Isaías 47
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Isaías 47
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS If chapter 46 emphasized the fall of the Neo-Babylonian idols, then chapter 47 describes the fall of the empire itself (i.e. the city of Babylon) along with its occult prophets and priests. Verses 1-7 have a series of IMPERATIVES directed at Neo-Babylon, depicted as a prostitute/queen. come down, Isa. 47:1 ‒ Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 432, KB 434) sit in the dust, Isa. 47:1 ‒ Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 442, KB 444) sit on the ground, Isa. 47:1 ‒ same as #2 (notice the number of times this term is used in Isa. 47:1 [twice],5, 8 [twice]) take, Isa. 47:2 ‒ Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 542, KB 534) grind, Isa. 47:2 ‒ Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 377, KB 374) remove your veil, Isa. 47:2 ‒ Piel IMPERATIVE (BDB 162, KB 191) strip off the skirt, Isa. 47:2 ‒ Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 362, KB 359) uncover the leg, Isa. 47:2 ‒ Piel IMPERATIVE (BDB 162, KB 191) cross the river, Isa. 47:2 ‒ Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 716, KB 778) let your nakedness be uncovered, Isa. 47:3 ‒ Niphal JUSSIVE (BDB 162, KB 191) sit silently, Isa. 47:5 ‒ same as #3,4 go into darkness, Isa. 47:5 ‒ Qal IMPERATIVE (BDB 97, KB 112) The prophetic literary form of this chapter is a "funeral dirge." It is recognized by its unique beat/meter in Hebrew (3, 2 beat, like the poems of Lamentations). It is a funeral lament but in a sarcastic sense (Taunt Song).
Isaías 47:1-7
47:1 "Come down" This funeral dirge is one of three literary models used by the Hebrew prophets to communicate their divine messages. funeral dirge court scene promise oracle ▣ "sit in the dust" See SPECIAL TOPIC: GRIEVING RITES ▣ "O virgin daughter of Babylon" This was a Semitic idiom of security and preciousness in family imagery. She (the Neo-Babylonian Empire) who was so secure and protected, has now become vulnerable. ▣ "sit in the dust. . .sit on the ground without a throne" This is literally "sit" (BDB 442, KB 444, Qal IMPERATIVE, cf. Isa. 47:1 [twice],5,8 [twice]). It was one of the physical signs of mourning. SPECIAL TOPIC: GRIEVING RITES ▣ "O daughter of the Chaldeans" This is parallel to "Babylon," see full note at Isa. 43:14. It is repeated in v. 5. SPECIAL TOPIC: CHALDEANS ▣ "shall no longer be called tender and delicate" These two terms (BDB 940 and 772) are used in Deut. 28:56 for luxurious, extravagant living. This is contrasted with Isa. 47:2-3, where she is now a slave a prostitute 47:2-3 This is a series of phrases used to describe one who used to be the queen of the nations (Isa. 47:5,7) and is now a slave. she grinds meal, Isa. 47:2 she removes her veil, Isa. 47:2 she had to prepare her clothes for hard labor, Isa. 47:2 she had to cross the rivers herself and not be carried (possibly into exile), Isa. 47:2 her nakedness was uncovered, Isa. 47:3 (cf. Jer. 13:26) as a punishment for sin (cf. Isa. 20:4) simply the lot of slaves who were poorly clad and sexually vulnerable 47:3 "and will not spare a man" "I will not arbitrate with a man" "I will spare no one" "no one will stop me" "no one stands in My way" "show clemency to none" "let no man intercede" "I will no longer deliver you over to men" "I will not meet you as a man" This is a somewhat ambiguous phrase but the VERB "I will not spare" (BDB 803, KB 910, Qal IMPERFECT), had an etymological relationship to prayerful intercession (BDB 803, KB 910, cf. Isa. 53:12; 59:16; Jer. 36:25). It seems to mean that no one could intercede for Neo-Babylon or that no human was powerful enough in prayer to stop YHWH's predetermined plan for her judgment. 47:4 This is an exclamation from the author who interjects himself into the flow of poetry (REB adds "says" to the MT, making these statements come from YHWH. The UBS Text Project, p. 127, gives this option a "B" rating). Three of the beautiful titles for God are seen here as the prophet praises YHWH for Who He is. The titles are: Redeemer ‒ an emphasis on God as Savior; He is the One who buys people back from slavery (see SPECIAL TOPIC: RANSOM/REDEEM) Lord of hosts ‒ a Persian title which focuses on one of two areas (see SPECIAL TOPIC: LORD OF HOSTS) the angelic council, Isa. 24:21-22 (see SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVENLY COUNCIL OF ANGELIC BEINGS) the astral deities of Babylon, Isa. 40:26 the Holy One of Israel ‒ the title for God who will bring this to pass on behalf of His people (see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HOLY ONE) SPECIAL TOPIC: "THE NAME" OF YHWH 47:5 "Sit silently, and go into darkness" This major world power has now become a peasant. This verse tells her to seek obscurity and be silent (two IMPERATIVES). ▣ "The queen of kingdoms" This is an idiom of Neo-Babylon's view of itself and its power (cf. Isa. 47:7). The queen has become a sex slave (cf. Isa. 47:2-3,8a). What she did to exiles will now happen to her (i.e. divinely caused role reversal). It is just possible that this idiom relates to Nabonidus leading Neo-Babylon away from Marduk to the worship of the moon goddess called "the Queen of heaven." She was called Sin (Akkadian) or Nanna (Sumerian). SPECIAL TOPIC: MOON WORSHIP 47:6 "I was angry with My people" This explains why the covenant people were taken into exile. In the ancient world the deity of the individual nations protected them. The fact that both Israel and Judah were taken captive was seen by the ANE world as the gods of the Fertile Crescent being more powerful than the God of Israel, but this was not the case. God was using the powers of the Fertile Crescent to judge His people for their sin (cf. Isa. 10:5; 42:24). This was clearly foreshadowed in Lev. 26 and Deut. 28. ▣ "You did not show mercy on them" Although God gave His people to Assyria and Babylon in order to punish them, these pagan nations went too far and now they will be judged for their lack of mercy. 47:7 "These things you did not consider Nor remember the outcome of them" The two VERBS are Qal PERFECTS, which denote a settled attitude. did not consider, lit. "did not lay these things to heart" did not remember their end Notice how Isa. 47:8 continues the thought.
Isaías 47:8-11
47:8-9 "Who dwells securely. . .but these two things shall come upon you suddenly" It seems from Daniel 5 and from Herodotus that the people of Neo-Babylon laughed at the approaching Persian army. However, the Persian army rechanneled the waters of the Euphrates River, went under the walls of this magnificent city, and in one day the city fell (cf. Daniel 5). The common people of the city of Babylon saw the Persians as liberators because Belshazzar and his father, Nabonidus, had begun to worship a strange moon goddess called Sin (Nanna, see SPECIAL TOPIC: MOON WORSHIP) and Cyrus II allowed them to return to their traditional deities—Bel, Marduk, and Nebo. SPECIAL TOPIC: MARDUK SPECIAL TOPIC: NEBO 47:8 "sensual one" NKJV, Peshitta "you who are given to pleasure" "lover of luxury" "pampered one" "voluptuous woman" TEV, NRSV "lover of pleasure" "luxurious one" This is a rare Hebrew ADJECTIVE (BDB 726, KB 792) which denotes one accustomed to an easy, pampered life. ▣ "I am, and there is no one beside me" This is an obvious challenge to the uniqueness of YHWH (cf. Isa. 47:10; same language used by Nineveh in Zeph. 2:5). Which One delivered His people? Which One is the true, unique God who possesses power? 47:9 "Loss of children" Note Isa. 13:16,18. What she did to others will happen to her! ▣ "many sorceries. . .the great power of your spells" The emphasis on Neo-Babylon's occultic practices, made so specific here, is continued in Isa. 47:11-13. These practices are condemned in Deuteronomy 18. For all her magical arts Neo-Babylon could not protect herself, which shows the ineffectiveness of occult practices (i.e. the weakness of her gods). sorceries ‒ BDB 506 spells ‒ BDB 288 I The NET Bible, p. 1260, #23, thinks these terms refer to spells and amulets that were worn by most people in the ANE to ward off evil spells, demons, bad luck, or danger. See a good brief discussion in IVP Bible Background Commentary (OT), p. 631. SPECIAL TOPIC: MAGIC 47:10 "secure in your wickedness" The Dead Sea Scrolls change "wickedness" (BDB 949) by changing a "d" to an "r," which makes it mean "knowledge" (BDB 395, which occurs in line c of v. 10). Either of these words fits the context. ▣ "No one sees me" This implies that they knew what they were doing was wicked and were trying to hide themselves (cf. Isa. 29:15). 47:11 NASB, NRSV, NJB, JPSOA, NET "charm away" NKJV, Peshitta "from where it arises" "your magic can not stop it" JPSOA footnote "bribe" "conjure it away" The MT, "you cannot know her dawn," thus the Peshitta and NKJV translations. There have been several suggested emendations. from the root (KB 1466 III) "to cause to disappear by magic," thus NASB, REB, NET trandslations from a root (JPSOA footnote) "to bribe" or "buy off," from BDB 1005 ▣ "atone" This is the Hebrew word "to cover" (BDB 497, KB 493, Piel INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT) and is used of the OT concept of atonement as being a blood covering on the mercy seat (cf. Leviticus 16). SPECIAL TOPIC: ATONEMENT ▣ "suddenly" This certainly describes the fall of the city of Babylon.
Isaías 47:12-15
47:12 "Perhaps you may cause trembling" H. C. Leupold adds the word "me" to show the possibility that God is telling them to see if their spells threaten Him or cause Him to tremble. This seems to be the meaning of the passage. It may, however, refer to the Persian army (NJB). 47:13 Not only are Neo-Babylon's deities helpless and humiliated (cf. Isa. 47:1-3,5), but also her prophets and counselors/sorcerers (cf. Isa. 47:14). ▣ NASB, NKJV, LXX "counsels" NRSV, NJB "consultations" "advise" "art" This is the same Hebrew word, "counsel" (BDB 420 calls it "political consultation") that is translated "purpose" (REB) in Isa. 46:10,11. This may be a contrast between YHWH's plans/purposes that will come to pass and the faulty, weak, ineffective plans/purposes of the Neo-Babylonian religious elite! No one "counseled" YHWH (cf. Isa. 40:13). He always fulfills His plans (cf. Isa. 44:26; 46:10,11). ▣ NASB, NKJV, TEV, NJB, LXX "astrologers" "those who study the heavens" "scanners of heavens" "Chaldeans" Emphasized Bible "the dividers of the heavens" The MT has the Qal PERFECT of BDB 211, KB 237 (ketiv), which seems to mean "to divide" from an Arabic root. The Masoretic scholars suggested that the Qal PARTICIPLE of the same root be read (qere). If this is accurate then it is parallel with "those who prophesy by the stars" (i.e. astrologers). 47:14 Verse 14 has one unified theme (i.e. judgment by fire) or the first three lines are judgment but the last two may relate to astrologers, the false prophets or enchanters finding a place of comfort from the cold weather by the fire they made from the scraps of their wooden idols (i.e. Isa. 44:16). SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRE