John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 13:22

"And wolves shall cry in their castles, and jackals in the pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged." — Isaiah 13:22 (ASV)

And Iim shall cry. He expresses the same thing as had been previously said, and shows how dreadful that change will be, in order to make it clear that it comes from the judgment of God, and not from chance. The picture is even heightened by adding that this will take place, not in ordinary buildings, but in delightful palaces. While the shortness of time which is stated here refers to the approaching calamity, it was at the same time necessary that the hope of believers should be held longer in suspense. I have said that Babylon was not so quickly overturned, and that the Medes did not inflict such a calamity upon it that it could be compared to a desert. He therefore said that it would quickly happen, because the beginnings of it were soon afterwards seen; for the Jews should have been satisfied with knowing that the punishment had not been threatened without good reason.

And her time is near. The Holy Spirit also considers our passion and rashness. We would prefer that God execute His judgments immediately and punish wicked people whenever we want. But God knows the proper time, and our eagerness makes it difficult for us to wait for it.

Yet, if we were to consider His eternity, we would quickly find that through patience we restrained excessive haste. Since our eagerness, however, can hardly be restrained in any other way, God sometimes deals with us gently to some extent by declaring that He will soon come. Again, let us not judge the shortness of time according to our own views, but, disregarding the days of this life, let us lift our hearts to heaven. Especially, let us learn to submit whenever we are made to feel, even in a small way, God's judgments, even if He delays their full accomplishment for a longer time.

And her days shall not be prolonged. This second clause is added for confirmation, as if he had said that the Lord has appointed a day, and that no one will be allowed to obtain a truce.