Isaiah 47:5

5 The LORD says, "City of the Babylonians, go into a dark prison and sit there quietly. You will not be called the queen of kingdoms anymore.

Isaiah 47:5 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 47:5

Sit thou silent
Here the speech is directed again to Babylon, which used to be a place of noise and hurry, as well as famous and much talked of all the world over; but now there should be a deep silence in it, no voice to be heard, the inhabitants being gone, and no discourse concerning it; no more talked of and celebrated for its magnificence and authority, trade and riches, but buried in oblivion. It is represented as sitting in silence, either as a mourner, or as one that is free among the dead, remembered no more: and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans;
meaning either captivity or imprisonment, prison houses being dark; or into the state of the dead, which is a state of darkness: for thou shall no more be called the lady of kingdoms;
the mistress or governess of them, as she had been, having subdued many kingdoms and nations, and added them to her monarchy, which now would be at an end. Thus mystical Babylon, or Rome, has reigned over the kings of the earth, and has been mistress over many nations; but the time is coming when she will sit in silence, and no voice will be heard in her; and when the kingdom of the beast will be full of darkness, ( Revelation 17:15 Revelation 17:18 ) ( Revelation 18:22 Revelation 18:23 ) ( 16:10 ) .

Isaiah 47:5 In-Context

3 Everyone will see your naked body. Everyone will see your shame. I will pay you back for what you did. I will not spare any of your people."

4 The one who sets us free is the Holy One of Israel. His name is The LORD Who Rules Over All.

5 The LORD says, "City of the Babylonians, go into a dark prison and sit there quietly. You will not be called the queen of kingdoms anymore.

6 I was angry with my people. I treated them as if they did not belong to me. I handed them over to you. And you did not show them any pity. You even placed heavy loads on their old people.

7 You said, 'I will continue to be queen forever!' But you did not think about what you were doing. You did not consider how things might turn out.