John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 21:2

"A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous man dealeth treacherously, and the destroyer destroyeth. Go up, O Elam; besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease." — Isaiah 21:2 (ASV)

A harsh vision. Since the object was to soothe the grief of the people, it might seem inappropriate to call a vision that is an occasion of joy, a harsh vision. But this refers to the Babylonians, who, puffed up with their prosperity, dreaded no danger; for wealth commonly produces pride and indifference. As if he had said, “It is useless to emphasize the riches and power of the Babylonians, and when a stone is hard, a hard hammer will be found to break it.”

The spoiler. Since Babylon had gained its power by plundering and laying waste other nations, it seemed to be free from all danger. Although they had been a terror to others, and had practiced every kind of barbarity and cruelty, yet they could not avoid becoming prey and enduring injuries similar to those they had inflicted on others. The Prophet goes further and, to lend credibility to his statements, pronounces it to be a righteous retaliation, that violence should correspond to violence.

Go up, O Elam. Elam is a part of Persia; but is taken for the whole of Persia, and for this reason, the Persians are also called Elamites. It is noteworthy that when Isaiah foretold these things, there was no probability of war, and that he was dead a hundred years before there was any apprehension of this calamity. Therefore, it is sufficiently evident that he could not have derived his information on this subject from any other than the Spirit of God, and this greatly contributes to confirming the truth and certainty of the prediction.

Besiege, O Mede. By commanding the Medes and Persians, he declares that this will not befall the Babylonians randomly or by chance, but by the sure decree of God, in whose name, and not in that of any private individual, he makes the announcement. Therefore, coming forward in the name of God, he may, like a captain or general, command his soldiers to assemble for battle. The manner in which God employs the agency of robbers and wicked men has been explained previously in the tenth chapter.

I have made all his groaning to cease. Some understand this to mean that the groaning the Babylonians had caused ceased after they were subdued by the Medes and Persians; for by their tyrannical measures they had caused many to groan, which is bound to happen when wicked and ungodly men possess rank and power. Others, perhaps, approach more closely to the real meaning of the Prophet when they say that “the groaning ceased” because the Babylonians experienced no compassion, having formerly shown none to others. But I explain it more simply to mean that the Lord was deaf to their groanings; as if he had said that there would be no room for their groanings and lamentations because, having been cruel and barbarous, it was just that they should receive back the same measure they had meted out to others (Matthew 7:2).