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영문 원문
Infinite Wisdom could have ordered things so that Israel might have been released and yet Babylon unhurt; but if they will harden their hearts, and will not let the people go, they must thank themselves that their ruin is made to pave the way to Israel's release. That ruin is here, in this chapter, largely foretold, not to gratify a spirit of revenge in the people of God, who had been used barbarously by them, but to encourage their faith and hope concerning their own deliverance, and to be a type of the downfall of that great enemy of the New-Testament church which, in the Revelation, goes under the name of "Babylon." In this chapter we have, I. The greatness of the ruin threatened, that Babylon should be brought down to the dust, and made completely miserable, should fall from the height of prosperity into the depth of adversity, Isa 47:1-5. II. The sins that provoked God to bring this ruin upon them. 1. Their cruelty to the people of God, Isa 47:6. 2. Their pride and carnal security, Isa 47:7-9. 3. Their confidence in themselves and contempt of God, Isa 47:10. 4. Their use of magic arts and their dependence upon enchantments and sorceries, which should be so far from standing them in any stead that they should but hasten their ruin, Isa 47:11-15.
1-6
Babylon Threatened (708 BC)
繁體中文
巴比倫受威脅 (708 BC)
¹ 巴比倫的處女女兒啊，下來坐在塵埃中；迦勒底的閨女啊，坐在地上：沒有寶座了，因為你必不再被稱為嬌嫩柔弱的。
² 要拿磨石推磨；揭去帕子，露腿涉河。
³ 你的下體必被露出，你的羞恥必被看見；我要報仇，必不以人與你相遇。
⁴ 我們救贖主的名是萬軍之耶和華，以色列的聖者。
⁵ 迦勒底的閨女啊，你要默然靜坐，進入暗中黑暗；因為你必不再被稱為列國的霸主。
⁶ 我曾向我的百姓發怒，使我的產業被褻瀆，將他們交在你手中；你毫不憐憫他們，把極重的軛加在老年人身上。
在這些經文中，神藉先知差遣使者到巴比倫，正如約拿往尼尼微去一樣：「巴比倫將要被毀滅的時候近了。」這樣就給了她公平的警告，使她可以藉悔改避開傾覆，使她的太平得以延長。我們在此可以觀察到：
I. 神與巴比倫的爭訟。我們要從此開始，因為一切災禍都從此開始；她使神作了她的仇敵，那麼誰能作她的朋友呢：讓她知道，那屬報應的公義審判官已經說了（Isa 47:3）：「我要報仇。」她惹動了神，當她罪孽的量數滿了，就要為此受清算。神來報應的人有禍了；因為誰知道他怒氣的權能，落在他手中是多麼可怕的事呢？若是要向我們報復的是像我們自己一樣的人，我們還可以盼望與他匹敵，要麼從他手中逃脫，要麼與他相爭。但他說：「『我必不以人與你相遇』——不帶人的同情，而要如獅子、少壯獅子向你」（Ho 5:14）；或更恰當地說，不是人的力量（那容易抵抗），而是神的大能（那不能抵抗）。不是人的公義（可以被賄賂、偏袒或因愚蠢的憐憫而軟化），而是神的公義——嚴厲而嚴格，永不能逃避。正如在赦免悔改者時，照樣在刑罰不悔改者時，他是「神，不是人」（Ho 11:9）。
II. 這爭訟的具體緣由。我們確知其中有原因，而且是公正的原因；這是「他殿的報應」（Jer 50:28）；是「為錫安所行的強暴」（Jer 51:35）。神要為他百姓的緣故與他們爭訟。這裏承認（Isa 47:6），神曾在怒中將他的百姓交在巴比倫人手中，曾利用他們管教他的兒女，並藉他們的手段「褻瀆了他的產業」——任憑他特有的百姓與其餘的列國一同受苦，任憑那本該被遠離的外邦人「進入他的聖所」、「玷污他的殿」（Ps 79:1）。在這事上神是公義的；但巴比倫人做得太過分了，當他們將百姓握在手中（看到一個向來以智慧、聖潔、尊榮著稱的百姓被如此降卑，便得意洋洋），他們以卑賤奴役的心態踐踏他們，「毫不憐憫他們」——連那些可憐人單因他們的可憐就有權得到的起碼的人道對待都沒有。他們野蠻地對待他們，帶著輕蔑，不，是帶著對他們災禍的快意。他們被放在軛下；但這似乎還不夠，他們「把極重的軛加在」其上，使受苦的人更加痛苦。不，他們把軛加「在老年人身上」——按年紀是長老的，已過了勞作的年紀，必沉沒在那在年輕力壯時輕易可以承受的軛下；按職分是長老的，那些曾作士師官長、頭等人物的人。他們以把這些人置於最卑賤艱苦的勞役中為榮。耶利米為此哀嘆，「老年人的臉面也不受人尊敬」（La 5:12）。沒有甚麼比殘忍——尤其是對神以色列的殘忍——更確實、更慘痛地為任何民族帶來傾覆。
III. 這爭訟的可怕。當她被告知與她爭訟的是誰時，她有理由戰兢（Isa 47:4）：「『我們的救贖主』——我們的至近親屬，那起來為我們的血報仇伸冤的——他有兩個名字，不僅對我們說出安慰，也對我們的仇敵說出可怕。」1.「他是『萬軍之耶和華』，那統管一切受造之物，因此有『天上地下一切的權柄』。」與主爭戰的人有禍了，因為全受造之物都在與他們交戰。2.「他是『以色列的聖者』，與我們立約的神，住在我們中間，並要忠實成就他向我們一切應許的神。」神的大能和聖潔都起來反對巴比倫、為錫安效力。這可以恰當地應用在我們偉大的救贖主基督身上。他既是萬軍之耶和華，也是以色列的聖者。
IV. 這對巴比倫的後果。她被稱為「處女」，因為她自視如此，雖然她實際上是淫婦之母。她如處女般美麗，為周圍一切所追求；她曾被稱為「嬌嫩柔弱」（Isa 47:1），又被稱為「列國的霸主」（Isa 47:5）；但如今情形改變了。1. 她的尊榮沒了，她要向一切尊嚴告別。那曾坐在世界高位、坐享威嚴、坐享安逸的，如今要「下來坐在塵埃中」——極其卑微、深深哀悼，要「坐在地上」，因為她必被掏空窮乏到沒有一個座位留給她坐。2. 她的權勢沒了，她要向一切轄權告別。她必不再如從前那樣統治，也不再如從前那樣向鄰舍發號施令：「沒有寶座了」——沒有你的了，「迦勒底的閨女啊！」注意，那些濫用尊榮或權力的人，是惹動神剝奪其尊榮權力，使他們「下來坐在塵埃中」。3. 她的安逸和享樂沒了：「她必『不再被稱為嬌嫩柔弱』，因為她不僅要被剝奪一切她用來嬌養自己的東西，還要被置於艱苦的勞役中，受匱乏和痛苦，這對她要加倍難受——她從前『嬌嫩柔弱，甚至不肯用腳掌踏地』」（De 28:56）。我們的智慧是不要讓自己習慣於嬌嫩柔弱，因為我們不知道死前別人會怎樣苛待我們，也不知道我們會被降到何種困境。4. 她的自由沒了，被置於奴役狀態，以及她在興盛時帶給別人的同樣沉重的捆綁。甚至巴比倫的大人物如今也要從征服者那裏領受他們從前加在被征服者身上的同樣律法：「『拿磨石推磨』（Isa 47:2），去作工，作苦工」（如同在感化院裏打麻），「這要使你出汗，使你不得不摘下一切頭飾，『揭去帕子』。」當他們被主人任性的念頭從一處趕到另一處時，他們必被迫涉水過河，水深及腰，「露腿」，「揭去帕子」，好讓他們可以「涉河」——這對那些習慣威風出巡的人是極大的屈辱。但不要抱怨，因為他們從前正是這樣對待他們的俘虜；他們當時「用甚麼量器量給人」，如今也「必用甚麼量器量給他們」。那些有權的人當以節制和適度來使用權力，想到那在上面的車輻，終必轉到下面。5. 她的一切榮耀和一切誇耀都沒了。她所得的不是榮耀，而是恥辱（Isa 47:3）：「你的下體必被露出，你的羞恥必被看見」——照他們通常對俘虜所行的卑鄙野蠻的對待，他們因貪圖俘虜的衣服，連遮蔽赤身露體的破布也不留給他們，可見他們既缺乏對人性當有的憐憫，也缺乏當有的端莊。她所得的不是誇耀，而是「默然靜坐，進入暗中黑暗」（Isa 47:5），羞於見人，因為她已完全失去信譽，「必不再被稱為列國的霸主」。注意，神能使那些向來在世上發出最大聲響的人默然靜坐，使那些向來最出風頭的人進入暗中黑暗。所以，誇口的當指著不改變的神誇口，不要指著任何會改變的世俗財富、快樂或尊榮誇口。
영문 원문
Babylon Threatened (708 BC)
¹ Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.
² Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.
³ Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.
⁴ As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.
⁵ Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms.
⁶ I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst show them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.
In these verses God by the prophet sends a messenger even to Babylon, like that of Jonah to Nineveh: "The time is at hand when Babylon shall be destroyed." Fair warning is thus given her, that she may by repentance prevent the ruin and there may be a lengthening of her tranquility. We may observe here,
I. God's controversy with Babylon. We will begin with that, for there all the calamity begins; she has made God her enemy, and then who can befriend her: Let her know that the righteous Judge, to whom vengeance belongs, has said (Isa 47:3), I will take vengeance. She has provoked God, and shall be reckoned with for it when the measure of her iniquities is full. Woe to those on whom God comes to take vengeance; for who knows the power of his anger and what a fearful thing it is to fall into his hands? Were it a man like ourselves who would be revenged on us, we might hope to be a match for him, either to make our escape from him or to make our part good with him. But he says, "I will not meet thee as a man, not with the compassions of a man, but I will be to the as a lion, and a young lion" (Ho 5:14); or, rather, not with the strength of a man, which is easily resisted, but with the power of a God, which cannot be resisted. Not with the justice of a man, which may be bribed, or biassed, or mollified by a foolish pity, but with the justice of a God, which is strict and severe, and can never be evaded. As in pardoning the penitent, so in punishing the impenitent, he is God and not man, Ho 11:9.
II. The particular ground of this controversy. We are sure that there is cause for it, and it is a just cause; it is the vengeance of his temple (Jer 50:28); it is for violence done to Zion, Jer 51:35. God will plead his people's cause against them. It is acknowledged (Isa 47:6) that God had, in wrath, delivered his people into the hands of the Babylonians, had made use of them for the correction of his children, and had by their means polluted his inheritance, had left his peculiar people exposed to suffer in common with the rest of the nations, had suffered the heathen, who should have been kept at a distance, to come into his sanctuary and defile his temple, Ps 79:1. Herein God was righteous; but the Babylonians carried the matter too far, and, when they had them in their hands (triumphing to see a people that had been so much in reputation for wisdom, holiness, and honour, brought thus low), with a base and servile spirit they trampled upon them, and showed them no mercy, no, not the common instances of humanity which the miserable are entitled to purely by their misery. They used them barbarously, and with an air of contempt, nay, and of complacency in their calamities. They were brought under the yoke; but, as if that were not enough, they laid the yoke on very heavily, adding affliction to the afflicted. Nay, they laid it on the ancient—the elders in years, who were past their labour, and must sink under a yoke which those in their youthful strength would easily bear—the elders in office, those that had been judges and magistrates, and persons of the first rank. They took a pride in putting these to the meanest hardest drudgery. Jeremiah laments this, that the faces of elders were not honoured, La 5:12. Nothing brings a surer or a sorer ruin upon any people than cruelty, especially to God's Israel.
III. The terror of this controversy. She has reason to tremble when she is told who it is that has this quarrel with her (Isa 47:4): "As for our Redeemer, our Goël, that undertakes to plead our cause as the avenger of our blood, he has two names which speak not only comfort to us, but terror to our adversaries." 1. "He is the Lord of hosts, that has all the creatures at his command, and therefore has all power both in heaven and in earth." Woe to those against whom the Lord fights, for the whole creation is at war with them. 2. "He is the Holy One of Israel, a God in covenant with us, who has his residence among us, and will faithfully perform all the promises he has made to us." God's power and holiness are engaged against Babylon and for Zion. This may fitly be applied to Christ, our great Redeemer. He is both Lord of hosts and the Holy One of Israel.
IV. The consequences of it to Babylon. She is called a virgin, because so she thought herself, though she was the mother of harlots. She was beautiful as a virgin, and courted by all about her; she had been called tender and delicate (Isa 47:1), and the lady of kingdoms (Isa 47:5); but now the case is altered. 1. Her honour is gone, and she must bid farewell to all her dignity. She that had sat at the upper end of the world, sat in state and sat at ease, must now come down and sit in the dust, as very mean and a deep mourner, must sit on the ground, for she shall be so emptied and impoverished that she shall not have a seat left her to sit upon. 2. Her power is gone, and she must bid farewell to all her dominion. She shall rule no more as she has done, nor give law as she has done to her neighbours: There is no throne, none for thee, O daughter of the Chaldeans! Note, Those that abuse their honour or power provoke God to deprive them of it, and to make them come down and sit in the dust. 3. Her ease and pleasure are gone: "She shall no more be called tender and delicate as she has been, for she shall not only be deprived of all those things with which she pampered herself, but shall be put to hard service and made to feel both want and pain, which will be more than doubly grievous to her who formerly would not venture to set so much as the sole of her foot to the ground for tenderness and for delicacy," De 28:56. It is our wisdom not to use ourselves to be tender and delicate, because we know not how hardly others may use us before we die not what straits we may be reduced to. 4. Her liberty is gone, and she is brought into a state of servitude and as sore a bondage as she in her prosperity had brought others to. Even the great men of Babylon must now receive the same law from the conquerors that they used to give to the conquered: "Take the mill-stones and grind meal (Isa 47:2), set to work, to hard labour" (like beating hemp in Bridewell), "which will make thee sweat so that thou must throw off all thy head-dresses, and uncover thy locks." When they were driven from one place to another, at the capricious humours of their masters, they must be forced to wade up to the middle through the waters, to make bare the leg and uncover the thigh, that they might pass over the rivers, which would be a great mortification to those that used to ride in state. But let them not complain, for just thus they had formerly used their captives; and with what measure they then meted it is now measured to them again. Let those that have power use it with temper and moderation, considering that the spoke which is uppermost will be under. 5. All her glory, and all her glorying, are gone. Instead of glory, she has ignominy (Isa 47:3): Thy nakedness shall be uncovered and thy shame shall be seen, according to the base and barbarous usage they commonly gave their captives, to whom, for covetousness of their clothes, they did not leave rags sufficient to cover their nakedness, so void were they of the modesty as well as of the pity due to the human nature. Instead of glorying she sits silently, and gets into darkness (Isa 47:5), ashamed to show her face, for she has quite lost her credit and shall no more be called the lady of kingdoms. Note, God can make those sit silently that used to make the greatest noise in the world, and send those into darkness that used to make the greatest figure. Let him that glories, therefore, glory in a God that changes not, and not in any worldly wealth, pleasure, or honour, which are subject to change.
7-15
Babylon Threatened (708 BC)
繁體中文
巴比倫受威脅（主前708年）
⁷ 你曾說，我必永為主母，以致你不將這事放在心上，也不記念這事的結局。
⁸ 所以你這專好宴樂的，安然居住的，心裏說，惟有我，除我以外再沒有別的；我必不至寡居，也不喪子，你現在要聽這話。
⁹ 不料這兩樣事在一日之間，頃刻之間臨到你；你喪子寡居，這兩樣事必全然臨到你；因你多行邪術，又大大施展你的法術。
¹⁰ 你素來倚靠你的邪惡，說，無人看見我。你的智慧聰明使你偏邪，並且你心裏說，惟有我，除我以外再沒有別的。
¹¹ 因此禍患要臨到你，你不知從何處興起；災禍要臨到你身上，你無法除掉；你所不知道的荒廢，必忽然臨到你。
¹² 現在你要從你幼年所勞碌的諸法術，並你許多的邪術，找出可得益處的方法來罷；或者你能加添勢力，或者能得勝。
¹³ 你籌劃太多，以致疲倦。讓那些觀天象的、看星宿的、在月朔說預言的，都站起來，救你脫離這些將要臨到你的事。
¹⁴ 看哪，他們要如碎秸；火要將他們燒盡；他們不能救自己脫離火焰的權勢；這不是可以取暖的火炭，也不是可以坐在它前面的火。
*¹⁵ 你所勞碌的那些人，就是你從幼年與你交易的商人，必如此待你；他們各人向自己的方向流浪，無人救你。
如今註定要毀滅的巴比倫，在此正當地因其繁盛之日的驕傲、奢華和安逸，以及對自己智慧和遠見的自信——特別是對占星家的預言和計謀的自信——而受責備。這些事之所以提及，既是為要在降這些審判上顯神為義，也是要使她在這些審判之下自卑，使她更為羞愧；因為當神出來報仇之時，榮耀歸於他，混亂卻歸於罪人。
I. 巴比倫人在此因驕傲和狂妄受責備——因他們的財富和勢力、他們遼闊的版圖而自視甚高；這是政府和百姓整體的語氣：你心裏說（那察看人心的神，能告訴人在心裏所說的，即使他們從未說出口）惟有我，除我以外再沒有別的（Isa 47:8,10）。這部分控訴的重複，表明他們常說，且大大得罪神。這正是神常論自己所說的話：惟有我，除我以外再沒有別的，表明他的自有永有、他無限而無可比擬的完全，以及他獨一的主權。這一切巴比倫都妄自宣稱；她既然擅自為百姓敬拜而隨意造神造女神，又在自己當中加上一位，也就不足為奇了。論到任何受造物說「它存在，無物可與相比，除它以外別無其他」，都是放肆（因為受造物彼此之間幾乎平等）；但任何人如此論自己，是不可容忍的狂妄，是無知的證據。
II. 他們因奢華和貪圖安逸受責備（Isa 47:8）：你這專好宴樂的——是宴樂的奴隸，以宴樂為要素，為能不受攪擾、不受間斷地享受，*安然居住，什麼也不放在心上。*巨大的財富和豐盛是極大的縱慾試探；哪裏有豐裕的糧食，哪裏通常就有大量的閒懶。但那些專好宴樂、安然居住的人若肯聽這話——為這一切事神必審問——便能叫他們的歡樂冷卻、叫他們的宴樂消減，並使他們找到一些當掛心的事。
III. 他們因屬肉體的安逸，以及對其榮華宴樂持久性的虛假自信受責備。這在此大加強調。請留意，
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他們安逸的成因。他們自以為安全、脫離危險，不是因為他們不知道一切地上享受的不確定性，也不知道邦國和個人同樣難免的命運，而是因為他們不將這事放在心上——不應用在自己身上、不作應有的思想。他們在安逸宴樂中使自己沉睡，夢想的全是明日必像今日一樣，而且更加豐盛。他們不記念這事的結局——他們興盛的結局，那不過是必殘的花；他們罪孽的結局，那是苦味，他們的不義和欺壓必有一天要算賬受罰。她不記念自己的結局（有人如此讀）；她忘了自己的末日必到、其結局如何。這正是耶路撒冷的敗壞（La 1:9）：她不追念自己的結局，所以敗落得令人驚奇；這也是巴比倫的敗壞。世人在罪惡的道路上安然自得、自以為安全，只因為他們從不思想死亡、審判和將來的狀態。
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他們安逸的根據。他們信靠自己的邪惡和自己的智慧（Isa 47:10）。（1.）他們以欺詐和強暴所得的勢力和財富為倚靠：你素來倚靠你的邪惡，如同以東人多益（Ps 52:7）。許多人如此敗壞自己的良心，到了如此大膽作惡的地步，以至於甚麼都不在乎；他們信靠這個帶他們度過那些困擾在乎言行之人的難關。他們毫不懷疑自己必勝過一切仇敵，因為他們敢於說謊、殺人、起假誓，為自己的利益甚麼都作。如此他們信靠自己的邪惡來保護自己——而這正是那要毀壞他們的惟一之事。（2.）他們自稱為智慧的策略和詭詐是他們的倚靠。他們自以為能勝過全人類，因此可以無視一切仇敵。但他們的智慧和聰明使他們偏邪，使他們偏離正路，使他們忘了自己、忘了當為將來所作的預備。
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他們安逸的表露。這驕傲狂妄的王朝在其安逸中說了三件事：（1.）我必永為主母（Isa 47:7）。她把自己尊榮的特許狀看作不是僅僅取決於恩典之源的主權者的喜悅，也不是取決於她自己的好行為，而是永遠賜給當代及其後裔繼承人。她不但以為自己是主母而驕傲，更自信必永為主母。如此新約的巴比倫說：我坐著為王，必不再見悲哀（Re 18:7）。那些以為自己必永為主婦的女子誤會了自己，也沒有思想自己的結局；因為死亡不久必把她們的尊榮與她們一同放在塵土裏。聖徒必永為聖徒，但主公和主婦卻不能永遠如此。（2.）*我必不至寡居——*不孤單憂愁，永不失去我所如此依附的勢力和財富；這國必不缺君王來娶她、保護她、作這國的丈夫；我也不喪子（Isa 47:8）。她對自己百姓數目的延續，如同對自己君王的尊榮那樣有把握，毫不懼怕被廢或被滅。那些在興盛頂點的人容易幻想自己超脫逆境的命運。（3.）無人看見我——當我作惡之時，因此必無人向我算賬（Isa 47:10）。罪人應許自己免受刑罰，因為他們在自己罪惡的道路上應許自己隱秘。他們信靠自己邪惡的伎倆和計謀來撐腰，因為他們以為自己進行得如此巧妙，無人能看出其中的邪惡和詭詐。
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他們安逸的刑罰。這必是他們的毀壞；而且將是，（1.）完全的毀壞，毀壞他們一切的安慰和自信：這兩樣事必臨到你——正是你所蔑視的那兩樣——喪子和寡居（Isa 47:9）。你的首領和百姓都必被剪除，使你不再為一國、不再為一民。請注意，神常常把那些安逸的罪人最不懼怕、自以為最少危險的災禍降在他們身上。它們必全然臨到你——帶着一切加重情節，毫無減輕。對神的兒女而言，患難並不是「全然」的患難。寡居對他們不是全然的災禍，因為他們有造他們的主作丈夫可以自慰；喪子也不是，因為他比十個兒子更好。但對他的仇敵，這些卻是全然臨到。寡居和喪子各自都是大憂愁，但兩者同臨更為悲慘。拿俄米以為當她既喪了丈夫，又喪了兩個兒子之時，被稱為瑪拉是理所當然的（Ru 1:5）；然而對她，這些災禍並未全然臨到，因為她還留下兩個兒婦安慰她。但對巴比倫，這些卻是全然臨到；她毫無安慰存留。（2.）這將是忽然的、出人意料的毀壞。災禍要在一日之間臨到，不，是頃刻之間，這使它更為可怕，尤其對那些如此安逸的人。禍患要臨到你（Isa 47:11），你既沒有時間、也沒有方法防備或預備；因為你不知從何處興起，所以不知在何處設防。希伯來文的說法是：你不知其早晨。我們知道日子何時破曉、太陽何時升起、在何處升起，卻不知那日子來到時要帶來甚麼，也不知患難何時、從何方興起；或許風暴會從我們未曾料到的方向來。巴比倫自詡大有智慧和知識（Isa 47:10），但她的一切知識不能預見，她的一切智慧不能阻止所警告的毀壞：*你所不知道的荒廢，必忽然臨到你——*如同夜間的賊，就是你未曾想到的。誠然，以賽亞和主的其他先知曾對這荒廢發出清楚的警告；但他們輕看這通知，不肯相信，因此公義地如此安排：他們不能再有別的通知，只因其自己的安逸，加上仇敵的迅速和詭詐，當這事來到時必成為完全的意外。那些輕看寫下來的話語的警告的人，不要期望再有任何別的預警。（3.）這將是無可抗拒的毀壞，是他們無法抵擋的：*災禍要臨到你，如此突然，使你無暇轉身自保；如此猛烈，使你不能抵擋、不能延遲而自救。*當神的審判奉命而來時，無可抵擋。巴比倫自己，以其一切財富、勢力、眾多，也不能延遲所臨到的災禍。
IV. 他們因占卜、行邪術和占星的技藝和學問受責備——迦勒底人以此比任何別的國家更為臭名昭著，別國都是從他們學得這一切學問。
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這在此被提及為惹動神的審判的一項罪行（Isa 47:9）。*這些災禍必臨到你，刑罰你多行邪術、大大施展法術。*行邪術本質上是極其可惡的罪；它是把惟獨歸於神的尊榮歸給魔鬼，以神的仇敵為我們的引導，以謊言之父為我們的神諭。在巴比倫，這是全國性的罪，並得著政府的保護和贊助；據我們所知，行法術的是他們的樞密大臣和國家首相。神豈不為這些事追討嗎？請留意他們當中有何等多的邪術和法術——何等眾多、何等豐盛。這罪如此迷惑人，一旦被接納便如野火般蔓延，他們對之永無止境；受迷惑的和迷惑人的都奇異地加增。
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這在此被提及為他們虛假的倚靠之一——他們極其信靠，卻必在其中受欺，因為它連審判將至的通知都不能給他們，更不用說保護他們免受了。（1.）他們因自己在邪術法術上所費的大力受責備：你從幼年就在其中勞碌（Isa 47:12）。他們訓練青年人研究這些，那些投身其中的人在不懈的勞碌中讀書、觀測、試驗。好，讓他們現在帶着他們的法術站起來，在這關鍵時刻試試他們的本事。讓他們若能，就抵擋入侵的仇敵；讓他們站出來為國效力；但有何用處？你籌劃太多，以致疲倦（Isa 47:13）；你已與他們全部商量過，卻從未得著滿意；他們所立的不同方案、所給的不同判斷，只增加了你的困惑、使你疲倦。謀士多時並無安全。（2.）他們因這類人在他們當中的種類繁多受責備（Isa 47:13）。他們有那些觀天象的——不像大衛那樣觀看諸天以瞻仰神的智慧和權能，而是假裝藉着諸天預告未來事件，觀看諸天卻忘了那造諸天、在地上設立它們的權柄（Job 38:33）又自己統管它們（因他馳騁諸天）的主。他們有那些看星宿的——藉着星辰的運行、會合和對沖，解讀邦國的命運。他們有那些在月朔說預言的——他們的曆書編者，告訴人每月當有何天氣、當有何新聞。他們有如此多這類人，是他們引以為傲的；但這一切都是欺騙，他們的技藝是虛假。我承認我看不出如今有人自稱的、據其規則預告將來之事的占星術，與迦勒底人的有何分別，因此看不出它如何能逃避這處經文加在那上面的指責和輕蔑；然而我恐怕有些人研讀他們的曆書、看重他們和他們的預言，過於他們的聖經和其中的預言。（3.）他們因這一切冒牌者在患難之日不能為他們行半點善受責備。讓他們看看，能否藉着他們法術的幫助勝過仇敵，或使自己得益——振奮自己的軍力或挫仇敵的銳氣（Isa 47:12）。讓他們看看那些以占卜為業的能為他們作甚麼：讓他們站起來——或以他們的能力救你脫離將要臨到的災禍，或以他們的先見事先發現，使你可藉必要的預防自救；如同以利沙通知以色列王亞蘭軍的動向，使他能自救，不只一次，也不只兩次（2Ki 6:10）。這使占卜者狼狽不堪，在巴比倫被取、伯沙撒被殺的那夜，按字面應驗了——他一切的星相家、占卜者和智慧人，面對宣告那致命判決的牆上字跡，完全束手無策（Da 5:8）。（4.）他們因智慧人自己在共同的毀壞中倒下受責備（Isa 47:14）。那些不能保護自己的人不太可能對朋友有甚麼幫助；他們至好不過如碎秸，毫無價值、毫無用處，且在吞噬的火前必如碎秸。波斯人為了給自己的智慧人騰出位置，必剪除巴比倫的；那火必將他們燒盡，他們不能救自己脫離火焰的權勢。那些以罪為燃料使自己成了吞噬之火燃料的人，只能期望被吞滅。當神在他們中間點火，這不是可以取暖的火炭，也不是可以坐在它前面的火，而是要燒滅他們的火炭。或更確切地說，這表明他們必被神的審判全然吞滅，燒成灰燼，不留一塊活炭可以為任何人效勞；因為當神審判時，他必得勝。（5.）他們因他們的商人——與他們交易的人——受責備（Isa 47:15），就是他們從幼年所交易的人，或 [1.] 在諮詢的方式上。這些行法術的、行黑術的，他們總愛與之打交道，實際上就成了他們的商人；算命是巴比倫最好的行業之一，從事那行業的可能和最富有的商人一樣生活豪華、賺錢眾多；然而當其中一些被吞滅，別的便逃離本國，各人向自己的方向流浪，無人救巴比倫。他們都是可悲的安慰者。或 [2.] 在貿易的方式上。如同他們所勞碌的占星家辜負了他們，他們的商人也如此；他們只顧保全自己的財產，至於巴比倫如何則毫不關心。他們各人向自己的地方流浪；各人只求自己的安全，無人肯伸出援手——不，連那些曾從這城賺取大筆金錢的人也不肯。人人只為自己，少有為朋友的。新約的巴比倫被那些因她致富的商人哀哭，但他們十分謹慎地站遠遠地哀哭（Re 18:15），不肯嘗試為她解救。那些以信心和禱告與在患難時隨時的幫助相交的人有福了！
영문 원문
Babylon Threatened (708 BC)
⁷ And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it.
⁸ Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:
⁹ 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.
¹⁰ For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.
¹¹ Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know.
¹² Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.
¹³ Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.
¹⁴ Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.
¹⁵ Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.
Babylon, now doomed to ruin, is here justly upbraided with her pride, luxury, and security, in the day of her prosperity, and the confidence she had in her own wisdom and forecast, and particularly in the prognostications and counsels of the astrologers. These things are mentioned both to justify God in bringing these judgments upon her and to mortify her, and put her to so much the greater shame, under these judgments; for, when God comes forth to take vengeance, glory belongs to him, but confusion to the sinner.
I. The Babylonians are here upbraided with their pride and haughtiness, and the great conceit they had of themselves, because of their wealth and power, and the vast extent of their dominion; it was the language both of the government and of the body of the people: Thou sayest in thy heart (and God, who searches all hearts, can tell men what they say there, though they never speak it out) I am, and none else besides me, Isa 47:8,10. The repetition of this part of the charge intimates that they said it often, and that it was very offensive to God. It is the very word that God has often said concerning himself, I am, and none else besides me, denoting his self-existence, his infinite and incomparable perfections, and his sole supremacy. All this Babylon pretends to; and no wonder if she that assumed a power to make what gods and goddesses she pleased for the people to worship made herself one among the rest. It is presumption to say of any creature, "It is, and there is not its like, there is none besides it" (for creatures stand very nearly upon a level with one another); but it is insufferable arrogance for any to say so of themselves, and an evidence of their self-ignorance.
II. They are upbraided with their luxury and love of ease (Isa 47:8): "Thou that art given to pleasures, art a slave to them, art in them as in thy element, and, that thou mayest enjoy them without disturbance or interruption, dwellest carelessly and layest nothing to heart." Great wealth and plenty are great temptations to sensuality, and, where there is fulness of bread, there is commonly abundance of idleness. But if those that are given to pleasures, and dwell carelessly, would but hear this, that for all these things God will bring them into judgment, it would be a damp to their mirth, an allay to their pleasure, and would find them something to be in care about.
III. They are upbraided with their carnal security and their vain confidence of the perpetuity of their pomps and pleasures. This is much insisted on here. Observe,
1. The cause of their security. They thought themselves safe and out of danger, not because they were ignorant of the uncertainty of all earthly enjoyments and the inevitable fate that attends states and kingdoms as well as particular persons, but because they did not lay this to heart, did not apply it to themselves, nor give it a due consideration. They lulled themselves asleep in ease and pleasure, and dreamt of nothing else but that to-morrow should be as this day, and much more abundant. They did not remember the latter end of it—the latter end of their prosperity, that it is a fading flower, and will wither—the latter end of their iniquity, that it will be bitterness, that the day will come when their injustice and oppression must be reckoned for and punished. She did not remember her latter end (so some read it); she forgot that her day would come to fall and what would be in the end hereof. It was the ruin of Jerusalem (La 1:9) that she remembered not her last end, therefore she came down wonderfully; and it was Babylon's ruin too. The children of men are easy, and think themselves safe, in their sinful ways, only because they never think of death, and judgment, and their future state.
2. The ground of their security. They trusted in their wickedness and in their wisdom, Isa 47:10. (1.) Their power and wealth, which they had gotten by fraud and oppression, were their confidence: Thou hast trusted in thy wickedness, As Doeg. Ps 52:7. Many have so debauched their own consciences, and have got to such a pitch of daring wickedness, that they stick at nothing; and this they trust to carry them through those difficulties which embarrass men who make conscience of what they say and do. They doubt not but they shall be too hard for all their enemies, because they dare lie, and kill, and forswear themselves, and do any thing for their interest. Thus they trust in their wickedness to secure them, which is the only thing that will ruin them. (2.) Their policy and craft, which they called their wisdom, were their confidence. They thought they could outwit all mankind, and therefore might set all their enemies at defiance. But their wisdom and knowledge perverted them, and turned them out of the way, made them forget themselves, and the preparation necessary to be made for hereafter.
3. The expressions of their security. Three things this proud and haughty monarchy said, in her security:— (1.) "I shall be a lady for ever," Isa 47:7. She looked upon the patent of her honour to be not merely during the pleasure of the sovereign Lord, the fountain of honour, or during her own good behaviour, but to be perpetual to the present generation and their heirs and successors for ever. She was not only proud that she was a lady, but confident that she should be a lady for ever. Thus the New-Testament Babylon says, I sit as a queen, and shall see no sorrow, Re 18:7. Those ladies mistake themselves, and consider not their latter end, who think they shall be ladies for ever; for death will shortly lay their honour with them in the dust. Saints will be saints for ever, but lords and ladies will not be so for ever. (2.) "I shall not sit as a widow, in solitude and sorrow, shall never lose the power and wealth I am thus wedded to; the monarchy shall never want a monarch to espouse and protect it, and be a husband to the state; nor shall I know the loss of children," Isa 47:8. She was as confident of the continuance of the numbers of her people as of the dignity of her prince, and had no fear of being either deposed or depopulated. Those that are in the height of prosperity are apt to fancy themselves out of the reach of adverse fate. (3.) "No one sees me when I do amiss, and therefore there will be none to call me to an account," Isa 47:10. It is common for sinners to promise themselves impunity, because they promise themselves secrecy, in their wicked ways. They trust to their wicked arts and designs to stand them in stead, because they think they have carried them on so plausibly that none can discern the wickedness and deceit of them.
4. The punishment of their security. It shall be their ruin; and it will be, (1.) A complete ruin, the ruin of all their comforts and confidences: "These two things shall come upon thee (the very two things that thou didst set at defiance), loss of children and widowhood, Isa 47:9. Both thy princes and thy people shall be cut off, so that thou shalt be no more a government, no more a nation." Note, God often brings upon secure sinners those very mischiefs which they least feared and thought themselves in least danger of. "They shall come upon thee in their perfection, with all their aggravating circumstances and without any thing to allay or mitigate them." Afflictions to God's children are not afflictions in perfection. Widowhood is not to them a calamity in perfection, for they have this to comfort themselves with, that their Maker is their husband; loss of children is not, for he is better to them than ten sons. But on his enemies they come in perfection. Widowhood and loss of children are either of them great griefs, but both together great indeed. Naomi thinks she may well be called Marah when she is left both of her sons and of her husband (Ru 1:5); and yet on her these evils did not come in perfection, for she had two daughters-in-law left, that were comforts to her. But on Babylon they come in perfection; she has no comfort remaining. (2.) It will be a sudden and surprising ruin. The evil shall come in one day, nay, in a moment, which will make it much the more terrible, especially to those that were so very secure. "Evil shall come upon thee (Isa 47:11) and thou shalt have neither time nor way to provide against it, or to prepare for it; for thou shalt not know whence it rises, and therefore shalt not know where to stand upon thy guard." Thou shalt not know the morning thereof; so the Hebrew phrase is. We know just when and where the day will break and the sun rise, but we know not what the day, when it comes, will bring forth, nor when or where trouble will arise; perhaps the storm may come from that point of the compass which we little thought of. Babylon pretended to great wisdom and knowledge (Isa 47:10), but with all her knowledge she cannot foresee, nor with all her wisdom prevent, the ruin threatened: "Desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, as a thief in the night, which thou shalt not know, that is, which thou little thoughtest of." Fair warning was indeed given them, by Isaiah and other prophets of the Lord, of this desolation; but they slighted that notice, and would give no credit to it, and therefore justly is it so ordered that they should have no other notice of it, but that partly through their own security, and partly through the swiftness and subtlety of the enemy, when it came it should be a perfect surprise to them. Those that slight the warnings of the written word, let them not expect any other premonitions. (3.) It will be an irresistible ruin, and such as they will have no fence against: "Mischief shall come upon thee so suddenly that thou shalt have no time to turn thee in, so strongly that thou shalt not be able to make head against it and to put it off and save thyself." There is no opposing the judgments of God when they come with commission. Babylon herself, with all her wealth, and power, and multitude, is not able to put off the mischief that comes.
IV. They are upbraided with their divinations, their magical and astrological arts and sciences, which the Chaldeans, above any other nation, were notorious for, and from them other nations borrowed all their learning of that kind.
1. This is here spoken of as one of their provoking sins, which would bring the judgments of God upon them, Isa 47:9. "These evils shall come upon thee to punish thee for the multitude of thy sorceries, and the great abundance of thy enchantments." Witchcraft is a sin in its own nature exceedingly heinous; it is giving that honour to the devil which is due to God only, making God's enemy our guide and the father of lies our oracle. In Babylon it was a national sin, and had the protection and countenance of the government; conjurors, for aught that appears, were their privy counsellors and prime ministers of state. And shall not God visit for these things? Observe what a multitude, what a great abundance, of sorceries and enchantments there were among them. Such a bewitching sin this was that when it was once admitted it spread like wildfire, and they never knew any end of it; the deceived and the deceivers both increased strangely.
2. It is here spoken of as one of their vain confidences, which they relied much upon, but should be deceived in, for it would not serve so much as to give them notice of the judgments coming, much less to guard against them. (1.) They are here upbraided with the mighty pains they had taken about their sorceries and enchantments: Thou hast laboured in them from thy youth, Isa 47:12. They trained up their young men in these studies, and those that applied themselves to them were indefatigable in their labours about them—reading books, making observations, trying experiments. Well, let them stand up now with their enchantments, and try their skill in the critical moment. Let them make a stand, if they can, in opposition to the invading enemy; let them stand to offer their service to their country; but to what purpose? "Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels of this kind (Isa 47:13); thou hast advised with them all, but hast received no satisfaction from them; the different schemes they have erected, and the different judgments they have given, have but increased thy perplexity and tired thee out." In the multitude of such counsellors there is no safety. (2.) They are upbraided with the variety they had of such kinds of people among them, Isa 47:13. They had their astrologers, or viewers of the heavens, that did not consider them, as David, to behold the wisdom and power of God in them; but, under pretence of foretelling future events by them, they viewed the heavens and forgot him that made them and set their dominion on the earth (Job 38:33), and has himself dominion over them, for he rides on the heavens. They had their star-gazers, who by the motions of the stars, their conjunctions and oppositions, read the doom of states and kingdoms. They had their monthly prognosticators, their almanac-makers, that told what weather it should be or what news they should have each month. The great stock they had of these was what they valued themselves much upon; but they were all cheats, and their art was a sham. I confess I see not how the judicial astrology which some now pretend to, by the rules of which they undertake to prophecy concerning things to come, can be distinguished from that of the Chaldeans, nor therefore how it can escape the censure and contempt which this text lays that under; yet I fear there are some who study their almanacs, and regard them and their prognostications, more than their Bibles and the prophecies there. (3.) They are upbraided with the utter inability and insufficiency of all these pretenders to do them any kindness in the day of their distress. Let them see whether with the help of their enchantments they can prevail against their enemies, or profit themselves, inspirit their own forces or dispirit those that come against them, Isa 47:12. Let them see what service those can do them who make a trade of divination: "Let them stand up, and either by their power save thee from these evils that are coming upon thee or by their foresight make such a discovery of them beforehand that thou mayest by needful precautions save thyself;" as Elisha, by notifying to the king of Israel the motions of the Syrian army, enabled him to save himself, not once nor twice, 2Ki 6:10. This baffling of the diviners was literally fulfilled when, the night that Babylon was taken and Belshazzar slain, all his astrologers, soothsayers, and wise men, were quite nonplussed with the handwriting on the wall that pronounced the fatal sentence, Da 5:8. (4.) They are upbraided with the fall of the wise men themselves in the common ruin, Isa 47:14. Those are unlikely to stand their friends in any stead who cannot secure themselves; they are as stubble at the best, worthless and useless, and they shall be as stubble before a consuming fire. The Persians, to make room for their own wise men, will cut off those of Babylon; that fire shall burn them, and they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame. Those can expect no other than to be devoured by their sins make themselves fuel to a devouring fire. When God kindles a fire among them it shall not be a coal to warm at, and a fire to sit before, but a coal to burn them. Or, rather, it denotes that they shall be utterly consumed by the judgments of God, burnt quite to ashes, and there shall not remain one live coal to do any body any service; for when God judges he will overcome. (5.) They are upbraided with their merchants, and those they dealt with (Isa 47:15), such as they dealt with from their youth, either, [1.] In a way of consultation. These astrologers, that dealt in the black art, they always loved to be dealing with, and they were in effect their merchants; fortune-telling was one of the best trades in Babylon, and those that followed that trade probably lived as splendidly and got as much money as the richest merchants; yet, when some of them were devoured, others fled their country, every one to his quarter, and there was none to save Babylon. Miserable comforters are they all. Or, [2.] In a way of commerce. As their astrologers, with whom they had laboured, failed them, so did their merchants; they took care to secure their own effects, and then valued not what became of Babylon. They wandered every one to his own quarter; each man shifted for his own safety, but none would offer to lend a helping hand, no, not to a city by which they had got so much money. Every one was for himself, but few for his friends. The New-Testament Babylon is lamented by the merchants that were made rich by her, but they very prudently stand afar off to lament her (Re 18:15), not willing to attempt any thing for her succour. Happy are those who by faith and prayer deal with one that will be a very present help in time of trouble!
無限的智慧本可如此安排，使以色列得釋放而巴比倫不受損；但他們若硬著心腸不肯放百姓走，他們的傾覆被用以為以色列的釋放鋪路，就當怪自己了。那傾覆在本章中被詳細預言，不是為了滿足神百姓中——他們曾被野蠻虐待——的報復之心，而是為了激發他們對自己得拯救的信心和盼望，並要作新約教會那大仇敵傾覆的預表——那仇敵在啟示錄中以「巴比倫」為名。在本章中我們看到：I. 所威嚇之毀滅的浩大，就是巴比倫必被貶到塵土之中，成了完全悲慘的；必從興盛的巔峰墜入逆境的深淵，Isa 47:1-5。II. 惹動神將這毀滅臨到他們的罪：1. 他們向神百姓所行的殘忍，Isa 47:6。2. 他們的驕傲與屬肉體的安逸，Isa 47:7-9。3. 他們倚靠自己、藐視神，Isa 47:10。4. 他們使用邪術、倚靠符咒和妖術——這些非但於他們無益，反要加速他們的毀滅，Isa 47:11-15。