Charles Ellicott Commentary Isaiah 47

Come down ... — The virgin daughter of Babylon, i.e., Babylon itself, personified as until now unconquered, is called to leave her throne and sit in the dust as a menial slave. The epithets “tender” (better, perhaps, wanton) and “delicate” point to the luxury which had been identified with Babylon, and which was now to cease.

Take the millstones. —Always the most servile form of female labour (Exodus 11:5; Job 31:10; Matthew 24:41).

Uncover thy locks. —The picture of suffering is heightened by the fact that the female slave has to wade unveiled and bare-legged to the scene of her labours, her sense of shame outraged. The picture is, of course, to be taken symbolically, not literally.

I will not meet thee as a man. —The words in italics show that the phrase is difficult. Omitting them, we get I shall not meet a man, that is, there will be none to oppose me, or I will not spare a man.

As for our redeemer ... —The verse comes in somewhat abruptly, but may be viewed (unless we suppose it was originally a marginal addition that has found its way into the text) as Israel’s song of praise, as it looks on the overthrow of Babylon. As such, it finds a parallel in the overthrow of the mystical Babylon in Revelation 18:20.

Sit thou silent. —Another contrast between the stir of the rejoicing city and the stillness of its later desolation. “The lady” (we might almost say, the empress) “of kingdoms” was reduced to the loneliness of widowhood.

I was wroth with my people ... —The sin of Babylon was that she had gone beyond her commission as the chastiser of Israel, casting off all reverence for age, and making even the old men do the hard tasks of bond-slaves (Lamentations 4:16; Lamentations 5:12). (Compare to Zechariah 1:15.)