Click
here to show/hide instructions.
Instructions on how to use the page:
The commentary for the selected verse is is displayed below.
All commentary was produced against the King James, so the same verse from that translation may appear as well. Hovering your mouse over a commentary's scripture reference attempts to show those verses.
Use the browser's back button to return to the previous page.
Or you can also select a feature from the Just Verses menu appearing at the top of the page.
Selected Verse: Isaiah 47:9 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Isa 47:9 |
Strong Concordance |
But these two [08147] things shall come [0935] to thee in a moment [07281] in one [0259] day [03117], the loss of children [07908], and widowhood [0489]: they shall come [0935] upon thee in their perfection [08537] for the multitude [07230] of thy sorceries [03785], and for the great [03966] abundance [06109] of thine enchantments [02267]. |
| |
King James |
But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
in a moment--It should not decay slowly, but be suddenly and unexpectedly destroyed; in a single night it was taken by Cyrus. The prophecy was again literally fulfilled when Babylon revolted against Darius; and, in order to hold out to the last, each man chose one woman of his family, and strangled the rest, to save provisions. Darius impaled three thousand of the revolters.
in . . . perfection--that is, "in full measure."
for . . . for--rather, "notwithstanding the . . . notwithstanding"; "in spite of" [LOWTH]. So "for" (Num 14:11). Babylon was famous for "expiations or sacrifices, and other incantations, whereby they tried to avert evil and obtain good" [DIODORUS SICULUS]. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
In a moment, in one day - This is designed, undoubtedly, to describe the suddenness with which Babylon would be destroyed. It would not decay slowly, and by natural causes, but it would not decay slowly, and by natural causes, but it would be suddenly and unexpectedly destroyed. How strikingly this was fulfilled, it is not needful to pause to state (see Isa. 13, note; Isa 14:1, note) In the single night in which Babylon was taken by Cyrus, a death-blow was given to all her greatness and power, and at that moment a train of causes was originated which did not cease to operate until it became a pile of ruins.
The loss of children, and widowhood - Babylon would be in the situation of a wife and a mother who is instantaneously deprived of her husband, and bereft of all her children.
They shall come upon thee in their perfection - In full measure; completely; entirely. You shall know all that is meant by this condition. The state referred to is that of a wife who is suddenly deprived of her husband, and who, at the same time, and by the same stroke, is bereft of all her children. And the sense is, that Babylon would know all that was meant by such a condition, and would experience the utmost extremity of grief which such a condition involved.
For the multitude of thy sorceries - This was one of the reasons why God would thus destroy her, that sorceries and enchantments abounded there. Lowth, however, renders this, 'Notwithstanding the multitude of thy sorceries.' So Noyes, 'In spite of thy sorceries.' The Hebrew is, 'in the multitude (ברב berôb) of thy sorceries.' Jerome renders it, 'On account of ("propter") the multitude of thy sorceries.' The Septuagint: 'In (ἐν en) thy sorcery.' Perhaps the idea is, that sorcery and enchantment abounded, and that these calamities would come notwithstanding all that they could do. They would come in the very midst of the abounding necromancy and enchantments, while the people practiced these arts, and while they depended on them. That this trust in sorcery was one cause why these judgments would come upon them, is apparent from Isa 47:10-11. And that they would not be able to protect the city, or that these judgments would come in spite of all their efforts, is apparent from Isa 47:13. The idea is exactly expressed by a literal translation of the Hebrew. They would come upon her in, that is, "in the very midst" of the multitude of sorceries and enchantments. The word rendered here 'sorceries,' means magic, incantation, and is applied to the work of magicians (Kg2 9:22; Neh 3:4; Mic 5:11; compare Exo 7:2; Deu 18:10; Dan 2:2; Mal 3:5). Magic, it is well known, abounded in the East, and indeed this may be regarded as the birthplace of the art (see the note at Isa 2:6).
And for the great abundance of thine enchantments - Hebrew, 'And in the strength;' that is, in the full vigor of thine enchantments. While they would abound, and while they would exert their utmost power to preserve the city. The word rendered 'enchantments,' means properly society, company, community - from being associated, or bound together; and then spells, or enchantments, from the notion that they bound or confined the object that was the subject of the charm. The idea was that of controlling, binding, or restraining anyone whom they pleased, by the power of a spell. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Perfection - In the highest degree. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
These two things shall come to thee in a moment - That is, suddenly. Belshazzar was slain; thus the city became metaphorically a widow, the husband - the governor of it, being slain. In the time in which the king was slain, the Medes and Persians took the city, and slew many of its inhabitants, see Dan 5:30, Dan 5:31. When Darius took the city, he is said to have crucified three thousand of its principal inhabitants.
In their perfection "On a sudden" - Instead of בתמם bethummam, "in their perfection," as our translation renders it, the Septuagint and Syriac read, in the copies from which they translated, פתאם pithom, suddenly; parallel to רגע rega, in a moment, in the preceding alternate member of the sentence. The concurrent testimony of the Septuagint and Syriac, favored by the context, may be safely opposed to the authority of the present text.
For the multitude "Notwithstanding the multitude" - ברב berob. For this sense of the particle ב beth, see Num 14:11. |
11 And the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto Moses [04872], How long will this people [05971] provoke [05006] me? and how long will it be ere [03808] they believe [0539] me, for all the signs [0226] which I have shewed [06213] among [07130] them?
6 Therefore thou hast forsaken [05203] thy people [05971] the house [01004] of Jacob [03290], because they be replenished [04390] from the east [06924], and are soothsayers [06049] like the Philistines [06430], and they please [05606] themselves in the children [03206] of strangers [05237].
5 And I will come near [07126] to you to judgment [04941]; and I will be a swift [04116] witness [05707] against the sorcerers [03784], and against the adulterers [05003], and against false [08267] swearers [07650], and against those that oppress [06231] the hireling [07916] in his wages [07939], the widow [0490], and the fatherless [03490], and that turn aside [05186] the stranger [01616] from his right, and fear [03372] not me, saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635].
2 Then the king [04428] commanded [0559] to call [07121] the magicians [02748], and the astrologers [0825], and the sorcerers [03784], and the Chaldeans [03778], for to shew [05046] the king [04428] his dreams [02472]. So they came [0935] and stood [05975] before [06440] the king [04428].
10 There shall not be found [04672] among you any one that maketh his son [01121] or his daughter [01323] to pass [05674] through the fire [0784], or that useth [07080] divination [07081], or an observer of times [06049], or an enchanter [05172], or a witch [03784],
2 Thou shalt speak [01696] all that I command [06680] thee: and Aaron [0175] thy brother [0251] shall speak [01696] unto Pharaoh [06547], that he send [07971] the children [01121] of Israel [03478] out of his land [0776].
11 And I will cut off [03772] the cities [06145] [05892] of thy land [0776], and throw down [02040] all thy strong holds [04013]:
4 And next unto them [03027] repaired [02388] Meremoth [04822] the son [01121] of Urijah [0223], the son [01121] of Koz [06976]. And next unto them [03027] repaired [02388] Meshullam [04918] the son [01121] of Berechiah [01296], the son [01121] of Meshezabeel [04898]. And next unto them [03027] repaired [02388] Zadok [06659] the son [01121] of Baana [01195].
22 And it came to pass, when Joram [03088] saw [07200] Jehu [03058], that he said [0559], Is it peace [07965], Jehu [03058]? And he answered [0559], What peace [07965], so long as [05704] the whoredoms [02183] of thy mother [0517] Jezebel [0348] and her witchcrafts [03785] are so many [07227]?
13 Thou art wearied [03811] in the multitude [07230] of thy counsels [06098]. Let now the astrologers [01895] [08064], the stargazers [02374] [03556], the monthly [02320] prognosticators [03045], stand up [05975], and save [03467] thee from these things that shall come [0935] upon thee.
10 For thou hast trusted [0982] in thy wickedness [07451]: thou hast said [0559], None seeth [07200] me. Thy wisdom [02451] and thy knowledge [01847], it hath perverted [07725] thee; and thou hast said [0559] in thine heart [03820], I am, and none else [0657] beside me.
11 Therefore shall evil [07451] come [0935] upon thee; thou shalt not know [03045] from whence it riseth [07837]: and mischief [01943] shall fall [05307] upon thee; thou shalt not be able [03201] to put it off [03722]: and desolation [07722] shall come [0935] upon thee suddenly [06597], which thou shalt not know [03045].
1 For the LORD [03068] will have mercy [07355] on Jacob [03290], and will yet choose [0977] Israel [03478], and set [03240] them in their own land [0127]: and the strangers [01616] shall be joined [03867] with them, and they shall cleave [05596] to the house [01004] of Jacob [03290].
11 And the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto Moses [04872], How long will this people [05971] provoke [05006] me? and how long will it be ere [03808] they believe [0539] me, for all the signs [0226] which I have shewed [06213] among [07130] them?
31 And Darius [01868] the Median [04077] took [06902] the kingdom [04437], being about threescore [08361] and two [08648] years [08140] old [01247].
30 In that night [03916] was Belshazzar [01113] the king [04430] of the Chaldeans [03779] slain [06992].