these will happen to you at once, on a single day: childlessness and widowhood will envelop you in full measure, despite your many sorceries, despite your very powerful spells.

Isaiah 47:9 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 47:9

But these two things shall come to thee in a moment on one day,
&c.] Suddenly, at once, at one and the same time. The destruction of Babylon was very sudden; the city was taken by surprise, before the inhabitants were aware of it, while the king and his nobles were regaling themselves at a feast; that very night Belshazzar was slain, and Darius the Mede took the kingdom, ( Daniel 5:30 Daniel 5:31 ) and so those two things she boasted of would never be her lot came upon her together and at once: "the loss of children, and widowhood"; bereaved of her king, and the whole royal family, and of her people in great numbers, who were either slain, or carried captive; or, however, the kingdom was transferred from them to another people. When Babylon was taken by Cyrus, according to Xenophon ^F11, not only the king was slain, but those that were about him; and orders were presently given to the inhabitants to keep within doors, and to slay all that were found without. Though Dr. Prideaux ^F12 thinks this prophecy had its accomplishment when Babylon was besieged by Darius, who, to save provisions, slew all their own women, wives, sisters, daughters, and all their children, reserving only one wife and maidservant to a man; and when it was taken, Darius ordered three thousand of the principal inhabitants to be crucified. And in much such language is the destruction of mystical Babylon expressed, when God shall "kill her children with death; her plagues shall come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine", ( Revelation 2:23 ) ( 18:8 ) : they shall come upon thee in their perfection;
those evils and calamities shall be fully accomplished, not in part only, but in whole; she should have no king to govern, nor anything like one; should have no share of government; and her children or subjects should be entirely destroyed: for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of
thine enchantments;
which the Chaldeans were very famous for; this is another reason given for their destruction; see ( Daniel 2:2 ) , or, "in the multitude of thy sorceries" ^F13; notwithstanding these, her destruction should come upon her, which her sorcerers and enchanters could neither foresee nor prevent. Sorceries are ascribed to mystical Babylon, and as the cause of her ruin, ( Revelation 9:21 ) ( 18:23 ) .

---

FOOTNOTES:

F11 Cyropaedia, 1. 7. sect. 23.
F12 Connexion part 1. B. 3. p. 188, 189.
F13 (Kypvk bwrb) "in multitudine maleficiorum tuorum", Munster, Montanus; "in multitudine praestigiarum", Cocceius.

Isaiah 47:9 In-Context

7 You said, "I'm forever; I'm the eternal mistress." You didn't stop and think; you didn't consider the outcome.

8 So listen to this, luxuriant one who sits secure, who says in her heart, I'm utterly unique; I'll never sit as a widow; I'll never know childlessness:

9 Both of these will happen to you at once, on a single day: childlessness and widowhood will envelop you in full measure, despite your many sorceries, despite your very powerful spells.

10 You felt secure in your evil; you said, "No one sees me." Your wisdom and knowledge spun you around. You thought to yourself, I and no one else.

11 Now evil will come against you, something you won't anticipate. A curse will fall upon you, something you won't be able to dispel. Destruction will come upon you suddenly, something you won't foresee.