---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Isaiah 13"
description: "CHAPTER 13   :-. THE
THIRTEENTH THROUGH
TWENTY-THIRD CHAPTERS
CONTAIN PROPHECIES
AS TO FOREIGN
NATIONS.—THE
THIRTEENTH, FOURTEENTH,
AND TWENTY-SEVENTH
CHA"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/isaiah/13"
---

CHAPTER 13

. THE
THIRTEENTH THROUGH
TWENTY-THIRD CHAPTERS
CONTAIN PROPHECIES
AS TO FOREIGN
NATIONS.—THE
THIRTEENTH, FOURTEENTH,
AND TWENTY-SEVENTH
CHAPTERS AS TO BABYLON
AND ASSYRIA.
The predictions as to foreign
nations are for the sake of the covenant people, to preserve them
from despair, or reliance on human confederacies, and to strengthen
their faith in God: also in order to extirpate narrow-minded
nationality: God is Jehovah to Israel, not for Israel's sake alone,
but that He may be thereby Elohim to the nations. These prophecies
are in their right chronological place, in the beginning of
Hezekiah's reign; then the nations of Western Asia, on the Tigris and
Euphrates, first assumed a most menacing aspect.

**1. burden**—*weighty* or
*mournful* prophecy [GROTIUS].
Otherwise, simply, *the prophetical declaration,* from a *Hebrew*
root *to put forth with the voice* anything, as in [MAURER].
**of Babylon**—*concerning*
Babylon.

**2. Lift . . . banner**— ([Isaiah 5:26](../../../kjv/isaiah/5/26);
[Isaiah 11:10](../../../kjv/isaiah/11/10)).
**the high mountain**—rather,
"*a bare* (literally, "bald," that is, without
trees) mountain"; from it the banner could be seen afar off, so
as to rally together the peoples against Babylon.
**unto them**—unto the
Medes ([Isaiah 13:17](../../../kjv/isaiah/13/17)), the
assailants of Babylon. It is remarkable that Isaiah does not *foretell*
here the Jews' captivity in Babylon, but *presupposes* that
event, and throws himself *beyond,* predicting *another*
event still more future, the overthrow of the city of Israel's
oppressors. It was now one hundred seventy-four years before the
event.
**shake . . . hand**—*beckon*
with the hand—wave the hand to direct the nations to march against
Babylon.
**nobles**—Babylonian.
Rather, in a bad sense, *tyrants;* as in [Isaiah 13:17](../../../kjv/isaiah/13/17), "rulers" in parallelism to "the wicked";
and [Job 21:28](../../../kjv/job/21/28) [MAURER].

**3. sanctified ones**—the Median
and Persian soldiers *solemnly set apart* by Me for the
destruction of Babylon, not *inwardly* "sanctified,"
but *designated* to fulfil God's *holy* purpose ([Jeremiah 51:27](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/27);
[Jeremiah 51:28](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/28); [Joel 3:9](../../../kjv/joel/3/9);
[Joel 3:11](../../../kjv/joel/3/11); where the *Hebrew*
for *prepare* war is "sanctify" war).
**for mine anger**—to
execute it.
**rejoice in my highness**—"Those
who are *made to triumph for* My honor" [HORSLEY].
The heathen Medes could not be said to "rejoice in God's
highness" MAURER
translates, "My haughtily exulting ones" ([Joel 3:11](../../../kjv/joel/3/11)); a special characteristic of the Persians [HERODOTUS,1.88].
They *rejoiced in their own highness,* but it was *His*
that they were unconsciously glorifying.

**4. the mountains**—namely, which
separate Media and Assyria, and on one of which the banner to rally
the hosts is supposed to be reared.
**tumultuous noise**—The
Babylonians are vividly depicted as hearing some unwonted sound like
the din of a host; they try to distinguish the sounds, but can only
perceive a *tumultuous noise.*
**nations**—Medes,
Persians, and Armenians composed Cyrus' army.

**5. They**—namely, "Jehovah,"
and the armies which are "the weapons of His indignation."
**far country**—Media and
Persia, stretching to the far north and east.
**end of heaven**—the far
east ([Psalms 19:6](../../../kjv/psalms/19/6)).
**destroy**—rather, "to
seize" [HORSLEY].

**6. day of the Lord**—day of His
vengeance on Babylon ([Isaiah 2:12](../../../kjv/isaiah/2/12)).
Type of the future "day of wrath" ([Isaiah 2:12](../../../kjv/isaiah/2/12)).
**destruction**—literally,
"a devastating tempest."
**from the Almighty**—not
from mere man; therefore irresistible. "Almighty," *Hebrew,
Shaddai.*

**7. faint . . . melt**—So ; compare [Joshua 7:5](../../../kjv/joshua/7/5).
Babylon was taken by surprise on the night of Belshazzar's impious
feast ([Daniel 5:30](../../../kjv/daniel/5/30)). Hence the
sudden *fainting and melting of hearts.*

**8. pangs**—The *Hebrew*
means also a "messenger." HORSLEY,
therefore, with the *Septuagint* translates, "The *heralds*
(who bring word of the unexpected invasion) *are terrified.*"
MAURER agrees with *English
Version,* literally, "they shall take hold of pangs and
sorrows."
**woman . . . travaileth**—
([1 Thessalonians 5:3](../../../kjv/1-thessalonians/5/3)).
**amazed**—the stupid,
bewildered gaze of consternation.
**faces . . . flames**—"their
visages have the livid hue of flame" [HORSLEY];
with anguish and indignation.

**9. cruel**—not strictly, but
*unsparingly just;* opposed to *mercy.* Also answering to
the cruelty (in the strict sense) of Babylon towards others () now about to be visited on itself.
**the land**—"the
earth" [HORSLEY]. The
language of [Isaiah 13:9-13](../../../kjv/isaiah/13/9-13)
can only primarily and *partially* apply to Babylon; fully and
*exhaustively,* the judgments to come, hereafter, on the whole
earth. Compare [Isaiah 13:10](../../../kjv/isaiah/13/10); [Matthew 24:29](../../../kjv/matthew/24/29);
[Revelation 8:12](../../../kjv/revelation/8/12). The sins of Babylon,
*arrogancy* ([Isaiah 13:11](../../../kjv/isaiah/13/11);
[Isaiah 14:11](../../../kjv/isaiah/14/11); [Isaiah 47:7](../../../kjv/isaiah/47/7);
[Isaiah 47:8](../../../kjv/isaiah/47/8)), *cruelty, false
worship* ([Jeremiah 50:38](../../../kjv/jeremiah/50/38)),
*persecution of the people of God* ([Jeremiah 50:38](../../../kjv/jeremiah/50/38)), are peculiarly characteristic of the Antichristian world
of the latter days ([Daniel 11:32-37](../../../kjv/daniel/11/32-37);
[Revelation 17:3](../../../kjv/revelation/17/3); [Revelation 17:6](../../../kjv/revelation/17/6);
[Revelation 18:6](../../../kjv/revelation/18/6); [Revelation 18:7](../../../kjv/revelation/18/7);
[Revelation 18:9-14](../../../kjv/revelation/18/9-14); [Revelation 18:24](../../../kjv/revelation/18/24)).

**10. stars,** c.—figuratively for
*anarchy, distress,* and *revolutions* of kingdoms ([Isaiah 34:4](../../../kjv/isaiah/34/4)
[Joel 2:10](../../../kjv/joel/2/10); [Ezekiel 32:7](../../../kjv/ezekiel/32/7);
[Ezekiel 32:8](../../../kjv/ezekiel/32/8); [Amos 8:9](../../../kjv/amos/8/9);
[Revelation 6:12-14](../../../kjv/revelation/6/12-14)). There may be a
*literal* fulfilment *finally,* shadowed forth under this
imagery ([Revelation 21:1](../../../kjv/revelation/21/1)).
**constellations**—*Hebrew,*
"a fool," or "impious one"; applied to the
constellation *Orion,* which was represented as an impious giant
(Nimrod deified, the founder of Babylon) chained to the sky. See on
[Revelation 21:1](../../../kjv/revelation/21/1).

**11. world**—*the impious*
of the world (compare [Isaiah 11:4](../../../kjv/isaiah/11/4)).
**arrogancy**—Babylon's
besetting sin ([Daniel 4:22](../../../kjv/daniel/4/22); [Daniel 4:30](../../../kjv/daniel/4/30)).
**the terrible**—rather,
tyrants [HORSLEY].

**12. man . . . precious**—I will
so cut off Babylon's defenders, that *a single man* shall be as
rare and precious as the finest gold.

**13.** Image for mighty revolutions
([Isaiah 24:19](../../../kjv/isaiah/24/19); [Isaiah 34:4](../../../kjv/isaiah/34/4);
[Habakkuk 3:6](../../../kjv/habakkuk/3/6); [Habakkuk 3:10](../../../kjv/habakkuk/3/10);
[Haggai 2:6](../../../kjv/haggai/2/6); [Haggai 2:7](../../../kjv/haggai/2/7);
[Revelation 20:11](../../../kjv/revelation/20/11)).

**14. it**—Babylon.
**roe**—gazelle; the most
timid and easily startled.
**no man taketh up**—sheep
defenseless, *without a shepherd* ().
**every man . . . to his own
people**—The "mingled peoples" of foreign lands shall
flee out of her ([Jeremiah 50:16](../../../kjv/jeremiah/50/16);
[Jeremiah 50:28](../../../kjv/jeremiah/50/28); [Jeremiah 50:37](../../../kjv/jeremiah/50/37);
[Jeremiah 51:9](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/9)).

**15. found**—in the city.
**joined**—"intercepted"
[MAURER]. "Every one
that has *withdrawn himself,*" namely, to hide in the
houses [GESENIUS].

**16.** ([Psalms 137:8](../../../kjv/psalms/137/8);
[Psalms 137:9](../../../kjv/psalms/137/9)).

**17. Medes**— ([Isaiah 21:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/21/2);
[Jeremiah 51:11](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/11); [Jeremiah 51:28](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/28)).
At that time they were subject to Assyria; subsequently Arbaces,
satrap of Media, revolted against the effeminate Sardanapalus, king
of Assyria, destroyed Nineveh, and became king of Media, in the ninth
century B.C.
**not regard silver**—In
vain will one try to buy his life from them for a ransom. The heathen
XENOPHON (*Cyropædia,*
5,1,10) represents Cyrus as attributing this characteristic to the
Medes, *disregard of riches.* A curious confirmation of this
prophecy.

**18. bows**—in the use of which
the Persians were particularly skilled.

**19. glory of kingdoms**—
([Isaiah 14:4](../../../kjv/isaiah/14/4); [Isaiah 47:5](../../../kjv/isaiah/47/5);
[Jeremiah 51:41](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/41)).
**beauty of . . .
excellency**—*Hebrew,* "the glory of the pride" of
the Chaldees; it was their glory and boast.
**as . . . Gomorrah**—as
utterly ([Jeremiah 49:18](../../../kjv/jeremiah/49/18); [Jeremiah 50:40](../../../kjv/jeremiah/50/40);
[Amos 4:11](../../../kjv/amos/4/11)). Taken by Cyrus, by
clearing out the canal made for emptying the superfluous waters of
the Euphrates, and directing the river into this new channel, so that
he was able to enter the city by the old bed in the night.

**20.** Literally fulfilled.
**neither . . . Arabian pitch
tent**—Not only shall it not be a permanent residence, but not
even a *temporary* resting-place. The Arabs, through dread of
evil spirits, and believing the ghost of Nimrod to haunt it, will not
pass the night there (compare ).
**neither . . . shepherds**—The
region was once most fertile; but owing to the Euphrates being now no
longer kept within its former channels, it has become a stagnant
marsh, unfit for flocks; and on the wastes of its ruins (bricks and
cement) no grass grows.

**21. wild beasts**—*Hebrew,
tsiyim,* animals dwelling in arid wastes. Wild cats, remarkable
for their howl [BOCHART].
**doleful creatures**—"howling
beasts," literally, "howlings" [MAURER].
**owls**—rather,
"ostriches"; a timorous creature, delighting in solitary
deserts and making a hideous noise [BOCHART].
**satyrs**—sylvan
demi-gods—half man, half goat—believed by the Arabs to haunt
these ruins; probably animals of the goat-ape species [VITRINGA].
*Devil-worshippers,* who *dance* amid the ruins on a
certain night [J. WOLFF].

**22. wild beasts of the
islands**—rather, "jackals"; called by the Arabs "sons
of howling"; an animal midway between a fox and a wolf [BOCHART
and MAURER].
**cry**—rather, "answer,"
"respond" to each other, as wolves do at night, producing a
most dismal effect.
**dragons**—serpents of
various species, which hiss and utter dolorous sounds. Fable gave
them wings, because they stand with much of the body elevated and
then dart swiftly. MAURER
understands here another species of jackal.
**her time . . . near**—though
one hundred seventy-four years distant, yet "near" to
Isaiah, who is supposed to be speaking to the Jews as if now captives
*in* Babylon ([Isaiah 14:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/14/1);
[Isaiah 14:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/14/2)).

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/isaiah/13#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","width":640,"height":370,"caption":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Isaiah 13"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/isaiah/13#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/isaiah/13","name":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Isaiah 13","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/isaiah/13#primaryimage"},"datePublished":null,"dateModified":null,"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"CHAPTER 13   :-. THE\nTHIRTEENTH THROUGH\nTWENTY-THIRD CHAPTERS\nCONTAIN PROPHECIES\nAS TO FOREIGN\nNATIONS.—THE\nTHIRTEENTH, FOURTEENTH,\nAND TWENTY-SEVENTH\nCHA","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/isaiah/13#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/isaiah/13"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/isaiah/13#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","name":"Commentaries"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible","name":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/isaiah","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/isaiah","name":"Isaiah"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/isaiah/13","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/isaiah/13","name":"13"}}]},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","width":512,"height":512},"logo":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo"},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/RBiblebeliever","https://www.facebook.com/RBibleBelievers"]}]}
```