The Prophet and His Day: Isaiah 1-39 - Free Bible Commentary

8Then the lookout called,"O Lord, I stand continually by day on the watchtower,And I am stationed every night at my guard post.9Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs."And one said, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon;And all the images of her gods are shattered on the ground."10O my threshed people, and my afflicted of the threshing floor!What I have heard from the LORD of hosts,The God of Israel, I make known to you.21:1 “the wilderness of the sea” This may be an attempt to translate (1) the Assyrian name for Babylon(Mat + Amil, cf. JB footnote) or (2) the Akkadian title “Land of the Sea” (Mat tam-tim), but it was nowdestroyed, so “land” changed to “wilderness.” The Peshitta translates it as “the desert of the sea,”probably referring to the marshy area near the mouths of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. TEV just has“Babylon.” The term “wilderness” (BDB 184) denotes large pieces of uninhabited land.21:1-2a Isaiah tries to express his deep emotion when he receives this oracle.1. like a windstorm in the Negev, v. 12. from a wilderness, v. 13. from a terrifying (BDB 431, KB 432, Niphal PARTICIPLE) land, v. 14. harsh (BDB 904) vision, v. 2a21:2b This describes the invader of Babylon (i.e., Assyria, cf. v. 9).1. the treacherous one still deals treacherously, play on BDB 93, KB 108, two Qal ACTIVEPARTICIPLES, 24:16; 33:1; Jer. 3:20; 5:11 (it is possible that the NIV translation “traitor,”REB, “traitor,” or NRSV, “betrayer” historically fits Merodach-baladan, the king of Babylon,better)2. the destroyer still destroys, play on BDB 994, KB 1418, two Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLES, 16:4;33:1; Jer. 6:2621:2c God commands two northern Mesopotamian powers to attack Babylon.1. “Go up” (BDB 748, KB 828, Qal IMPERATIVE) Elam (BDB 743). This is surprising sinceinitially Elam helped Babylon to hold off Assyrian domination.2. “Lay siege” (BDB 848, KB 1015, Qal IMPERATIVE) Media (BDB 552). This was anotherethnic group in the northern Euphrates area.It is possible that these are war cries of those in the anti-Assyrian coalition (i.e., Elam, Media, so saysthe Jewish commentator Ibn Ezra). This would make more sense if Babylon of Isaiah’s day is beingaddressed.21:2d The NASB has “I have made an end of all the groaning she has caused.” The MT has “all thesighing I bring to an end” (BDB 991, KB 1407, Hiphil PERFECT). The phrase, “she has caused,” NASB,is not in the MT. If it is to be assumed, it must be stated that this line of poetry fits Neo-Babylon better.This later empire had a much larger area of influence (i.e., Nebuchadnezzar, cf. Daniel 4).Again, some (including me) see this last line as a statement from the Babylonian king (Merodachbaladan)or his deities (Marduk) directed to a “to-be-defeated” Assyria/Nineveh. There are so manyspeakers in this chapter it is hard to know the intended speaker (the prophet, YHWH, Babylonian king,several watchmen, unknown voices).210