TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Come down, and sit in the dust, you virgin daughter of Bavel! Sit on the ground, not on a throne, daughter of the Kasdim! No longer are you to be called dainty and delicate.
Berean Standard Bible
“Go down and sit in the dust, O Virgin Daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, O Daughter of Chaldea! For you will no longer be called tender or delicate.
American Standard Version
Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.
World English Bible Messianic
“Come down, and sit in the dust, virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, daughter of the Kasdim: for you shall no more be called tender and delicate.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Come downe and sit in the dust: O virgine, daughter Babel, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, Tender and delicate.
Young's Literal Translation
Come down, and sit on the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, Sit on the earth, there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans, For no more do they cry to thee, `O tender and delicate one.'
In the KJVVerse 18,601 of 31,102
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Commentary on Isaiah 47 verses 1–6
1 ¶ Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.
2 Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.
3 Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.
4 As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.
5 Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms.
6 I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.
In these verses God by the prophet sends a messenger even to Babylon, like that of Jonah to Nineveh: "The time is at hand when Babylon shall be destroyed." Fair warning is thus given her, that she may by repentance prevent the ruin and there may be a lengthening of her tranquility. We may observe here,
I. God's controversy with Babylon. We will begin with that, for there all the calamity begins; she has made God her enemy, and then who can befriend her: Let her know that the righteous Judge, to whom vengeance belongs, has said (Isa 47:3), I will take vengeance. She has provoked God, and shall be reckoned with for it when the measure of her iniquities is full. Woe to those on whom God comes to take vengeance; for who knows the power of his anger and what a fearful thing it is to fall into his hands? Were it a man like ourselves who would be revenged on us, we might hope to be a match for him, either to make our escape from him or to make our part good with him. But he says, "I will not meet thee as a man, not with the compassions of a man, but I will be to the as a lion, and a young lion" (Hos 5:14); or, rather, not with the strength of a man, which is easily resisted, but with the power of a God, which cannot be resisted. Not with the justice of a man, which may be bribed, or biassed, or mollified by a foolish pity, but with the justice of a God, which is strict and severe, and can never be evaded. As in pardoning the penitent, so in punishing the impenitent, he is God and not man, Hos 11:9.
II. The particular ground of this controversy. We are sure that there is cause for it, and it is a just cause; it is the vengeance of his temple (Jer 50:28); it is for violence done to Zion, Jer 51:35. God will plead his people's cause against them. It is acknowledged (Isa 47:6) that God had, in wrath, delivered his people into the hands of the Babylonians, had made use of them for the correction of his children, and had by their means polluted his inheritance, had left his peculiar people exposed to suffer in common with the rest of the nations, had suffered the heathen, who should have been kept at a distance, to come into his sanctuary and defile his temple, Psa 79:1. Herein God was righteous; but the Babylonians carried the matter too far, and, when they had them in their hands (triumphing to see a people that had been so much in reputation for wisdom, holiness, and honour, brought thus low), with a base and servile spirit they trampled upon them, and showed them no mercy, no, not the common instances of humanity which the miserable are entitled to purely by their misery. They used them barbarously, and with an air of contempt, nay, and of complacency in their calamities. They were brought under the yoke; but, as if that were not enough, they laid the yoke on very heavily, adding affliction to the afflicted. Nay, they laid it on the ancient - the elders in years, who were past their labour, and must sink under a yoke which those in their youthful strength would easily bear - the elders in office, those that had been judges and magistrates, and persons of the first rank. They took a pride in putting these to the meanest hardest drudgery. Jeremiah laments this, that the faces of elders were not honoured, Lam 5:12. Nothing brings a surer or a sorer ruin upon any people than cruelty, especially to God's Israel.
III. The terror of this controversy. She has reason to tremble when she is told who it is that has this quarrel with her (Isa 47:4): "As for our Redeemer, our Goel, that undertakes to plead our cause as the avenger of our blood, he has two names which speak not only comfort to us, but terror to our adversaries." 1. "He is the Lord of hosts, that has all the creatures at his command, and therefore has all power both in heaven and in earth." Woe to those against whom the Lord fights, for the whole creation is at war with them. 2. "He is the Holy One of Israel, a God in covenant with us, who has his residence among us, and will faithfully perform all the promises he has made to us." God's power and holiness are engaged against Babylon and for Zion. This may fitly be applied to Christ, our great Redeemer. He is both Lord of hosts and the Holy One of Israel.
IV. The consequences of it to Babylon. She is called a virgin, because so she thought herself, though she was the mother of harlots. She was beautiful as a virgin, and courted by all about her; she had been called tender and delicate (Isa 47:1), and the lady of kingdoms (Isa 47:5); but now the case is altered. 1. Her honour is gone, and she must bid farewell to all her dignity. She that had sat at the upper end of the world, sat in state and sat at ease, must now come down and sit in the dust, as very mean and a deep mourner, must sit on the ground, for she shall be so emptied and impoverished that she shall not have a seat left her to sit upon. 2. Her power is gone, and she must bid farewell to all her dominion. She shall rule no more as she has done, nor give law as she has done to her neighbours: There is no throne, none for thee, O daughter of the Chaldeans! Note, Those that abuse their honour or power provoke God to deprive them of it, and to make them come down and sit in the dust. 3. Her ease and pleasure are gone: "She shall no more be called tender and delicate as she has been, for she shall not only be deprived of all those things with which she pampered herself, but shall be put to hard service and made to feel both want and pain, which will be more than doubly grievous to her who formerly would not venture to setcreation is at war with them. 2. "He is the Holy One of Israel, a God in covenant with us, who has his residence among us, and will faithfully perform all the promises he has made to us." God's power and holiness are engaged against Babylon and for Zion. This may fitly be applied to Christ, our great Redeemer. He is both Lord of hosts and the Holy One of Israel.
IV. The consequences of it to Babylon. She is called a virgin, because so she thought herself, though she was the mother of harlots. She was beautiful as a virgin, and courted by all about her; she had been called tender and delicate (Isa 47:1), and the lady of kingdoms (Isa 47:5); but now the case is altered. 1. Her honour is gone, and she must bid farewell to all her dignity. She that had sat at the upper end of the world, sat in state and sat at ease, must now come down and sit in the dust, as very mean and a deep mourner, must sit on the ground, for she shall be so emptied and impoverished that she shall not have a seat left her to sit upon. 2. Her power is gone, and she must bid farewell to all her dominion. She shall rule no more as she has done, nor give law as she has done to her neighbours: There is no throne, none for thee, O daughter of the Chaldeans! Note, Those that abuse their honour or power provoke God to deprive them of it, and to make them come down and sit in the dust. 3. Her ease and pleasure are gone: "She shall no more be called tender and delicate as she has been, for she shall not only be deprived of all those things with which she pampered herself, but shall be put to hard service and made to feel both want and pain, which will be more than doubly grievous to her who formerly would not venture to set so much as the sole of her foot to the ground for tenderness and for delicacy," Deu 28:56. It is our wisdom not to use ourselves to be tender and delicate, because we know not how hardly others may use us before we die not what straits we may be reduced to. 4. Her liberty is gone, and she is brought into a state of servitude and as sore a bondage as she in her prosperity had brought others to. Even the great men of Babylon must now receive the same law from the conquerors that they used to give to the conquered: "Take the mill-stones and grind meal (Isa 47:2), set to work, to hard labour" (like beating hemp in Bridewell), "which will make thee sweat so that thou must throw off all thy head-dresses, and uncover thy locks." When they were driven from one place to another, at the capricious humours of their masters, they must be forced to wade up to the middle through the waters, to make bare the leg and uncover the thigh, that they might pass over the rivers, which would be a great mortification to those that used to ride in state. But let them not complain, for just thus they had formerly used their captives; and with what measure they then meted it is now measured to them again. Let those that have power use it with temper and moderation, considering that the spoke which is uppermost will be under. 5. All her glory, and all her glorying, are gone. Instead of glory, she has ignominy (Isa 47:3): Thy nakedness shall be uncovered and thy shame shall be seen, according to the base and barbarous usage they commonly gave their captives, to whom, for covetousness of their clothes, they did not leave rags sufficient to cover their nakedness, so void were they of the modesty as well as of the pity due to the human nature. Instead of glorying she sits silently, and gets into darkness (Isa 47:5), ashamed to show her face, for she has quite lost her credit and shall no more be called the lady of kingdoms. Note, God can make those sit silently that used to make the greatest noise in the world, and send those into darkness that used to make the greatest figure. Let him that glories, therefore, glory in a God that changes not, and not in any worldly wealth, pleasure, or honour, which are subject to change.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–6. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Isaiah
(Chapter 47, verses 1 and following) Descend, sit in the dust, virgin daughter of Babylon: sit on the ground, there is no throne for the daughter of the Chaldeans, for you shall no longer be called tender and delicate. Take a millstone and grind flour: uncover your nakedness, uncover your shoulder, reveal your legs, cross the rivers. Your shame will be exposed, and your disgrace will be seen; I will take vengeance, and no one will be able to resist me. 70: Descend, sit on the ground, virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground. There is no throne of the daughter of the Chaldeans, for you shall no longer be called delicate and tender. Take the millstone, grind the flour. Uncover your head, strip off your hair, uncover your legs, cross the rivers; your shame will be uncovered, your disgrace will be seen. What is right about you, I will take away; I will not deliver you to men anymore. Just as in Ezekiel under the figure of a ship and all its instruments, the adornments of Tyre are set forth, which were devoted to trading (Ezek. 26), and because of the abundance of water, the king of Egypt is called a dragon, and its scales, reeds, and papyrus, and its fish are described, and Jerusalem, together with idols, testifies to the fornication of harlots and the likeness of a brothel: so in this present place, under the person of a captive woman, who once was a queen, the servitude of Babylon is indicated; and she is told to descend from the pride of her kingdom and to sit on the dust. But she is also called a virgin and a daughter, either because all human beings are creatures of God and therefore not damnable by nature like the heretics of Babylon, or because of the luxury and splendor of the once most powerful city, which, as it grew old and approached its decline, boasted of being a maiden and a girl. Although some interpret the daughter of Babylon, as written in the Septuagint, as not referring to Babylon itself but to the city of Rome, which is specifically called Babylon in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 14) and in the Epistle of Peter (2 Pet. 5), and all that is now said about Babylon testifies to its ruins, it must be understood as the bird and the justice of God. After Zion, that is, the Church, is saved, Babylon should perish forever. Therefore, it is said that the queen and daughter of the Chaldeans (for she was founded by the Chaldeans) is no longer called soft and tender, and abundant in luxuries, which was carried in the hands of all nations; so much so that she could barely leave footprints on the ground: and it is ordered that she removes the mill, and grinds grain, which is a sign of hard captivity and extreme servitude; so that she, who was once a queen, may now serve the work of grinding flour. But because it follows: Strip off your shamefulness, even the mill is understood figuratively by the Hebrews, namely that it should be open to the lust of the conquerors, like a prostitute. And what is written in the Book of Judges about Samson (Judg. 16), that he was condemned by the Philistines to the mill, they want to signify that he was compelled to do this to foreign women as the most powerful of men for offspring. In the place where we have interpreted 'strip off your shamefulness', for which the LXX translated 'reveal your covering', Theodotion put the Hebrew word Samthech; Aquila Semmathech; Symmachus τὸ σιωπηλόν σου: which we can express as 'your silence', which should be kept silent out of shame. Indeed, we also read this in the Song of Songs, where the beauty of the bride is described: at the end it says, 'Without your silence' (Song 4). Those who were unwilling to translate the name, which in Holy Scripture signifies shamefulness, made a valid point. And rightly so, it uses indecent names against Babylon (even though there is no shame in calling a part of the human body by its proper name), to whom it is commanded to bare the breasts, and to open the thighs and expose the woman, and to go into captivity, so that her shame may be seen and her disgrace may be forever exposed. And the Lord says that He has done this in order to take vengeance on her who oppressed His people, and that no one should hear her prayers, who tries to appease the anger of the Lord with their presence. But the angel of the nation of Babylon, who speaks with the other angels, signifies: We took care of Babylon, but she was not healed. And what the Seventy translated as 'I will take away what is just from you' is understood to mean Babylon: or at least this, that what is just has been taken away from Babylon. The Stoic disputants argue that many things that are considered shameful and wrong by human convention are actually morally good, such as parricide, adultery, murder, incest, and other similar acts. Conversely, things that are considered morally good appear shameful in name only, such as procreating children, relieving a swollen stomach with flatulence, emptying the bowels with feces, and urinating to relieve the bladder: in short, we cannot, as we say, turn up our nose at a fart. Therefore, that which Aquila set up, as we have said, is called the venerable woman. Its etymology among them signifies, 'thirsty yours,' indicating the unquenchable pleasure of Babylon.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 47:1 initiates a dramatic prophetic oracle against Babylon, once the dominant and seemingly invincible empire that had brought Judah into exile. This verse vividly portrays a profound reversal of fortune, commanding the proud and luxurious "virgin daughter of Babylon" to descend from her exalted status and sit in the dust, stripped of her throne and former delicate existence. It serves as a powerful declaration of divine judgment, signaling the definitive end of Babylon's reign and her utter humiliation before the nations.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 47:1 masterfully employs several Literary Devices to convey its powerful message of divine judgment and the dramatic reversal of fortunes. Personification is central, as Babylon is directly addressed as a "virgin daughter" and "daughter of the Chaldeans," imbuing the city with human qualities and making the imperative command to "come down" more personal, impactful, and accusatory. The phrase "virgin daughter" itself functions as a potent Metaphor, representing Babylon's historical unconquered status and perceived purity, which sets up a powerful Irony as this untouched entity is now commanded to endure the ultimate defilement of humiliation and defeat. The commands to "sit in the dust" and "sit on the ground" are vivid Metaphors for extreme degradation, deep mourning, and the complete loss of status, contrasting sharply with the imagery of a royal throne and a life of luxury. The entire verse is delivered in the Imperative Mood, underscoring the absolute authority of the divine speaker and the inevitability of Babylon's downfall. The stark contrast between Babylon's past "tender and delicate" nature and its prophesied future state creates a strong Antithesis, powerfully highlighting the dramatic and irreversible reversal of its fortunes.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 47:1 serves as a profound theological statement on God's absolute sovereignty over all earthly powers and His unwavering commitment to justice. It demonstrates that no nation, however mighty, proud, or secure in its own eyes, is beyond the reach of divine judgment, especially when that power is wielded in arrogance, idolatry, and oppression. Babylon's dramatic fall from perceived invincibility to utter humiliation underscores the transient nature of human empires and the ultimate triumph of God's righteous rule. This oracle offers a powerful message of hope and vindication for the oppressed, assuring them that God sees their suffering, hears their cries, and will ultimately bring down their oppressors, establishing His eternal and just kingdom.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The vivid imagery of Isaiah 47:1, depicting the dramatic downfall of a proud and seemingly invincible empire, offers timeless and profound lessons for individuals and societies today. It serves as a stark reminder that worldly power, material wealth, and perceived security are ultimately fleeting and temporary. Any entity—whether a nation, an institution, a community, or an individual—that operates with unchecked pride, self-sufficiency, and oppressive tendencies will inevitably face a reckoning, for God is just. This passage calls us to cultivate profound humility, recognizing that all authority, blessing, and true security come from God alone. It challenges us to critically examine where we place our ultimate trust and hope: in transient earthly comforts, accomplishments, and power, or in the enduring and unshakable sovereignty of God. Furthermore, for those who feel oppressed, marginalized, or overlooked, this prophecy serves as a powerful source of encouragement and assurance, reminding them that God is a God of justice who hears the cries of His people and will ultimately bring down systems of injustice and pride, ushering in His righteous reign.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is Babylon called "virgin daughter" in this verse?
Answer: The designation "virgin daughter of Babylon" is a highly poetic and deeply ironic epithet. Historically, Babylon was renowned for its formidable defenses, its massive walls, and its strategic location, and it had indeed not been conquered by any foreign power up to the time of this prophecy's fulfillment by Cyrus the Great. The term "virgin" therefore highlights its perceived invincibility, its unblemished record of never having been defiled or violated by an invading army, and its profound sense of security and pride. This makes the divine command to "come down, and sit in the dust" all the more shocking and humiliating, as the city that prided itself on its untouched status is now commanded to experience the ultimate degradation and violation. This imagery underscores the unprecedented nature of its impending fall, as a city that felt utterly secure from such a fate is now facing it directly, a fate also prophesied in Jeremiah 50:42.
What is the significance of the command to "sit in the dust" and "sit on the ground"?
Answer: In ancient Near Eastern cultures, "sitting in the dust" or "on the ground" was a powerful and widely recognized symbol of extreme humiliation, deep mourning, and utter destitution. It was a posture universally adopted by captives, those in great distress, or individuals who had fallen dramatically from a position of honor, power, and comfort. For a city like Babylon, renowned for its immense grandeur, unparalleled luxury, and imperial dominance, to be commanded to "sit in the dust" signifies a complete, public, and irreversible stripping away of its dignity, authority, and comfort. It contrasts sharply with the imagery of a king on a magnificent throne and represents a dramatic and absolute reversal from its former exalted status to one of abject defeat, public shame, and servitude, a fate often depicted for cities in mourning and desolation, as powerfully seen in Lamentations 2:10.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 47:1, with its pronouncement of devastating judgment against the proud, self-sufficient, and oppressive empire of Babylon, finds profound and ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. While earthly Babylon represents the epitome of worldly power, human pride, and defiant opposition to God and His people, Jesus Christ embodies ultimate humility and divine authority. Unlike Babylon, which was commanded to "come down" in forced humiliation and judgment, Jesus willingly "made himself nothing, by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness" (Philippians 2:7). He descended from heavenly glory not in judgment, but in self-sacrificial, redemptive love, choosing to "sit in the dust" of human suffering, sin, and death on the cross, ultimately conquering the spiritual "Babylon"—the oppressive systems of sin, death, and the devil—through His crucifixion and glorious resurrection (Colossians 2:15). The declaration "no throne" for earthly Babylon contrasts sharply with Christ's eternal and unshakable throne, for He is the King of kings and Lord of lords, establishing a kingdom that will never be destroyed or taken away (Daniel 7:14). Furthermore, the ultimate judgment against "Babylon the Great" in the book of Revelation, which represents all systems of worldly rebellion, idolatry, and oppression throughout history, is carried out by the Lamb of God (Revelation 17 and Revelation 18). Thus, Isaiah's prophecy foreshadows not only the historical fall of an ancient empire but also the ultimate triumph of Christ over all earthly pride and the establishment of His humble, yet eternal, and supremely righteous reign, echoing Mary's prophetic words that God "has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble" (Luke 1:52).