Babylon Will Be Brought Low

47:1 “Fall down! Sit in the dirt, O virgin daughter Babylon! Sit on the ground, not on a throne, O daughter of the Babylonians! Indeed, you will no longer be called delicate and pampered. 47:2 Pick up millstones and grind flour! Remove your veil, strip off your skirt, expose your legs, cross the streams! 47:3 Let your private parts be exposed! Your genitals will be on display! I will get revenge; I will not have pity on anyone,” 47:4 says our protector – the Lord who commands armies is his name, the Holy One of Israel. 47:5 “Sit silently! Go to a hiding place, O daughter of the Babylonians! Indeed, you will no longer be called ‘Queen of kingdoms.’ 47:6 I was angry at my people; I defiled my special possession and handed them over to you. You showed them no mercy; you even placed a very heavy burden on old people. 47:7 You said, ‘I will rule forever as permanent queen!’ You did not think about these things; you did not consider how it would turn out. 47:8 So now, listen to this, O one who lives so lavishly, who lives securely, who says to herself, ‘I am unique! No one can compare to me! I will never have to live as a widow; I will never lose my children.’ 47:9 Both of these will come upon you suddenly, in one day! You will lose your children and be widowed. You will be overwhelmed by these tragedies, despite your many incantations and your numerous amulets. 47:10 You were complacent in your evil deeds; you thought, ‘No one sees me.’ Your self-professed wisdom and knowledge lead you astray, when you say, ‘I am unique! No one can compare to me!’ 47:11 Disaster will overtake you; you will not know how to charm it away. Destruction will fall on you; you will not be able to appease it. Calamity will strike you suddenly, before you recognize it. 47:12 Persist in trusting your amulets and your many incantations, which you have faithfully recited since your youth! Maybe you will be successful – maybe you will scare away disaster. 47:13 You are tired out from listening to so much advice. Let them take their stand – the ones who see omens in the sky, who gaze at the stars, who make monthly predictions – let them rescue you from the disaster that is about to overtake you! 47:14 Look, they are like straw, which the fire burns up; they cannot rescue themselves from the heat of the flames. There are no coals to warm them, no firelight to enjoy. 47:15 They will disappoint you, those you have so faithfully dealt with since your youth. Each strays off in his own direction, leaving no one to rescue you.”

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

The Lord announces Babylon’s sudden fall. The empire that seemed secure will be humbled because of its pride, cruelty, and false trust in charms and idols. God’s judgment is not random. He acts as the Holy One of Israel and the Redeemer of his people.

This passage is a judgment oracle against Babylon. The Lord tells Babylon to leave its throne and sit in the dust. The city that once lived in honor will be shamed and brought down.

The reason for this judgment is clear. God had used Babylon to discipline his people, but Babylon showed no mercy. It became proud and acted as if its power would last forever. It trusted in its own wisdom, its spells, and its false religious practices. But none of these could protect it.

The Lord says disaster will come suddenly. Babylon’s advisers, charmers, and star-gazers will not be able to save it. They are useless in the day of judgment. The passage shows that human pride and false religion cannot stand before the living God.

• God is holy and judges cruel pride.
• Babylon was used to discipline God’s people, but that did not excuse its violence.
• The Lord is the Redeemer of his people.
• False wisdom, charms, and occult practices cannot save anyone.
• Judgment can come suddenly and without warning.

• Warning: Do not trust in pride, power, or false security.
• Warning: Do not trust charms, omens, or occult help.
• Warning: God will judge cruelty and arrogance.
• Promise: The Lord remains the Redeemer of his people.
• Command: Sit in silence before the Lord’s judgment rather than boasting against him.

God had disciplined his people through Babylon, but Babylon abused that role. The Lord then judged the empire that had become proud and cruel. This shows that God rules over nations and uses history to carry out both discipline and justice.

Readers should fear the Lord more than human strength, success, or cleverness. Pride is dangerous. Religious tricks and superstition cannot protect anyone. God sees what people do, and he will bring down cruelty and self-exalting power.

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