Isaiah 47:7

ยถ And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: [so] that thou didst not lay these [things] to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it.

And thou saidst {H559}, I shall be a lady {H1404} for ever {H5769}: so that thou didst not lay {H7760} these things to thy heart {H3820}, neither didst remember {H2142} the latter end {H319} of it.

You said, 'I will be mistress forever.' so you didn't consider these things or think about the consequences.

You said, โ€˜I will be queen forever.โ€™ You did not take these things to heart or consider their outcome.

And thou saidst, I shall be mistress for ever; so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end thereof.

Commentary

Isaiah 47:7 captures the arrogant self-assurance of Babylon, personified as a powerful queen, just before its dramatic downfall. This verse is part of a prophetic oracle against Babylon (also known as Chaldea), detailing God's judgment against its pride, cruelty, and false sense of security.

Context

In Isaiah 47, the prophet Isaiah delivers a scathing indictment against Babylon, the dominant world power of his time, which had been used by God to punish Judah. However, Babylon exceeded its commission, acting with excessive cruelty and believing itself invincible. The preceding verses describe Babylon's impending humiliation, being stripped of its royal garments and forced into servitude. This verse specifically highlights Babylon's fatal flaw: its unshakeable belief in its own eternal dominion and its failure to consider the consequences of its actions.

Key Themes

  • Arrogance and Self-Deception: Babylon's declaration, "I shall be a lady for ever," illustrates extreme pride and a delusional belief in its own permanence and invincibility. This self-exaltation directly defies the sovereignty of God.
  • Heedlessness to Consequences: The phrase "thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it" underscores Babylon's profound spiritual blindness. It refused to consider the implications of its actions, the warnings from God, or the ultimate destiny of all earthly empires. This heedlessness is a critical factor in its impending judgment.
  • Divine Judgment on Pride: This verse serves as a powerful reminder that pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. God will not tolerate unbridled arrogance, especially when it leads to oppression and a disregard for His divine will.
  • The Impermanence of Earthly Power: Despite Babylon's boasts, its reign was finite. The passage implicitly teaches that all human empires and powers are temporary, subject to God's overarching plan and ultimate control.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase for "thou didst not lay these things to thy heart" is lo'-samta 'elleh 'al-libbecha (ืœึนืึพืฉื‚ึทืžึฐืชึผึฐ ืึตืœึผึถื” ืขึทืœึพืœึดื‘ึผึตืšึฐ). This means more than just a casual oversight; it implies a deliberate refusal to consider, to internalize, or to take seriously the warnings and lessons of history or divine revelation. Coupled with "neither didst remember the latter end of it" (lo' zakart 'acharitah - ืœึนื ื–ึธื›ึทืจึฐืชึผึฐ ืึทื—ึฒืจึดื™ืชึธื”ึผ), it emphasizes a profound lack of foresight and an unwillingness to contemplate the ultimate outcome or consequences of their actions and attitudes.

Reflection and Application

Isaiah 47:7 offers profound lessons for individuals and nations today:

  1. Beware of Arrogance: Like Babylon, we can become so consumed by our own success, power, or accomplishments that we forget our dependence on God and the temporary nature of earthly things. Humility is essential for spiritual health.
  2. Consider the "Latter End": It is vital to live with an awareness of the consequences of our choices, both temporal and eternal. This includes heeding God's Word, understanding the implications of sin, and remembering our ultimate accountability to our Creator. Deuteronomy 32:29 similarly urges us to consider our latter end.
  3. God's Sovereignty: This verse reaffirms that no power, no matter how great, can stand against the sovereign will of God. Earthly kingdoms rise and fall, but God's kingdom endures forever. This theme echoes in the New Testament with the fall of spiritual Babylon in Revelation 18:7.

For further context on Babylon's judgment, consider reading Isaiah 47:1.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Deuteronomy 32:29

    O that they were wise, [that] they understood this, [that] they would consider their latter end!

  • Isaiah 47:5

    Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms.

  • Jeremiah 5:31

    The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love [to have it] so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

  • Ezekiel 29:3

    Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river [is] mine own, and I have made [it] for myself.

  • Isaiah 46:8

    Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring [it] again to mind, O ye transgressors.

  • Isaiah 46:9

    Remember the former things of old: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else; [I am] God, and [there is] none like me,

  • Isaiah 42:25

    Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid [it] not to heart.
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