Historical chapter commentary
Verse 1. The desert of the sea. So Babylon is here called, because from a city as full of people as the sea is with water, it was become a desert. Challoner.—After its fall, it was mostly inundated. Calmet. 13:20.—Land. Media and Persia, which lay to the south, and were not so beautiful as the environs of Babylon.
Verse 2. Spoileth. Baltassar is incorrigible, or his opponents must proceed. Calmet.—Elam; that is, O Persia: ( Challoner.) Cyrus, and Darius, the Mede. Calmet.—The former nation was weak, and the latter strong. Worthington.—Cease. The enemy will shew no pity; nor shall I; as Babylon did not heretofore. Bible.
Verse 3. Pain. He bewails the crimes and the fall of Babylon, which at this time was in amity with Ezechias. verse 10. Calmet.
Verse 4. Babylon. Prot. “the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.” Septuagint “My soul is turned into fear.” Bible.
Verse 5. Drink. Persians refresh yourselves.—Take up. Hebrew “anoint.” He may also allude to the Babylonians, who were feasting.
Verse 7. Camel. These two riders are the kings of the Persians and Medes. Challoner.—The sentinel, placed by Isaias, in spirit, or rather by the king of Babylon, brings these tidings. Calmet.
Verse 8. Out. Lit. “He cried, a lion.” Bible.—Cyrus appears like one. Septuagint “And call Urias to the watch-tower,” and so forth Calmet. 8:2.
Verse 9. Horsemen, drawn by the ass and camel. verse 7. This was verified long after.
Verse 10. Floor: you who must shortly be reduced to the utmost distress. Baladan was friendly to Ezechias. But Assaradon having seized Babylon, took Manasses prisoner; and the city thenceforward continued to fill up the measure of its sins. Calmet.
Verse 11. Duma. That is, Idumea, or Edom. Challoner.—It was a city of that country, twenty miles from Eleutheropolis. Saint Jerome—Assaradon desolated Idumea the following year. verse 16. The Jews absurdly apply to Rome what is said of Edom. Saint Jerome Calmet.
Verse 12. Night. Instead of joy, I must announce dreadful things. Bible.
Verse 13. Arabia. This sentence is not in the Rom. ( Calmet.) or Alex. Septuagint ( Bible.) and Dedan is a city of Idumea. Calmet.—The Israelites are threatened. Worthington.
Verse 14. Water. To neglect this was to be accessary to another’s death, in those dreary regions. Calmet. 16:3. Deuteronomy 23:2.
Verse 16. Hireling; counting precisely. Calmet. 16:14. Calmet.—Cedar: Arabia, ( Challoner.) near to Edom. Calmet.