John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 13:12

"I will make a man more rare than fine gold, even a man than the pure gold of Ophir." — Isaiah 13:12 (ASV)

I will make a man more precious than pure gold. Here he describes in a particular manner how cruel and savage the war carried on against Babylon will be. Similarly, believers, instructed by these predictions, implore in the spirit of prophecy for the utmost cruelty known in warfare: that the Persians and Medes may tear the infants from their mothers’ breasts and dash them against the stones (Psalms 137:9). The general meaning is that Babylon will not only be destroyed but will be devoted to utter extermination. For when he says that the life of a man shall be more precious than gold, he asserts that the enemies will be so eager to shed blood that it will be impossible to rescue a man from their hands at any price, because they will choose to kill rather than accept a ransom.

It may be asked: Was this destruction as cruel as Isaiah describes it here? History gives a different account, and Daniel himself, who was an eyewitness of this destruction, relates that the city was only taken, for the Medes and Persians spared the citizens and inhabitants. This argument has constrained some commentators to apply allegorically to all the reprobate what is related here of Babylon. But in doing so, they have overstrained the passage, for shortly afterwards the Prophet names the Medes and Persians (Isaiah 13:17).

Besides, the threats that will follow later in their proper order—against the Edomites, Moabites, the inhabitants of Tyre and Egypt, and other nations—sufficiently show that the present discourse is directed literally against the Chaldeans, to whom the Prophet assigns the first rank. This is not because their destruction was as near as that of other nations, but because none of the enemies of the Church were more dangerous.

It should be observed that Isaiah did not utter this prediction while the monarchy of Nineveh was still flourishing. Instead, all that he predicted against heathen nations during the whole course of his ministry was collected into one book. Thus, the order of events was not observed; rather, a similarity of subject was the reason all these prophecies were put into one place.

Why, then, does Isaiah take no notice of Nineveh, since he later mentions that the Assyrians alone attacked the Jews (for the Babylonians lived at peace with them)? It is because he does not relate the history of his own time until the twenty-third chapter of his prophecy, but instead prophesies about the judgments of God that happened after his death.

Now, when he declares that Babylon will be utterly destroyed, it is certain that he does not merely describe a single calamity but includes the destruction that followed long afterwards. After being subdued by the Persians, Babylon continued to flourish and held the name and rank of a very celebrated city.

And although the city Ctesiphon was founded to attract a portion of Babylon's splendor and wealth, the convenience of its situation, its costly buildings, and its fortifications rendered it, with the exception of royal rank, not inferior to Persis.

Even after the death of Alexander the Great, when Seleucia was built not far away, it still could not obliterate the name and reputation of the ancient city. Hence, we conclude that the events foretold here cannot be limited to a single period.

It is not without reason, however, that the Prophet pronounces such fearful threats against them, since the revolution of the empire was the forerunner of the various calamities that followed. Though the people were not entirely slain, yet as the city was taken by storm—by a sudden assault at midnight while the whole court was carousing in drunken revels—it was inevitable that the Medes and Persians must have slain all who came in their way.

There can be no doubt, therefore, that there was a great slaughter before the conquerors extended their protection to all the people once they had surrendered at discretion. Who can doubt that this haughty nation was roughly handled by barbarian conquerors? For in no other way could it have been reduced to obedience.

Having been gradually weakened, not long afterwards Babylon again changed its master. After being governed for a short period by Alexander, king of Macedon, it immediately passed under the dominion of Seleucus, who endeavored by every method to degrade it until it was completely ruined. Thus, as long as God permitted the city to remain in existence, it presented a shameful and revolting spectacle to the whole world, so that the accomplishment of the prophecy might be more evident and impressive. Hence, the Prophet Isaiah has good reason for asserting that the anger of God will not be appeased until that den of robbers is utterly destroyed.

A mortal and a man. Regarding the words, some translators render אנוש (enosh) as a warlike or eminent man, and אדם (adam) as an ordinary man. But as the etymology does not correspond to this view, and as I do not think it occurred to the Prophet’s mind, I consider it to be rather a repetition of the same sentiment, such as we know was customary among the Hebrews. The word פז (paz), which, in common with other translators, I have rendered pure gold, is supposed by some to mean a pearl; but from many passages of Scripture, we conclude that it is the purest and finest gold.